2nd Dec 2012, 16:31

I agree with you totally. Japan still makes a few good full-size luxury cars (Toyota Century, Nissan President, etc.), but they're domestic market only and are insanely difficult to get a hold of.

The big Lincolns are nice, but they gradually became something of a joke over the years. It's sad that there's no real full-sized vehicles around anymore that offer the same edge as they used to. The interiors and exteriors became bland and bulbous; a terrible mixing of several unrelated styles being mashed together.

I was looking for a newer full-size car to replace my old 1979 Cadillac sedan DeVille, and couldn't find one worth buying. The infamously quiet, powerful, and smooth big blocks were all gone by 1980, and the small blocks that replaced them were poorly suited for the job.

While this may sound a bit extreme, I replaced the old Cadillac with a 1998 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur. I have to say, the 412 cu in Rolls-Royce V8 is way better and more powerful than any competing engine I've ever seen. While it may be a bit heavy on gas, I think it's a great example of what a modern big car should be. To me, bigger V8 engines are just better, not only in performance but also in low end torque, which most modern engines ignore in favor of louder, higher revving "powerhouses".

I think the Rolls will be the last car I buy, as the 2000s don't really have any big luxury cars that are worth the money. The Lincolns made during that time became cheap and bulbous, and the Cadillacs are trying to be like the European sports cars. I really wish there would be a renaissance for these vehicles, but gas prices are just too high for many people to afford, and the average standard of living in the world is falling too low.