2024 Mercedes-Benz Maybach

If such a thing exists, the Bentley Flying Spur is the driver's car of the ultra-luxe sedan segment. It's shorter than the Maybach and offers three powertrains, including two turbocharged big-power options (a V8 and W12) and a plug-in hybrid that uses a turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 and offers an EPA-estimated 21 miles of all-electric range. All-wheel drive is standard. If driving matters, then choose the Flying Spur. But if you plan to ride in the back, the Maybach may be the better, more comfortable choice.

If the S-Class is the starter ultra-luxe sedan, then the Rolls-Royce Ghost is the pinnacle of the segment. The Ghost offers a square-edged "Look at me. I matter" presence wherever it goes. And it comes in an extended-wheelbase version that's even longer than the Maybach. It disregards aerodynamics, fuel economy and plebeian stares with the indifference of a self-assured aristocrat.

Don't ignore the S-Class as an alternative to the Maybach just because it lacks the Maybach's bourgeois namesake. Though it's shorter — there are 126 inches between its wheel centers instead of 133 inches — there's still ample rear seat room for most people. And nobody has ever criticized the S-Class for lacking features, quality or innovation. In fact, in many ways, the S-Class leads the tiny segment of luxury sedans, especially when it comes to breakthrough technologies.