NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Luxury vehicles

A luxury vehicle is a vehicle which provides a great abundance of ease and comfort. Although there can be a great range of "vehicles" that offer luxurious settings, a true luxury car will be a car (sedan, coupé, hatchback, station wagon, roadster, etc.), a light truck (light pickup trucks), or a sport utility vehicle. Luxury vehicles place more emphasis on comfort, appearance, and amenities than on performance, economy, or utility. Furthermore, they usually offer more modern technology, higher quality materials, and are often built in smaller numbers than more affordable mass-market vehicles. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (858x993, 798 KB) Summary I shot the picture myself of my own car. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (858x993, 798 KB) Summary I shot the picture myself of my own car. ... The Trikke is a Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) This article is about the means of transport. ... A Toyota Camry, a recognizable sedan The Ford Five Hundred, a medium-sized sedan A sedan car, American English terminology (saloon in British English), is one of the most common body styles of the modern automobile. ... 1995 Buick Riviera coupÃ© 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC coupÃ©, noted for its large, angular design A coupÃ© (from the French for cut) or coupe is a car body style with a close-coupled interior offering either two seats or 2+2 seating (space for two passengers up front and for... Peugeot 306 hatchback, with the hatch lifted and the parcel shelf tilted for access Not a hatchback: a fastback like this Infiniti M35 can be confused with a true hatchback Hatchback is term describing an automobile design, consisting of a passenger cabin with an integrated cargo space, accessed from behind... Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage, though station wagon is widely used) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... 1923 Ford Model T roadster 1950 Jaguar XK120 roadster This article is about the roadster car body style. ... Pickup truck with extended cabin and homebuilt lumber rack. ... A fourth-generation (2006-) Ford Explorer, the best-selling mid-size SUV in the United States A sport utility vehicle, or SUV, is a type of passenger vehicle which combines the towing capability of a pickup truck with the passenger-carrying space of a station wagon. ...

General definition (American market)

While a luxury car is difficult to define as it is somewhat subjective, there are certain guidelines by which the luxury cars are defined. These guidelines include price, design, comfort, and prestige. Although this definition is based on a rough estimate and subjectivity, it will serve the purpose of this article. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (816x436, 287 KB)I shot the picture myself then edited myself using my own Photoshop software. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (816x436, 287 KB)I shot the picture myself then edited myself using my own Photoshop software. ...

Perhaps the least subjective of these criteria is the issue of price. The price criterion used in this article was derived by using the Kelly Blue Book (KBB) in the following fashion. The cheapest luxury car made by a non luxury car manufacturer listed on KBB is roughly $36,000, therefore it is reasonable to define a luxury car manufacturer as one with an Mean Selling Price (MSP) in excess of $36,000 USD. A luxury car, on the other hand, is either one made by a luxury car maker, or if its base MSP is more than $36,000. The average sales price of goods or commodities. ...

In addition to being relatively expensive, luxury cars also offer a higher degree of comfort than their mainstream counterparts as well as a highly sumptuous interior with a strong emphasis on design and beauty. Features such as interior leather and woodgrain are common amenities. This again is subjective, but there is a reasonable ability for people to make this determination.^[1]

In addition to featuring a high base price and high levels of comfort luxury, cars typically carry prestige. Although this cannot be measured in finite quantities, "prestige" usually refers to the allure which the car carries. From prestige, people get the idea of "paying for the emblem". For example, because of its prestige, the Audi A4 might cost more than the same car if it was sold under a non-luxury marque. Also, it is important to note, that in no way are all prestige cars actually luxury cars (e.g. the Dodge Viper is certainly not a luxury car). The Audi A4 is a Compact executive car produced by the German automaker Audi since 1995. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

Non-luxury prestige vehicles

In the car market of the new millennium, it has become rather difficult to determine whether a vehicle is indeed a luxury car or not. Many vehicles such as the GMC Yukon or the Chevrolet Suburban fit the price criteria to be considered luxury vehicles, yet they do not have many of the amenities of other luxury vehicles. The Chevrolet Tahoe (and similar GMC Yukon) is a full-size SUV from General Motors. ... The Chevrolet Suburban is a large sport utility vehicle from Chevrolet. ...

There are quite a few vehicles who have luxury car-like prestige and/or pricing but do not offer the degree of comfort required for them to actually be considered luxury vehicles; these vehicles include the Hummer H1, the Chevrolet Corvette and the Dodge Viper. All three vehicles have base MSRPs of above $36,000 and the Hummer H1 is made by a company whose entire lineup, with exception of the Hummer H3, features base MSPs in excess of $50,000. Yet all three lack the comfort needed to make them luxury vehicles. Furthermore, many non-luxury high priced prestige vehicles, such as the Porsche 911, Alfa Romeo GTV, most Ferrari and many Lamborghini are often mistaken as luxury vehicles, however in comparison to the other luxury cars (even in the mid-luxury segment) they are not luxury vehicles. The Hummer H1 Alpha is a civilian vehicle based on the M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), popularly known as the Humvee, which was created by AM General. ... The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car that has been manufactured by Chevrolet since 1953. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hummer H3 The Hummer H3 is a vehicle from General Motors Hummer division, introduced in 2005. ... The Lincoln Town Car is an example of a luxury-prestige vehicle Prestige cars are vehicles that enjoy a high degree of esteem among the public, due to their high price and styling. ... The Porsche 911 (pronounced as nine eleven) is a sports car made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. ... The Alfa Romeo GTV is a 2 door coupe. ... Ferrari is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. ... The official Automobili Lamborghini logo Lambo redirects here. ...

