Personal Luxury Cars

Personal luxury cars are often symbols of social and financial status that lend an air of prestige to any car owner. They tend to be pricy because they embody the latest technological and automotive advances.
 
Along with sleek and refined body designs, personal luxury cars typically have powerful engines, elegant interiors and a number of gadgets, such as global positioning systems (GPS), all of which make driving more convenient.
 
However, it takes more than just an expensive price tag to make a luxury car. Here is an outline of all of the features that make up a luxury car.

Luxury Car Costs

One of the most common ways people rank luxury cars is by categorizing them by cost. Generally, luxury cars are divided into the following categories:
  • Entry-Level: $35,000 to $40,000
  • Mid-Level: $40,000 to $59,000
  • High-End: $60,000 to $99,000
  • Ultra: anything more than $100,000.
If you are spending around $40,000 or more, you are going to be driving a luxury car.
 
Fun Car Fact  
The first automobile race in the United States was held in 1895. In this race, competitors drove 54 miles from Chicago to Evanston, Ill., and back. Although two Mercedes Benz competed, a Duryea won the event by finishing the race in 9 hours.

Personal Luxury Cars: Appearance and Comfort

Another common feature of luxury cars is their eye appeal that stems from their sleek and elegant body designs. However, as trends and technologies change and advance over the years, the features that define eye appeal also evolve.
 
For example, tail fins on Cadillacs reigned for 10 years after they were introduced in 1948. Yet, today tail fins would look unappealing on most luxury car designs. Many of today's designs tend to incorporate cool, sleek lines that insinuate their ability to speed down any road.

While body designs are constantly changing, ironically, the interiors of many of today's luxury cars have features that were standard in many older cars. For example, many modern luxury cars have features such as wood steering wheels and accents. Because these accessories are now too expensive to be used across the board, less expensive car models use plastics to mimic this look. Chrome is another accent that is typically used in both the interior and on the exterior of luxury cars.

Along with the look exterior, the interior comfort is another important feature of luxury cars. Many luxury cars have hand-stitched leather upholstery, lending a warm, appealing feel to the cars' interiors. Some luxury cars may also include seats that have heat, ventilation and massage options.
 
More Fun Car Facts
  • Autocar named the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost (introduced in 1906) the Best Car in the World in 1907.
  • Electric door locks were first offered in select luxury car models in 1956.
  • Power windows started appearing in luxury cars in 1946.

Top Luxury Car Technology

In addition to interior and exterior design, luxury cars typically include the newest and best technologies. New technologies that may be offered in top luxury cars today include:
  • automatic parallel parking assistance
  • cruise controls that will keep your speed at a set rate and your car at a set distance from the car in front of you (For example, if the car in front of you starts to brake, your car will automatically start to brake too.)
  • image projection of your dashboard onto the front windshield
  • rear cameras to let you know what is behind you when you are backing up
  • warning systems that will let you know if a car is in your blind spot
  • warning systems that will let you know if your car is straying from your lane.

These technologies not only make your drive safer, but they also can have environmental advantages, namely in the arena of fuel conservation. For instance, some luxury car manufacturers offer hybrid cars that can operate on both gasoline and electricity. A new gasoline-hydrogen hybrid luxury car is also being offered in limited quantities.