Writing a list of the top 6 biggest cars in the world would be very boring if we stuck to current production models – basically, think of a Rolls-Royce or Bentley and they’re it. In fact, the top seven of the biggest cars in the world are just that.
Rather than focusing on modern production cars (although we may just sneak one or two in), we’re going to look at the bigger picture – whether that’s older cars, something still in production, or something new that might arrive as a concept.
Of course, making a list of the biggest cars in the world isn’t as easy as it may sound at first point – what classifies it as big? Height? Length? Weight? Or just common perception?
For example, the Cadillac Escalade is known pretty much worldwide to be ‘gigantic’, but is it really that big? (To be fair, Caddy does use the phrase “make big feel small” in their marketing).
Strangely, car manufacturers have spent decades trying to do the opposite – making small feel big by giving the occupants just that little extra room without turning the vehicle into something lavish and excessive like the Maybach.
Which is a great starting point. But is it the biggest car in the world?
Mercedes-Maybach Vision 6 Cabriolet
The Maybach Vision 6 was unveiled late 2017 in California, a perfect setting for the all-electric, super cool concept. There aren’t any actual size specifications due to the fact it’s a concept and Mercedes-Maybach are adamant it’s not going into production any time soon, but it’s definitely a contender for a slot in the world’s biggest cars.
The one big (literally) measurement to take away – it’s just short of 20 feet in length. Or in other words, around the same as the extended wheelbase version of the Rolls-Royce Phantom (239”). And it seats just two people.
Mercedes-Maybach made the Vision 6 soft top as a ‘vision of the future vehicles it could be producing in the year 2035 and beyond’, meaning that there’s no pricing and no chance of buying one – it really is a one-off.
The lumpy bit under the hood is an all-electric motor that will deliver around 750 horsepower, have a 0 – 60 mph time of under four seconds, and a range of 200 miles. Maybach also says that thanks to their new ‘super’ charger system, you’ll be able to charge it enough for a 60 mile trip in just 5 minutes.
Frankly, given that it’s a concept, none of the tech works and the powertrain isn’t actually a production-ready model which means they can say anything they want about the capabilities; it will fly to the moon and back on one ten-minute charge. Really? Really.
Unlike a number of concept vehicles, the Vision 6 Cabriolet has had some serious time and money put into it – the floor is wooden and inlaid with an aluminum trim, the fabric top has been interwoven with gold threads, and the rear of the car is designed to remind you of a luxury yacht.
As for the rest of the styling – an extended hood announces its presence way before it should. It’s a beautifully designed affair that opens up either side, a little like the cars of yesteryear – there’ll certainly be no clearance issues here.
Despite being gargantuan, the Maybach would have to be one of the better-looking ‘options’ when it comes to the biggest cars in the world.
Rolls-Royce Phantom Sedan
We’ve already mentioned the extended wheelbase version, but the sedan is no pocket-rocket either. Measuring up at 230 inches, it’s almost ten inches shorter than the long-wheelbase version.
Let’s deal with the elephant in the room first – the starting price is about $450,000, but many of the customers buying the Phantom have a laundry list of options to add on. In fact, the average ‘extras’ bill runs to $150,000, meaning the average shipping price is about $600,000.
It’s built on the all-new aluminum ‘Architecture of Luxury’ platform (yes really), but even using lightweight construction materials for the platform, this behemoth weighs in at 5,900 lbs – it’s not exactly nimble on its feet.
Even taking into account all that weight, it will still propel itself to a top-speed of 155mph and a zero to sixty-two time of just 5.3 seconds (but of course sprinting in a Rolls is just so uncouth).
The speed comes from a 6.75-liter V12 with twin-turbos fitted, giving it 563 hp, all coupled to an 8-speed satellite-aided ZF automatic transmission. In any other vehicle, this would make for some sporty motoring.
It’s said that some of the design elements have been inspired by the futuristic 100EX concept car, although we think it’s difficult to spot those elements (unless you happen to be part of the design team). You can clearly see, however, that it certainly retains some of the great heritage associated with Rolls-Royce styling, particularly at the rear.
Inside the Phantom is as you’d expect – all super-soft leather, deep wood veneers, metal accents, rear-seat entertainment system (most owners won’t actually be driving the car), Wi-Fi hotspot and of course, the obligatory drinks cabinet; it is a Rolls-Royce, after all.
The Phantom sedan may not be the biggest car in the world, but it’s definitely one of the most luxurious.
1974 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham (Tenth Generation)
At 233.7 inches in length, the big Caddy could give both the Rolls-Royce and the Maybach a fair run for the crown of longest car in the world. Rather comically in today’s world, the actual wheelbase was just 133 inches, meaning the car made do with 100 inches – just over eight feet – of overhang.
The Sixty Special was considered to be the absolute top of the line offering from Cadillac, often being sold to be converted to use as a limousine or plush ‘airport’ car. There were two options for power: a 7.7-liter or 8.2-liter V8, which both sound impressive, but power was heavily restricted thanks to tighter emission controls.
The 1974 model was fitted with an “Air Cushion Restraint System” (aka, airbags), but it proved to be so unpopular that it was removed from the options for the 1976 model. It also had rear-seat reading lamps, dual-comfort front seating, and automatic level control.
Thanks to the size and the toys fitted, the curb weight was well over 5,000 pounds, and as much as 5,400 lb when fully loaded.
Looking at it from a modern viewpoint, it was hideously ugly, slow, ill-handling, and badly built, but back then … this was the Daddy of all things Cadillac.
The Paramount Group ‘Marauder’
Ok, we admit it, not exactly a production car, but there is a civilian version that can be driven on the roads, so we feel that makes it a contender on the biggest cars in the world list.
