RE: The best luxury cars to buy in 2020

[white_goodman]

Interesting...having seen a few of these articles now, a friend and I pondered this last week and came up with some of the same choices, although some of our picks were more on the sporty than luxury side of things. Here's what we came up with.

<2.5k X308 XJR

<5k Audi S8 (D2)

<10k W211 E55/E63 AMG

<15k Quattroporte 4.7

<25k E39 M5/VXR8 (although an X351 XJR/XJ Supersports ought to be doable, as would a Bentley Arnage/Turbo R)

<35k F80 M3/pre-facelift G11/G12 750i

<50k AM Rapide/Panamera GTS/M6 Gran Coupe

<75k F90 M5/S63 AMG (W222)

<100k Taycan 4S/RS7

>100k Bentley Flying Spur

[MX-6]

As a serial Jag owner I've previously dabbled with the idea of a cheap X350, would still consider one. Although it's supposed to be a good upgrade on the XJ40/X300/X308 XJ's, I never like the look of the 350 as much - taller and more slab sided.

[A Winner Is You]

CDP said:

A Winner Is You said:

Rumblestripe said:

Triumph Man said:

Was in a 300C taxi once - the interior was very plasticky and had a cheap feel.

The 300C sort of accidentally looks like a Bentley, until you get inside one...

There was that utterly tragic fad of sticking Bentley badges on 300Cs. Just how stupid would you feel if an actual Bentley parked next to you?

A couple of colleagues ended up in Bangkok. One of them was very proud of his Rolex (I know....), the other was even more proud that he'd been able to get a fake Rolex that looked just like it for $30 and it even kept better time than the real thing...

Wish I still had that Farrari [sic] watch that a friend bought for me from a Turkish marketplace.

[Slow]

The correct answer in 2500/5000/10000/15000 brackets are all L322 Range Rovers.

Ranging from a cheap 4.4 petrol to a 3.6 tdv8/4.2 supercharged into a 4.4 tdv8 then a 5.0 supercharged.

[popeyewhite]

stickleback123 said:

Also worth mentioning is that the active ABC suspension in the S600/S65/S63 and optional on the S500 is absolute witchcraft; the car stays level during acceleration, cornering, and particularly braking in a way that defies all expectations for such a massive car.

sure, but my luxury car won't be bought for going round corners fast. I'd also rather an SL500 than an SL63 - softer suspension in the SL 500 makes for more luxury in my book.

[Walter Sobchak]

Like all of those with the exception of the Jag and Maserati, if I had to pick, think I’d struggle between the E38,S Class,Panemera and Rangie.

[Nerdherder]

Flying Spur will do for me ta

[Nerdherder]

A Winner Is You said:

CDP said:

A Winner Is You said:

Rumblestripe said:

Triumph Man said:

Was in a 300C taxi once - the interior was very plasticky and had a cheap feel.

The 300C sort of accidentally looks like a Bentley, until you get inside one...

There was that utterly tragic fad of sticking Bentley badges on 300Cs. Just how stupid would you feel if an actual Bentley parked next to you?

A couple of colleagues ended up in Bangkok. One of them was very proud of his Rolex (I know....), the other was even more proud that he'd been able to get a fake Rolex that looked just like it for $30 and it even kept better time than the real thing...

Wish I still had that Farrari [sic] watch that a friend bought for me from a Turkish marketplace.

I wouldn't want a Fezza off of Turkish.

[Esceptico]

CDP said:

A couple of colleagues ended up in Bangkok. One of them was very proud of his Rolex (I know....), the other was even more proud that he'd been able to get a fake Rolex that looked just like it for $30 and it even kept better time than the real thing...

Thirty years ago my stepfather bought me a fake Rolex. Within a year or so it looked pretty tatty and was replaced. Twenty years ago I bought myself a real one. Despite having been worn daily for many years it still looks much like it did when I bought it. Still doesn’t keep time like a quartz watch but who nowadays needs a watch to tell the time?

[biggbn]

No Lexus? An ls600hl for me please in the 15k range, or an older one in the 10k range. Serenity on wheels

[howardhughes]

stickleback123 said:

Like any flagship saloon It was by the standards of the time and they are old now, so lots of things that "normal" cars don't have can break. Using my W221 S-Class as an example, it has two diverter valves and electric pump units involved in making the climate control work whereas a "normal" executive car would have one valve and probably no pump. This is repeated throughout the car, so there is lots to go wrong that you don't even know exists until it does.

