THERE are five surprisingly luxurious cars you can get for less than £10,000 – and one is known as a “Secret Bentley”.
A motors expert has listed his favourite motors which he thinks are “insanely luxurious” but you wouldn’t expect and cost nothing like the usual flashy rides.
The YouTube star known as ‘Cars with JB’ said in a short online video: “I’m going to talk about five that are particularly surprising you just wouldn’t expect them to be luxury cars.”
JB’s first pick is the Citroen C6 which featured in an episode of the BBC’s motoring show Top Gear where James May and Richard Hammond “waxy lyrical” about the car.
The presenters remark on its “beautiful design” and “amazing technological features” which are said to be the “top tier of luxury”.
JB said: “They were absolutely right. It’s an absolutely brilliant car which offers luxury far beyond what you expect from a Citroen – and yes, it’s stunning.”
But he added the car was a flop, selling less that 900 models in the UK in six years.
That’s compared to one of its competitors, the BMW 5 series which JB says sold 130,000.
The social media influencer said the car was fitted with “electronically controlled hydro-pneumatic suspension” which was “more akin to what you’d expect of a Rolls-Royce not a Citroen.”
He added the car was a flop not because it was bad but that people had bought into the idea of German luxury cars and Citroen wasn’t able to change people’s minds.
The car came with a number of engine options, including a 2.7-litre turbo diesel V6 which produced 208bhp.
It was capable of doing 0 to 60 in 8.6 seconds.
But the car’s real strength lay in its ability to “make you feel as comfortable as possible in the plush, soft and relatively timeless interior” which gave you the “perfect ride”.
Setting the car apart from its competitors was also its unique design with some people describing it as a “spaceship on wheels”.
JB added he personally loved the rear window with the boot curving up into it and said the car had “real classic potential.
He said you can pick up a 2007 model with around 70,000 miles on the clock for less than £10,000.
Part of the problem with the car was the poor reliability reputation of Citroen that had built up.
JB warned there were some potential problems with them, including the hoses for the hydrometric suspension which he said can leak and be costly to sort out.
He also warned that the engines are “typically strong” they can overheat.
JB particularly liked the Lauren and Clement trim on the Skoda Superb interior which gave the car an upgrade to make it as luxurious as possible.
While many people may not associate Skoda with luxury motors, JB said that the early vehicles made by Lauren and Clement were considered luxury before it got taken over by Skoda.
JB said: “It’s nice to see this brand revived in the way that it was once known to make luxury cars.
“A Superb really is a luxury car for the money.”
The car can with a 2-litre TDI inline 4 engine, producing 167bhp, taking it from 0 to 60mph in 8.3 seconds.
Which, JB said was “adequate” for a car which is basically a family Cruiser.
Matching the car’s spec with the Lauren and Clement trim “really make the car feel that much more luxurious”
The car was fitted with hidden umbrellas in the doors, similar to a Rolls-Royce and the plus interior had heated seats, all round privacy glass, a TV tuner and a panoramic glass roof on the estate version.
Meanwhile, a clever feature on the boot meant you can open it like a saloon for quick and easy access.
The hatchback was able to fit in 600 litres of storage.
Nowadays, you can pick one up for as little as £5,000 but for under £10k, you can get a 2014 model with around 100,000 miles on the clock.
JB said that while the car was known to be “hugely reliable” he warned that high mileage models may need replacement dampers.
Third on JB’s list was the Infiniti QX70, which he said was perhaps no surprise as Infiniti was Nissan’s luxury arm.
But he said that in the UK drivers were used to getting their luxury cars from Germany – Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi – making it difficult for other countries to break into the market.
Due to that, JB said, Infiniti pulled out of the UK market in 2020 after just 10 years.
JB said: “That’s a real shame because the QX70 really is a proper luxury SUV.”
It came with a 3-litre V6 block engine, producing 234 bhp, making it capable of doing 0 to 60 in eight seconds – a similar engine to the one you’ll find in the Nissan Pathfinder and Navara.
The car was “incredibly well equipped” with diamond stitch heated leather seats, rear privacy glass, a powered tailgate and “all the technology you might expect out of a luxury SUV of its age”.
However, he did say he had some concerns about the car, with the “key complaint” being the build quality was “renowned for being poor and a lot of corners have been cut by a raid in the Nissan parts bin”.
He also said reviewers also mentioned an issue with the switch gear refinement.
But he said any potential buyers could pick one up for as little as £9,000, compared to a price tag of £50,000 when new, with the car being as wide as a Bentley Flying Spur.
JB added that while the car was known for being reliable it was the build quality that brought the biggest number of complaints.
Given Volkswagen is known as the people’s car, JB said you wouldn’t expect a VW to be making a luxury car.
But he said the VW Phaeton provided a “surprising” level of luxury.
JB said: “Arguably, fighting on a level with cars like the Bentley Continental Flying Spur, which it shares a platform with and is the most traditionally luxurious car on this list.”
The decision for VW to make a luxury car came in the early 2000s when the manufacturer was getting annoyed with its German competitors getting involved markets which VW saw as its domain.
Such as BMW coming up with the 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz introducing the A-Class, stealing market share from VW’s Polo and Golf.
In response, VW decided to build a car that would show its competitors it could make a better offering than them.
Hence the arrival of the Phaeton which was aimed to be “in the highest echelons of luxury”.
But the car wasn’t a “resounding success” and there are just under 1,000 on UK roads now, across all generations.
Reports suggested it was one of the biggest loss-making cars off all time because no one wanted a VW badge on a premium luxury car.
The Phaeton came with a number of possible engines, including a W12.
Versions can be bought for as little as £4,000 nowadays but for £10,000 you can get a 2011 model with about 70,000 miles on the clock.
Should anyone prefer the Bentley Continental Flying Spur, second hand ones currently start at around £33,000 and upwards for a 2013 or 2014 model, according to listings on Autotrader.
However, should you want a 2015 model, one is listed but you won’t get much change back from £53,000.
While a 2019 model is listed for more than £82,000.
JB said that while the car was well built and known to be reliable he added owners had complained about poor dealer service.
Bringing JB’s round-up to an end was his final pick, the Lexus LS 600h.
JB described the LS 600h as a “hugely surprising luxury car”
He said there were two reasons for this.
One was that it looked “incredibly docile and not particularly luxurious from the outside.”
The second was that it came with an “absolutely massive powertrain” attached to its 5-litre V8 engine.
It was equipped with two electric motors to augment the power, giving it 439bhp, powering it from 0 to 60mph in 6.1 seconds, making it a “bit of a beast”.
JB said nowadays the LS is becoming a “cherished” car among petrolheads, particularly ones who like old-school Japanese cars.
But there are currently fewer than 500 on the UK’s roads.
JB advised people shouldn’t be put off by that because when it came to luxury the car was “the real deal”.
Its adaptive air suspension gives it an “ultra-smooth” ride and came with “other cool bits” to focus on the luxury.
The gears were manufactured to the nearest micrometre to minimise any sound or jerkiness coming from the gear changes.
Inside the cabin, “is also a lovely place to be,” according to JB, with four zone climate control plush seats.
It’s also fitted with some “incredible tech” like the multiple radar and infrared detection systems, assisted steering and brakes to minimise any crash likelihood.
There’s also intelligent cruise control and self parking, all making it an “amazing car,” according to JB.
Models can be bought for around £9,000 but a 2007 version with around 100,000 miles on the clock can be purchased for a little over £10,000.
On the downside, JB said the car was reliable but added the batteries can be expensive to replace.
