The standard-bearers of various car brands have always been the standard bearers, displaying the finest mechanics and the latest technological advances, the top-of-the-range classic saloons also adapt to the new times, or rather, the existing regulations and those to come.
Undoubtedly, this adaptation means… electrification. Nowadays it is already possible to purchase these exquisite saloons with some kind of hybrid engine, but the next chapter of this saga is already announced: the top-of-the-range 100% electric saloons.
New generations are already on the horizon for the three main representatives of the segment (F), the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and the unavoidable reference Mercedes-Benz S-Class , so we want to know what the future holds for each of them, and not only… There are more high-end saloons on the market without being German.
Different strategies
What does the future hold? Not even the best pseudo-soothsayer knows… Taking into account the times of uncertainty, especially those related to the speed of adaptation of electric mobility, we found that each of the brands that make up the “usual German trio” decided to pursue a perfectly different path .
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See the case of Mercedes-Benz S-Class , has long been the absolute leader in the segment and its unavoidable reference. The German standard-bearer — scheduled for 2021, and already caught in a “flight” of images —, curiously, will not have a 100% electric version. This is because we will have not one, but two different Class S, one combustion and partially electrified, and the other, exclusively electric, with its own platform.
called EQS , its commercialization is also scheduled for 2021, but it is very possible that we will get to know its production version — we even had the opportunity to test the prototype — this year, even before the S-Class itself.
Jumping from Stuttgart to Munich, BMW adopted an entirely different strategy. Its standard bearer, the BMW 7 Series will be replaced by a new generation in 2022 (G70/G71). In addition to the combustion engine and plug-in hybrid versions that we already have today, the next generation will also feature a 100% electric version.
A decision that meets BMW's strategy for electrifying its range: multi-energy platforms . In this way, BMW hopes to be able to cover all bases with just one model, no matter where the market is headed. So the Series 7 alone will face both the S-Class and the EQS.
Taking the leap to Ingolstadt, at Audi we see yet a third approach to this question. 100% electric high-end sedans? Not even seeing them… according to the latest rumor. The new generation of Audi A8 it is the one that is the furthest from reaching — we have to wait until 2023 at the very least — but the decision seems to have already been made. This is after rumors indicate precisely the opposite last year.
A separate model such as the EQS is not even being considered. Audi will bet on the evolution of the A8's plug-in hybrid, so that it can do more than the 47 km it now does in electric mode. Instead of a 100% electric A8, Audi prefers to bet on SUVs to be the maximum representatives of its electric range. In addition to these, it is expected this year the unveiling of the Audi e-tron GT, based on the Porsche Taycan, a saloon with a sportier character than the A8.
The reason is easy to see: conventional saloons are losing ground to SUVs , even when it comes to their standard bearers. There are already on the SUV market that occupy equivalent positions, from the Range Rover (with each generation its positioning has increased) to the Bentley Bentayga, passing through models like the BMW X7. Even at Audi there is expected to be a… Q9 — better to electrify this one.
the alternatives
Despite being the German brands that dominate the segment, for those eager for alternatives to the “usual German trio”, there are still alternatives.
Jaguar is anticipating again, as it did with the I-Pace, and this year will present the reinvented successor to XJ — production ended in 2019. And I mean reinvented, as the new flagship of the British brand will be exclusively electric. It is expected to use a new platform (it remains to be seen if it is an evolution of the I-Pace) dedicated to this type of engine.
Farther south, coming from Italy, Maserati is also undergoing a process of reinvention, with renewed focus… electrified. THE Quattroport , if there are no changes to the announced plans — a constant in the FCA's announcements —, it will receive a new generation in 2022, and in the image of the BMW 7 Series, it will comprise several types of engines, one of which is 100% electric.
Finally, from the land of the rising sun, the Lexus LS , launched in 2017, there are still no indications as to when a new generation may appear. The current generation will receive an update in 2021, which is expected to extend its market presence until 2023-24. For now, it will remain faithful to hybrid technology (without being a plug-in).
goodbye noble engines
To give way to 100% electric versions or even plug-in hybrid versions, the noblest engines of the top-of-the-range saloons will have to be sacrificed — it's goodbye to the V12s and even some V8s will have to be in the way. Combining six-cylinder powertrains with electric motor(s) will do away with the need for performance for the vast majority. And the 100% electric are preparing to be the ones that will offer the most performance.
Despite the announced disappearance, recent rumors, however, indicate that the V12 in the upcoming S-Class is expected to remain in the range. The new 7-Series, on the other hand, will do without the existing V12 in the current M760i/M760Li, with a new… i7 M60e appearing in its place — that's right, the most powerful of the 7-Series should be electric.
It's a new world to come…