Luxury sedans are mostly built for one purpose – to be as comfortable as possible. These cars would have beautiful interiors with seats upholstered in soft leather, dashboards in beautiful wood, and everything else made of solid metal....CONTINUE READING
While this was the case in the past, the modern equivalent of the luxury sedan must also keep up with the competition – or just be fast enough to embarrass sports cars.
Luxury sedans always had big engines – just look at the straight-8-powered Duesenberg SJ. In the 1970s and 1980s, these big engines didn’t exactly set any records for performance – the 5.6-liter V8 in the Mercedes-Benz SEL only produced around 240 hp.
By the 1990s, manufacturers unanimously decided that their ultra-luxury models needed powerful engines to compliment the lushness of the interior.
As a result, the following W140 S600 produced 400 hp from its V12. BMW joined in with their 7-Series. Audi got the twin-turbocharged S8.
Since then, each manufacturer tries to outdo the next, and the result of this ‘one-upping’ is a luxury sedan – in the form of the Lucid Air – on par with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but with more power than the top-spec Ferrari or Lamborghini hypercar.
Today, there is such a large choice on the market of performance-oriented luxury sedans that it would be easier to learn how to defuse a bomb rather than decide which luxury model to buy. Here are ten of the best fancy sedans out there.
10 2012 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is usually the pinnacle of the premium manufacturer’s luxury offerings. It showcases advanced technologies and supremely comfortable motoring – both when driving and when sitting in the rear seats.
Luckily for us motoring enthusiasts, Mercedes gave the S-Class to AMG, which meant the in-house aftermarket tuner stuffed a twin-turbo V12 in the front, creating a monster luxury sedan producing 604 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque. As a fun result, the rear tires shred faster than you can say the car’s full name.
9 2021 BMW M760Li
In an attempt to out-do the Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG, BMW created a twin-turbo V12 flagship sedan which didn’t use just a 6.0-liter engine, but rather a 6.6-liter derived from the Rolls-Royce 6.75-liter V12. The BMW M760Li produces 604 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque.
Unlike the Mercedes, the BMW is fitted with all-wheel drive and various luxury features to help distinguish it from the rest of the line-up. Sadly, the V12 engine failed to make it to the new 7 Series – just as well with that horrendous front end.
8 2017 Audi S8 Plus
The Audi A8 is the VW Group alternative to the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-Series. Like those other two, the A8 comes in a sportier trim for those owners who like to drive themselves. The S8 features the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 as the RS6 and RS7, but in a more elegant package.
Audi upped the performance for the S8 Plus, producing 605 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. The S8 Plus is a brilliant car, and it is made even better by the fact that ABT got their hands on one and turned it into a proper sports sedan. Plus, the added body kit makes it look sinister, like a supervillain’s transport of choice.
7 2019 Jaguar XJ-R
The Jaguar XJ is, unfortunately, dead. Jaguar planned to release an electric XJ by now but canceled it due to financial problems. As a result, we have the previous generation XJ on the used market, the best of which is undoubtedly the XJR.
The XJR featured the well-known 5.0-liter supercharged V8 from the F-Type R, producing 575 hp. The XJR also gets a sportier body kit and nicer wheels, along with an updated interior and R motifs on the seats. The XJR is a proper alternative to the 7-Series, S-Class and A8.
6 2023 Rolls-Royce Ghost II
Rolls-Royce has multiple models using the Ghost name, but the current Ghost II is by far the best. While the 2010s Ghost is nothing more than a cheaper Phantom, the current Ghost II is its own car entirely, featuring a powerful version of the 6.75-liter V12 and, for the first time ever in a Rolls-Royce sedan – all-wheel-drive.
The Ghost II’s development had a front-and-center approach when it was announced that the Ghost was so quiet, it made the occupants ill. Well, Rolls-Royce fixed this and then Brabus came along and added a sportier exhaust, completely solving the problem.
5 2023 Bentley Flying Spur Speed
If you want the perfect blend of ultra luxury and sports sedan performance, the Bentley Flying Spur Speed is the way to go. Featuring fanciness and opulence almost on par with Rolls-Royce and performance to scare the pants off a supercar, the Flying Spur Speed is the fastest sedan on the planet.
The Flying Spur Speed features a 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 engine, producing 626 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque going to all four wheels via Porsche’s 8-speed PDK transmission. As a result of the brilliant engineering, the Flying Spur Speed tops out at 211 mph.
4 2023 Porsche Panamera Turbo S
The Porsche Panamera is the engineers from Stuttgart’s idea of a 4-door sports sedan – even though it is a liftback and is available as a wagon as well.
The top-spec Panamera Turbo S e-Hybrid combines the near-relentless performance of the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with electric power, boosting overall output to 690 hp and 642 lb-ft of torque.
The original Panamera may not have been the prettiest thing on the road, but it had the performance to compete with the best of the best. Luckily, Porsche changed the styling to something more elegant for the second generation, appealing to a wider range of customers.
3 2011 Maserati Quattroporte V
The Maserati Quattroporte is the closest we will probably ever come to a 4-door Ferrari sedan. The original Quattroporte models were all based on existing GTs and the BiTurbo, but the fifth generation was a model all on its own – even featuring a Ferrari V8.
The Quattroporte V is a beautiful piece of Italian flair, featuring incomprehensible technology, questionable reliability, and service costs that will make Jay Leno wince.
None of this matters though as the GTS model emits an exhaust noise like no other, coupled with a chassis that screams handling. The car can also be used to cruise along in comfort.
2 2023 Lucid Air Grand Touring
What happens when an electric automaker boss over-works their employees? They leave and create a company that does the job better. This is exactly what some ex-Tesla engineers did, and they now own and operate Lucid Motors.
Their first foray into the automotive world is the fantastic – if not a bit weirdly named – Lucid Air. Boasting between 600 and 1,200 hp, the Air caters to a wide variety of customers, easily completing luxury drives as well as setting blistering lap times around a circuit. The Lucid Air is the BMW M5 of the electric car world.
1 2001 BMW 750i (Best Value)
Seeing the old BMW E38 7-Series on this list may be a bit weird, but there is a good reason for it. The E38 is considered by many enthusiasts, engineers, and designers to be one of the best sedan designs ever made. Strangely, the V12-powered model is the most reliable of the engine choices, adding to the appeal.
Granted, the 750i doesn’t quite have the same level of luxury or technology as the modern equivalents, but for the price, it is going for on the used market, the vehicle is an absolute bargain.
The car looks old, but not dated and the M-Sport model with the sportier bumpers and five double-spoke wheels is infinitely cool…CONTINUE READING>>
