luxury cars

Luxury cars have existed for almost as long as cars themselves, but opinions vary on what a luxury car is. Some people define this as any vehicle from a luxury-focused brand like Rolls-Royce, while others believe that a luxury car is anything with features and gadgets beyond the basics. Also, what constitutes luxury has changed over time. Several years ago, electronic touchscreens and rear-view cameras were rare and exciting, but now they're expected on just about every vehicle. For our purposes, we're going to define a luxury car as any car that has significantly better equipment, performance, materials, comforts, technology, or features than most vehicles of its type. For many vehicles, this means the most expensive models in their line qualify as luxury cars thanks to a variety of standard and optional features. However, this does not mean that expensive vehicles are inherently luxurious - the premium version of a mass-market vehicle may have more comforts than a true luxury brand's entry-level model. The primary cause of this cost difference is the optics. Much like wearing an expensive watch, luxury vehicles are a status symbol meant to impress others. Any Mercedes-Benz is likely to be valued higher than a Honda or Mazda, regardless of their features and specifications. Most luxury cars are coupes or sedans, but there are a few luxury SUVs and Crossovers on the market. Minivans and trucks are almost never considered luxury vehicles - their respective emphasis on transporting many people and hauling heavy loads is seen as ""mundane"", and therefore lesser, though some people have modified these types of vehicles enough to make them luxurious. Regardless of manufacturer, several components are common (although not universal) in luxury vehicles. Two of the most popular choices are quality leather upholstery and wood-grain paneling, both of which provide a more natural, comfortable appearance. Luxury cars also tend to get new safety and entertainment features before the rest of the market - now-common features like DVD entertainment, anti-lock brakes, and electronic stability control all showed up on luxury cars before appearing anywhere else. For sporty vehicles, luxury cars tend to feature larger and more powerful engines as well as better handling and control. Naturally, all of these new features and luxuries come at a price. On average, a luxury car will likely cost at least $10,000 more than a mass-market competitor, even within the same model line. This doesn't include the price of optional features, many of which can drive up the price by another several thousand dollars.