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“Ultra-Luxury” Has
Arrived
So
an Infiniti or a Lexus isn’t enough for you
anymore. You want to take the next step to a car that
makes a statement as well as one that has features “earthly” drivers
only dream about. These cars take driving (and spending)
to the next level. They represent their manufacturer’s “highest
of highs” and with the prices starting well above
$200,000, you won’t be surprised to learn that
most of these vehicles were conceived during the “boom
years” of the 1990s. Will they sell during tougher
economic times? Hard to say, but at these prices, selling
only a few hundred may well be enough for the manufacturer
to break even while still retaining the prestige of
producing such a luxury car.
The Bentley
Now owned by Volkswagen, Bentley’s beautiful
GT Coupé will be launched this year. At $160,000,
it is the bargain in this class of car. Powered by
a twin-turbo version of Volkswagen’s W-12 engine
with about 500 horsepower, the platform will be a modified
VW structure. Bentley’s Ultra-Luxury line also
includes the Arnage and Azure models, which will continue
to be sold as-is with improved V-8 engines. Prices
for the Arnage and Azure will be in the $370,000 range.
The
Rolls Royce
Now owned by BMW, the new Rolls Royce Phantom is designed to restore the glory
to the Rolls Royce name. The well-being of the passengers is the entire point
of any Rolls, and this model is no different. The passengers sit in the rear
compartment shrouded in privacy by thick C-pillars and there is the choice of
a bench seat with wrap-around sides like a chesterfield sofa or two individually
adjustable chairs. To get in and out, there is the convenience of wide, rear-hinged “coach” doors.
True to form, the furnishings are in the finest leather and perfectly matched
wood veneer. Hidden beneath wood-faced panels is a TV screen, a simplified version
of the BMW iDrive controller, and a pair of cup holders. The engine has direct
gasoline injection and develops 455 horsepower, but the emphasis is on its torque—527
pound-feet, 85% of which is available from 1000 rpm. The price? About $300,000
(depending on your options, naturally!).
The Maybach
The Maybach name is probably not familiar to most Americans
but this German carmaker is linked with Mercedes-Benz.
Designed to take on Rolls Royce and Bentley, there
are two versions of the Modern Maybach: the 62 and
the 57. The 62 is the larger of the two measuring
nearly 6.2 meters (20 feet 3 inches) and designed
to be a full limousine. The expectation is that most
owners will be riding in the fully reclining rear
seats patterned after first-class airline seats,
while the chauffer does the driving. From the refrigerated
compartment for champagne to telephone outlets, this
car spells the ultimate in luxury. The rear section
even has a laminated glass pane with a membrane that
can be altered to produce different lighting effects
(don’t you have that in your car?). The 62
drives like a S-Class Mercedes and the engine is
a 60-degree
V-12 with twin turbo-chargers. The 57 enjoys better
proportions and is set in a regular wheelbase sedan.
Prices start upwards of $300,000 for these vehicles,
but for the luxury offered, they are undeniable bargains.
And get this: Maybach is assigning a personal liaison
manager for every vehicle. If there is anything wrong
with the car, any service needed, or anything else,
he can be reached 24 hours a day. You get what you
pay for.
Before
you get depressed thinking about how you’ll
never have a car this expensive, keep this thought:
generally, the most useful and enjoyable of these luxurious
features will “trickle down” so that eventually
lesser models made by these same manufacturers will
incorporate them. Just think, seat heaters and other
options we now consider “high end” but
certainly not inconceivable may have begun this way.
So close your eyes and imagine yourself in one of these
luxurious vehicles. It never hurts to dream….
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