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5 Best Luxury Sedans for 2018 That Pamper and Thrill

2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
When you think luxury sedan, images of butter soft leather, concert quality audio, hand polished wood inserts, handcrafted stitching, impeccable comfort and opera house elegance probably come to mind. You would be right, but there is another characteristic that these incredibly expensive chariots have developed recently. They are leather wrapped muscle cars that could drive directly from the opera house to the track and be competitive.
JAN 24, 2018

Granted some of them have racing DNA in their blood, but most began as plush transportation for rich folks. Exclusivity has always been, and remains, the primary selling point for luxury rides. Now there is another reason to drop $100,000 to $300,000 on your daily ride. You can go very, very fast.

 The following is a list of five deliciously powerful luxury sedans for your consideration. Make sure you have a drool cup handy.



Best Luxury Sedans: 2018 Bentley Flying Spur

MSRP $244,600

Bentley is the very definition of a luxury sedan and the 2018 Flying Spur is a prime example of what you can expect when you toss a quarter of a million dollars into your basic transportation. It is quite simply, an incredible machine.

The first thing that strikes you is this car is big. Massive might be a better description but the sweeping lines and sophisticated design make that description hard to believe. The fact is, it is big. It weighs nearly three tons and has a wheelbase over ten feet. Massive yes, lumbering no. The Flying Spur is a surprisingly agile ride.

The fitment and finish of everything on this vehicle is precise, but that’s what you would expect from a car that is mostly hand built. Its swathed in leather and premium materials. It lacks some of the techno-wizardry features of the German luxury cars, but it makes it up in superior classiness.

Under the hood, the Bentley continues to amaze with a choice of a 515 horsepower V8 or a W12 that pumps out 626 horsepower. Both engines are paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. That kind of power propels this 5,509-pound vehicle from zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. Equally impressive, it can be brought to a halt from 70 mph in just 167 feet.

So, if you’re making a decision today to either buy a starter home or a luxury sedan, we recommend the Flying Spur!

Best Luxury Sedans: 2018 Mercedes-AMG S63

MSRP $185,000

The S Class Mercedes-Benz has always been considered the leader of the “not handcrafted” luxury sedans. This is the car that heads of state and really rich guys tool around in. The current generation of S Class was launched in 2013 so Mercedes-Benz decided to jazz it up a bit for 2018.

Jazz it up they did. They added 6500 new parts that enabled significant improvements in its Intelligent Drive semi-autonomous driving feature, a snazzy new grill, and a feature called Energizing Comfort Control that turns the car into a rolling spa.

And then they called on AMG, Mercedes-Benz’s in-house tuner shop, to juice up the luxury ride a bit. And they did.

The AMG S63 is not quite autonomous but it’s getting very close. Improvements made the whole process smoother and less jerky than before. It keeps the vehicle nicely centered in the lane and even “sees” and slows down for curves. This system is a boon for well-heeled commuters and will give them the opportunity to fully appreciate the benefits of the Energizer Comfort Control.

Want your car to match your mood? Who doesn’t? The ECC features six different programs – Freshness, Warmth, Vitality, Joy, Comfort, and Training – each tailoring the climate settings, music, seat massage and ventilation, interior lighting, and air fragrances together in a unique way. Unbelievable.

Switch the drive mode to “sport” and you are ready to exercise AMG’s contributions. New for 2018 is a 4.0L, biturbo, V8 that is tuned to 603 horsepower, harnessed to a snappier seven-speed automatic. Need to merge on the interstate or just make an emergency run for Gray Poupon? The AMG package gets this bad boy from zero to 60 in 3.4 seconds. And the AMG S63 does a lot more than just go very fast in a straight line. The amazing air suspension system turns this luxury ride into a sports car ready to eat up twisty roads and carve up curves.

Not very sedate behavior for a rich guy’s ride.