Other vehicles, such as the Mercury Grand Marquis, are not considered to be luxury vehicles due to their relatively low MSPs, despite their high degree of comfort. The Mercury Grand Marquis is a full-size rear wheel drive sedan branded by the Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company and manufactured at the St. ...

Luxury market segments (for American cars)

Note that the following classifications of cars does not include certain packages that come with the car that might raise the car into a higher level. For example, the average BMW 3 Series sells in the "entry level" category. But the M3 is certainly part of the mid-level category. Also, vehicles such as the Lincoln Town Car or Cadillac DTS feature interiors as plush and luxurious as those of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or BMW 7 Series, yet are classified as mid-luxury due to their relatively low MSPs.
The BMW 3 Series is a line of compact luxury sports sedans manufactured by BMW since May 1975. ... The Lincoln Town Car is a fullsize luxury sedan and serves as the flagship of Fords luxury Lincoln division. ... The Cadillac DTS (DeVille Touring Sedan) replaces the Cadillac DeVille as that carmakers largest luxury car for the 2006 model year. ... The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the common description for a series of large luxury flagship sedans produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler-Chrysler. ... The BMW 7 Series is a luxury sedan made by BMW. It replaced the New Six models in 1977. ...

Entry-level luxury

The entry-level luxury forms the beginning classification of the luxury vehicles; competition in this segment is typically fierce. It features vehicles with an MSP approximately between $29,000 and $36,000, a relatively high degree of comfort and is manufactured by luxury brand. If the vehicle is manufactured by a non-luxury marque its base MSP should exceed approximately $36k and it must place an emphasis on comfort. The equivalent classification in the United Kingdom is compact executive car. 2001-registered Mercedes C-220 seen in Thornbury, near Bristol, England. ... 2001-registered Mercedes C-220 seen in Thornbury, near Bristol, England. ... A Ford Mondeo, a large family car. ...

This segment mostly includes the bottom vehicles in the line-up of luxury brands as well as the top-of-the-line models of some non-luxury brands. Vehicles in this segment include the Acura TL, Alfa Romeo 156, Cadillac CTS, Lincoln MKZ, BMW 3 Series, Lexus IS, Lexus ES, Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Infiniti G35, Volvo S60, Saab 9-3 and the Jaguar X-Type. The Acura TL is a compact executive car from Hondas luxury Acura marque. ... The Alfa Romeo 156 is a car introduced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo in 1997 as the replacement for the 155. ... The CTS is Cadillacs luxury sports sedan. ... Originally called the Zephyr for the 2006 model year, the Lincoln MKZ is a midsize car from the Lincoln automobile division of the Ford Motor Company. ... The BMW 3 Series is a line of compact luxury sports sedans manufactured by BMW since May 1975. ... The Lexus IS is a series of entry-level luxury cars / compact executive cars produced by the Lexus marque of Toyota Motor Corporation. ... The Lexus ES series is a family of mid-size luxury sedans produced by the Lexus division of Toyota since 1989. ... The Audi A4 is a Compact executive car produced by the German automaker Audi since 1995. ... The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is an entry-level luxury car / compact executive car produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz. ... The Infiniti G35 is a compact executive car introduced to North America in the 2003 model year (at the same time as its competitor, the Cadillac CTS), as a replacement for the Infiniti G20 and I35 models. ... Volvo S60 is a entry-level luxury car / compact executive car built by Volvo that was first introduced in 2000. ... Saab 9-3 convertible The Saab 9-3 is an entry-level luxury car / compact executive car produced by the Swedish automaker Saab in Trollhattan, Sweden. ... Jaguar X-TYPE 2004 Jaguar X-TYPE estate The Jaguar X-TYPE is a model of motorcar that first began production in 2001 (as a 2002 model) and remains in production at Jaguars Halewood, UK facility. ...

Mid-luxury segment

In order to be considered part of the middle-luxury segment, a vehicle should feature a base MSP between approximately $36k and $60k^[1], have a very high degree of comfort, and should have the latest or near latest technological and safety innovations. Customers in this segment also yield some priority to performance. Therefore, many car manufacturers produce these cars with V8s and some highly sophisticated 6-cylinder engines. In the United Kingdom, these models are commonly referred to as executive cars. The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... Car classification is a somewhat subjective subject, as many vehicles fall between classes or even outside all of them. ...

