India has seen sudden proliferation of UHNWs (stands for ultra-high net worth, and describes individuals with disposable income of more than $20m) in last few years. This new aspirational India is craving for pure indulgence and bespoke experiences. International luxury car brands are leaving no stone unturned to cash in on that. From Rolls-Royce to the Daimler and from Bentley’s to Porche’s, you name it and we have it. So, if you are out there to buy the most luxurious car, trust me, you will be spoilt for choice.
Rolls-Royce Phantom
Rolls-Royce made it’s comeback in
India after half a century, which was once used to be it’s biggest market Rolls Royce Phantom is what often called the Greatest car in the World. This British luxury saloon is majestic and commands respect, you are bound to feel a sense of awe the moment it’s in your sight. It’s more than just a car, It’s a slab of Englishheritage. Owning a Rolls-Royce requires much more than a hefty bank account, you have to live up to it’s reputation. It’s plant in Goodwoodhouses the paint shop, body shop, leather shop, woodworking shop, assembly line, and executive offices under one roof. There are only two
robots in the factory. The two robots paint the body; the paint is polished by hand after the robots spray each coat. All other work is done by hand, in keeping with the true Rolls-Royce tradition. The company refused to build a custom, all-chrome Phantom for a famous rap artist because the chrome couldn’t be finished to the company’s exacting specifications. Now this is called setting the bar high. It’s the only car in the World which appreciates 6 pounds for every mile it covers and 6 out of the 10 Rolls-Royce ever made are still roadworthy, which is testament to it’s refined engineering and exquisite built quality. Phantom offers the kind of opulence and indulgence that is reminiscent of it’s Royal heritage. Owning a Rolls-Royce not only uplifts your social status, it offers you a bespoke experience that only Royal families of the bygone era used to have.
So, is it all about this nostalgic feel? Don’t be fooled for a second, this car blends tradition and modernity like no other car does. The picturesque Spirit of Ecstasy logo sitting pretty on the chrome grille retracts into the hood in case of an accident or the same can be done with the press of a button. Even when the wheels are rotating, the trademark ‘RR’ logo remains in upright position. The saloon is available in 13 standard colors but, you have the option of 44,000 hues through Bespoke Program. One
another Rolls-Royce trademark is ‘power reserve gauge’, which lets the driver know he still has 90 percent
of power to call uponwhile travelling at 100km/h. In true Rolls-Royce tradition the rear doors are rear hinged commonly referred to as ‘suicide doors’ but are called ‘coach doors’ by Rolls-Royce and buttons are mounted on both C-pillars which operate hydraulic motors in order to close the rear doors. The car will automatically brake to a walking speed if a coach door remains open when driving off. The rear doors also house umbrellas that are stored within the doors. Even if you are not a star, there are many to accompany you in a Rolls as you gaze the headlining as it mimics the night sky using hundreds of tiny fiber optic lights.
Maybach 62s
When Daimler Chrysler failed to Buy Rolls-Royce when Vickers Offered the company for sale. In 2002 they launched Maybach as a direct challenger to Rolls-Royce Phantom and Bentley Arnage. 2004, Daimler Chrysler launched it’s first Maybach showroom In India. The Maybach is a testament to what a group of enormously talented individuals can accomplish given enough time, tools and creative freedom. 20 feet long and weight over 6000 pound, it’s big. Very big. However, the daunting size of this car doesn’t diminish its elegance. If you are born in the decade of Ipod’s and Mac’s then you might appreciate what Maybach has to offer. It looks 21st century, It feels 21st century, in Maybach you know that you are in a right decade. Maybach claims to be the be-all and end-all of luxury cars. With the goodies it has to offer, we can’t doubt it’s credentials. When you choose to buy a Maybach, you are flown straight to Maybach Studios at Mayfair, UK. You sit in High Tech. room called ‘Configurator’ with their sales person who run you through the plethora of options you can choose from, and you can see the results on a big screen. Once all your specifications are done, it takes 6 months for the car to be made and delivered to you.
