I think it would be very interesting to take a dozen or so cars in the same price range... debadge the cars... lead people blindfolded into the drivers seat... remove the blind folds and let them test drive all the cars... and then see if they could ID the luxury cars over the economy cars without their pre-conceived notions.

I'm always amazed whenever I climb in a modern pick up truck just how freakin' luxurious those things are!!

My father in law has a GMC with that turbodiesel V-8, as luxurious as Mom's Caddy. Comfortable, plush heated leather seats, A/C blows cold enough you could keep meat in there, excellent ride for a big truck and incredibly fast for such a big vehicle. I think it probably has enough torque to alter the rotation of the Earth.

I saw a test once when they first came out. Ran a 16.9 second quarter mile with an empty bed, 17.2 with 1000# in the bed.

New high-end PU trucks are incredibly nice inside. I'd even go as far as to say that it's the nicest way to eat up the open highway, all things considered. With a diesel, they are just loafing.

I've been thinking about this as I've been driving around lately. I've been in an 03 Toyota Tundra, '99 BMW Z3, '08 BMW 335, and a 2010 Nissan Murano. The features that seem most luxurious to me are the wiper blades and the lights on the BMW. All the other crap is just bells and whistles to me. Seeing where you are going shouldn't be a luxury, but I like that feature and BMW is hands down the best when it comes to that.

The thing I have never figured out is why people pay serious cash for a Range Rover, Jaguar (love the way the idiots pronounce it on TV....Jag u are), etc. which are basically expensive piles of crap. They depreciate like rocks. Are these people just foolish? Do they not care about the reliability and repairs? Is it "cool" to have a car in the shop all the time? I don't consider Mercedes to be luxury. My wifes ML350 is a little bit nicer, and probably a bit safer than our old Honda Pilot, but its not luxurious.

The thing I have never figured out is why people pay serious cash for a highly strung wife, etc. which are basically expensive piles of crap. They depreciate like rocks, and require highly expensive rocks periodically too. Are these people just foolish? Do they not care about the reliability and repairs? Is it "cool" to have a wife in the shop all the time? I don't consider these women to be luxury. My next wife will be an easily disposable gf, one that is a little bit nicer, and probably a bit safer than my former wife, but its not luxurious.

The Italian models are fast and flashy, and you hear people rave about the reliability of the German ones, but the luxury German models cannot be relied on either. Most of them can barely gut a fish or dress out a seal either.

Jag owners are very dedicated to their cars. It's like the love some of us have for the 911. We forgive our cars everything. Engine goes bang??? That's OK. I can fix it... ;)

Range Rover??? Not so sure but the Queen has one. Maybe that has something to do with it.