Sedans may have dwindled in numbers in the Indian mass market, but on the far end of the price spectrum, you’ll find some that truly befit the ‘limousine’ moniker - long on the outside, a strong and quiet powertrain beneath the skin, remarkably spacious and luxurious inside (especially for rear passengers), and packed to the gills with creature comforts. We’ve put together a list of the most expensive and opulent limousines you can currently buy in India, in ascending order of price.
6. BMW 7 Series
Price: Rs 1.84 crore to 1.87 crore
Launched here in 2023, the latest-gen 7 Series’ design may be more divisive than prior iterations, but it at least does well to make BMW’s luxo-barge stand out from the rest. The limousine's wheelbase measures at 3,215mm, and as our 7 Series review points out, this makes for superb space and comfort at the rear.
Further adding to the 7 Series’ rear-seat comfort are heated, cooled, and massaging seats, 4-zone climate control, and a ‘theatre mode,’ where a 31.3-inch 8K entertainment screen folds down from the roof, the passenger-side rear seat fully reclines, and the rear window sunshades, rear windshield blind, and panoramic sunroof close to cocoon you from the outside world and provide a theatre-esque experience.
The 7 Series can be had with 3.0-litre inline-six turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, both paired with a 48V mild-hybrid setup and an 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox as standard.
| BMW 7 Series specs | |
|---|---|
| Engine | 2993cc, 6 cyls, turbo-diesel / 2998cc, 6 cyls, turbo-petrol |
| Power (hp) | 286 / 381 |
| Torque (Nm) | 650 / 520 |
| Gearbox | 8-speed torque converter auto |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 3,215 |
5. Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Price: Rs 1.86 crore to Rs 3.34 crore
The S-Class is often seen as the gold standard of limousines, and the latest W223 generation is no different. As noted in our S-Class review, comfort at the back is excellent, with leather-wrapped seats that recline up to 43.5 degrees with heating, cooling, massage, and memory functions, as well as a Chauffeur Pack that extends the front passenger seat forward and deploys an ottoman and footrest for the rear left occupant. There’s also a 31-speaker Burmester 3D sound system, 4-zone climate control, customisable ambient lighting, and three touchscreens at the rear to control seat functions.
Mercedes-Benz offers the standard S-Class with 3.0-litre inline-six turbocharged petrol mild-hybrid and diesel engines - paired with a 9-speed torque converter automatic gearbox as standard. Buyers who want a bit more oomph from their limousine can look toward the AMG S 63 E Performance, which gets a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain generating a combined 1,430Nm - the highest torque output on this list - and mated to a 9-speed dual-clutch transmission.
| Mercedes-Benz S-Class specs | |
|---|---|
| Engine | 2925cc, 6 cyls, turbo-diesel / 2999cc, 6 cyls, turbo-petrol / 3982cc, V8, twin-turbo petrol plug-in hybrid |
| Power (hp) | 286 / 367 / 802 (combined) |
| Torque (Nm) | 600 / 500 / 1,430 (combined) |
| Gearbox | 9-speed torque converter auto / 9-speed DCT (AMG S 63) |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 3,216 |
4. BMW i7
Price: Rs 2.05 crore to 2.50 crore
The current-gen 7 Series also spawned the BMW flagship sedan’s first all-electric counterpart: the i7. On the surface, the i7 is identical to the 7 Series save for some unique badging and EV-specific blue highlights, and this holds true for the interior and feature list as well. Notably, the i7 is the only EV on this list.
In our review of the i7, we found that the rear seats were just as plush and sumptuous as its ICE-powered sibling, and despite the battery pack being located underneath the floor, legroom and seating position haven’t been compromised either.
Coming to the main differentiator of the i7, the limousine gets a huge 101.7kWh battery pack that powers two electric motors - one for each axle - delivering a WLTP-certified range of 603km. There’s a feistier M70 trim of the i7 on offer too, which extracts 200hp and 365Nm more from the same powertrain, but this drops the claimed range to 560km.
| BMW i7 specs | |
|---|---|
| Battery capacity (kWh) | 101.7 |
| Electric motor setup | Dual synchronous motors, axle-mounted |
| Power (hp) | 449 / 650 (M70) |
| Torque (Nm) | 650 / 1,015 |
| Claimed range (km) | 603 / 560 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 3,215 |
3. Mercedes-Maybach S-Class
Price: Rs 2.83 crore to 3.88 crore
The Maybach S-Class is Mercedes-Benz’s ultimate expression of luxury, and differentiates itself from the standard S-Class with a different grille, new alloy wheels, extra chrome trim, and most notably, a 180mm increase in wheelbase.
This directly translates to a major improvement in rear-seat legroom, as pointed out in our Maybach S 680 Night Series review, and the limo also gets a First Class Suite package where the rear seats can fully recline and deploy a leg rest at the touch of a button - allowing occupants to comfortably stretch their legs.