Vehicles in this segment include the mid-range models of several luxury car manufacturers such as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5 Series, Audi A6, Saab 9-5, Lexus GS430 and Jaguar S-Type. There are also some flagship sedans in this segment. The Lincoln Town Car, Citroën C6, Alfa Romeo 166, Cadillac DTS and Acura RL are all considered to be part of the mid-luxury segment due to their relatively low base MSPs despite their rank as a "flagship sedan" and high-end like interiors. Mercedes E280 CDI Mercedes E280 CDI The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a mid-sized luxury automobile sold by the Mercedes-Benz branch of DaimlerChrysler. ... The BMW 5 Series is a series of midsize luxury automobiles manufactured by BMW in Germany. ... The Audi A6 is a mid-size luxury car / executive car produced by the German automaker Audi. ... 2006 Saab 9-5 station wagon The Saab 9-5 is an automobile made by Saab. ... The Lexus GS430 is a five-seat luxury car. ... Rear view of Jaguar S-Type R The Jaguar S-Type is a mid-size luxury car / executive car introduced for the 2000 model year by the British marque Jaguar of the Ford Motor Company. ... This article may contain original research or unverified claims. ... The Lincoln Town Car is a fullsize luxury sedan and serves as the flagship of Fords luxury Lincoln division. ... The CitroÃ«n C6 is an executive car produced by the French automaker CitroÃ«n since 2005. ... The Alfa Romeo 166 is a full-size sedan automobile produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo since 1998. ... The Cadillac DTS (DeVille Touring Sedan) replaces the Cadillac DeVille as that carmakers largest luxury car for the 2006 model year. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Honda Legend. ...

This market is operated under western nameplates with some Japanese representation. It is mainly controlled by Germans (47%), Americans (30%) and Japanese (23%).

High-end luxury segment

This category includes many flagship vehicles of luxury brands such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Currently, all vehicles priced between the range of $60k and $100k are a part of this exclusive club.^[1] The vehicles in this segment offer extremely high levels of quality and latest technological developments, as well as degrees of comfort at least equal to those found in mid-level luxury vehicles. There is no precise term in the United Kingdom; such a car would be simply called a luxury car.

Vehicles in this category include some of the models from the flagship lines of luxury car brands. Vehicles in this segment include the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series, Audi A8, Jaguar XJ, and Lexus LS. The Volkswagen Phaeton is the only high-end luxury vehicle that is not sold under a luxury nameplate. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the common description for a series of large luxury flagship sedans produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler-Chrysler. ... The BMW 7 Series is a luxury sedan made by BMW. It replaced the New Six models in 1977. ... A rare 2001 Audi A8 L 6. ... The Jaguar XJ is a luxury saloon sold under the British Jaguar luxury marque. ... The Lexus LS is a full-size luxury sedan that serves as the flagship of Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. ... The Volkswagen Phaeton (pronounced fey-i-tn) is a large luxury sedan manufactured by Volkswagen. ...

This segment is operated under various German, British and Japanese nameplates. It is mainly controlled by Germans (60%), Americans (30%) and Japanese (8%).

Ultra-luxury segment

Currently, all cars in the ultra-luxury segment are priced at approximately $100k or higher.^[2] They may or may not be better in quality and refinement than some of the more affordable luxury cars, but due to their high MSP, they guarantee exclusivity and help to get their owners noticed. This segment includes the entire lineup of Rolls Royce, Bentley, Maserati, and Maybach. Many "flagship sedans" from car companies whose average car sells in a lower class are actually in this category. For example, anything more upgraded than the Mercedes-Benz S500, BMW 750, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, or the Audi A8 can be included in this category. The Volkswagen Phaeton W12 (not V8), Hyundai Equus only in Korea and the Toyota Century (only in Japan) are the only ultra luxury vehicles not manufactured by a luxury car manufacturer. Most of the vehicles in this category offer 12-cylinder engines, though some such as Maserati offer only V8s. Rolls-Royce car may refer to vehicles produced by: Rolls-Royce Limited (1906-1973) Rolls-Royce Motors (1973-2003) Rolls-Royce Motor Cars (2003-present) // Rolls-Royce cars Rolls-Royce Limited vehicles 1904-1906 10 hp 1905-1905 15 hp 1905-1908 20 hp 1905-1906 30 hp 1905-1906... Bentleys winged B badge and hood ornament Bentley Motors Limited is a British based manufacturer of luxury automobiles and Grand Tourers. ... Present Maserati logo A 1957 Maserati 200SI at the Scarsdale Concours Maserati Birdcage 1959 Maserati 5000 GT Coupe Maserati Sebring Maserati is a famous Italian manufacturer of racing cars and sports cars, established in 1914 in Bologna. ... Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH, (pronounced MY-bok) founded by William Maybach and his son Karl, was a German manufacturer of engines for Zeppelins and later, large and luxurious automobiles. ... The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the common description for a series of large luxury flagship sedans produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler-Chrysler. ... The BMW 7 Series is a luxury sedan made by BMW. It replaced the New Six models in 1977. ... Porsche Cayenne S Turbo Porsche Cayenne S rear The Porsche Cayenne is a mid-size luxury SUV produced by the German automaker Porsche since 2002. ... A rare 2001 Audi A8 L 6. ... The Volkswagen Phaeton (pronounced fey-i-tn) is a large luxury sedan manufactured by Volkswagen. ... The Hyundai Equus (also sold as the Centennial in export markets) is a large luxury car produced in South Korea. ... The Toyota Century is a large four-door limousine produced by Toyota mainly for the Japanese market. ... Present Maserati logo A 1957 Maserati 200SI at the Scarsdale Concours Maserati Birdcage 1959 Maserati 5000 GT Coupe Maserati Sebring Maserati is a famous Italian manufacturer of racing cars and sports cars, established in 1914 in Bologna. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ...

