If you follow this site, you won’t be surprised to learn that our staff has their hands in many different automotive projects – some glamorous, some not so, and certainly more than we have time to write about in a given week! We always keep each other updated on Slack, and one of the recent events we celebrated was the return of this gorgeous Buick to the garage of our managing editor, Eddy Eckart. He had recently inherited the car from a family member, had been working on it himself, and enlisted the help of a shop to help get it to the finish line. Stay tuned for a more detailed story on the Centurion, but here’s what makes the car special in his own words:
“I think the centurion showed up at the right time, and I’m not sure I was ready for him earlier in my life. So far, I like it.” an idea From coupes and convertibles to personal luxury for others. Maybe it’s the family connections, or I’m more open to the fact that a sense of direction and a fragile structure aren’t everything. There’s no rush in this car, and that’s the fun – look over the long hood, turn on the tunes, and just enjoy the moment.
It didn’t take long for the rest of us to start fantasizing about road trips we We’d be fine with something as comfy as Eddy’s Buick, so we decided to make our musings the subject of this week’s staff roster. Our discussion of personal luxury began in the 1970s and delved into many different approaches to the overall topic of luxury cars. Take a look at our picks, and feel free to add your favorite luxury coupe (or convertible) in the comments below!
1970 Chevrolet Impala
There’s something about the Impalas of the late 1960s and early 1970s that always captivated me and was always at the top of my list for a trip with three friends. Just start in a warm place and go to another warm place and never put the top down. Take to the back roads, change drivers, and do our best to go 55 mph or slower whenever possible. If there’s a car for the journey, not the destination, for me it’s a 1970 Impala convertible. — Kyle Smith
1955–59 Bentley Continental by Mulliner
I know that a personal luxury car is often understood as an American thing, but on this dream trip, you’ll find me feeling as luxurious as a boss behind the wheel of a 1955-1959 Bentley Continental with a fastback body H.G. Mulliner. They’re gorgeous cars from any angle, and equipped with a modern-revving 4.9-liter engine, power windows, air conditioning, adjustable suspension, gorgeous wood veneers, and some fine leather seats, they certainly make a solid case for the pinnacle of 1950s luxury. – Stephen Lombard
1993–98 Lincoln Mark VIII
As the owner of many personal luxury coupes (PLCs) and American land yachts in general, I hate to say it, but I need end-of-the-era models for a road trip.
Here’s my problem: Old PLCs have lost comfort levels that were once unattainable on modern roads at modern speeds. Time has passed for them. I could lament this passing of the torch all day, but my biggest concern is the need for constant course correction at the speeds I drive in Texas (i.e. 70 mph or more).
All that lane correction isn’t comfortable, not to mention that acceleration and braking aren’t very good in those conditions either. PLCs of the old days were not designed for these parameters. But the second-to-last stand of this type has succeeded: the 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII.
Everything a PLC could do from its heyday can be done better in the Mark VIII. Highway speeds are a surprise with a long nose and a 32-valve engine that accelerates with gusto and liveliness that can’t be touched by a big-block with gearing worthy of a PLC or an imported luxury coupe of the era (looking at you Lexus KWD400). Speed-sensitive steering means you set it and forget it, and your muscles can relax. Computer engineering of everything from the rear-wheel drive chassis to the braking system and fully independent air suspension means it’s impossible to get a better ride anywhere else. The Mark VIII has many of the technology features we appreciate in new vehicles but in a sleek, not CUV package that hugs the road like a true PLC.
An honorable mention must go to the V8 or Supercharged Thunderbird that the Mark VIII came from… but don’t take my word for it, their marketing slogan said ‘drive everything else first’. – Sajeev Mehta
1973 Plymouth Road Runner
I guess I’d be expected to pick one of the cars I’ve tested over the years, but I won’t. I’d like to have my 1973 Plymouth Road Runner back, a 400-cubic-inch V-8 with a very thirsty Thermoquad carb, a Hurst pistol-grip four-speed, and DeeCee, the one who walked away, on the other side of the blue vinyl seat. Was it really as good a road trip car as I remember, or was I influenced by the trip we took where she said she loved me? Don’t worry, this is my answer – Stephen Cole Smith
Lexus SC 400
I’m a fan of 90s Japanese machines, and while I haven’t given much thought to the idea of a personal luxury coupe, the Lexus SC 400 would definitely be my choice.
I absolutely adore the 4.0L 1UZ-FE V-8 that the SC came with. This engine is an engineering masterpiece. I owned one in a 1997 Lexus LS 400, and to this day, it’s the only car I’ve ever owned that I would restore in a heartbeat, and probably for an extra cost.
I’ll take advantage of that unreliable engine and the efficiency of a young, hungry Lexus brand that’s focused on focusing on every little detail of a luxury car. It will be stylish, fast and quiet for years at a time. What’s more luxurious than peace of mind? -Nate Petrolege
1977–90 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
I’ll be following Stefan’s lead and going the European route for my luxury RV. My standards for luxury are simple: a powerful, rich V-8 complemented by masses of leather and sweet-smelling wood. Unlike Nate, I’ll put practicality and reliability aside and go with my heart: the first V8-powered Vantage ever made by Aston Martin (1977-1990). I’ve always thought these cars are incredibly beautiful, and I’d love the opportunity to answer the question: Would I love them as much as I do now after taking a road trip in one? — Grace Houghton
