You know it when you see it: the sleek lines, the purr of the engine, the shiny paint. The whole beautiful package just seems to shout MONEY! From custom leather seats to all the latest automobile technology, luxury cars have it all.
For someone not familiar with how check the oil, much less able to actually change it, being knowledgeable enough to pinpoint the actual luxuries of a luxury car may be like learning a foreign language. Riding in a luxury car after years driving something…well, less than luxurious, can be an astonishing revelation. Who knew a car could feel so much like home?
One thing that purchasers of luxury cars always demand is comfort. If you’re going to shell out as much money for a car as you could on a house, you’d better be able to sit and enjoy the ride. The interior furnishings and materials in luxury cars are top-quality: real leather and premium fabrics, polished wood veneers, shiny dials and gauges, and lots of leg room. The quiet shush of the engine combined with the state-of-the-art sound system means you’re in the middle of a concert while getting directions from your onboard computer to the best Greek restaurant in town. These things are easy enough for anyone to understand.
What is not so easily apparent are the technologies under the hood and buried in the body of the car itself. These are the technologies that support all the grandeur of elegant interior furnishings.
Similar to the fashion industry, the best designs and technological innovations eventually trickle down to less expensive automobiles. Advancements in engine design and efficiency, handling ability, and safety features all started out in the luxury car market; but great mileage, better speed, keyless entry, DVD entertainment systems, and other useful improvements are incorporated into the lower-priced car arena as prices come down and automobile manufacturers see a market in the middle class.
All that innovation and new gadgetry is going to cost you in the luxury market. Being able to let your vehicle handle the parallel parking doesn’t come cheap, but that’s one of the reasons a person might choose to spend the money on a luxury car: the ease of driving.
Essentially, luxury cars are about comfort as well as the joy of having the newest and best in new technology on the market. You’ll pay for every added perk, but you’ll sure enjoy the ride.