HOT TAKE!

"not for canada - australian in disguise" (for-canada) 06/05/2016 at 15:55 • Filed to: None

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Acura, Buick, and Lincoln are not really luxury brands. Let me explain.

Look at these three. These are all FWD based cruisers. They continue where big American cruisers of yore left off. Think off an Olds Delta 88. That kind of thing. While ze Germans and also to an extent most American and British luxury brands have been focusing on making there cars “driver’s cars”, for the most part these three couldn’t give less of a shit. And I admire that.

That’s why I don’t consider them to be similar to modern day luxury brands. I consider them to be “comfort” brands. More comfortable and premium-feeling than a comparable Honda, Chevy, or Ford, but not really on the same level as a BMW or a Jag. There are some full on luxury manufacturers that make cars like this too.

The ES for example.

And the XTS.

Basically, these “comfort” brands have flagships that are big FWD V6 luxury cars, and are focused more on comfort and tech than outright performance, while basing most of their lineup on more contemporary cars.

I see alot of people bashing these brands and cars. That’s because you’re comparing them with the wrong brands and cars. A Lincoln is not on the same level as a BMW. Compare the brand with Buick and they make perfect sense.

I also feel that when PSA introduce DS to North America, it will enter the same sphere. Comfortable, but not luxury.

djmt1 > not for canada - australian in disguise 06/05/2016 at 16:00

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I call them premium brands myself. The only luxury brands are Rolls Royce & Bentley now that Maybach is dead. All the others have watered themselves down too much.

not for canada - australian in disguise > djmt1 06/05/2016 at 16:02

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When you can get a BMW with shitty cloth seats that is more uncomfortable than a Kia for the same price, I think that’s quite a good stance to take.

LongbowMkII > not for canada - australian in disguise 06/05/2016 at 16:15

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Is BMWs cloth worse than their fake leather? Our old w124's MBtex was better than what i found in the F30.

not for canada - australian in disguise > LongbowMkII 06/05/2016 at 16:16

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I don’t know actually, haven’t really compared them.

RT > not for canada - australian in disguise 06/05/2016 at 16:37

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Where does Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Volvo and Saab fit in?

All four of these brands kind of qualify for both.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > not for canada - australian in disguise 06/05/2016 at 16:44

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That’s about right. When I worked for a Ford dealer, even the Ford people called Lincoln “near-luxury”.

COMTNDRVR > not for canada - australian in disguise 06/05/2016 at 16:45

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Hasn’t Buick always been basically classified as premium or “near-luxury”? They’ve always been professional’s cars with Cadillac slotting in true luxury. Oldsmobile was also just slotted just below as entry-premuim/professional.

I would agree than Lincoln has dropped to that level from where they were in the 60's and 70's, especially since Ford got rid of Mercury and they needed to split the difference with regular Fords.

And yeah, it does seem like Acura has always been budget luxury.

not for canada - australian in disguise > RT 06/05/2016 at 16:53

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Alfa and Saab are performance luxury, Lancia and Volvo are also comfort in my mind

RT > not for canada - australian in disguise 06/05/2016 at 16:57

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Sounds about right.

The average Lancia or Volvo driver is quite a lot different to the typical Lincoln or Buick driver though. I guess this is a bit more complicated than I thought.

samssun > RT 06/05/2016 at 17:11

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I don’t think they’re any different. A Toyota driver is a Buick driver who hasn’t admitted it to himself yet, and a Volvo driver is a Buick driver who doesn’t want an American car, but fancies himself different from the Toyota crowd.

Saab had a bit of a gearhead bent, but the GM backlash when their cars were getting increased performance AND reliability tells me a lot were just contrarian hipsters. Saabarus were the best Saabs, despite any misplaced nostalgia.

HammerheadFistpunch > not for canada - australian in disguise 06/05/2016 at 17:52

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Premium brands. Like m sport to m

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > not for canada - australian in disguise 06/05/2016 at 18:22

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Lol modern cars. FOOLS! You don’t know what you’re missing!

[cranks windows on Celica]

... Oh yeah.

not for canada - australian in disguise > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 06/05/2016 at 18:23

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I grew up almost exclusively in cars with crank windows. The excitement I had when I first experienced electric windows, you can not explain it.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > not for canada - australian in disguise 06/05/2016 at 18:26

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They’re exciting until they break, like on my wife’s Sable. But the electric sunroof on the Celica still works. why the fuck do I have power sunroof and crank windows?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > LongbowMkII 06/05/2016 at 18:32

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I don’t know what happened but you can’t beat the leather on a pre-1980 Mercedes. Though early Acura leather is pretty decent.

LongbowMkII > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 06/05/2016 at 18:37

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Those red seats were the best part of that $900 merc. Glad my FIL bought it after it shit the bed and is repairing it.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > LongbowMkII 06/05/2016 at 18:38

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I so wanted a 280C... But I guess I’m. a blind loyalist for now.

GE90man > not for canada - australian in disguise 06/05/2016 at 22:04

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theyre dubbed as premium cars, and they’re usually cheaper than their luxury car counterparts.

That's gonna leave a mark! > not for canada - australian in disguise 06/06/2016 at 07:23

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People did not know this already? Well said.