I once encountered a fellow who mentioned that the Corolla, the Bettle, and the 504 are some of the best sedans of all time. Not only did I wonder when the Bettle became a ‘sedan’, but I also wondered how he reached his deeply flawed conclusions.
However, around that time, I began thinking of the best sedans EVER produced myself. Immediately, two options popped out – but when I tried to add a third, I was met with hesitation.
An ‘absolute’ best needs to be that: ‘THE BEST’. If any iota of doubt pops out regarding this reality, I believe that such a vehicle should be dropped, immediately.
So, since I couldn’t ‘contaminate’ this list with a third less worthy addition, I simply let the original two remain undisputed.
So, what are the names of these sedans? First, how did I come to this conclusion?
Article Outline
How I Decided
Deciding that a vehicle is an ‘all-time best’ could be a largely emotional and subjective affair.
Most folks who had a great time in a vehicle growing up will largely believe that vehicle is the ‘best’ – of all time (especially if those memories were positive and haven’t been recreated in another vehicle since).
A newly married wife who goes on honeymoon with her husband in their first vehicle will believe the vehicle is the best vehicle of all time, years after, especially if her marriage is full of bliss.
A man who has a great job and a trouble-free family will also, unquestionably, believe that his daily driver, the one he drives every day to look for his family’s daily bread is the best vehicle the world has offered…and he won’t appreciate his conclusion questioned.
It’s usually a matter of emotions, subjectivity, and largely, heart-decided positions.
So, how did I conclude without these obvious biases?
I used a variety of metrics. However, these were the options I most relied upon:
- Superiority of technology as at the time the vehicle was manufactured.
- Being way ahead of its time.
- Something that can still be acknowledged today, with reverence (and of course)
- Durability.
1. Superiority of Technology
Some vehicles, right off the assembly line, have the world stopping and paying attention to them.
Such vehicles incorporate technology unlike anything else we’ve seen in the past, on other vehicles.
However, this incorporation and superiority of technology aren’t in a flashy, baseless manner, populated with ‘bells and whistles’ no one really needs: instead, the technology is practical, makes sense, and has that ‘ahaps effect’.
The advancement of technology these vehicles bring to the world make us wonder what we were all doing before that time and ultimately, question the cars we drive.
2. Ahead of Its Time
Closely allied with the point above is being well ahead of its time.
My decision to narrow down the best sedans of all time to two vehicles is predicated on the fact that these sedans, when they debuted, knocked off EVERYTHING else on the market in that segment.
They simply were the very best; the unchallenged leaders if you were interested in having nothing but the best.
And, following that fashion of excellence, they easily determined the direction of ALL other sedans, across manufacturers, going forward.
3. Timelessness
Still flowing from the above, the options I decided on as being the two best sedans of all time have remained timeless through the years.
The Bettle, mentioned in my intro, is dated – when found on the roads today. So is the 504 and the Volve 740.
However, these timeless icons still own – and control the roads today, when they decide to ride again. As they once commanded ‘regal status’ back when they were new, they still actively prove that old wine remains the finest – when got right initially.
These are cars that when you find in traffic, effortlessly blend with other vehicles and get you wondering if the vehicle in question is (really) 20, 30, 40, or even 50 years old!
4. Enduring Durability & Reliability
Finally, all two options that I decided on and settled for as the two best sedans of all time have enduring durability and an equally unmatched history of reliability.
These sedans, easily, are found on the roads today without any need for restoration. They are vehicles that have been driven for all their lives and are still structurally firm – without unnecessary efforts needed to keep them road-worthy.
Importantly, these sedans are options that have been super reliable – with little or no maintenance and importantly d0 not fail to start – and return back to their base even in the face of all odds and challenges (throughout their service lives).
The Two Best Sedans of All Time
Waiting was never a game I was good at, as a kid. I’m still not good at it, several decades later. That established, the two best sedans of all time are drawn from Germany and Japan; the best of Europe and the best of Asia – both at their peak.
So, what are the sedans? The W124 Mercedes and the Lexus LS400.
1. The W124 Mercedes
When the iconic W124 launched in 1984 with its single-wiper blade design and stately ride quality, it was a marvel to behold. Coupes, convertibles, station wagons, sedans – there was a body type for everyone.
There were diesel and petrol engines.
And then, there were 4 bangers, straight six engines, and then, a monster V8 (later) – all catering for everyone, irrespective of where one was coming from.
With a coefficient of drag that was in the realm of 0.29 and 0.30 (depending on the model and configuration), the W124 did not just ride in a stately manner, it cut through the air effortlessly, like a bird, and as a direct consequence, returned the best MPGs at the time, for the weight and size.
