7 Incredible Luxury Car Features That Only the Wealthy Can Afford
Written by
Brooke Barley
Edited by
Gary Dudak
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The average gas-powered car in the U.S. reportedly costs just shy of $34,000 For most Americans, that figure alone is not easy to come up with. For the upper echelon, however, that is merely the amount they spend on special features for their vehicles.
If you’re not familiar with those types of expensive add-ons, GOBankingRates has you covered. Here are seven luxury vehicle features that auto experts say wealthy car owners are opting for.
Performance Exhaust Systems
Are you just settling for the exhaust system that comes with your car? That’s not how the rich do it.
“Many car manufacturers offer unique exhaust systems that produce more aggressive exhaust notes and even ramp up performance,” said Evaldas Zabitis, automotive expert at carVertical.
This is not an easy fix. Zabitis said that if you are wanting an exhaust system that makes a statement, the entire system has to be modified. He said this can end up costing over $2,000.
High-Performance Engines
Another way drivers splurge is on high-performance engines so the car goes faster.
“High-performance engines are another highly sought-after upgrade, reaching from $10,000 to $50,000 over the base price of the vehicle, based on the performance level,” said Paul Knoll, the marketing director at AmericanMuscle.
Night Vision
Though this feature sounds more like a superpower, Zabitis said it’s something the wealthy will often add to their car after they’ve purchased it. You know when you use your backup camera at night and it’s a little difficult to see? That’s not a problem with night vision.
“While large screens and complicated electrical features are often standard in modern cars, some systems still require expensive materials to work. One such feature is night vision, which is rarely offered in base models because it requires specialized sensors and high-resolution cameras,” Zabitiis said.
As you might have guessed, this is not cheap. “A night vision system in the Cadillac Escalade costs an additional $2,000,” he added.
Advanced Infotainment Systems
Conveniently, many new cars have an easy way for us to plug in our smartphones to navigate and play what we like, but for some people, that’s not enough.
“Advanced infotainment systems, including premium stereo elements, interactive displays, and connectivity options, would easily add thousands of dollars to the bottom line, with premium systems costing north of $5,000,” Knoll said.
Special Paint Jobs
Most of us are lucky if we get to choose the color of the car we’re buying, but those with a few extra bucks can opt for custom paint jobs on their vehicles.
“The new Range Rover is a great example of that,” Zabitis referenced. “While you can buy a brand new SUV with shiny metallic colors for a base price, a ‘Special Vehicle Ultra Metallic’ paint will set you back an additional $8,450.”
Nappa Leather
You might think just having a leather interior is nice, but Nappa takes it up a notch.
“Many high-end models from luxury manufacturers come with out-of-this-world extras, one of them being Nappa leather,” Zabitis said.
The reason why it’s so desirable is because of how it feels when you touch it. “The unique thing about the Nappa leather is that the skin’s surface is genuine, so this option often costs thousands of dollars.”
If a driver wants any sort of custom interior, Knoll said you can easily spend more on that than most of us would spend on a single car.
“Custom interiors can seriously drive up the cost. With bespoke custom leather upholstery, exotic wood trims, and interior design packages, one can easily add enough to the price of the car to send it into the tens of thousands. Some interiors cross the $100,000 threshold,” he explained.
Carbon Fiber Additions
Do you ever daydream about your future car’s trim? Some people do, and in that case, they’re probably opting for a carbon fiber addition.
“Carbon fiber options often appear when scrolling through exterior or interior car trim options,” Zabitis said. “The dark aesthetics of this material create a sporty yet premium feeling and the material itself is very light.”
Because of the complicated process it takes to create carbon fiber, the price of these features tends to be very high. “The carbon fiber rear diffuser for a BMW M3 costs around $5,000,” he stated..
Carbon fiber also comes into play when people are looking to get special rims. “Luxury rims and wheels made from exclusive materials such as carbon fiber can cost between $1,000 to $10,000 per wheel,” Knoll said.
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