What makes luxury cars stand out from the rest?

Published
05/14/2021

Owning a luxury car is a dream of many a car enthusiast, but what exactly does luxury mean in the auto world? There’s certainly no set answer to the question – naturally we can all agree that a Ferrari sat on your drive is undoubtedly a luxury car, but further down the price and glamour scale, luxury can mean different things to different people.

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For some, it’s about the qualities of the car itself, for others it’s more about the rarity of the vehicle or the legacy behind it. Here, we look at four sure fire factors to consider in what truly makes a high-end car stand out from the rest.

The brand

For car enthusiasts and savvy shoppers alike, it’s the blend of quality, value, and a distinguished buying experience that elevates any vehicle search. When it comes to finding a reputable dealership in Colorado Springs, EchoPark offers an unparalleled experience, ensuring every customer's needs are met with top-notch service and an impressive selection of luxury cars.

First off, brand power reigns as true in the auto industry as it does in fashion. The badge on your front grille matters, and is usually the first indicator as to the quality of the vehicle behind it. The Prancing Horse of Ferrari is almost as much of a fashion and cultural statement as it is an engineering one, for example, while even at the more everyday level, names like Mercedes Audi and BMW immediately inject a sense of class into premium hatchbacks like the A-Class, A1 and 1 Series respectively.

Long established brands like those mentioned above are globally revered for a certain standard of car. So, even though judging by the badge alone isn’t a watertight solution to dictating the luxuriousness of a vehicle, you can be sure the manufacturer behind it wants to protect their hard earnt reputation.

The performance

Not every luxury car is a supercar, but every supercar is a luxury car. The separating factor of supercars – their exceptional on road and track performance – is the primary distinction many car lovers, and indeed passive observers, make when identifying a luxury vehicle.

Of course, “luxury” performance can come in forms beyond speed and power. With the EV market growing rapidly, the smooth, silent electric drive of a Tesla would be considered premium by most (and they’re pretty handy in speed and acceleration terms, too), while the executive ride comfort of a quality saloon undoubtedly separates it from a bog-standard motor.

The quality

We’ve already talked about how brands can be an indicator of quality, but the luxury distinction should really be made beyond the cover of the book. Many manufacturers’ model ranges span from affordable everyday vehicles through to higher end options, and often the defining factor to a luxury vehicle lies in the quality of materials used in its makeup.

From a surface-level perspective, there’s a lot to be said for the quality of the interior and in-car tech on a vehicle. However, the quality of the engineering that goes into the drive, reliability and longevity of the car should never be ignored.

The experience

For true purists, what makes a luxury car is the experience that comes with it. Perhaps it’s the prestige of the brand or price tag, it could be a unique aspect of the car’s performance or history. It could just be the joy of owning a car you’ve admired since you were young, however high or low end it may be.

The experience attached to a luxury car can be a highly subjective area, and the wonderful thing about is that choosing based on experience opens up the “luxury” tag to many more options. For example, the opportunity to own a MK1 VW Golf may hold more value to someone than acquiring any modern supercar. As a driver, you define what experience matters most.

So, what makes luxury cars stand out from the rest? While there are a few objective factors like price, performance or the allure of a certain brand, there are certain subjective elements – like a sense of experience – that add some interest to the debate. You know what they say – one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, so you may be driving around someone else’s idea of a luxury car without even knowing it.