johnnyb82 Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 What makes a car a true luxury car? So many luxury carmakers rely substantially on deriving luxury cars from non-luxury platforms. Are all cars based on non-luxury platforms not trully luxury? Do they have to change the shape of the car in order for that to happen? Or is it more about the interior, the bells and whistles, the suspension, etc. ? Should all the sheetmetal be different? What is "luxury sheetmetal?" I am ignorant about all this and am hoping for some clarification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 What makes a car a true luxury car? So many luxury carmakers rely substantially on deriving luxury cars from non-luxury platforms. Are all cars based on non-luxury platforms not trully luxury? Do they have to change the shape of the car in order for that to happen? Or is it more about the interior, the bells and whistles, the suspension, etc. ? Should all the sheetmetal be different? What is "luxury sheetmetal?" I am ignorant about all this and am hoping for some clarification. I think that it's based on personal opinion. I beleive it's more about the interior, quietness, etc. -- the qualities that create a luxury aura. Some companies have different sheetmetal, like Camry/ES350, which is based off the Camry but has a different shape and interior, I guess giving it it's luxury feel. But I think that sharing sheetmetal, but having more luxurious interiors can work as well. Look at Lincoln -- sales up 15% so far this year, with essentially rebadged Ford products, albeit w/ nicer, more luxury appointed appearance both inside (especially) and out (not as much). Those are my thoughts, but, as I said, I think it's based off opinion, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wescoent Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 I remember Lincoln's tagline a long time ago was "What a luxury car should be." Luxury cars begin where normal cars end. A luxury car to me starts at $30,000. A luxury car does better than normal cars. It rides nicer. It's quieter. It handles better. It comes with more features. It has a smoother and more powerful engine. It is more beautiful inside and out. Obviously, one car cannot embody all of these features, but all luxury cars have some combination of these features. Even something as simple as sitting in a Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ demonstrates this. The Milan is a nice car for sure, but once you sit in an MKZ, it just blows it away. Everything inside looks and feels much nicer than the Milan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalepsy Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 What makes a luxury car? The badge. It's the perception. It's the image. Do you really think most people buy BMWs because they enjoy driving? ...Or that MB's poor reliability is justified by better leather seats? People buy luxury cars because they want other people to see them as successful. Lexus tells people you are on your way to management...BMW tells people you are hip and successful...MB tells people you are some sort of "chief so and so." Then you get into the Bentley and Rolls...which just says you are rich because of your parents. What makes a luxury car? It's that little badge in front and back...and that look people give you when you get out of your car. What makes a car a true luxury car? So many luxury carmakers rely substantially on deriving luxury cars from non-luxury platforms. Are all cars based on non-luxury platforms not trully luxury? Do they have to change the shape of the car in order for that to happen? Or is it more about the interior, the bells and whistles, the suspension, etc. ? Should all the sheetmetal be different? What is "luxury sheetmetal?" I am ignorant about all this and am hoping for some clarification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe771476 Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 What makes a luxury car is the ride! And the cars with the longest wheelbase give the best ride! All cars today have power this and that and cushy leather seats. So the only cars that qualify as luxury are these models: The Cadillac DTS and Lincoln Town Car and of course Rolls, Bentleys and some Mercedes. That's it! No Lexuses, Infinitis, no Audis, no Acuras, no BMW's! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 What makes a luxury car is the ride! And the cars with the longest wheelbase give the best ride! All cars today have power this and that and cushy leather seats. So the only cars that qualify as luxury are these models: The Cadillac DTS and Lincoln Town Car and of course Rolls, Bentleys and some Mercedes. That's it! No Lexuses, Infinitis, no Audis, no Acuras, no BMW's! A Town Car with an interior dating back over a decade is a true luxury car but a Lexus isn't? Yeah...who would want this: when you could have THIS!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LincolnFan Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Minor touches to the TC interior would easily blow the LExii out of the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickF1011 Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Minor touches to the TC interior would easily blow the LExii out of the water. Minor touches like replacing everything in the above picture I can see? The only thing about that Town Car interior that exudes any bit of luxury feeling is the wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LincolnFan Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Not really, smaller gaps, better materials, a different steering wheel is a MUST w/ 4 SPOKES, a center stack redo, the big door handle thing has go to go, push button shifter..etc. well, it could eventually lead to a redesign... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmc523 Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 A Town Car with an interior dating back over a decade is a true luxury car but a Lexus isn't? Yeah...who would want this: when you could have THIS!!! I don't like how shiny Lexus' (fake) wood is. My personal favorite interior wood is the cherry from the Range Rovers This isn't the cherry, but still nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyChingas Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 What makes a luxury car? It's that little badge in front and back Which is also why the Volkswagen Phaeton failed....I'm almost positive if it was given an Audi badge it would have sold. Lexus is able to pull that one off by giving some Camrys a Lexus badge in front and back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armadamaster Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 What makes a car a true luxury car? So many luxury carmakers rely substantially on deriving luxury cars from non-luxury platforms. Are all cars based on non-luxury platforms not trully luxury? Do they have to change the shape of the car in order for that to happen? Or is it more about the interior, the bells and whistles, the suspension, etc. ? Should all the sheetmetal be different? What is "luxury sheetmetal?" I am ignorant about all this and am hoping for some clarification. Um.....Town Car. Chew on that one for awhile kids.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suv_guy_19 Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 Um.....Town Car. Chew on that one for awhile kids.... A Town Car is barely a Luxury car at all. Most people don't even see it as one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchdevil Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 A Town Car is barely a Luxury car at all. Most people don't even see it as one. It's still a luxury car but it's luxury as defined by old school domestic design that went out with the 1970's. The definition of luxury has changed what is expected with style and content. It also has to do with what brands people hold in high esteem... What they recognize as prestige and success. Lincoln has done nothing to clearly define or even redefine what luxury should be. Their only response is build cars like the LS and MKS that resemble the competition close enough that they think it will be good enough to capture sales from import buyers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suv_guy_19 Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 It's still a luxury car but it's luxury as defined by old school domestic design that went out with the 1970's. The definition of luxury has changed what is expected with style and content. It also has to do with what brands people hold in high esteem... What they recognize as prestige and success. Lincoln has done nothing to clearly define or even redefine what luxury should be. Their only response is build cars like the LS and MKS that resemble the competition close enough that they think it will be good enough to capture sales from import buyers. I know for example though, that Edmunds does not even count it under the category of luxury cars. Neither does motortrend. They both call it a large car and nothing else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armadamaster Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 I know for example though, that Edmunds does not even count it under the category of luxury cars. Neither does motortrend. They both call it a large car and nothing else. Well! If Edmunds and Motortrend say so... Overdue for an update or not, the Town Car is THE quintessential American luxury sedan, period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suv_guy_19 Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 Well! If Edmunds and Motortrend say so... Overdue for an update or not, the Town Car is THE quintessential American luxury sedan, period. Yes, but the point is, that if people don't consider it to be such, it isn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_A Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 Well! If Edmunds and Motortrend say so... Overdue for an update or not, the Town Car is THE quintessential American luxury sedan, period. Bullshit. Town Car is so out of date that the phrase "American luxury sedan" is an oxymoron. Town Car has de-evolved into a livery vehicle. An above average taxi car and a platform for limousines. Town Car may be my 72 year old father's idea of a luxury car, but that by no means defines "luxury car" any more. So far, with the STS, Cadillac is the only American (define that "Detroit") automaker with a true luxury car. Luxury car means styling, ride and handling, quality of workmanship and materials, and technological content. Edmund's and Motortrend's delisting of Town Car doesn't mean anything to you? Well, they reflect the West Coast and Northeast car markets, which by themselves are over half the car market in the USA,and Town Car sells like crap there. It's not even doing as well in Florida, Arizona and Texas anymore. BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, and, thanks to STS and CTS, Cadillac are all out selling Town Car. MKZ and MKX are the only reason Lincoln's numbers are improving. Town Car is fading even more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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