To give you some perspective, the Maybach Vision 6 measures up at around 239 inches in length while the gargantuan Marauder measures up to 241.7 inches – not even three inches longer than the Maybach.
Admittedly, it has a curb weight of nearly 22,000 pounds (without armament fitted), and it’s nearly 9 feet tall (104.7 inches). Even so … the same length as a Maybach?
Officially, the Marauder is an ‘armored, mine protected vehicle’ that’s only really available to Governments from around the world. However, if you’re a modern-day dictator with around $425,000 spare change in your pocket, it’s possible that you’d be able to purchase one as well.
The top speed for this beast is around 70 mph, although that’s largely dictated by the tires. There are some upgrades available should you want or need more power, though. As standard, the six-cylinder turbo diesel engine produces 221 horsepower which, if we’re being honest, isn’t even that good in a car that doesn’t weigh the equivalent of half of the planet.
Horsepower can be boosted up to around 300 hp, but unless you start changing other components or rubber, you’re still only hitting 70ish mph. On the standard fuel tanks, the Marauder has a range of around 430 miles, though larger range-extending tanks are available. No specs are available for the size of the standard tank, but given the weight, to get 430 miles, it must be BIG. Don’t even ask about the fuel economy.
It should also be noted that the 430-mile range is for the 4X4 version. Marauder also makes a 6X6 just in case you need some serious off-road capability. Why settle for a Land Rover when you could have one of these instead?!
Audi A8 L
You can’t really call the Audi A8 L small, but in this list of the biggest cars in the world, it’s definitely on the smaller end. It’s 32 inches shorter in length (207.3”) than the Maybach. Unlike the rest of the cars here though, this is a ‘normal’ car.
Pricing is reasonable too – starting at $82,500 (we realize that reasonable is a relative term), you’re getting a lot of car for your money. We’d have to say that the only real issue we have with the big Audi would be the electronically limited top speed of just 130 mph.
In the grand scheme of things, that sort of speed is plenty, and of course, we’d be reckless if we said that anyone should be driving even that fast on a public road. That said, it just feels wrong that a big powerful sedan like this is artificially limited.
Speaking of power – the A8 L has two choices of power, a six-cylinder 3.0 liter or a V8 4.0 liter, giving 333 hp and 450 hp respectively. Both choices come with an 8-speed Tiptronic transmission which offers smooth acceleration right up to the redline.
As you’d expect from an Audi in this class, it comes pretty well-equipped with technology and toys. It has everything from a 7-inch touchscreen with handwriting recognition to a power trunk with a hands-free release feature.
We would never dismiss American build quality or engineering, but the big European manufacturers just seem to get everything right when it comes to ownership. The cars just feel different and there’s no real logic behind that. It’s just a feeling that you get when you get behind the wheel of one and see what it can do. Not only that, but how well it does it, too.
If you’re looking for something with a sporty feel, a little more legroom, and good dynamics, the Audi A8 L should definitely be on your shopping list.
Bentley Mulsanne EWB (Extended Wheel Base)
The standard Mulsanne measures up at just 219.5 inches as standard, whereas the EWB has been stretched by a further 10 inches to give the rear seat passengers a bit more legroom. After all, as is the case with the Rolls, most of the buyers for the Mulsanne won’t actually be driving them.
The new Mulsanne was launched back in 2009 at the Pebble Beach Auto Show, and it was a real crowd pleaser. Even more so if you can get over the $300,000+ price tag, and that’s before you start adding toys. Again, similar to the Phantom, it’s doubtful that most customers will opt for the ‘base’ model. It’s one of the plushest new cars for sale out there!
With 114 paint colors, 21 carpet colors, 9 veneers, and 24 different leather hides to choose from, the specifications and configurations can vary considerably, and that’s just the off-the-shelf options; Bentley, of course, offers full customization.
Weighing in at close to 6,000 pounds wet, it needs a hefty powerplant to get everything rolling, and Bentley doesn’t disappoint. A 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V8 rests under the hood and produces 505 horsepower. The management system is pretty clever, allowing for cylinder deactivation when not needed to improve fuel efficiency.
Now let’s get back to the options: A custom luxury bottle cooler with space for two champagne bottles? Check. Hand-cut lead crystal champagne flutes? Yep. Fine duck down filled loose seating cushions? Of course. Airline style tray tables? Why not?
Not only does Bentley offer the tray table, but the EWB also has airline style seating in the rear with an extending leg rest – perfect for when the electric privacy curtains are in place.
While the Mulsanne may not be the biggest car in the world, it certainly deserves its spot in the list.
The Biggest Cars in the World
As you can see, even just keeping to manufacturers rather than home-grown ‘inventions’, the choices for the biggest cars in the world are many and range from reasonable money right through to billionaire transport.
Yes, we could have included minivans and the like, perhaps even a regular SUV, but they’re all just … samey. For many of us, we may never be able to afford the likes of the Rolls-Royce or Bentley, but that doesn’t stop us looking, dreaming and wanting, does it? The luxury car market might be hogging all the big cars, but luckily trucks and SUVs are still available to those who want a vehicle that can eat small cars for breakfast!
What Big Cars Can You Logically Buy Today?
If you’re looking for the best large cars currently on the market today, there are plenty of decent full-size offerings in the “new car” category offering plenty of bang for your buck. When you’re out on your next car buying search, check out such modern big cars like the Ford Taurus, Kia Cadenza, Buick Lacrosse, or Chevrolet Silverado or Chevrolet Suburban models! Or if you’re looking for something with a little more history than those new car offerings, you could try and find yourself an older Chevrolet Impala and other big General Motors offerings from yesteryear instead!
