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Forbes names Top 10 Guilt-Free Luxury Cars
In today's economy of high gas prices, luxury automobiles get a bad rap. However, Forbes points out, some luxury sedans and SUVs are frugal in their fuel consumption, and even retain a healthy amount of their residual values. Based on those two main factors, Forbes.com has named their Top Ten list of "guilt-free luxury cars".
As you'd expect, the bulk of the list is constituted of German and Japanese luxury automobiles for their resale values, and hybrids for their fuel economy. But some of their selections may surprise you. While the Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec, Lexus RX400h and LS460h seem like natural choices, other Mercedes SUVs – namely the M-Class and GL-Class – were also nominated. More surprisingly, the Jaguar XF is on there, as is the flame-snorting Lexus IS-F. The rest of the list is rounded out with the BMW 5-Series, Audi A6 and Infiniti M35. Check out Forbes.com to find out what makes these ten vehicles so "guilt-free".
[Source: Forbes.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Xcountryflyer 5:43PM (6/26/2008)
What a useless Forbes article.
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Kitko 5:56PM (6/26/2008)
I agree, especially given the fact that, if one takes Lexus as a benchmark for real build quality and reliability, Mercedes, Audi and BMW are substandard. Not to speak about Jaguar that never excelled.
I'm not concerned about "perceived" or "customer satisfaction" quality notion. Mercs and Audis may hold their vaules but buying a 3 years old Mercs is a service charge financial suicide? I'd rather take a 5 years old Mazda.
Geeky1 12:33AM (6/27/2008)
Have you ever read a Forbes article that's not useless? I certainly haven't.
Randy 5:13PM (6/27/2008)
I wonder how many of them paid to be part of that aditcle! I mean arcitle!
If you see Forbes in my hand, please burn it while it's in my hands!
Randy
Vintage 5:48PM (6/26/2008)
Guilt free my ass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooN9INJxxy4
True costs of ANY new car production. Hybrids and SUVs are even worse.
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Megan Boris 5:53PM (6/26/2008)
Does anyone know anything about the supposed luxury vehicle that is hydrogen fuel cell powered? I may be completely mistaken, but I thought either Mercedes or BMW had created a model?
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brandon 6:16PM (6/26/2008)
Hydrogen BMW 7 series. Currently costs more than the article's price range, if you are somehow famous enough to get one. And its not a hydrogen FUEL CELL, its just plain hydrogen powered. It uses the stuff like fuel, not to generate electricity.
Louis 5:55PM (6/26/2008)
It's the LS600hL, not LS460h.
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sunnycyclist 6:11PM (6/26/2008)
The Forbes article only mentions the LS460 (not the hybrid LS600), probably because the hybrid doesn't get that great mileage (it's a performance hybrid, not an efficiency one) and the residual on the hybrid is much lower.
Hank 6:02PM (6/26/2008)
Why would the LS600h be a natural choice? It's gets lower fuel economy than I observe in my small suv, and has a larger gas engine than some 12 passenger vans.
Boondoggle, it is.
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old blighty 11:07AM (6/28/2008)
it drives like a v12 though
I tried one at Taste of Lexus. A BEAST
mk 6:04PM (6/26/2008)
How about you buy what you can afford, and if you can afford luxury, good for you!
SCREW guilt on honest commerce.
Such a flawed premise. I am so absolutely sick of people being self-guilt-ridden for no real reason. There are plenty of REAL reasons to feel guilty, without inventing them regarding being able to afford nice items.
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The Other Bob 6:14PM (6/26/2008)
"SCREW guilt on honest commerce."
You may be right. The production of luxury products employ a lot of people.
Snutz 6:11PM (6/26/2008)
I'm just wondering how they figured out the resale value of a car that is less than a year old. How could they possibly know that it will retain 59% of its value after three years?
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Snutz 6:12PM (6/26/2008)
And by "it" I meant the IS-F. Sorry.
sunnycyclist 6:46PM (6/26/2008)
Residual forecasting is based in some pretty respected economic principles. Generally you look at the past and present data you have available, and use a combination of similar vehicles, other cars from the same brand, and market conditions to predict the future.
tekdemon 3:51AM (6/27/2008)
They usually base it on past data of similar vehicles from the manufacturer. 59% doesn't sound unrealistic since it's fairly limited in terms of production, and other Lexus ISes have good residuals too.
I'm actually most surprised by the Jaguar XF's residual, since Jaguars tend to have pretty awful depreciation due to reliability concerns...so for them to project over 50% is interesting. Might make for some good XF lease deals if you don't think it's going to hold up that well.
SPG 6:30PM (6/26/2008)
A Jaguar on the list, a plesant suprise.
And decent resale on it too? Even better.
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Mobius_1 11:31PM (6/26/2008)
Hey, I wonder if Greenpeace and co. choose their company cars from this list, can't wait to see them arriving at protests in IS-Fs at 155mph
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inteller 10:16AM (6/27/2008)
well, if the M35 makes the list then you might as well include every model with a VQ35XX in it because they are all pretty much the same.
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