[SunnyBoo]

I always wonder what defines a car brand as "Luxury". For example, why is it that a fully loaded Honda Accord or Toyota Avalon (with leather seating, wood trim, premium audio.........etc) is not considered "Luxury" like Lexus or Acura?..........and how are Mercedes and BMW considered "Luxury", but somehow Audi does not "feel" like it is a Luxury brand to some people?

[ChineseGuy]

BMW has nothing to do with Luxury, except for that 7 series i guess....

[nusevad]

The price??

[ZJP]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxury_vehicle

[par4bmw]

Originally Posted by Zachp911

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxury_vehicle

Pretty thorough!

[ejazbmw]

i always considered my 3 a sport sedan never luxury...

[arabbmw]

luxury usually means sometihng excessive and exclusive. When you have something that not everyone else has, its considered luxury. You can not compare the feel of sitting in a fully loaded accord to fully loaded 7 series or even 5 series, and because the 5 series also costs more, it becomes more luxurious to own. There is also way more Hondas on the road than there is BMWs. Now if honda upped their price and limited their production, they would also be a luxury brand. The thing is BMW and Merc have been around a long time, and they have proven them selves to be worth more. No one would take honda or toyota seriously as luxury brands now, thats why companies like acura and lexus are created.

[ik999]

it really depends in which context the word luxury is used

it can be as simple as 'price over $60'000'

or

it can mean a vehicle with luxurious features and expensive materials

or

it can be used to refer to a car's characteristics. for example, 750i versus M5. both cost about the same, but one is more luxury oriented than the other.

[Davin]

so many different reasons. BMW"s are sport sedans, Mercedes are luxury sedans. Dont get me wrong im not saying Mercedes is superior. Most people's definition of luxury is a car with leather upholestry and wood trim thats expensive.

[Nicke]

Well, did my masters thesis on attitudes towards luxury, and except that there are unlimited number of definitions out there, there are a couple that are general and works in real life. Also note that there is a difference between luxury and luxuryproducts.

1. Everybody defines their own luxury. (eg. for some luxury is clean water for some a Rolls Royce)

2. Luxuryproducts are expensive in their relative and absolute defintion and are identified by the market as not providing any functional benefit over a non luxury product. (eg. A cheap car takes you from A to B aswell as expensive car)

For me? Luxury is life.

[nicolak]

My thoughts lean towards the product line offered by the manufacturer. If BMW or Mercedes offered a new car line with average cost around $15-20k they would quickly loose their "luxury" titles.