I remember reading a story about a chap who bought a S500 1995 model for circa for £1000.
Anyway he ran it for a while until the wiper stopped working. He went to his local MB dealer for the part, who quoted him £1000...

[howardhughes]

eein said:

I doubt the people who stuck the Bently badges on their 300Cs are the type of people who would feel stupid (or admit to it).

I had the misfortune of driving through Bradford a few years ago and spotted countless 300c's with Bentley badges on them. Say no more..

[CDP]

Esceptico said:

CDP said:

A couple of colleagues ended up in Bangkok. One of them was very proud of his Rolex (I know....), the other was even more proud that he'd been able to get a fake Rolex that looked just like it for $30 and it even kept better time than the real thing...

Thirty years ago my stepfather bought me a fake Rolex. Within a year or so it looked pretty tatty and was replaced. Twenty years ago I bought myself a real one. Despite having been worn daily for many years it still looks much like it did when I bought it. Still doesn’t keep time like a quartz watch but who nowadays needs a watch to tell the time?

The value of the fake Rolex was purely in terms of winding up his mate.

[Dynamic Space Wizard]

Article said:

although anyone pursuing luxury for its own sake would be advised to buy as close to the car's build date as possible..

That doesn't really mean anything, does it? It's difficult to make any sense out of PH's articles these days.

[eein]

stickleback123 said:

eein said:

article said:

But we're suckers for big engines in big luxury cars, so with this amount of money it would have to be a W221 S65. For the best in executive excess, it's hard to beat. With 6.0-litres...

In the 25k to 35k band I'd much rather go for a BMW 760 F02 facelift. You get something newer and lower mileage so the all important luxury interior will have no signs of age.

Oh... wait a minute.... that's exactly what I did a few years ago...! Loved every road-tripping luxury moment in it since.

... I now can't imagine how people make do with less than 12 cyclinders and less than 6 litres... can such weedy unrefined cars even go forward?!

The Mercedes equivalent of the 760Li is the S600, the S65 is just that bit more extra ridiculousness. You might even just get a 2015 model W222 for £35k if you wait for one to turn up and you won't have AMG tax on things like the dual caliper brakes.

The N74 engine in your F02 760Li is a significantly more sophisticated engine that the Mercedes M275 (DOHC, Direct Injection, VVT) but if it's as bad as keeping it's fluids inside as every other BMW V12 and V8 has been then it could be a painful ownership prospect as it gets older.

Both are fantastic options in any case, and the on paper stats really don't tell you what they have over the V8 models.

ETA this has me looking at the 760Li XDrive models. £50k now for a 3 year old car with 50k on the clock, and 3.7 seconds to 62MPH in a limo. Phwoar.

Edited by stickleback123 on Thursday 22 October 15:18

.... I am very tempted by the most recent, now just out of production and last ever series V12 BMW M760Li. They will drop to 30/35k after 3-4 years even with 20k miles. I reckon they'll depreciate little after that, maybe even hold long term given its the last of an era. Once I sell my current car I'll probably just sit on the cash until these ones drop enough.

[anonymous-user]

eein said:

.... I am very tempted by the most recent, now just out of production and last ever series V12 BMW M760Li. They will drop to 30/35k after 3-4 years even with 20k miles. I reckon they'll depreciate little after that, maybe even hold long term given its the last of an era. Once I sell my current car I'll probably just sit on the cash until these ones drop enough.

I disagree, I think this "last generation" of internal combustion barge will depreciate even more savagely than previous generations because the coming wave of electric cars from proper car companies will make them look like slightly foolish, extremely overcomplicated, fragile dinosaurs. I hope so because I really want one of those xDrive 760s and I want to pay two and tuppence for it.

If you drive a Tesla Model S the powertrain makes even the most ultra refined and powerful V12 barge feel like a dog rough steam driven clanking anachronism, although the rest of it is very poor compared to an F segment 'luxury' car from a company that actually knows how to build cars. So few components, so much less complexity, and such low running costs for an electric powertrain that'll make any V12 twin turbo look hopeless.

