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That's just how CLONE "rolls"


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Why does it cost $360,000?

 

Honest question.

 

Quality, quality, and more quality.

 

When I worked for BMWNA I learned a LOT about these cars. Just a small example; RR has their own cattle heard for the leather interior. The fencing around the pasture is designed to not leave a single mark on the hide. Every square inch of the hides are meticulously inspected for flaws prior to being allowed to be in the car. If there is a single imperfection, the hide is not allowed to be used.

 

They are incredible vehicles. Seriously.

-Marc

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Quality, quality, and more quality.

 

When I worked for BMWNA I learned a LOT about these cars. Just a small example; RR has their own cattle heard for the leather interior. The fencing around the pasture is designed to not leave a single mark on the hide. Every square inch of the hides are meticulously inspected for flaws prior to being allowed to be in the car. If there is a single imperfection, the hide is not allowed to be used.

 

They are incredible vehicles. Seriously.

-Marc

 

One of those companies, forget if its RR or Bentley, but they also only use bull hides cause bitches be getting stretchmarks.

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More impressive in what respect?

 

Far more advanced safety features and driver assistance systems. It's the first car to launch with Traffic Jam Assist (the car drives itself), predictive adaptive suspension using stereovision, night vision with animal detection, etc.....

 

It also has Surround View (the 360 deg overhead camera also seen on the RR.

 

To me, the amount of technology they have integrated into that car is far more impressive than a fiberoptic lit headliner, but I do understand the attention to detail and craftsmanship that goes into a RR.

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A fully loaded S65 AMG will cost you about $215,000. Looks to me that the RR tax is about $100k.

 

I'd go with the bargain, poor man's luxury barge. Fully loaded S8 at a mere $135k.

Shouldn't you compare an S65AMG to an RS8?

 

Anyway, an S8 will not drive me around in traffic while I sit back and get a massage, nor will it scan the road surface ahead and adjust my suspension before hitting a bump, or protect my rear seat passengers with airbags in the seat belts. It does have some trick, GPS-fused headless though...which probably won't be available in the US. And I don't need the AMG to get those features.

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Tomorrow night at 8PM on Science Channel, How It's Made: Dream Cars is going to be on showing the RR Phantom episode. Should do a good job of helping you understand just what goes into a $300,000+ car.

 

Also consider that cars in this price range are often not as much a depreciating asset as other vehicles. Hell, an Enzo Ferrari that sold for under $1million new can be worth $1.5million today.

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Shouldn't you compare an S65AMG to an RS8?

 

Anyway, an S8 will not drive me around in traffic while I sit back and get a massage, nor will it scan the road surface ahead and adjust my suspension before hitting a bump, or protect my rear seat passengers with airbags in the seat belts. It does have some trick, GPS-fused headless though...which probably won't be available in the US. And I don't need the AMG to get those features.

 

Yes, but they don't have RS8's yet. So the S8 is the closest Audi rival. I'm not sure what features they all have, but the extra ~$90k for the Merc must mean that is much more loaded than the S8.

 

I chose the AMG because it's closer in HP to the Rolls.

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i watched a special on discovery about how they build bentleys. it was an hour long and definitely worth the watch. i've often asked myself why $350k?? if you watch the show you might leave with the impression of why ONLY $350k?? the work that goes into building all the wood pieces is astonishing. the leather is tested for weak areas, and there's a crazy amount of it used in each car. the materials themself might not warrant the cost----its metal, leather, wood, plastic---just like other luxury cars. its simply the craftsmanship that goes into it. hell, they 'claimed' it takes a two man team 4 hours to hand polish the chrome grill up front.

 

regardless, i have no need for a car like this at this time of my life. interesting story, there's a doc (adolph lombardi) in columbus who has several bentleys, and drove them nearly every day to the hospital---they are much bigger in person than you would expect.

 

and the starliner function will not look good during the day, but it is quite epic when dark. we had this installed in a barrel vault in our bedroom celing recently when we added onto our house. its incredible at night.

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You know they say "if you have to ask......"

 

You're misusing the quote.

 

He didn't ask how much it costs (which is where you're quote would fit), he asked why is costs as much as it does. It's a legitimate question any responsible buyer would ask before spending money on anything, let alone something costing more than a nice-sized house.

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BTW, thanks for the pics/review. I found myself amazed at the top-down view you can get so you can see how close you are to curbing your $360k wheels.

 

Also, how's a GPS controlled transmission work, exactly? I'm legitimately curious - never heard of that.

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BTW, thanks for the pics/review. I found myself amazed at the top-down view you can get so you can see how close you are to curbing your $360k wheels.

 

Also, how's a GPS controlled transmission work, exactly? I'm legitimately curious - never heard of that.

 

Surround view is available on a lot of cars now, not just super luxury models. The good systems have better image stitching and better clarity. I was even in a cheapo Honda van in Japan that had it.

 

The trans takes in data from the GPS map as a virtual horizon, and can use road geometry and grade data to hold a gear longer, downshift quicker, upshift earlier, etc. Say you are approaching a long grade; the trans may hold a lower gear longer so that you have the torque available, instead of doing a harsh kick-down after you are already slowing down as you drive up hill. This is just the beginning though. Soon it will know you're approaching a taco bell, downshift to slow the vehicle, and automatically steer into the drive through.

 

FWIW, I just priced out a new S550 with the Driver Assistance Package, Surround View, Night View Assist PLUS, and Magic Body Control and it cost $109k. No fancy headliner though.

Edited by Mallard
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Pics?

-Marc

 

i'll get some pics up tonight. we have 600 LED lights in the ceiling. each one of them has to be wired back to the LED driver module. some are brighter than others (by design), and they twinkle. its pretty sweet. we wanted to do something different.

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i'll get some pics up tonight. we have 600 LED lights in the ceiling. each one of them has to be wired back to the LED driver module. some are brighter than others (by design), and they twinkle. its pretty sweet. we wanted to do something different.

 

Sounds amazing. Can't wait to see it :)

-Marc

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