Best Luxury Sedans: 2018 BMW 750i

MSRP $86,800

The first of the five-figure luxury sedans, the 2018 BMW 7 Series is a hot seller in this class. The exterior belies its classification as a luxury sedan because it looks like, well…it looks like a BMW. However, once you slide into the driver’s seat and get a look at the interior, your evaluation will rapidly change.

The cockpit is all woodgrain and Dakota leather and every comfort feature is provided. Features include a 16-speaker Harman Kardon surround sound audio system, Display Key with an LCD touchscreen, leather-wrapped sport steering wheel, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.2-inch display screen with 3D navigation, Gesture Control, 4-zone climate control, panoramic moonroof, and the iDrive 6.0 system with touchpad controller.

Passengers in the back experience one of the real luxuries in a luxury sedan, leg room. There’s lots of leg room plus a center console tablet controls to comfort and entertainment functions for the dual seat-back screens.

But the real magic is under the hood. The M760i trim packs a 6.5-liter twin-turbo V-12 that churns out an impressive 601 hp. and 590 lb-ft of torque. That translates into a zero to sixty time of 3.6 seconds and that’s stepping out at a pretty good clip. Car and Driver Magazine says the 7 Series isn’t as sporty as the Mercedes AMG S 63. I wonder if they took into consideration the BMW cost $100,000 less!

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Best Luxury Sedans: 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

MSRP $73,500

The Italians haven’t made this big an impression on America since Columbus bumped into it. There’s no question this ride qualifies as a luxury ride but there is also no question what it does best. This car wants to go very, very fast. It has a large dose of Alfa Romeo racing DNA embedded in it.

The lines are typical sexy Italian. The front end with its iconic Alfa Romeo shield grill, slanted high-intensity headlamps, massive air intakes, and exclusive automatic splitter, has an exceptionally aggressive, almost dangerous appearance. The body lines sweep back to a compact tail with chrome tips on the exhaust. It looks like it's going fast even when it's parked.

Inside its all Napa leather and Alcantara seats and door inserts with carbon fiber accents. While all the creature comforts are provided, it’s not so much luxury as it is going very fast comfortably. Other features include8.8-inch display with a free year of SiriusXM satellite radio, a Harman Kardon premium audio system, Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, Driver Assist package and parking sensors.

Under the hood is the source of the growling exhaust tone. When you put a 505-hp, 443-lb-ft of torque 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 in a platform that has nearly a 50/50 weight distribution front to back, you get a car that can rip up a track or a twisty canyon road. It goes 0 to 60 in 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 191 mph gives this luxury sedan serious street creds.

Best Luxury Sedans: 2018 Cadillac CTS-V

MSRP $85,496

This is definitely not your Granddaddy’s Cadillac. Gone is the comfy Cadillac couch with giant tailfins and brake lights inspired by rockets. The 2018 Cadillac CTS-V is a lean hard bodied ride full of techno-wizardry, contemporary comfort, that can go like a bat out of hell.

It has an aggressive, obviously American, exterior that commands attention. When’s the last time you saw a Cadillac with a functional hood scoop? The interior is definitely a product of GM. It is not the same quality as the European cars but it is a notch above typical GM materials, fit, and finish.

What is incredibly impressive is the engineering and power plant. The CTS-V is really a muscle car. Thanks to a state-of-the-art chassis and suspension system, the CTS-V can maneuver like a sports car and stay flat in the tightest curves. It does not, however, ride like a muscle car. That same suspension lets the driver enjoy the fun in comfort.

Then there’s the engine. The RWD 2018 Cadillac CTS-V has a supercharged V8 engine that generates 640 horsepower that takes this beast to 60 mph from a dead stop in 3.6 seconds. With a top speed that promises 200 mph, the CTS-V would give your Granddaddy a heart attack.

These are all beautiful vehicles but there are other considerations. First is the availability of service. There isn’t a Bentley dealer on every block or even in every state. The same goes for the Alfa Romeo. Second is the cost, and availability of insurance. But hey, if you are willing to go big you probably won’t mind a few challenges.