Gather the superlatives to describe the modern luxury sedans, which cars will make it to the top list?
To invade the performance auto arena, luxury automakers are pushing into 600-hp. Now which company builds the most powerful sedan? Which car carries sophisticated engine, transmission and suspension technology? Is it Porsche? Lamborghini? Dodge? Name it.
“Clearly these cars are putting more horsepower to the ground than one would ever think was normal for a luxury sedan," says former automotive financial analyst Joseph Phillippi, now a consultant to the auto industry. "These are Ferraris with four doors and a trunk. The appeal is the exclusivity they offer, the ‘I’m rich enough to afford one’ statement the car makes, albeit quietly.”
“I’m sure there are buyers who are clueless, simply spending money because they have a lot of it,” Phillippi tells Forbes. “But most of the people who buy these know all about the car — maybe even know how to drive it well.”
Unlike some gaudy sports cars with huge wings, scoops and obnoxiously loud exhaust systems, these extreme luxury sedans only hint at their prowess — with a discreet “supercharged” or “V12” badge on the trunk or fender, a slightly lowered stance, and larger, flashier wheels with low-profile tires. “You’re not looking to impress Joe Six-Pack,” says automotive consultant and publicist Martyn Schorr. “It’s the aficionados who are impressed — and valets. Valets are used to seeing luxury cars, but they’re impressed when they see a Mercedes AMG or BMW M logo.”
Visual differences between regular sedans and their superlative counterparts are often so subtle. “The sedans are stealthy, so you can be a performance loony and not look bad in your neighborhood,” Phillippi says.
“These sedans work as everyday family vehicles yet deliver performance that was, until recently, reserved for truly high-performance sports cars,” Schorr says. “And you can go anywhere and park one. It’s just a sedan. It doesn’t attract the attention a Ferrari does. They’re invisible to all but knowledgeable people.”
Extreme luxury supercars have it all – awesome performance, chic style, spacious trunk, comfy seats, plush amenities, and more. Acura cold air intake is constantly improving. Dodge Viper engines are getting stronger. Lexus is now plusher than ever. No wonder the market is gradually growing.
“More and more people have the money,” Schorr says. “The difference in price between it and the conventional model doesn’t mean much to them. These people also tend to be fickle. Before the car is one or at most two years old, it’s sold and they buy another one, so there’s a constant, evolving market for them.”
Who buys supercars? “Guys with high levels of testosterone,” Schorr says. “People who already own one or more sports cars. People who truly appreciate high performance and feel they can’t be without it in their daily driver.”
Super sedans are also arguably safer than are outright performance cars and tend to be bought by more responsible drivers. "The people who own these cars don’t go nuts with them," Schorr says. "It doesn’t matter that they have 500 hp. They’re responsible individuals, they paid a lot of money for them, they transport families and business associates. They’re more likely to stay out of trouble than are people who get behind the wheel of something red with two seats and very high horsepower.”