This category is operated mostly by European nameplates and controlled mainly by Germans (70%), Americans (20%) and Italians (5%).

Luxury SUVs

A luxury SUV much like a luxury car is a relatively expensive vehicle that features a higher emphasis on comfort and quality than its mainstream counterparts. Even though luxury SUVs do not necessarily feature more comfort or a higher quality than sedans, they tend to be more expensive than luxury sedans. The top-of-the-line SUVs of American and Japanese luxury car makers out price their flagship sedans. The flagship SUV Cadillac Escalade, for example, has a base MSP of approximately $57,280, versus $41,991 for the flagship DTS. This scenario, however, does not hold true for European automakers, where the flagship sedans are still priced above the top-of-the-line SUV. 2007 Cadillac Escalade, a high-end luxury SUV A luxury SUV is a North American term for sport utility vehicles which have features that resemble other luxury vehicles. ... Image File history File links LX-420_lg. ... Image File history File links LX-420_lg. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Cadillac DTS (DeVille Touring Sedan) replaces the Cadillac DeVille as that carmakers largest luxury car for the 2006 model year. ...

The Acura MDX (Honda MDX in Japan and Australia) is a midsize SUV built by Honda of Canada Manufacturing Ltd. ... The Acura RDX is Acuraâ€™s first compact luxury crossover SUV. Originally previewed as the Acura RD-X concept car, the production RDX had its debut at the 2006 New York Auto Show . ... First-generation RX 300 (Harrier) (xxU1x-series) Second-generation RX 300 (xCU3x-series) See also Lexus RX 400h/Toyota Harrier Hybrid The Toyota Harrier is a crossover SUV manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation. ... The Infiniti FX is a compact luxury crossover SUV sold by Infiniti. ... The Audi Q5 is a crossover SUV based on Audis A4 sedan. ... Mercedes-Benz has planned to assemble a compact crossover SUV to compete with the Acura RDX, BMW X3, the Land Rover Freelander and the future Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60. ... The BMW X3 is a compact luxury crossover SUV produced by the German automaker BMW. It is based on the BMW 3-Series automobile platform. ... According to Wheels24 the Premier Automotive Group plans to offer the XC60, a Volvo-branded mid-size SUV, to the public in the last part of 2006. ... Interior of the 2006 Saab 9-7X showing the Saab-style dashboard, cupholder, and ignition key location The Saab 9-7X is a Saab-branded midsize SUV based on General Motors GM GMT platform, which also includes the Chevrolet TrailBlazer (and for this the 9-7X has been given the... The Land Rover Freelander is a compact crossover SUV from Land Rover of the United Kingdom, with permanent four wheel drive. ... The Cadillac SRX is a full-size luxury crossover SUV produced by the Cadillac division of General Motors. ... The Lincoln MKX is a Lincoln crossover SUV which was supposed to be named Lincoln Aviator, when the XUV replaces Explorer-based SUV in Lincolns lineup. ... Porsche Cayenne S Turbo Porsche Cayenne S rear The Porsche Cayenne is a mid-size luxury SUV produced by the German automaker Porsche since 2002. ... The Audi Q7 is a full-size luxury SUV produced by the German automaker Audi since 2006 (with the help of Noble engineers such as Laboyrie, Gregg and McHewgor), released at the same time as the competing Mercedes-Benz GL-Class. ... The BMW X5 is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV sold by BMW since 2000. ... 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML55 AMG Mercedes-Benz M-Class is a 5-door SUV with light off-road capability, first offered in 1997, and built in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. ... DaimlerChrysler offers a series of full-size luxury crossover SUVs to the public under the Mercedes-Benz brand as GL-Class. ... The Volvo XC90 is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV. It is based on the Volvo P2 platform, shared with the Volvo S80 and other larger Volvo cars. ... The Discovery (now known in the United States as the LR3) is a luxury SUV from Fords Land Rover marque. ... The Range Rover Sport is a high-performance, five-passenger luxury SUV built by Land Rover and sold since the summer of 2005. ... The Lincoln Navigator is a full-size luxury SUV from Lincoln. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... 2003 Lexus GX 470 The GX 470 is a sport utility vehicle marketed by Toyotas luxury division Lexus and sold only on the North American markets. ... Nissan assembles the QX56, a model of sport utility vehicle, and offers it to the public under the Infiniti brand. ... Mercedes-Benz G-Class (G 500 V8) DaimlerChrysler offers a series of sport utility vehicles to the public under the Mercedes-Benz brand as G-Class. ... 2001 Lexus LX470 The Lexus LX is a sport utility vehicle sold by the Lexus division of Toyota. ... This article needs cleanup. ... The Lincoln Navigator is a full-size luxury SUV from Lincoln. ... The Range Rover is the top luxury 4x4 (four wheel drive in British English) model of Land Rover. ...

