Naughty or Nice: Ultra-Luxury Cars
Most folks would jump for joy to find a car worth six figures in their driveway, but reality doesn't always live up to celebrity culture. As we experienced this year, a car decked out in ultra-luxury features from top to tire isn't always what it's cracked up to be.
Naughty: 2011 Rolls-Royce Ghost
It's not every day that you review a Rolls, and it did impress the neighbors when it was sitting in the driveway. But passers-by usually had the same reaction: a startled stare that turned to a slightly disgusted look. This was long before the 1% got such a bad name. The car itself was too isolated from the road — even for a Rolls — to enjoy. To make matters worse, there were some simple luxury features like sunshades on the rear doors that were missing. How much would that cost over the $250,000 sticker price?
Nice: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
Even though we had half the time in the SLS AMG versus the Ghost, it was 10 times more rewarding. The 563-horsepower V-8 sounded terrific; the suspension was near perfect, and the steering responded like you're one with the machine. Maybe we're suckers for performance, but the SLS AMG was sexy, too. It even elicited an onlooker to ask if we were married. Now that's worth $190,000.
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I just got a chance to drive the SLS and the Ferarrii though the Manhattan Car Club. Here is my review http://nyccarblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-new-love-mercedes-sls-amg.html
Dave,
I knew you were going to bring this us, and as soon as you mentioned the mercedes, i knew it was going to win. I guess the fact that a woman asked if you were married in that car was enough to overcompensate for the deficincies of the Rolls. Even an ultra-lexury car is not going to contain all features. I think that you and the rest of the judges on your staff became spoiled and indifferent to cars nowadays becauses you drive so many, your standrds are way too high. If it doesnt please you, it might please me. Good thing your getting paid for this, if you werent getting paid for this your advice would be taken with a grain of salt.
To make matters worse, there were some simple luxury features like sunshades on the rear doors and tires that makes car looks better and better, it also suit to that thought like ultra high net worth.