In the automobile world, bigger doesn’t always mean better, but when it comes to the luxury segment, the bigger the vehicle, the more luxurious it could be. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, there were so many large and intimidating cars around, especially in North America. But due to recurring fuel crises, it was not so sensible to own these gas guzzlers. The same can be said for full-sized SUVs and limousines, as they slowly faded away with increasing gas prices until their recent revival.
Creating a list of the largest luxury cars ever built in Europe can be daunting, as there are many indices to consider. What makes a vehicle large? Height? Weight? Length? Or a combination of these three? Some cars could be gigantic without being large. As more and more manufacturers aim to produce small cars that feel comfortable on the inside, let see which luxury cars produced in Europe were the largest.
10 Rolls Royce Phantom
There are very few vehicles that come close to the Rolls Royce Phantom in luxury. With a starting price of $450,000 before you can start adding optional features, the Phantom is clearly designed for the super-rich, and a hefty size matches its enormous price tag.
The Phantom’s long-wheelbase version just comes a little shy of the 20 feet mark. And, the limo isn’t light either; it weighs somewhere around 6000 lbs. But all of this weight doesn’t stop it from reaching 60 mph in just 5.1 seconds.
9 Audi A8 L
Built to challenge the luxurious Mercedes S-Class, the Audi A8L is equipped with an upscale interior, endless comfort components, and top-end safety features. The car comes with features like a hands-free power trunk, handwriting recognition, and a 7-inch touchscreen.
A sporty feel, great dynamics, and buckets of legroom are some of its highest selling points. The A8L is also one of the largest cars built in recent times, with a 17 feet length, and makes light of the myth that Audis don't live up to their luxurious expectations.
8 Bentley Mulsanne EWB
Rolls Royce isn’t the only British manufacturer that makes massive luxury cars. In 2010, Bentley unveiled the Mulsanne EWB, which is nearly identical in size to the Rolls Royce Phantom. With a length of 229 inches, and a 6,065 lb weight, this exotic sedan is not only enormous, but it’s also imposing.
The Mulsanne comes with a 6.75-liter twin-turbo V8 engine and produces an incredible 811 lb-ft of torque and 505 hp. When you consider its size, reaching 0-60 mph in 7 seconds isn’t a bad feat.
7 Dartz Kombat T-98
The Dartz Kombat T-98 is quite different from any luxury car on this list. When Russian manufacturer, Dartz built the armored vehicle, they had the global elite, top technocrats, and high-ranking business executives in mind.
With $200,000, you can get a T-98 with a V8 under its hood that can survive a direct hit from a rocket-propelled grenade. For $1.5 million, you get additional gold-plated windows, ruby/diamond encrusted gauges and bulletproof wheel hubs. The list got wilder when Dartz proposed whale penis leather for upholstery, but this was met with protests. The armored vehicle measures 16.9 feet and weighs 8267 lbs.
6 Rolls Royce Cullinan
Rolls Royce launched its first SUV in 2018, and a glance inside the car reveals a palace on wheels. Fittingly named after the largest precious stone, the RR Cullinan is grand and majestic; little wonder the SUV is Rolls Royce’s best-selling SUV.
Well, the SUV shares the same platform as the enormous Phantom, so you can’t expect less. In fact, it measures 17.5 feet and weighs 6,069 lbs. Additionally, it is slightly over the 6 feet mark in height and has a wheelbase length of 10.81 feet.
5 Mercedes-Benz G500 4x4
Designed for the most challenging terrains, the Mercedes-Benz G500 4x4 is almost 8 feet tall and has a ground clearance of 17.2 inches. The G500 was intentionally built to be imposing, and its 36.1-inch tires only serve to reinforce that claim.
Mercedes fitted the off-roader with military-grade portal axles, and it weighs 6,600 lbs. Do not be deceived by all that heft; the G500 is surprisingly agile and performs best when it’s off the beaten track.
4 Bugatti Royale
In 1926, Bugatti crafted what was perhaps the most luxurious car of the 1920s. The Bugatti 411 Royale was the most enormous, most opulent, and most robust car by the company at the time, and it cost at least 10 times more than any other Bugatti then and was three times more expensive than contemporary limousines.
Only six models were built, and due to the global economic meltdown, buyers were scarce. The limousine measured 19.6 feet and had a wheelbase length of 14.7 feet.
3 Maybach 62 S Sedan
Maybach translates to luxury, and the 62 S Sedan, was a large luxury palace. The sedan measured 20 feet and was powered by a twin-turbocharged V12 that produced 604 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque.
Passengers at the rear seat could lie full length while watching a 9.5-inch “tellies” while the sedan cruised at 155 mph. The fully active suspension, along with custom 20-inch Michelin tires made sure that rides were quiet and stable.
2 Lamborghini LM002
Lamborghini is well versed in the art of building small and fast supercars. However, in the mid-80s, the manufacturer deviated and decided they wanted to try their hands at something else. The LM002 was Lamborghini's ridiculous first SUV, and it looked intimidating.
The truck was motivated by a noisy V12 engine borrowed from the iconic Countach that delivered 125 mph and was on sale until 1993. Lambo’s truck measured 15.7 feet and weighed 5934 lbs. In spite of its bullish features, the LM002 was quite luxurious on the inside.
1 Mercedes-Maybach S650 Pullman
The Mercedes-Maybach S650 Pullman is an over-the-top limo, both in size and luxury. For Context, Maybach is the luxury marque of Mercedes, and the Pullman version of any Benz is always top-range.
So with this combo, you get a Mercedes that tilts towards the extreme edge of luxury. Priced at $850,000, the S650 Pullman is over 255 feet long in total length, giving passengers more than enough legroom. This grand car measures over 21 feet, making it the longest S-Class from Mercedes.