Luxury car
A luxury car is a passenger vehicle providing above-average to high-end comfort levels, features, and equipment.
The term is relative and partially subjective, reflecting both objective qualities of a car, as well as the projected and perceived image of the vehicle's marque.
[15] Some brands, like Audi and BMW have expanded their marketing by "introducing lesser priced and strip-down economy versions of their products.
[18][21][22][23] Some American luxury cars during the 1970s through the 1990s switched to a front-wheel drive layout with a transverse engine provoked by the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973 and the 1979 oil crisis, which caused automakers to discontinue many FR platforms in favor of the more economical front-wheel drive (FF) layout.
[29] Prior to World War II, a wide array of European producers made luxury cars, including Rolls-Royce, Bugatti, Delage, Delahaye, Talbot-Lago, Bentley, Alvis, Avions Voisin, Isotta Fraschini, Horch, Simson, Stoewer, Maybach, Mercedes-Benz, Hispano Suiza, Daimler Company, and Spyker.
[33][34] In the 2010s, some French manufacturers have attempted to develop luxury cars; however the lack of a historical legacy has hindered these efforts.
[38][39] Volkswagen entered the high-end market by expanding or acquiring additional brands such as Audi, Porsche, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Bugatti.
The luxury car phenomenon began at the start of the automobile industry when the wealthy frequently invested in manufacturing such models to gain social prestige.
The significant North American manufacturers from 1910 until 1940 included Auburn, Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler, Continental, Cord, Daniels, DeSoto, Duesenberg, Franklin, Imperial, LaFayette, LaSalle, Lincoln, Marmon, Packard, Peerless, Pierce Arrow, Ruxton, Stearns-Knight, and Stutz.
The Great Depression put many luxury car manufacturers out of business; others would hold on before going defunct during the postwar era.
In 1990, American luxury brands dominated, with Cadillac selling over a quarter-million cars, and Lincoln had its best year ever at 231,660 units.
[17][62] For example, some of the steepest drop-offs came at the high end, including the BMW 7 Series and Rolls-Royce Phantom, and in 2010 Mercedes-Benz dropped the price of the W212 E-Class.
The unusually sharp decline in luxury car sales has led observers to believe that there is a fundamental shift and reshaping of the luxury automotive market, with one industry official suggesting that the marques no longer command the premiums that they used to and another saying that conspicuous consumption was no longer attractive in poor economic conditions.
[61] Additionally, mainstream brands have been able to offer amenities and devices such as leather, wood, and anti-lock brakes, previously found only on luxury cars, as the costs decline.
[61] Sales in the entry-level luxury segment remained strong throughout the GFC, due to prices being lowered to compete with well-equipped non-luxury cars.
[77][78] For mass-produced luxury cars, sharing of platforms or components with other models is common,[79] as per modern automotive industry practice.
In official use, the term is adopted by Euro NCAP, a European organization founded to test for car safety.
[115] Examples include the Rolls-Royce Phantom, Maybach 57 and 62, Hongqi L5, Bentley Mulsanne, Cadillac Celestiq, Toyota Century, and Aurus Senat.
[115] The history of a brand and the exclusivity of a particular model can result in price premiums compared to luxury cars with similar features from less prestigious manufacturers.
[125] Standard features included bucket seating, a center console, air conditioning, a seven-position tilt steering wheel, a vinyl roof, and gold-colored trim panels on the body sides and tailgate.
"[126] A four-door version was added in 1981, and the model was pushed upmarket in 1983 by introducing an automatic transmission (Chrysler's A727 TorqueFlite) as an option.
[129] The fastest-growing sector of this market was for the so-called luxury SUVs, which included the Jeep Grand Cherokee ... the Grand Cherokee's allure: "This vehicle is proof you can have a true off-road vehicle without giving up luxuries and amenities" with the Jeep providing a crucial new intangible factor for buyers—image.
For example, Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Bentley Bentayga, Aston Martin DBX, Maserati Levante, Lamborghini Urus, and Ferrari Purosangue.
Examples of luxury MPV models include Mercedes-Benz V-Class, Lexus LM, Buick GL8, Hongqi HQ9, Toyota Alphard, Volvo EM90 and the Zeekr 009.
