SUPER-LUXURY CARS OF THE 21ST CENTURY

                              SUPER LUXURY CARS OF
                     THE 21^ST CENTURY

Written May, 2002 for ALASKA AIRLINES' in-flight magazine

     In spite of the vagaries of the worldwide automotive marketplace, there is one segment which continues to grow no matter the world political or economic situation. (Photo above -- Maybach 62).

     These are the stratospherically-priced executive autos which command the attention of everyone lucky enough to get a glimpse of them in action. Those who have had the experience of driving them know that there is indeed more than a bit of truth to the famed phrase, "The rich are different from you and me".

Super luxury cars have been with us since soon after Karl Benz got that first patent for a motorwagen in Germany in January of 1886. Even while the industry was in its infancy, names such as Rolls-Royce and Bugatti in Europe, and Cadillac, Mercer and Duesenberg in the USA, were on the lips and in the dreams of even the earliest enthusiasts.

Today, premium Mercedes-Benz and BMW cars contain features which even Karl Benz and Henry Ford might never have imagined, but the basic concept of the super luxury car remains the same: For the price, the buyer can have a car so advanced, so beautiful, so rare, so powerful and so prestigious that it sets its owner apart from the crowd.

In fact, buyers needing armoring and bullet-proofing services can now order large Mercedes and BMW sedans direct from their dealers equipped with those features.

     Today's super luxury autos are being made in greater  numbers than ever before. Every manufacturer involved in producing these fantastic conveyances reports their best sales ever. As the world economy grows, as democracy and the free marketplace spreads to more nations, sales of these cars are growing at a phenomenal rate. Both Ferrari and Rolls-Royce now have planned factory-authorized dealerships in China. (Photo -- Rolls-Royce "drophead" coupe).

There have been some big changes involving some of the best-known super luxury marques, and some of the best-known names of the past are returning.

The most interesting and far-reaching change in the arena might be those having to do with Rolls-Royce and their longtime partner, Bentley. In fact, since 1946, Bentleys have been built alongside Rolls-Royce cars at Crewe, UK.
            In 1998, Volkswagen purchased Rolls-Royce and Bentley motorcars and the Crewe facility, while BMW, through some very Byzantine negotiations, ended up owning the name Rolls-Royce, starting with January 1, 2003.
           The latest Rolls vehicles are already using BMW engines, and VW has made a huge commitment to expanding the Bentley line-up starting next year, as well.

In fact, VW says that Bentley production will increase from today's 1,400 cars annually to nearly 9,000 being sold worldwide. They'll accomplish this by using existing VW technology and translating it into the classic British tense. (Photo -- Bentley concept).

For instance, VW plans on using what they call their "Super Passatt" platform, outfitting it with a 12-cylinder or even a 16-cylinder engine (in a "W", not a "V" configuration) and surrounding it all with the luxury interior and sporting ride Bentley has always been known for, and pricing it right around $100,000 --- quite a bit less than any of today's Bentley models.

W.O. Bentley, the company's founder, and his group of racing "Bentley Boys", were well-known for their domination of the "24 Hours of LeMans" endurance race in the 1920s. To honor that, and to renew the marque's name with a brand-new generation, VW brought Bentley back to LeMans this year and the team managed an 8^th place finish, fairly amazing for a first-time (in a long time) entrant. (Photo -- Bentley coupe).

BMW is building a brand-new factory in the UK, on the grounds of Lord March's massive Goodwood estate. Goodwood is where the annual "Festival of Speed" is held, bringing top race cars and racing stars from years past to Lord March's "driveway", where vintage racing takes place. Formula 1 race fans may remember the March F1 team from years past, owned by Lord March. Lord March, the son of the Duke of Richmond, is the owner of the 12,000-acre Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, UK.
           The factory will be in operation by January, 2003. The modern facility will focus on keeping the Rolls legend alive while making cars relevant to the 21^st century. BMW promises continued traditional R-R quality and attention to detail, mated with their smooth, monster engines turning out huge gobs of horsepower and low-end torque.

Volkswagen has other tricks up their super luxury sleeve.

     Lamborghini, now also owned by VW, has introduced their Murcielago, a 2-seater, 2-door coupe (with the now familiar gull-wing doors) based on the traditional Lamborghini layout: mid-mounted V12 engine, typical Lamborghini transmission with the gearbox mounted in front of the engine and the rear differential integrated into the engine unit, permanent four-wheel drive with central viscous coupler. It's a combination which has worked well for Lambo for more than 30 years.

       considered the finest of the large touring sedans. Mercedes-Benz is bringing back the name for an all-new car. The Murcielago's engine is a 12-cylinder 60 degree V with a displacement of 6192 cc, made entirely from aluminum alloy and designed for unleaded fuel, producing 571 hp at 7500 rpm and 479 lb/ft of torque at 5400 rpm.

     Speed? Over 220 miles an hour. Price? $273,000. (Photo -- Lamborghini Murcielago).

VW is also bringing back the fabled Bugatti name.

A 1930s Bugatti Royale sold for over $11 million at auction in recent years, making it the world's most expensive car.

