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I drove a $400,000 Rolls-Royce and a $140,000 Mercedes and found what the extra $260,000 gets you

Tim LevinJan 13, 2024, 09:07 IST

I tested the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (top) and Rolls-Royce Ghost. Tim Levin/Insider

Is a $400,000 Rolls-Royce really that much better than a $140,000 Mercedes?
I drove both luxury cars to find out.

Before I drove one, I couldn't quite fathom why somebody would spend close to a half-million dollars on a Rolls-Royce when there are plenty of very luxurious cars out there that cost half or even a quarter as much. I wondered: Is a Rolls really that much nicer than, say, a nicely optioned Mercedes-Benz?

After driving a Rolls-Royce for the first time, well, I stopped wondering and started believing.

I recently got behind the wheel of a Rolls-Royce Ghost (worth about $400,000) and a Mercedes S-Class sedan (MSRP: $139,900) — and learned firsthand the difference between automotive opulence and regular old luxury.

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Mercedes’ top-of-the-line sedan is a favorite of wealthy, important folks of all stripes for a reason.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S580e. Tim Levin/Insider

The S Class is classy (pun intended), enormously spacious, and provides a degree of all-around comfort that’s almost unparalleled.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S580e. Tim Levin/Insider

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The S580e Mercedes lent me came decked out in rich leather and an interesting woven pattern on the dashboard.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S580e. Tim Levin/Insider

The quilted leather seats were plush yet supportive and had a few tricks up their sleeves: heating, cooling, and massage functions.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S580e. Tim Levin/Insider

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Elegant, colorful lighting striped throughout the cabin. I could further change the mood by turning on the fragrance setting, which distributes perfume through the air vents.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S580e. Tim Levin/Insider

Elegant, colorful lighting striped throughout the cabin. I could further change the mood by turning on the fragrance setting, which distributes perfume through the air vents.

The sound system was sublime. The neck pillows were divine.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S580e. Tim Levin/Insider

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In motion, the S580e effortlessly absorbed bumps in the road and stayed whisper-quiet.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S580e. Tim Levin/Insider

The backlit door handles popped out to greet me whenever I approached with the key fob.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S580e. Tim Levin/Insider

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All this is to say that an S Class is, for all intents and purposes, an extremely nice place to pass the time.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S580e. Tim Levin/Insider

Cruising around in one, you might even get the sense that life couldn’t possibly get any easier — until you pull up at a stoplight next to a Rolls-Royce Ghost.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S580e. Tim Levin/Insider

Cruising around in one, you might even get the sense that life couldn’t possibly get any easier — until you pull up at a stoplight next to a Rolls-Royce Ghost.

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Spending as much as a private-college education on your luxury sedan takes the experience the extra mile.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

Sure, a Mercedes may have soft-close doors, but in a Ghost you don’t need to close the doors at all. Hop in and hold down a button in the center console and your door will magically shut for you.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

Sure, a Mercedes may have soft-close doors, but in a Ghost you don’t need to close the doors at all. Hop in and hold down a button in the center console and your door will magically shut for you.

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An S-Class interior is nicer than almost anything else — don’t get me wrong.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

But a Rolls serves up a kind of elegant simplicity and attention to detail that’s tough to compete with.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

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My test car was awash in soft leather and had genuine wood accents.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

There was glistening metal all over. The air vents were solid chunks of aluminum that swiveled ever so smoothly in their housings.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

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The S Class had sleek buttons controlling how much air the vents put out. That’s nice, but in a Rolls-Royce, you get sturdy metal plungers.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

The Ghost provided an analog clock and lots of satisfying switches. That’s a contrast to the Benz’s digitized experience.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

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I especially liked the crisp digital gauges that had an old-school aesthetic.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

he Ghost glided down the road like a kayak on a glassy lake — gently rocking in response to the road but never too bothered by it.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

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My Ghost came with Rolls-Royce’s famous Starlight headliner, which relies on thousands of hand-cut, fiber-optic lights to mimic the look of a glistening night sky.

Rolls-Royce's starlight headliner.Rolls-Royce

My Ghost came with Rolls-Royce’s famous Starlight headliner, which relies on thousands of hand-cut, fiber-optic lights to mimic the look of a glistening night sky.

Other features that set the Ghost apart from regular luxury cars: Center caps on the wheels that stay upright even when the car is in motion, rear-hinged rear doors, and umbrellas in the doors.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

Other features that set the Ghost apart from regular luxury cars: Center caps on the wheels that stay upright even when the car is in motion, rear-hinged rear doors, and umbrellas in the doors.

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And if this particular Rolls isn’t quite your speed (the orange was a questionable choice, in my opinion), the company offers essentially endless customization options, so you can pick the perfect paint color and interior materials for you — for a price, of course.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

And if this particular Rolls isn’t quite your speed (the orange was a questionable choice, in my opinion), the company offers essentially endless customization options, so you can pick the perfect paint color and interior materials for you — for a price, of course.

The Ghost glided down the road like a kayak on a glassy lake — gently rocking in response to the road but never too bothered by it.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

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the other thing you’re paying for in a Rolls-Royce is exclusivity. On that front, Mercedes can’t hold a candle.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

The other thing you’re paying for in a Rolls-Royce is exclusivity. On that front, Mercedes can’t hold a candle.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

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All Rolls-Royces are hand-assembled in a single factory in England that produced some 6,000 vehicles last year. You don’t see them every day — and when you do, you can’t help but gawk.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

All Rolls-Royces are hand-assembled in a single factory in England that produced some 6,000 vehicles last year. You don’t see them every day — and when you do, you can’t help but gawk.

Mercedes, on the other hand, sells millions of cars a year. In just the first half of 2023 in the US alone, Mercedes sold over 6,000 S Classes.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S580e. Tim Levin/Insider

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If you’re having trouble choosing between these two lavish cars, remember this: If you’re in the position to shop for a Rolls-Royce, odds are you don’t have to choose at all.

The Rolls-Royce Ghost.Tim Levin/Insider

If you’re having trouble choosing between these two lavish cars, remember this: If you’re in the position to shop for a Rolls-Royce, odds are you don’t have to choose at all.

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