The Answer to all "What luxobarge?" Questions.....

[eddyramrod]

I don't like luxury but I do like comfort. Any Comfobarge suggestions?

Any RWD Volvo with a petrol engine and auto box.  240, 740, 940, they'll all serve you extremely well.  Or anything American I didn't list earlier.

[Asimo]

I have thought about S90 / 960 but they are all cow and tree and electric gadgets which is what I want to avoid. 740 / 240 nicer place to sit but ride not very good.

I dislike estates though, which makes Volvo finding difficult.

[Lacquer Peel]

Any RWD Volvo with a petrol engine

 

WRONG. The throbbing vibrations of the diesel engine makes them even comfier.

[eddyramrod]

WRONG. The throbbing vibrations of the diesel engine makes them even comfier.

WRONG.  "Diesel" and "Luxo" are totally incompatible.  If it has the devil's engine or gearbox it's just a big repwagon.

[Dead_E23]

The Ford Granada mkIII managed to be extremely comfortable without feeling luxurious.  If you could find a roadworthy 2.0L that would probably be your ideal car.   

 

I've never driven one, but I'd imagine a Nissan QX would combine great comfort with a miserable minicab interior ideal for the hair-shirt comfort seeker.

[eddyramrod]

Nissan QX actually has a rather nice leather interior loaded with toys!  At least the one I used to drive at work did, that was a 99 model.  It would be a highly acceptable comfybarge, even though it drives the wrong wheels.

[Dead_E23]

This one doesn't!    Comfort and austerity in equal measures by the looks of things.

 

 

[eddyramrod]

Actually, even without leather, that one looks lovely.  It's even the same colour as the one I drove.  Prety sure that was a 2.0 as well, it was certainly a V6, the boss used to complain about the petrol bills!  (But she had a Smart, so what does she know about fuel consumption?)

[Dave_Q]

Luxobarge is the category above 2-litre beater, therefore engine size 3.0 pez minimum or GTFO.

[Dave_Q]

With some possible exceptions for 2.5-3.0 pez if other criteria such as cow, waft, and 3-corpse boot are satisfied.

[scaryoldcortina]

With some possible exceptions for 2.5-3.0 pez if other criteria such as cow, waft, and 3-corpse boot are satisfied.

So this then?

 

[Lacquer Peel]

WRONG.  "Diesel" and "Luxo" are totally incompatible.  If it has the devil's engine or gearbox it's just a big repwagon.

 

The true sound of a luxury car.

 

[Lacquer Peel]

This sounds even better*

 

[Dave_Q]

So this then?

 

[hearse.jpg]

 

Well yes, but you'd also get three in a 7 series, XJ, LS400 etc - might just need to chop them up a bit first.

[SiC]

The true sound of a luxury car.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVuMFGC9eBM

Sounds a lot like the bin lorry with the buggered exhaust that past our house the other day.

[BavarianRetro]

The answer to a "What luxobarge?" question, I'm sorry to say, cannot be, Toyexus - nor indeed any other Nipponese rubbish. (Though my pal's JRG LS460 is an amazing car, it's still Japanese, so excluded) It cannot, by definition, be a middle class, middle manager's Volvo and it most certainly cannot, under any circumstances whatsoever be propelled by an engine capable of running on central heating oil.

[Justin Case]

Why not a Japanese luxobarge? A friend had a Toyota Camry when it was still fairly new and it ticked all the boxes as far as passengers were concerned. The interior was trimmed with an adequate supply of dead cow, and I think a modest amount of tree also put in an appearance. The toy count was high, electric seats for example, but most importantly you felt insulated from the outside world, comfy seats, absorbent ride, nearly silent  3 litre V6 and barely noticeable gear changes. It may not have been the 'ultimate driving machine' but then that's not the purpose of a luxobarge.

[Lacquer Peel]

What could be more luxurious than free/cheap fuel?

 

[BavarianRetro]

Why not a Japanese luxobarge? A friend had a Toyota Camry when it was still fairly new and it ticked all the boxes as far as passengers were concerned. The interior was trimmed with an adequate supply of dead cow, and I think a modest amount of tree also put in an appearance. The toy count was high, electric seats for example, but most importantly you felt insulated from the outside world, comfy seats, absorbent ride, nearly silent 3 litre V6 and barely noticeable gear changes. It may not have been the 'ultimate driving machine' but then that's not the purpose of a luxobarge.

I don't know. It just can't. It doesn't feel right. Apart from the LS, they're all a little on the small side too.

[BavarianRetro]

What could be more luxurious than free/cheap fuel?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU9b3By0OPw

Nothing. If it was petrol.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Whilst usually my tipple of choice, diesel is completely wrong in this application.

 

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[surprisingskoda]

I don't like luxury but I do like comfort. Any Comfobarge suggestions?

Rover 820si or Renault Safrane.

 

I think either could be had in 2.5 V6 which is miminum requirenemts for barge.

[eddyramrod]

There's something else against that BMW above.  Look at the tyres.  "What tyres?" you might justifiably ask.  What's that profile, 35%?  Luxury comes with nothing below 70% profile.

 

BMW's legendary concrete-bench seats also exclude the entire marque by default.  OTOH a Lexus LS has almost (I said almost!) as much right as a Jag XJ6 to be included, though really, the XJ is the minimum entry requirement.  As for a Camry: show me one with RWD.  Comfobarge yes, luxo no.

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Historically cow was reserved for the driver, as it was hard wearing. The passengers in the rear would have had something much softer, warmer and comfortable.

 

I previously discounted diesel as being completely wrong. HOWEVER I remember Bentley testing diesel engines and justifying it by pointing out that with the far greater range, sir would not need to deal with the bothersome business of refueling quite as often.

 

So, diesel and fabric seats. That'll be my XM then

 

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[rml2345]

Separate driving compartments and West of England cloth to the rear are well beyond even the most highly specced Luxobarge. If you want that sort of thing it's coachbuilt Duesenberg territory.

Bristol doesn't count either as Lodekkas aren't very comfortable despite being exceptionally roomy.

[Lacquer Peel]

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-300SD-Turbodiesel-LHD-low-millage-Brand-new-MOT-Unique-car-/182354789749

[5speedracer]

How wrong is that number plate?

 

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[rantingYoof]

One may consider the Skoda Superb 2.8 V8 to be a suitable luxobarge? 30v silky smoothness, cow, space etc.

 

There is a 2.5TDi engine as well athough it appears to be a bit grenedey...

[Noel Tidybeard]

lwb citroen cx- there i've said it

[RoadworkUK]

I don't understand this discussion. Luxobarge cannot apply to anything sub 7-series. A proper luxobarge needs to have been properly aspirational at some point.

For example a Camry IS NOT a luxury vehicle. It was Toyotas bread and butter car in many countries. Just because easily impressed folk in the UK have come to associate leather and V6 with "posh" doesn't make it so. It's a big Corolla. Superb is out, too. Has been based on a Passat and a Golf in its lifetime, neither of which are remotely 'luxury' items.

Same goes with my 825. It's just a big, well-equipped hatchback.

 

As a rule of thumb, if a saloon was seen as genuinely prestigious when it was new, it's a luxobarge.