- Automakers are increasingly giving up on flagship sedans.
- In China, long-wheelbase models continue to be popular.
- Extended sedans could help fill the role of dead flagships.
The era of the flagship sedan appears to be over as a number of companies have called it quits. The Lexus LS is bowing out, while Infiniti said its goodbyes long ago. Audi appears conflicted about offering another A8, while Cadillac’s CT6 left America far too soon.
Large mainstream sedans have also fallen by the wayside as we’ve seen countless models killed off in the past decade. The casualties are too numerous to count, but we’ll mention the Chevrolet Impala, Nissan Maxima, Ford Taurus, and Volkswagen Passat. While the latter two continue to survive overseas, that’s little consolation for SUV weary Americans.
More: Is The Era Of The Flagship Sedan Over?
The general consensus is that large sedans aren’t popular enough to keep around. However, several companies continue to offer smaller models that sell in decent numbers.
This has us wondering if the West should follow China’s lead and embrace long-wheelbase sedans. The move would seemingly make a lot of sense as an Altima L could effectively serve as a Maxima successor without costing a lot of money to develop.
Likewise, a Lexus ES L could potentially fill in for the LS while also undercutting traditional flagships. Would it be as good as a purpose-built model? No, but it’d give you extra space and maybe a few extra goodies for rear seat passengers.
German automakers offer an assortment of long-wheelbase models in China, and spy photographers recently snapped a redesigned A6 L. It follows the A6 L e-tron, which has an extra 5.2 inches (132 mm) between the wheels.
Baldauf
While there are a few long-wheelbase models in the United States, they’ve typically been limited to the ultra-luxury segment. One notable exception is the Infiniti Q70L, which debuted at the 2014 New York Auto Show. Its wheelbase was stretched 5.9 inches (150 mm), which delivered more rear seat legroom as well as a stately appearance.
With all that being said, would you like to see long-wheelbase sedans offered in the United States?