Back when roads used to be calm as the sea back in the '60s and '70s, powerful muscle cars roared across the tarmac, turning heads wherever they went. However, there were also land yachts, which were plush, luxurious, and gigantic cars that ran on V8 engines. These full-size luxury cars were some of the finest examples of automotive craftsmanship, with their phenomenally luxurious cabins and massive bodies. Land yachts glided over the road quite comfortably, much like boats on the water. Today, brands like Lincoln and Rolls-Royce continue to craft these amazing pieces of engineering and design.
While every land yacht came with great interiors and plenty of luxury, several across history stood out. Be it due to some special feature they had or just how they looked, some land yachts became more special than the rest, raising the cool factor. In that vein, take a look at 10 of the coolest land yacht cars ever made.
10 Cadillac Eldorado (1971)
Very big and very comfortable, the Cadillac Eldorado was the quintessential land yacht. After all, an old-school Cadillac hit the mark when it came to being huge and luxurious. The Eldorado nameplate was the top end of the brand's rather luxurious lineup, and the 1971 model, in its 9th generation, was the peak of the Eldorado.
A massive 2-door luxury beast that came with the best luxuries and top-of-the-line features at the time, the supreme luxury Eldorado rode on a huge 500 cu-in V8 engine. Churning out 345 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque, it was never short on power either.
9 Buick Riviera (1973)
The Riviera is one of the most renowned models from Buick. Buick as a brand stood for great luxury and style, and the Riviera embodied it the best. In its third generation from 1971 to 1973, the Riviera came with a beautiful boat-tail design.
A proper luxury saloon through and through, the Riviera's cabin was one of the most luxurious at the time. The seats were far more comfortable than even the best sofa, and under the hood, the car came with a 455 cu-in V8 unit that churned out 265 horsepower.
8 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost (1906)
The dream car of its day, the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was launched in 1906, and it remains a collector's dream to this day. This big, beautiful land yacht launched the Rolls-Royce brand, and the manufacturer has never looked back since, sticking to what made them successful and popular in the first place.
The 48 horsepower that the Silver Ghost generated outmatched any other automobile at the time, cementing its name in the history books with its unique, exceptional, and innovative design that put comfort and luxury at the very top. Of course, its price tag reflected that, too.
7 Oldsmobile Toronado (1966)
The first year the Oldsmobile Toronado came onto the scene, it was very well received. The Toronado was Oldsmobile's most stylish luxury vehicle during its golden age. The Toronado was the personal luxury coupe to get, never lacking in power, innovation, or luxury.
The Oldsmobile Toronado made 385 horsepower, thanks to its Olds 425 cu-in V8 engine. In fact, after the 1930s, the Toronado was the first front-wheel-drive American car in decades. Today, one of these babies can be yours for around the $40,000 mark, with some models from 1967 going for as low as $20,000.
6 Pontiac Bonneville (1969)
The Bonneville first came off the Pontiac assembly line in 1958, and over the next 3 decades, it was the top-notch luxury model for the brand. In its fourth generation, the Pontiac Bonneville came with the same style, luxury, and ride quality that had made the car famous.
This iteration of the Bonneville also came with a stylish slanted dashboard, and the cabin now had a lot of wood, enhancing the luxurious feel inside. With its wide taillights and massive wheelbase, the fourth-gen Pontiac Bonneville was one car that truly occupied every road it went on, armed with a gargantuan 7.0-liter V8 engine that made 360 horsepower.
5 Lincoln Continental (1972)
The Lincoln Continental, in its heyday, was the most luxurious car sold by the Ford Motor Company. The Continental is an American icon, and not without reason. This massive barge was as luxurious as it was huge, and past Presidents, too, agreed.
The Continental, with its great ride quality, plush interiors, and remarkable power, had proven to be a great nameplate for the Lincoln brand. In 1972, the Lincoln Continental was in its fifth generation, loaded with modern specs and the best luxuries money could buy at the time.
4 Imperial LeBaron (1966)
Chrysler first introduced the Imperial nameplate in 1926, as one of their luxury models. Three decades later, Imperial became its own company in 1955, birthing its own cars and sticking to their roots, making them as luxurious as possible.
This included the Imperial LeBaron, which ran on a massive 7.2-liter V7 engine and churned out 350 horsepower. The Imperial LeBaron was undeniably one of America's finest cars from the era, thanks to its contemporary and timeless look, and its state-of-the-art luxurious cabin, which had leather and wood accents.
3 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham (1973)
The New Yorker Brougham from Chrysler sported the styling from the Fuselage, and it stood at a massive 18.5-feet long. Running on a 440 cu-in V8 engine, the Chrysler New Yorker Brougham could have had a lot more power. Sadly, it was the '70s, and fuel and emission standards dictated that Chrysler undertune the engine to reduce power, which only meant 215 horses for the vehicle.
This land yacht came with leather upholstery, a silky smooth ride, and a cabin to die for. Quite the head turner, the Chrysler New Yorker Brougham came towards the end of the era of the land yachts but didn't fail to make its mark on the history books.
2 Mercedes-Benz 600 (1965)
If you'd thought land yachts were limited to North America, think again. How could Mercedes-Benz not have been featured on a list of the best luxury saloons? 18 feet long, the Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman was meant to be driven by chauffeurs, as most Mercedes cars are.
Meanwhile, you could stay in the back, sipping on the finest liqueur, enjoying the excellent ride quality of the 600 Pullman. Running on a 6.3-liter V8 engine that made 245 horsepower, the Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman was meant to be driven at cruise speeds. Its massive road presence was quite the eye-catcher, and so were its ultra-luxurious interiors.
1 Rolls-Royce Boat Tail (2021)
A $28 million land yacht from Rolls-Royce, the Boat Tail was launched last year in 2021 and got the entire automotive world talking. With 1800 parts that make it ultra-premium, Rolls-Royce only made three models of the Boat Tail, making it one of the rarest and most expensive road-going cars on the planet.
Inspired by the 2017 Sweptail, the Rolls-Royce Boat-Tail is the brand's most ambitious project ever. The highlight of the package is the parasol which extends from the rear deck, which could only be described as a mechanical flower blooming. With rotating cocktail tables, two refrigerators, and the entire car floor acting as the sound system's resonance chamber, the Boat Tail is undeniably the coolest and most special land yacht on the face of the planet.