Luxury crossover SUVs

Crossover luxury vehicles are between 60-70 inches in height and generally more affordable than traditional luxury SUVs (70 inches and over in height) and feature a base MSP from approximately $30k to $42k. Since they are crossover vehicles, they tend to be smaller than SUVs and feature sedan-like design features. Vehicles in this category include the Lexus RX, Audi Q7, Lincoln MKX, Infiniti FX45, and the Mercedes-Benz R-Class. First-generation RX 300 (Harrier) (xxU1x-series) Second-generation RX 300 (xCU3x-series) See also Lexus RX 400h/Toyota Harrier Hybrid The Toyota Harrier is a crossover SUV manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation. ... The Audi Q7 is a full-size luxury SUV produced by the German automaker Audi since 2006 (with the help of Noble engineers such as Laboyrie, Gregg and McHewgor), released at the same time as the competing Mercedes-Benz GL-Class. ... The Lincoln MKX is a Lincoln crossover SUV which was supposed to be named Lincoln Aviator, when the XUV replaces Explorer-based SUV in Lincolns lineup. ... The Infiniti FX is a compact luxury crossover SUV sold by Infiniti. ... Mercedes-Benz R-Class Mercedes-Benz R-Class The R-Class is an MPV/SUV crossover automobile offered by DaimlerChrysler in 2006 model year under the Mercedes-Benz brand. ...

Luxury pickup trucks

In the early 2000s, the two main American luxury manufacturers, Lincoln and Cadillac, started the luxury pickup truck segment. The first luxury pickup to enter the scene was the Lincoln Blackwood, first announced in 1999 and put into production in 2002. Less than 4,000 Lincoln Blackwoods were sold, and even those that were sold were sold mainly with the help of heavy incentives. As of 2006, the only two luxury pickup trucks on the market are the Lincoln Mark LT and Cadillac Escalade EXT. Mazda compact Pickup truck with extended cabin and homebuilt lumber rack. ... Lincoln Blackwood. ... The Mark LT is a luxury pickup truck from Lincoln. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

European definition

In the European Union, different classifications are sometimes used than in the United States. While most luxury cars are considered luxury cars in both Europe and the US, the entry-level segment is not. Classification within "luxury cars" is more precise when considering the vehicle's size.

The definition of a luxury car is a little bit different from the United States, as the income in European Union is less than the Household income in the United States, and even between European countries.This happens due to the diversity of average income, taxation and tastes.For example, while an average German may spend 23000 € on a car, this figure may not be applicable to most Europeans.[1] As a result of these differences, the guidelines for what a luxury vehicles is vary across national borders within Europe. Besides, a car sold in the Netherlands or Greece may be 30% more expensive than the same model sold in Belgium. For information on the income of individuals please see Personal income in the United States This graphic shows the distribution of gross annual household income. ... Income, generally defined, is the money that is received as a result of the normal business activities of an individual or a business. ...

Manufacturers

Manufacturers are classified in many groups, but they do not have specific names. Car fans argue on whether a certain brand can be compared with another one or not, even in the same country or region.