VW's new Bugattis may not command that high a price, but the EB 16-4 (EB standing for company founder Ettore Bugatti) is a wildly futuristic-looking car with an output of --- sit down --- 1001 horsepower. The W16 engine (there's that "W" again from VW) has no less than four turbochargers, and this model comes with the world's first non-racing 7-speed gearbox and Michelin's all-new PAX tire system, which allows the car to run for about 70 miles at 50 miles an hour with four flat tires.

No price set as yet for the Bugatti, which could appear in 2005, but it'll be in excess of the Lamborghini Murcielago.

Maybach was the top car in Germany in the 1920s and '30s,  Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach had enjoyed a close friendship long before the first car rolled over the bumpy roads in 1886. Referred to subsequently by a French rival as the "King of Designers," Wilhelm Maybach was instrumental in the development of the Daimler gasoline engine. (Photo -- Bugatti Veyron).

Though the Maybach's topline Zeppelin model has not been resurrected, Maybach as a marque is back for 2003, and only certain Mercedes-Benz dealers will handle sales and service for these super-tourers. In fact, company executives will be responsible for each car during its lifetime, keeping track of the car and its owners and all their motoring needs as long as they are Maybach owners.

Priced in excess of $280,000 (with short- and long-wheelbase models available) the Maybach will have the ultimate in telematics, active suspension and overall safety, but the heart of any auto is its engine. In this regard, Maybach lives up to its storied reputation.

The Mercedes-Benz Maybach is powered by a high-torque V12 engine just under six liters. Made from magnesium/aluminum, the engine greatly profits from an extremely lightweight design which helps to cut fuel consumption. Extremely efficient three-valve technology with dual ignition forms the basis on which the engine achieves optimum performance with low fuel consumption. (Feuling Advanced Technologies, an automotive engineering design firm in Ventura, California, has filed suit against DaimlerChrysler A G, and Mercedes-Benz USA Inc., a suit based on which company developed this specific three-valve technology. Company principal James Feuling passed away, but apparently the battle goes on). (Photo -- Wilhelm Maybach).
Italy's Ferrari continues their winning ways, but this year, for the first time in over a decade, Americans can buy a Maserati at selected Ferrari dealers. Maseratis start at around $90,000 and are essentially Ferraris without the "prancing horse" badge, sort of a "poor man's Ferrari", if there could really be such a thing.
            Ferrari itself is in its best financial shape ever, making around 4,000 cars a year, and holding the majority of World Driving Championship titles in the past decade in Formula 1 racing.

But what of America?
           Cadillac is leading the way for the return of super luxury models to the USA. And that's appropriate. The traditional technology, safety, and performance leader of General Motors is getting their act together and developing an all-new model called XLR, based on the new C6 Corvette platform, to challenge cars in the Mercedes SL class. Look for it late in 2004.
            The Cadillac Cien concept car seen at auto shows this past season gives a hint of what the XLR might produce if equipped with a V12 engine. The car has a 7.5-liter V12 that kicks out 750 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. The concept engine is dubbed Northstar XV12. Odds are that the production version of the XLR, though, will get a highly-modified and more powerful version of the Corvette V8 engine. (Photo -- Cadillac Cien concept).

From Ford, look for an updated version of the famed GT40 which raced at LeMans for the company in the 1960s. Much like their recent Bullitt Mustang and Thunderbird, the GT40 will focus on the original's classic lines built over a machine outfitted with the latest in safety, performance and electronics.

Price for the two-seater will be in excess of $100,000, with the car built on a special assembly-line manned by experts from both Steve Saleen's and Jack Roush's companies, both of which focus on high-performance Ford cars and trucks; some raced on the tracks of the world (Roush known especially for his NASCAR teams and engines for the Panoz cars from Georgia, Saleen for his modified Mustangs), some sold at Ford dealers.

Production of these types of cars is usually in the hundreds and sometimes in the low thousands, they are nowhere near what it takes to keep a large car company going. For instance, the most popular cars sold in
America, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, each sell well over 400,000 copies annually. The total USA market is over 16 million. (Photo -- Ford GT).

Finally, back at General Motors, that company's new vice president, 70 year old Bob Lutz, the man who gave the "thumbs up" for the Viper, Prowler and PT Cruiser when a top exec at Chrysler, has convinced the American auto giant to invest in a small Connecticut company called Cunningham Motors.

Run by relatives of sportsman Briggs Swift Cunningham, the America's Cup yachting prize winner who ran Cadillac-powered cars at Le Mans in the 1950s, Cunningham is planning to build a V12-powered all-American sports/luxury touring car, and perhaps even add a motorcycle to the line if things go well. With GM's involvement and Bob Lutz's blessings, the company well could make a go of it. In fact, that Northstar XV12  which Cadillac is talking about for their Cien roadster might ultimately be the powerplant for the Cunningham. Prices will definitely be over $200,000. (Photo -- Cunningham concept).
            While the sales volumes of these super luxury cars are But their prestige is important for  whoever makes them, and even more important for those who buy them. It still matters, even in today's cookie-cutter world, to make a product different from all others and maybe even better than anything else on the road.

     (Steve Parker is a two-time Emmy Award-winning automotive journalist based in Palm Springs, CA. Reach him directly through his website, www.SteveParker.com).

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Comments

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