These behemoths ensure that you’ll never be late to a meeting again
The days of stoic, stately limousines are over. Some of the most expensive executive sedans double up as mega powered warheads, barrelling out of the parking lot and making a beeline to the race track. Here are six that give a whole new meaning to the term ‘hostile takeover’
Audi S8
Jason Statham could’ve transported a box of crackers to the moon and back, thanks to his trusted Audi S8, which was subject to much cruelty in the Transporter series. The most powerful variant of Audi’s luxury flagship, the A8, this car packs a 4-litre, 520 bhp, twin-turbo V8 with nearly 65 kgm of torque. It is constructed almost entirely out of aluminium, in order to give it as low a kerb weight as possible, and it’s an executive sedan that is equipped with the creature comforts of a Georgian villa.
What distinguishes it from the regular A8 is a sportier front fascia, and the fact that it can hit 100 kph in a logic defying 3.5 seconds. Audi’s trusted Quattro system comes as standard, so your chauffeur would presumably have to be a rally driver or a total lunatic (Read: Jason Statham) to get some proper sideways action.
- Mercedes-Benz S600 Maybach
The S-Class is and always has been the world’s premier executive sedan. Often touted as one of the greatest cars ever made, the S-Class is known for its unmatched comfort, trend setting innovations and stately appeal. If there ever was a modern-day chariot of the gods, the current generation S-Class is it. Especially if you put a giant 6- litre, twin-turbocharged V12 in it which puts out 523 bhp of peak power.
No one will accuse you of undergoing a midlife crisis in this car, so stoic and dignified is the S-Class. This car is loaded silly with technology, including seatbelt mounted airbags, so if ever there was a safe way of going stupidly fast, the S600 is it.
- Maserati Quattroporte GTS
There are sports executive saloons and then there is Maserati. Obsessed with aesthetics in a way only the Italians can be, Maseratis have the ability to up your swag quotient by a factor of 3000 in a matter of seconds. Incidentally, reaching triple digit speeds also takes the same amount of time, especially when you’re dealing with the top of the line Quattroporte GTS. With 523 bhp, its 3.8 litre, twin-turbo V8 packs similar levels of power as the rest of the frat pack of hyper saloons, but nothing comes within a mile of the Quattroporte’s league as far as sheer sensation and style is concerned.
- Aston Martin Rapide
In an alternate universe where 007 has succumbed to a more domestic life, he probably drives the Aston Martin Rapide. Aston Martin doesn’t have room for executive sedans in its portfolio, so it just decided to give the grand touring DB9 an extra set of doors. More supercar than saloon, its most powerful variant, the Rapide S, even has bucket seats at the back.
Powering it is a good, old fashioned V12 which produces a dizzying 550 bhp of power. Think of it as a supercar with the ability to accomodate a lot more supermodels.
- Jaguar XJ R
Designed by the assured hand of Ian Callum, the Jaguar XJ is the weapon of choice for the political who’s who of the UK, and a symbol of modern Britain’s revitalised automotive prowess. It’s got one of the best interiors in the business, and one of the most intoxicating powerplants, the best of which is a supercharged, 5- litre V8 that contributes heavily to the XJ’s value as a symbol of power and prestige.
Jaguar’s flagship car can hit 100 kph in under 5 seconds, which is outstanding, since this is a car of Goliathan proportions. Perhaps Jaguar hopes that British bureaucrats will ease off on the speed limits, if they spend a little more time at race tracks.
- Bentley Mulsanne Speed
As a jewel in Britain’s automotive crown, Bentley hasn’t shone quite as brightly as the BMW-owned Rolls-Royce. It was one of the finest luxury car makers in the world, but Bentley has also had a prolific racing history. And it shows in the Mulsanne Speed – the first ground up new design from Bentley since 1931.
At 3 tonnes, the Mulsanne Speed weighs twice as much as an average supercar, so it goes without saying that the engine subscribes to old-fashioned ideas of ‘big’. Yes, the Mulsanne is powered by a 6.75- litre V8, which puts out an earth tearing 110 kgm of torque. Although old money isn’t given to vulgar pursuits like speed, they’d make an exception with the Mulsanne Speed. Apart from being one of the fastest Bentleys, the Mulsanne is also the most bespoke and customisable Bentley on the block, with bits built by coachbuilders. It’s the most advanced mix of the old and the new.