Jaguar, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz are the traditional luxury manufacturers, but manufacturers such as Audi, Saab, and Volvo are now considered by many to fall into this category. Newer competitors like Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti have also become popular. At the top end of the spectrum, Bentley, Maybach and Rolls Royce are above all the previous brands. Sports car manufacturers are usually considered apart (and distinguished by their exclusivity, mainly by their production numbers), although some of them produce luxury sports cars (mainly grand tourers), like Aston Martin, Porsche and Maserati. Land Rover created the luxury 4x4 off-roader category with the Land Rover Range Rover Jaguar Cars Limited is a British luxury car manufacturer, with headquarters in Browns Lane, Coventry, England. ... BMW AG (an acronym for Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft, or in English, Bavarian Motor Works Corporation), is an independent German company and manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles. ... This page is about the Mercedes-Benz brand of automobiles and trucks from the DaimlerChrysler automobile manufacturer. ... Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer with headquarters in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, and is an almost wholly owned (99. ... Saab is an aviation and defense company based in Sweden and founded in 1937 in LinkÃ¶ping. ... AB Volvo (or Aktiebolaget Volvo) is a world-leading Swedish manufacturer of commercial vehicles, trucks, buses and construction equipment, drive systems for marine and industrial applications, aerospace components and financial services. ... Acura (ã‚¢ã‚ãƒ¥ãƒ©) is a brand name used by the Japanese car manufacturer Honda in the US, Canada and Hong Kong since March 1986 to market luxury automobiles and near-luxury vehicles. ... Lexus (ãƒ¬ã‚¯ã‚µã‚¹) is Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corporations brand name for its luxury automobile division. ... Infiniti is Japanese automobile manufacturer Nissans luxury brand in the United States, Canadian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, South Korean (first dealership opened in July 2005) and Taiwanese markets. ... Bentley Motors Limited is a British based manufacturer of luxury automobiles and Grand Tourers. ... Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH, (pronounced MY-bok) founded by William Maybach and his son Karl, was a German manufacturer of engines for Zeppelins and later, large and luxurious automobiles. ... Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a BMW subsidiary responsible for the manufacture of the Rolls-Royce Phantom. ... A grand tourer (Italian: Gran Turismo), sometimes initialised GT, is a high-performance automobile designed for long distance driving. ... Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury cars whose headquarters are at Gaydon, Warwickshire, England. ... Dr. Ing. ... Present Maserati logo A 1957 Maserati 200SI at the Scarsdale Concours Maserati Birdcage 1959 Maserati 5000 GT Coupe Maserati Sebring Maserati is a famous Italian manufacturer of racing cars and sports cars, established in 1914 in Bologna. ... Land Rover was the name of one of the first British civilian all-terrain utility vehicles, first produced by Rover in 1947. ... Four wheel drive or 4x4, is a type of four wheeled vehicle drivetrain configuration that enables all four wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously in order to provide maximum traction. ... The Range Rover is the top luxury 4x4 (four wheel drive in British English) model of Land Rover. ...

Segments

Current compact executive cars (Mittelklasse in German) are cars between 4.50 and 4.65 m long, and equivalent of entry-level luxury cars in the United States. Generally speaking, the lower price range is approximately € 25000 up to € 40000. This includes vehicles such as the Acura TL, Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Cadillac CTS, Jaguar X-Type, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Volvo S60, Infiniti G35 and Saab 9-3. 4x4s related to compact executve cars are the BMW X3, Nissan Murano and Land Rover Freelander. In Germany, these are not considered proper luxury cars, since they are extremely popular and some of them are overall best-sellers. A Ford Mondeo, a large family car. ... The Acura TL is a compact executive car from Hondas luxury Acura marque. ... The Audi A4 is a Compact executive car produced by the German automaker Audi since 1995. ... The BMW 3 Series is a line of compact luxury sports sedans manufactured by BMW since May 1975. ... The CTS is Cadillacs luxury sports sedan. ... Jaguar X-TYPE 2004 Jaguar X-TYPE estate The Jaguar X-TYPE is a model of motorcar that first began production in 2001 (as a 2002 model) and remains in production at Jaguars Halewood, UK facility. ... The Lexus IS is a series of entry-level luxury cars / compact executive cars produced by the Lexus marque of Toyota Motor Corporation. ... The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is an entry-level luxury car / compact executive car produced by the German automaker Mercedes-Benz. ... Volvo S60 is a entry-level luxury car / compact executive car built by Volvo that was first introduced in 2000. ... The Infiniti G35 is a compact executive car introduced to North America in the 2003 model year (at the same time as its competitor, the Cadillac CTS), as a replacement for the Infiniti G20 and I35 models. ... Saab 9-3 convertible The Saab 9-3 is an entry-level luxury car / compact executive car produced by the Swedish automaker Saab in Trollhattan, Sweden. ... The BMW X3 is a compact luxury crossover SUV produced by the German automaker BMW. It is based on the BMW 3-Series automobile platform. ... 2004 Murano SE in black (Front) 2004 Murano SE in black (Back) The Nissan Murano is a near-luxury mid-size crossover SUV manufactured by Nissan Motors which began retail sales in the 2003 model year, originally as the top-of-the-line SUV, which was larger than the Pathfinder... The Land Rover Freelander is a compact crossover SUV from Land Rover of the United Kingdom, with permanent four wheel drive. ...

