Rolls Royce Dawn
Ultra-luxurious open-top driving starts and ends right here. The 2017 Rolls-Royce Dawn is the culmination of engineering and exemplifies living the high life. That little figurine on the hood tells you what it is – that is, if you didn’t recognize the compact vertical chrome grille. The leather seating has nearly invisible hand stitching and it’s the highest-grade leather available. The Rolls-Royce Dawn, unlike every other convertible, actually makes space for rear-seat passengers who experience the same luxury as front-seat occupants. Choose the “standard” Drophead Coupe, the Black Badge Dawn, or make yours bespoke.
Whichever you choose, the hand-built engine will be the same 6.6-liter V12 twin-turbo. And although it’s powerful and exhilarating to drive, the $400,000 beauty is more about making a statement than winning any races.
Audi S7
If the Audi S8 is a little over the top, check out its little brother, the Audi S7. Made of much the same material, the S7 has a slightly different look and a modest cut in performance. That said, there is no shame in the 2018 Audi S7 at all. It holds its own with the best of them.
The S7 has Audi’s modern styling with the massive Singleframe grille. The body lines are more coupe-like with a high roof line that carries right back to the trunk lid. Audi’s attention to detail is evident in the use of LED lighting, a flat-bottom steering wheel, available Carbon Atlas inlays, and that wraparound dashboard. Be unique with either the Black Optic package, or choose the Arras Red design with contrasting upholstery and red trim accents.
Audi’s performance team came through for the 2018 S7. It starts out with a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 TFSI engine with 450 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. Zooming to 60 mph is an endeavor of just 4.5 seconds. A 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission and Audi’s Quattro AWD round out the powertrain. And like the S8, the Audi S7 has adaptive air suspension for a smooth, quiet ride, and Audi drive select to configure your own performance. It’s not too shabby, starting at $81,200.
Lexus LC
Love it or hate it, the 2018 Lexus LC will catch your attention when you see it. The piercing headlights pinch the hourglass grille inward, and the deep cuts in the lower fascia and behind the doors tell you it’s a sports coupe, albeit a luxury sports coupe. It’s built with hand-stitched features throughout, and the intentional interior design is mind-blowing. It’s evident in the fit and finish, as well as the tech features like Remote Touch, 10.3-inch split-screen display, and even its driver-assist features like All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.
Lexus fittingly calls the LC “visceral.” Active Rear Steering, a speed-activated rear wing and Adaptive Variable Suspension contribute to its incredible performance, but it truly hinges on the powertrain. It’s one of the few naturally aspirated engines available – a 5.0-liter V8 with 471 horsepower and a 0-to-60 time of 4.4 seconds. And it’s for well under the $100k mark. Definitely worthy of being considered one of the best luxury cars.
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