The most interesting feature that it has to offer is a glass partition between the chauffer and the rear passenger, which on a touch of a button can be made opaque. In addition there is an external communication system, which includes a loudspeaker and microphone system which allows the occupant in the rear of the Maybach to talk and listen to the chauffer and people outside the car. When it comes to
indulgence, there is a refrigerator, silver champagne glasses, fully reclining massaging seats, things that you get in a Business Class or a private jet. The Maybach features some of the thickets, deepest paints the world can buy. Rubbed to a mirror finish. A number of sound-deadening equipment and procedures has been built into the 62 S (and all Maybachs, for that matter) lending to a silence typically reserved for libraries. In Maybach at a touch of a button you can turn day into night,for the rear passenger ofcourse. Despite being new entrant in the luxury space Maybach sets segment benchmarks that are hard to emulate.
Bentley Arnage
Bentley made it’s foray into the
Indian markets in 2003. Bentley
Arnage is a relic from a different
British time. Its basic profile is
none too different from 1980s
Bentleys, while the twin-turbo-
charged V8 is derived from an
engine originally designed in the
1950s. These are the fading
visages of Bentley's past: one
that is irrevocably tied to Rolls-
Royce, but one that has been
replaced by a high-tech future
courtesy of Volkswagen's new
ownership. But despite the
introduction of the Continental
Flying Spur, the Arnage is still
Bentley's grand flagship and a
super luxury sedan for those who lust after old-world lavishness and prodigious power without much concern for the latest engineering innovation. In the Arnage you feel that you’ve arrived even before you’ve set-off. While there's no denying the Bentley Arnage is a beautiful automobile, it lacks the newer engineering, driving dynamics and higher levels of posh and prestige of its Rolls-Royce and Maybach competitors. True, those sedans are even more expensive, but if you can afford an Arnage, we have a sneaking suspicion you can also pony up a few more crores for a Phantom or Maybach 57. It's also worth checking out Bentley's own Continental Flying Spur, which rings in about a crore cheaper, and features newer technology and design. Of course, these are all logical arguments against buying a Bentley Arnage, and when it comes to buying one of these super luxury automobiles, logic seldom has anything to do with it.
Due to its hand-built exclusivity and superb quality, Arnage has become a world-wide benchmark for automotive craftsmanship.Bentley is the only automobile manufacturer in the world to offer as standard a cabin trimmed entirely with leather hides including
the headlining. The hand-crafted steering wheel requires up to 16 hours of double-stitching that too to a millimeter perfection. A set of mirror-matched veneers for each car
takes 13 days to craft, while 17 hides and almost 400 separate pieces of leather are used for the upholstery, trim and headlining.It takes 2 days to polish all the stainless steeltrim pieces and 16 cows had to lay their wool
for the carpets. Arnage Final Series is available
in the full Bentley range of 42 exterior colours, 25 interior hides, and
three veneers, plus the comprehensive line-up of Mulliner options and
its bespoke colour-matching service that enable Bentley owners to
create a uniquely personal car. Bentley becomes a sensible buy
when it’s more about the heart than the brain.
So who is the winner? Which one of these is the greatest car in the world? If one is the mark of the contemporary styling then other is the example of exquisite craftsmanship. If one uplifts your social status then the other has the old world charm. Truth is, these priceless marvels are beyond comparison, they are epitome of man’s quest for luxury and attention to detail. If you own one then you are a winner.
One thing is for sure that with this movie a star has turned into an actor. Yes, it's Shahid Kapoor i'm talking about. Movies like this have been made in other parts of the world but, it's the bollywood's first. A brave director that Vishal has always been churns out this magnificent drama with a very edgy screenplay. There are horses,betting, yachts,diamonds and you should catch this one in theatres for it's shear technical brilliance. Being Bharadwaj's movie flesh in blood characters and top notch performances were expected and, we were not disappointed. Shahid Kapoor has done an incredible job playing Guddu who stammers and Charlie who says F an f. You know if I pick any other name from the cast then i'll end up appreciating everybody coz they have all performed incredibly but it's the Chandan Roy Sanyal who played Mikhail steals the show with his insanity.