Executive cars (German: Obere Mittelklasse) are usually between 4.75 and 4.90 m long, with prices between € 35000 and € 50000. They are similar to the mid-level luxury cars in the United States; examples are the Alfa Romeo 166, Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, Cadillac STS,Jaguar S-Type, Lexus GS, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Saab 9-5 and Volvo S80. Some 4x4s which would fit this category are the Land Rover Discovery (also known as Land Rover LR3), BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Audi Q7, Lexus RX and Volvo XC90. Car classification is a somewhat subjective subject, as many vehicles fall between classes or even outside all of them. ... The Alfa Romeo 166 is a full-size sedan automobile produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo since 1998. ... The Audi A6 is a mid-size luxury car / executive car produced by the German automaker Audi. ... The BMW 5 Series is a series of midsize luxury automobiles manufactured by BMW in Germany. ... The STS (Seville Touring Sedan) is a luxury car sold by Cadillac. ... Rear view of Jaguar S-Type R The Jaguar S-Type is a mid-size luxury car / executive car introduced for the 2000 model year by the British marque Jaguar of the Ford Motor Company. ... The Lexus GS is a rear-wheel drive, luxury sports sedan manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corp. ... Mercedes E280 CDI Mercedes E280 CDI The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a mid-sized luxury automobile sold by the Mercedes-Benz branch of DaimlerChrysler. ... 2006 Saab 9-5 station wagon The Saab 9-5 is an automobile made by Saab. ... The Volvo S80 is an executive car produced by the Swedish automaker Volvo and introduced in 1999 as a replacement for the aging Volvo 960/S90 sedan. ... The Discovery is a four wheel drive on- and off-road vehicle (SUV in American-English) from Land Rover (currently owned by Ford). ... The BMW X5 is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV sold by BMW since 2000. ... 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML55 AMG Mercedes-Benz M-Class is a 5-door SUV with light off-road capability, first offered in 1997, and built in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. ... The Audi Q7 is a full-size luxury SUV produced by the German automaker Audi since 2006 (with the help of Noble engineers such as Laboyrie, Gregg and McHewgor), released at the same time as the competing Mercedes-Benz GL-Class. ... First-generation RX 300 (Harrier) (xxU1x-series) Second-generation RX 300 (xCU3x-series) See also Lexus RX 400h/Toyota Harrier Hybrid The Toyota Harrier is a crossover SUV manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation. ... The Volvo XC90 is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV. It is based on the Volvo P2 platform, shared with the Volvo S80 and other larger Volvo cars. ...

Cars above 5.00 m are simply called luxury cars in the United Kingdom, or "Oberklasse" in Germany, and have a price above starting in the € 40000 range as well as a length commonly exceeding five meters. Luxury cars include the Audi A8, Bentley Continental Flying Spur, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Lexus LS. Similarly prized 4x4s are the Land Rover Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Porsche Cayenne. In the US the Lincoln Town Car, Cadillac DTS, Infiniti Q45 and SUVs such as the Cadillac Escalade as well as the Lincoln Navigator are also included in this category. A luxury car is a relatively expensive car. ... A rare 2001 Audi A8 L 6. ... The Bentley Continental Flying Spur is a four-door version of the Bentley Continental GT produced from 2005. ... The BMW 7 Series is a luxury sedan made by BMW. It replaced the New Six models in 1977. ... The Jaguar XJ is a luxury saloon sold under the British Jaguar luxury marque. ... Maserati Quattroporte (I). ... The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the common description for a series of large luxury flagship sedans produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler-Chrysler. ... The Lexus LS is a full-size luxury sedan that serves as the flagship of Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. ... The Range Rover is the top luxury 4x4 (four wheel drive in British English) model of Land Rover. ... The Land Rover Range Rover Sport is a high-performance, five-passenger, on-road SUV to be sold starting in the Summer of 2005. ... Porsche Cayenne S Turbo Porsche Cayenne S rear The Porsche Cayenne is a mid-size luxury SUV produced by the German automaker Porsche since 2002. ... The Lincoln Town Car is a fullsize luxury sedan and serves as the flagship of Fords luxury Lincoln division. ... The Cadillac DTS (DeVille Touring Sedan) replaces the Cadillac DeVille as that carmakers largest luxury car for the 2006 model year. ... The Infiniti Q45 is a fullsize luxury car and serves as the flagship of Nissans Infiniti marque. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Lincoln Navigator is a full-size luxury SUV from Lincoln. ...

Luxury car manufacturers

Using the same American definition outlined above, if a car manufacturer's average MSP of all vehicles sold is greater than $36,000, then it is a luxury car manufacturer. While this definition is based on American market MSPs, it can be used globally to identify luxury marques.

