The standards by which luxury cars are measured has changed over the years. There was a time when luxury automobiles were defined by chauffeurs and custom coach-building. However, in 2015, when nearly every car comes standard with power everything, touchscreens, available leather interiors, and immersive sound systems, it takes a bit more to stand out from the crowd. As such, today's luxury cars are rolling technology showcases just as much as they are sophisticated and comfortable personal mobility devices. They are connected, semi-autonomous, smart machines – they are smartphones for the road.
And yet, even among the best of the best, some are better than others. Today's top luxury cars are redefining the driving experience and the relationship that individuals have with their cars. From cars that are making a case for fully electric drive to those that come with their own mobile apps, these are the must-have models for the technology enthusiast. If you're looking for the cutting edge in the automotive marketplace, look no further.
Tesla Model S
Is it really any surprise that Tesla's Model S is on this list? The car has been making quite a name for itself ever since it was launched. There's the now infamous “Ludicrous” mode, which rockets the car to 60 mph in less time than a Ferrari (and which has starred in untold YouTube videos). There's the Consumer Reports review, in which it scores so well it goes off the chart. And there's the crash test, in which the Tesla performed so well it broke the testing gear. All this in a car that is fully electric, soon-to-be semi-autonomous, luxurious, comfortable, and practical to boot. If there's one car that makes a strong case for gasoline engines soon going the way of the dodo bird, it's the Tesla Model S.
BMW i3 and i8
Tesla isn't the only name in the electric car game these days. One of Europe's most well-respected manufacturers, BMW, makes not one but two cars that offer fully-electric modes. The i3 is BMW's interpretation of an electric city car – and at around $40,000, is much more affordable than the Tesla Model S even while incorporating advanced design features like a carbon fiber chassis – while the i8 is arguably the world's first electric supercar. Though both still feature gasoline engines (in the i3's case, as a range extender option; in the i8, for primary propulsion), they are designed so that owners can treat them as electric cars if they choose. Best of all? They look like they came straight out of Back to the Future II.
Audi A4
Not everyone is willing to live with the many disadvantages that come with electric car ownership. You need to be able to charge your car overnight, which means most apartment dwellers are out of luck, and long-distance travel can be incredibly difficult (even for Tesla owners who have access to the company's Supercharger network). Additionally, electric cars are still quite expensive. Enter the new Audi A4. You can fill it up at any gas station. It looks sophisticated yet understated. It's reasonably sized and relatively affordable. And it's tailor-made for today's connected consumer. In fact, Audi recently partnered with T-Mobile to offer free 4G LTE for tablets and flat-rate $15/month in-car data plans. All of a sudden, the connected car is not only a reality, it's affordable.
Mercedes S-class
If you are looking for an automobile that packs as much technology as your standard business jet, look no further than the latest version of the Mercedes-Benz S-class. Don't believe us? Listen to this list of features – and remember, these are found in an automobile, not an airplane. Braking assist. Pre-Safe Brake. Automated collision avoidance. 360 degree cameras and sensors. Radar (yes, radar). Ultrasonic detectors. Semi-autonomous mode. Stop-and-go adaptive cruise control. Lane departure warning. Blind spot detection. Active lane keeping assist. Active parking assist. Pedestrian detection. Forget the Tesla Model S. Forget the BMW i8. You can even forget about the Bugatti Veyron. The current S-class might just be the most advanced production car ever made. If that doesn't impress you, what does?
Cadillac ELR
With the ELR, Cadillac is on a mission: to redefine what people come to expect from hybrids. Ask the average person their impressions of hybrids, and they're likely to think of the Toyota Prius. And not without reason, as it has sold millions upon millions of copies since its launch a decade ago. But the Prius is a bit... well, let's just say it lacks excitement. The Cadillac ELR is a hybrid that incorporates the best features of an electric car and a luxury car into one platform. With its two-stage drivetrain, it can be used purely as an electric car – if your round-trip commute is less than 40 miles and you charge the car every night, a tank of gas could last you months – yet it gives up nothing in terms of luxury or refinement. Cadillac wants people to try the car so much that they recently dropped the price by $10,000. Not bad incentive, is it?