[Slow]

stickleback123 said:

eein said:

.... I am very tempted by the most recent, now just out of production and last ever series V12 BMW M760Li. They will drop to 30/35k after 3-4 years even with 20k miles. I reckon they'll depreciate little after that, maybe even hold long term given its the last of an era. Once I sell my current car I'll probably just sit on the cash until these ones drop enough.

I disagree, I think this "last generation" of internal combustion barge will depreciate even more savagely than previous generations because the coming wave of electric cars from proper car companies will make them look like slightly foolish, extremely overcomplicated, fragile dinosaurs. I hope so because I really want one of those xDrive 760s and I want to pay two and tuppence for it.

If you drive a Tesla Model S the powertrain makes even the most ultra refined and powerful V12 barge feel like a dog rough steam driven anachronism, although the rest of it is very poor compared to an F segment 'luxury' car from a company that actually knows how to build cars. So few components, so much less complexity, and such low running costs for an electric powertrain that'll make any V12 twin turbo look hopeless.

And yet if you wanted to drive long distance which is what your luxury car is best at you would be swapping it in for a rental. My Range Rovers have every month or so have had 12+ hour driving days which just is not practical in a electric car.

Everyone can bang on about electric cars but untill this is changed alot of people wont want one.

[anonymous-user]

Slow said:

And yet if you wanted to drive long distance which is what your luxury car is best at you would be swapping it in for a rental. My Range Rovers have every month or so have had 12+ hour driving days which just is not practical in a electric car.

Everyone can bang on about electric cars but untill this is changed alot of people wont want one.

12+ hour days are certainly the exception rather than the norm. For years we've heard that until EVs are a total and complete drop in replacement for internal combustion cars in every single way then they're crap, usually citing fringe minority usage cases, but what the future actually looks like is a blend of EV, PHEV, and mild hybrid diesel/petrol powertrains and you pick the right tool for the job.

A car with S-Class, A8, or 7 series luxury and sophistication but a Tesla-esque powertrain and 350-400 mile range would be an absolutely stunning thing to own, particularly when the charging network is sorted out so your 12 hour / 800 mile trip requires nothing more onerous than an hour stop for a slash and something to eat halfway through your day. This is already (just) possible in a Model S.

In any case if 5% of my annual journeys need 12+ hour days with no time for recharging then renting a car for those so I can own a car far more suitable for the other 95% of the time is a decent enough deal. You'll save more than enough to rent a diesel/petrol S-Class for those few trips vs fuelling a V12 model.

[Walter Sobchak]

Slow said:

And yet if you wanted to drive long distance which is what your luxury car is best at you would be swapping it in for a rental. My Range Rovers have every month or so have had 12+ hour driving days which just is not practical in a electric car.

Everyone can bang on about electric cars but untill this is changed alot of people wont want one.

I don’t really think stopping for 30/40 minutes every 250-300 miles is that big of an ask to be honest.
I’ve recently picked up an L322 TDV8 and it’s a great car and would be great long distance, I’ve also driven the Model S and X and have to agree with the other poster, much quieter and more relaxing drive, he’s also right about their interiors though, they really do feel a bit basic compared to a nice Audi,Mercedes etc but if I could afford one I would choose one over either of them.

[anonymous-user]

Walter Sobchak said:

I don’t really think stopping for 30/40 minutes every 250-300 miles is that big of an ask to be honest.
I’ve recently picked up an L322 TDV8 and it’s a great car and would be great long distance, I’ve also driven the Model S and X and have to agree with the other poster, much quieter and more relaxing drive, he’s also right about their interiors though, they really do feel a bit basic compared to a nice Audi,Mercedes etc but if I could afford one I would choose one over either of them.

Despite their many shortcomings the superb charging network really swings it for Tesla if you want a serious EV. There are charing points at practically every motorway service station, always loads free, and they just work. The other networks are bitty, the kit is awkward to use, slow, often broken, always overpriced, and usually being hogged by some bellend in a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV topping up for his 30 miles.

Investing heavily in building out the charging infrastructure was the best thing Tesla did, it puts them miles ahead of everyone else when it comes to an EV to fit most usage patterns.