Other notable features at the back include heating, cooling, and massaging seats, powered rear doors, dual entertainment screens, 4-zone climate control, ultra-soft pillows, and even a removable fridge. As for what moves the Maybach S-Class, the limo is available with either a 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 or a 6.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V12 - both of which are paired with a 9-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.
| Mercedes-Maybach S-Class specs | |
|---|---|
| Engine | 3982cc, V8, twin-turbo petrol / 5980cc, V12, twin-turbo petrol |
| Power (hp) | 503 / 612 |
| Torque (Nm) | 700 / 900 |
| Gearbox | 9-speed torque converter auto |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 3,396 |
Bentley Flying Spur (honorable mention)
Prices to be announced soon
Before we head into the top two rankings, it’s worth mentioning the 2024 facelift of the Bentley Flying Spur, which will soon launch in India. It eschews the iconic Bentley W12 engine in favour of a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plug-in hybrid setup, which just so happens to be the strongest powertrain fitted to a Flying Spur to date. Bentley recently debuted a 680hp version of this V8 hybrid too - positioned as the entry-level powertrain for the Flying Spur. Both of these are expected to be available in India.
Inside, the Flying Spur features quilted leather upholstery, a 10-speaker sound system, 4-zone climate control, Bentley’s hallmark rotatable display (12.3-inch touchscreen, three analogue dials, or a slab of handcrafted veneer), heated, cooled, and massaging rear seats, and more.
One of the more notable (optional) creature comforts included with the Flying Spur is Bentley’s Wellness Seating, which comprises a Seat Auto-Climate function that monitors temperature and humidity at the surface of the seat and automatically adjusts them to keep occupants comfortable, as well as Postural Adjust, which uses air pockets in the seat to vary the pressure exerted on occupants’ muscles, and in turn prevent fatigue on long drives.
| Bentley Flying Spur plug-in hybrid specs | |
|---|---|
| Engine | 3996cc, V8, twin-turbo petrol |
| Battery capacity (kWh) | 25.9kWh |
| Power (hp) (combined) | 782 / 680 |
| Torque (Nm) (combined) | 1,000 / 930 |
| Gearbox | 8-speed DCT |
| Electric-only range (km) | 76 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 3,194 |
2. Rolls-Royce Ghost
Price: Rs 8.95 crore to 10.52 crore
Although there’s a chasmic price gap of over Rs 5 crore between the Maybach S-Class and Ghost, the latter is somehow the most affordable four-door Rolls-Royce offers. Entry-level it may be, but when we reviewed the Ghost Series 2 facelift earlier this year, we found the limo to be extremely comfortable thanks to the super-soft cushioning and headrest pillows on its reclinable seats.
Legroom is immense even for the short-wheelbase Ghost, with the 170mm longer EWB version upping it further. It also comes equipped with Rolls-Royce’s signature starlight headliner, which emulates the night sky and will even throw across a ‘shooting star’ at random. The Ghost can be had with a sole 6.75-litre twin-turbo petrol V12 in varying states of tune, hooked up to an 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox.
| Rolls-Royce Ghost Series 2 specs | |
|---|---|
| Engine | 6749cc, V12, twin-turbo petrol |
| Power (hp) | 571 / 600 (Black Badge) |
| Torque (Nm) | 850 / 900 |
| Gearbox | 8-speed torque converter auto |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 3,295 (SWB, Black Badge) / 3,465 (EWB) |
1. Rolls-Royce Phantom
Price: Rs 12.87 crore to 15.07 crore
Coming in at pole position on this list is the Rolls-Royce Phantom - best described as a stately manor on wheels that also happens to be the most expensive car currently on sale in India. We first reviewed the current-gen Phantom almost eight years ago, so it’s been around for a while.
However, the Phantom is still the last word in sheer opulence thanks to its deep-pile carpets, elegantly-stitched leather upholstery, fine-grain wood trim, sumptuously-cushioned seats, feather-filled headrests, and more. With wheelbases of 3,552mm and 3,772mm for the SWB and LWB versions respectively, the Phantom is also the longest car here, which translates to an abundance of rear legroom.
Notable creature comforts in the Phantom include reclinable rear seats with heating, cooling, and massaging functions, powered doors, starlight headliner, in-built coolbox, and more. Under its long bonnet, the Phantom gets the same 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 and 8-speed torque converter gearbox as the Ghost.
| Rolls-Royce Phantom specs | |
|---|---|
| Engine | 6749cc, V12, twin-turbo petrol |
| Power (hp) | 571 |
| Torque (Nm) | 900 |
| Gearbox | 8-speed torque converter |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 3,552 (SWB) / 3,772 (EWB) |
All prices ex-showroom, India.
Also see:
Rolls Royce Ghost: FAQs on price, features, engine answered
10 most expensive ICE SUVs in India
