In the automotive world, bigger is indisputably always better. Executive sedans and SUVs considered luxurious universally commandeer a hefty presence, and is cinchly associated with possessing wealth and power. Such cars were ludicrously available back in the 80s' through the 00's, packed with simple V8's under the hood, executive-style cabins and the only creature comfort being the silky-smooth suspension that would iron out your suburban roads. Back then, cars of that calibre were an expensive status symbol to own and maintain.
As the automotive world experienced it's rude awakening during the Great Recession in 2008. A fuel economy crisis that lasted a number of years instated a new mould for the following decade to overarch every executive decision of creating a new car: In order to be economic, a sleek design is always to be made not for the eye candy, but for that low drag coefficient. A lot of comfort and size was sacrificed for that during that definitive period of time, with the exception of the Rolls-Royce and Bentley, which is, as you know, probably out of reach for 99% of the people reading this.
Since then, almost all the cars have become sedate in terms of everything, but there remains a hint of the past in some of the peculiar additions made. The trend towards being tough and sporty, especially for cars that simply don't fit in that buck, is becoming more widespread in an attempt to emulate a V8 in a 4-cylinder engine.
Rolls-Royce, Bentley and perhaps some of the german cars are all synonymous with luxury, importance, power, wealth, what have you-- in. You might think that living frugally is the best way to go, and you would be correct-- why would anyone spend such mountainous amounts of money for something as simple as a means of transport?
I think the reason why such opulent cars are still in demand is not of the sake of luxury and everything that comes with, but because you are simply forced to, so much so that even maintaining an illusion of it is vital to your business deals. You are often told to not judge a book by it's cover, which is a sentiment that is completely upended in the sphere of the rich and wealthy. Their books are completely judged based on the appearance, design and the price tag. They often go for a Rolls-Royce or a Bentley. They are, above everything else, a trophy of your achievement and success in what you are doing. If it were simply a matter of luxury, of a want, it would lose its value and the rich would only have those luxury vehicles. What would be the value of a $300,000 Rolls-Royce if it were simply a luxury vehicle? It would simply sit in the garage, being seen by nobody. It's more than that, it's a symbol of achievement on wheels to broadcast that sense of wealth.
For that same status symbol, albeit a little bit understated in terms of design, you can get a Lincoln Town Car, which I argue to be the most formidable competitor to Rolls-Royce as a whole. The Town Car is just as handsome as the Phantom, yet feels more practical; it's better designed, with timeless, easily replaceable components-- Hell, you could swap out the engine in case it blows up for a little bit over a grand while never losing sight of its status. And at $5,000, the Town Car is extremely affordable for the same status symbol a Rolls provides. It does have the problem of being a large, long car. Maneuvering those tight spaces might be difficult, but remember: Bigger is better.
What was enough to total any Rolls to me is the fact that it shared a lot of its plastic critical components with BMW, as well as its odd engineering choices that would render practically any attempt by the end-user to repair their own car near impossible. Virtually everything in the line of production is overseen by BMW, a company notorious in the automotive world at large for pumping out expensive junk that's made custom, which is especially severe for an expensive luxury brand such as Rolls-Royce.