Current luxury car manufacturers

These are luxury car manufacturers whose models are currently on the market. One does, however, need to consider that exclusiveness varies with brand. Some marques such as Cadillac, Jaguar and Lincoln are considerably more upscale than others such as Volvo or Saab. Maybach and Bentley in turn are quite a bit more prestigous than Mercedes-Benz or Cadillac. All of the following marques may, however, be referred to as luxury brands: Cadillac is a brand of luxury automobile, part of General Motors, produced and mostly sold in the United States and Canada; outside of North America, they have been less successful. ... Jaguar Cars Limited is a British luxury car manufacturer, with headquarters in Browns Lane, Coventry, England. ... Lincoln is an American luxury automobile brand, operated under the Ford Motor Company. ... Volvo Cars, or Volvo Personvagnar, is an automobile maker founded in 1927 in the city of Gothenburg in Sweden. ... Saab is an aviation and defense company based in Sweden and founded in 1937 in LinkÃ¶ping. ... Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH, (pronounced MY-bok) founded by William Maybach and his son Karl, was a German manufacturer of engines for Zeppelins and later, large and luxurious automobiles. ... Bentley Motors Limited is a British based manufacturer of luxury automobiles and Grand Tourers. ... This page is about the Mercedes-Benz brand of automobiles and trucks from the DaimlerChrysler automobile manufacturer. ... Cadillac is a brand of luxury automobile, part of General Motors, produced and mostly sold in the United States and Canada; outside of North America, they have been less successful. ...

Acura (ã‚¢ã‚ãƒ¥ãƒ©) is a brand name used by the Japanese car manufacturer Honda in the US, Canada and Hong Kong since March 1986 to market luxury automobiles and near-luxury vehicles. ... Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer with headquarters in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, and is an almost wholly owned (99. ... Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury cars whose headquarters are at Gaydon, Warwickshire, England. ... Bentleys winged B badge and hood ornament Bentley Motors Limited is a British based manufacturer of luxury automobiles and Grand Tourers. ... BMW AG (an acronym for Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft, or in English, Bavarian Motor Works Corporation), is an independent German company and manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles. ... Cadillac is a brand of luxury automobile, part of the General Motors corporation, produced and mostly sold in the USA; outside of North America, they have been less successful. ... Infiniti is Japanese automobile manufacturer Nissans luxury brand in the United States, Canadian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, South Korean (first dealership opened in July 2005) and Taiwanese markets. ... Jaguar Cars Limited is a British luxury car manufacturer, with headquarters in Browns Lane, Coventry, England. ... Daimler has, since 1896, been the motor car marque of the British Daimler Motor Company, based in Coventry. ... Lancia (Lan-cha) is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat group in 1969. ... Land Rover was the name of one of the first British civilian all-terrain utility vehicles, first produced by Rover in 1947. ... Lexus (ãƒ¬ã‚¯ã‚µã‚¹) is Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corporations brand name for its luxury automobile division. ... Lincoln is an American luxury automobile brand, operated under the Ford Motor Company. ... Present Maserati logo A 1957 Maserati 200SI at the Scarsdale Concours Maserati Birdcage 1959 Maserati 5000 GT Coupe Maserati Sebring Maserati is a famous Italian manufacturer of racing cars and sports cars, established in 1914 in Bologna. ... Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH, (pronounced MY-bok) founded by William Maybach and his son Karl, was a German manufacturer of engines for Zeppelins and later, large and luxurious automobiles. ... This page is about the Mercedes-Benz brand of automobiles and trucks from the DaimlerChrysler automobile manufacturer. ... Pagani Automobili S.p. ... Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a BMW subsidiary responsible for the manufacture of the Rolls-Royce Phantom. ... Saab Automobile AB is a subsidiary of General Motors. ... Volvo Cars, or Volvo Personvagnar, is an automobile maker founded in 1927 in the city of Gothenburg in Sweden. ...

Past luxury car manufacturers

These are luxury car brands that used to exist but have since been either bought up or disappeared from the market due to bankruptcy.

The 1923 Stanley Steam Car The Stanley Steamer was a steam-powered automobile produced by the Stanley Motor Carriage Company. ... The Delage emblem The Delage Automobile company was established in 1905 in Levallois, a northwesterly suburb of Paris, France. ... A 1929 Duesenberg j350 Willoughby on display at the 2005 United States Grand Prix 1930 Duesenberg J Walker Legrande Torpedo Phaeton 1932 Duesenberg J Murphy-bodied coupe convertible Wikimedia Commons has more media related to: Duesenberg vehicles Duesenberg was a US-based luxury automobile company active from the 1910s until... Facel logo Facel Vega was a French builder of luxury cars. ... Packard red hexagon symbol made its debut in 1905, with the color red added in 1913 Packard was a United States based brand of luxury automobile built by the Packard Motors Company of Detroit,Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana. ... The Stutz Motor Company, later reborn as Stutz Motor Car of America, was a producer of luxury cars. ... Tatra (named after the Tatra mountains) is a vehicle manufacturer in the Czech Republic. ... circa 1960 GAZ Chaika parade car A Chaika (Ð§Ð°ÌÐ¹ÐºÐ°), which means lapwing, is a luxury automobile from Russia made by GAZ. The vehicle is one step down from the ZIL limousine. ... Zavod Imeni Likhacheva (Ð—Ð¸Ð›, ZIL, Russian: Likhachev Factory) is a major Russian truck and heavy equipment manufacturer, which also produced armored cars for most Soviet leaders, as well as trucks, buses and tanks. ... Borgward was a German automobile manufacturer founded by Carl F. W. Borgward (November 10, 1890 - July 28, 1963). ...

References

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