No arguments please, European car manufacturers produce the best luxury cars. But if you’re tasked with choosing American excesses over high-tech loaded Japanese luxury rides, who wins?
There are dozens of great American luxury rides to choose from, most recently SUVs that steal sales from traditional sedans and coupes. Cadillac and Lincoln both offer levels of limo refinement in truck-sized machines adorned with as much or little bling as buyers want. On the other side of the world, Asian automakers have also grasped the burgeoning excess of economic stability, offering Western buyers ever more refined and upscale luxury cars for less, while attracting a little less. attention.
America, Land of the Free, an industrial manufacturing powerhouse that builds some of the best luxury cars money can buy, but Asian manufacturers are easily on par or better, and for less money too.
ten
Cadillac Escalade
Nothing screams in your OTT bling face like a Cadillac Escalade, the vehicle of choice for VIPs and rappers. It’s the best luxury SUV for budding celebrities who, despite Cadillac’s best attempts to make the 6,000-pound giant greener, will still be less than welcome at your local Friends of the Earth gatherings.
The Escalade doesn’t pretend to be more than a luxuriously appointed SUV at the widest end of the scale, with the weight and size requiring a big engine to get things right. Under the hood you have several engines to choose from, with a diesel offering better gas mileage, but if you are looking for luxury then the best stock with the smoother 6.2 liter 460 HP EcoTec3 V8.
9
Lincoln Black Label Navigator
Another luxury SUV barge that could really do with a crash diet, the Lincoln Black Label Navigator is billed as the brand’s top-of-the-line offering, packing every sophistication under the sun into roughly the same oversized heavy footprint. than the Escalade, only with a touch more restraint.
Marketed as “inspired by cooler breezes and wind-filled sails” may sound a bit nautical, but that’s exactly how Lincoln perceives buyers who spend their weekends at the local yacht club. Inside, a tastefully understated cockpit trimmed with contrasting leather and wood-effect panels gives an air of luxury gin palate. All that luxury is under $ 100,000, Lincoln is even adding a powerful 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 to good effect.
8
Lucid air
Move on Tesla, there is a new luxury electric vehicle in town! Not only is the Lucid Air more exclusive, it also looks better, with a premium interior to match. If the striking looks and interior of the futuristic limousine aren’t unanimous, nothing will.
Going into production this year, the Lucid Air, if all goes according to plan, will have more range than Tesla’s of up to 517 miles between charges, without sacrificing performance. A custom three-engine all-wheel-drive setup produces 1080 hp, in theory, capable of sixty in under three seconds and reaching a top speed of 168 mph.
7
Cadillac CT5-V Black Wing
Sticking to the good old-fashioned gasoline engines, Cadillac’s next CT5-V Blackwing promises the best of both worlds. A luxuriously appointed leather interior in complete contrast to the shared fire-breathing personality that is never just a push of the accelerator.
In the standard trim, the CT5-V is just passable with a mishmash of trim materials that don’t quite freeze, approaching the Blackwing, and Cadillac has a true Mercedes-AMG rival in its hands. Luxury sedan or quarter-mile monster? The numbers speak for themselves, 668 hp thanks to a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 good for 205 mph.
6
Lincoln Continental Coach Door Edition
The American answer to Europe’s best luxury sedans, the Lincoln Continental Coach Door Edition has all the leather niceties of BMW, Mercedes and, to a lesser extent, Bentley, for a more affordable price of $ 120,000. How does the Lincoln brand compare to the crème de la crème of luxury cars?
If we didn’t know better, it would be easy to mistake the Continental for luxury heavyweights, the level of fit, finish and quality of materials is second to none. And then, those retro coach doors reminiscent of a class of screaming Rolls-Royce Phantom, coming out of the last, and perhaps the last, Continental is sure to point out owners.
5
Genesis G80 3.5T Sport Prestige
The premium brand of Hyundai Genesis has seen recent growth, with a number of impressive launches and redesigns, nothing more than the upcoming 2022 G80 Sport edition. At this price point, you’d be hard pressed to find anything built in the USA that offers such impressive levels of sophistication and quality.
Of course, the grille takes some getting used to, but you will never confuse it with any other brand. Inside, Genesis gives the Prestige G80 a unique blend of modern technology and old-world wood and leather trims, topped off with what is surely a play on Bentley’s famous deployed fender logo. Under the hood, a silky-smooth 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 produces 375 hp, with performance refinement the order of the day.
4
Lexus ES350 Luxury
Another premium Asian automaker with its eye on the lucrative prestige sector, Lexus, the first of these Japanese premium commercial models, dating back to 1989 with the original LS. Fast forward 30 years and Lexus is still at the forefront of luxury cars, its current lineup includes sedans, coupes and SUVs.
The ES Series, the premium midsize Lexus luxury sedan launched in 2018 and revised for 2021/22 with subtle styling revisions, keeps the ES350 fresh and contemporary. A similar approach to the interior, revisions limited to what is strictly necessary, the cockpit layout clean and simple, adorned with the best materials, Lexus the material of refined and discreet luxury.
3
Mazda6 Signature
Mazda is not a brand we would normally associate with luxury offerings, in this company the Mazda6 is on the cheaper end of the scale, but still delivers a believable premium experience, with signature upgrades adding a touch of class to the range.
The same 227bhp 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four remains, performance has never been an issue, Signature upgrades adding a classier touch with refreshed exterior paint options and an updated two-tone leather trim. tastefully day.
2
Genesis GV70
Based on the highly acclaimed G70 sports sedan, it’s no surprise that the GV70 is equally refined and luxurious, all with that premium badge up front. The adoption of a higher ride height only adds to the general feeling of importance, which is what all SUV owners aspire to.
Why opt for the GV70 rather than its big brother G80? Simple, Genesis dared to be different with its smaller SUV, curves and plush leather give the whole thing a more cohesive feel, special on the outside and even more special on the inside. Under the hood a familiar range of two engine options, the more powerful 3.5-liter twin-turbo engine delivers 375 hp and a smoother premium ride.
1
Hongqi H9
Granted, the Hongqi H9 is an odd choice in this lineup, but given the impressive Rolls-Royce Ghost-mimicking exterior and luxury that meets the high-tech interior, it would be hard to ignore the best-kept automotive secret. from China.
Open the door and slip into one of the most luxuriously appointed cabins of any car on sale, Hongqi’s H9 makes anything off the American shores look truly ordinary. Luxury car makers around the world should be concerned. If we were to be very picky, a reduction in the amount of piano black surfaces and the entry-level model’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine tarnishes an otherwise gorgeous car.
Read more
About the Author