To give you perspective on just how good the drag coefficient of the W124 Mercedes was, a modern F1 vehicle has a coefficient of drag between 0.7 and 1.0.
See how awesome the W124 was, 40 years ago?
It is said that when you intend to sign out, you sign out in a grand way; it’s thus no coincidence that the W124 is the last true Mercedes.
And, if you’re wondering what made the vehicle so special in 1984 and today? The W124 had heated mirrors and ABS back in the day!
Coupled with the unique padding by the sides which most of the model’s examples got (called Sacco panels in honor of its designer, Bruno Sacco), the W124 can be seen today, on the roads, commanding the respect and prestige it did 40 years ago.
Add up the fact that there are many million-mile examples and still, many more copies that have been running since the 80s without anything special being done to them to date, then you’ll begin to appreciate why and how this vehicle made it to my little list of the best sedans of all time.
Churn in the unique ‘Germanic’ engine note and revs, the reassuring door closing, the way the hood went all the way up when the vehicle was in ‘mechanic mode’ and you’ll begin to wonder why production of this master of the road had to stop in 1995.
No wonder, Top Speed called the W124 the coolest Mercedes of all time!
2. The Lexus LS 400
Unfortunately for Mercedes, the W124 was their best – and last shot at making great sedans, at least to date.
Nature, however, abhors a vacuum…Lexus arose in 1989 and was determined to fill that newly created void and claim the title of the best sedan in the world.
With the Germans (and Americans) making unreliable vehicles, especially sedans, Lexus set out to create a sedan that would be more luxurious than anything to come out of Germany (or the US) and while at that, make it ultra-reliable and affordable (the former being what the Germans had already started losing grip on and the latter something they never had from the beginning).
CarBuzz, quoting Lexus, had this to say about the original LS400:
“Circle F was a top-secret project, with more than 4,000 people involved in bringing it to fruition. Right from the start, the targets set for the LS were exceptional. Its top speed had to be 250 km/h, yet it would deliver 10.5 l/100 km. Its aerodynamic styling would have a drag coefficient of no more than 0.29, and when cruising at 100 km/h, the noise level in the cabin would not exceed 58 dB.
To put those figures into context, the LS would be faster, quieter, more aerodynamic and more fuel-efficient than any of its German rivals. Each goal on its own was ambitious; for them all to be achieved together seemed an impossibility.”
– Lexus.
With an almost inexhaustible budget and series of tests, the LS400 was launched to the excitement of the world.
The vehicle rode better, was more comfortable, was cheaper, and importantly was made with more quality materials than anything that the Germans or Americans were offering at the moment.
Offered in a single body size, the full-size sedan option, the LS400 also offered a single Engine option: an ultra smooth V8. There was nowhere else to logically spend money, especially on a Luxury sedan if it wasn’t on the LS400 when it debuted – that is if you were serious.
In the relentless pursuit of perfection, Lexus not only used the LS to ‘capture’ the luxury sedan market, but it also took the market from the Germans, set the standard for luxury (and reliability), and ultimately, forced the Germans to go back to the drawing board.
Thirty plus years after, several examples of the LS 400 are still available on the road, soldiering on and commanding the respect that is rightfully theirs. These generally clean copies also continue to wow petrol heads (and car enthusiasts) with the tech and advancements that they sport, how reliable they are, and generally, how little it takes to keep them going, flawlessly, despite their age.
Worthy Mention
Unlike Mercedes Benz, Lexus went on to become better after launching the LS400 to world claim.
The LS430 represented the second generation of the LS and took all the good things vehicle owners loved in the original 400 and made things even better, adding a touch of tech and modernity to the overall mix.
For instance, the 430 got better suspension, added tech, rode better, was better at road noise insulation, and overall, was a better vehicle than the initial 400.
In my opinion (which the then CEO of Ford, Mulally collaborated), the Lexus LS430 is the finest sedan Lexus has ever come up with (forgive the paraphrase).
Like the Germans, I strongly believe that the LS430 was the zenith of Lexus (at least for the LS). The subsequent generations don’t hold any appeal to me than a Corolla does.
Addendum
I once owned a 1987 W124 Mercedes. That vehicle, in its sedan variant, has been one of the best driving cars I’ve owned.
Unfortunately, it was thoroughly abused before it came to me and almost at the end of its service life. Our union was thus, short-lived.
However, I won’t hesitate to buy another clean copy of any W124 Mercedes I come across, especially the straight 6s and V8s.
That said, I look forward to one day owning the Lexus LS430 and if I still have space in the garage, the original 400.
When the day comes (all days actually), I’ll be happy to write about it here, too.