WE TRY HARDER
Test cars for long enough, and you’ll have a default answer anytime someone asks for advice. Want a compact car? Get a Civic. An affordable sports car? Miata. Want to survive the apocalypse? Land Cruiser should do the trick. Easy.
For decades, the default choice when buying an executive luxury sedan has been the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. But what if you want to stand out from your fellow titans of industry in their everyday Newport Nissans? What if you shudder at the thought of dropping 100 large on a depreciating asset?
WE HAVE YOU COVERED
We assembled four Mercedes S-Class challengers from each major auto-producing nation to see which has the best shot at challenging the Merc on its throne. And because most of this country doesn’t have the cash (or credit) to easily part with six-figure sums, we set a rough $100,000 price cap on our luxury sedans, with each luxobarge sporting six-cylinders (or fewer) and all-wheel drive.
Our appropriate setting for the test: The tony coastal environs of Palos Verdes Estates, where you’ll quietly find one of the greatest concentrations of wealth in America. With views of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island looming offshore, the average home value is $1.9 million, according to Zillow. From there, we would journey to Malibu, where the Hollywood elite sun and splash. Would any car not bearing a three-pointed star turn the heads of the landed and beached gentry?
THE CHALLENGERS
The BMW 7 Series is the S-Class’ German archrival. Representing Bavaria’s best is the 2018 740e xDrive iPerformance. Powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 paired with an electric motor, the 740e is an odd choice for this test, given the rest of our field is powered by twin-turbo V-6s. But considering the segment is moving toward increased electrification, it was the right choice. Plus 14 miles of EV range in a 4,700-pound limo is plain cool. Our lightly optioned 740e
