The arrival this fall of the technology-laden 2014 Mercedes-Benz S550 will set off a new debate about who is at the peak of the premium luxury pecking order. Mercedes will have a strong argument. The $100,000 sedan is festooned with more gadgets and gizmos than a Christmas tree has ornaments, all in an effort to keep M-B ahead of top-shelf rivals BMW, Audi, and Lexus.

    One ranking will not be in dispute, however: As it has since 1972, the S-class sedan will remain the flagship of the Mercedes car line: the grandest, lushest, and most prestigious car coming out of Stuttgart.

    Flagship cars represent the pinnacle of achievement for a particular brand. They set the tone for an entire line. They are not to be confused with halo cars -- attention-getting though often impractical designs intended to draw customers into a showroom but that few people are expected to buy. The Mercedes SLR is a halo car; the S-class is the flagship.

    As sales accelerate in the U.S, and particularly in China, more attention is being paid to flagships as an attraction for upscale customers. A look at recent developments:  

    随着科技含量很高的2014梅塞德斯奔驰（Mercedes-Benz）S550即将于今年秋天上市，新一场关于谁将问鼎豪华轿车排行榜榜首的争论也将难以避免，而挟S550而来的奔驰有很大的胜算。这台售价10万美元的轿车所装备的高科技设备比一棵圣诞树上的装饰品还多，而这都是为了超过它的劲敌——宝马（BMW）、奥迪（Audi）和雷克萨斯（Lexus）的同级轿车。

    但是有一个排名勿庸置疑。自从1972年以来，S级轿车就是奔驰产品线中的旗舰，它是奔驰生产的最大、最豪华、也是最有声誉的一款车型。

    旗舰车型代表了一个品牌的巅峰成就，为整个产品线奠定了基石。不过不要把它们与所谓的“光环车”混淆了——光环车通常利用一些华而不实的设计把顾客吸引到展厅来，但是真正购买光环车的人很少。奔驰SLR就是一辆光环车，S级则是旗舰车。

    随着高端汽车销售在美国而且尤其是在中国的加速，越来越多的高端用户开始关注各大厂商的旗舰车型。以下就是最近的几款旗舰车型。

Mercedes S550: Reigning flagship

    As the reviewer from Car & Driver pointed out, the new S-class has features you never knew you needed, like two gear ratios for reverse, a hot stone massage setting for the rear seats, and high-strength air conditioning specially for North American customers. The price of leadership is steep -- just short of six figures. But then thinking ahead for its customers is what keeps Mercedes at the head of the prestige pack: Sales of the outgoing model were actually higher during the past six months than they were in 2012.

奔驰S550：统治级旗舰

    就像《人车志》（Car & Driver ）杂志的评测人员指出的那样，新S550拥有一些连你自己都不知道你自己需要的功能，比如两个倒档，一个后排的热石按摩装置，一个专门为北美客户准备的高强度空调。当然，这样一辆统治级轿车的价格也很贵，差一点就达到了六位数。但是超前为客户着想正是让奔驰一直领先于其他对手的原因。过去的六个月里，老款S550的销量甚至比2012年的销量还高。

Cadillac: Promising flagship

    The aspiration brand from General Motors (GM, Fortune 500) has been sending out conflicting signals. First came word that Cadillac would not be putting out a flagship based on the Ciel, a drop-top four-door show car. At some $100,000 a copy, the proposed vehicle was deemed economically unfeasible. But then came reports that Cadillac is still developing a top-of-the line four-door to put up against the Germans and Japanese. Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson confirmed its existence in an interview with USA Today in July. The car will be based on the 2014 Cadillac CTS (above), be available in an all-wheel drive configuration, and will be positioned above Cadillac's current flagship, the XTS. Look for it in late 2016.

凯迪拉克：前景光明的旗舰

    通用汽车（General Motors）旗下的高端品牌凯迪拉克（Cadillac）近来发出了一些自相矛盾的信号。先是听说凯迪拉克不会推出一辆基于四门敞篷概念车Ciel的量产轿车。因为这样一辆轿车的售价将达到10万美元左右，在经济上是不现实的。后来又有消息传出，称凯迪拉克仍在研发一款顶级四门轿车，以对抗德系和日系高端轿车。今年七月，通用总裁兼CEO丹•阿克森在接受《今日美国》（USA Today）采访时也确认了它的存在。这款车型可能是基于2014款凯迪拉克CTS（上图）打造的，可提供全轮驱动。它的定位可能高于凯迪拉克目前的旗舰车型XTS，预计将在2016年末上市。

Volkswagen Phaeton: Tarnished flagship

    Less a sales success in the U.S. during its run from 2004 to 2006, the Phaeton nevertheless has remained in production since then and now will be returning to America. Industry scuttlebutt has VW unveiling a 2015 model making a debut in January at the Detroit auto show -- at the insistence of Chairman Martin Winterkorn, who has declared that a brand as popular as VW needs a flagship vehicle. The Phaeton was well-reviewed in its debut appearance and was viewed as a value play. How the new car will bridge the still-yawning price gap with the rest of VW's product line -- a major stumbling block the first time around -- is yet to be determined.

大众辉腾：黯淡的旗舰

    辉腾（Phaeton）2004年到2006年间在美国卖得并不成功，不过这款车型还在一直生产，而且不久后还会重返美国。据传在大众汽车（VW）总裁马丁•文德恩的坚持下，大众将在明年1月的底特律车展上展出2015款辉腾。文德恩认为，像大众这样受欢迎的品牌需要一款旗舰车型。辉腾在首次公开亮相时受到了评测者的好评，也被视为是一项价值投资。但是新辉腾与大众其它车型之间巨大的价格鸿沟应该如何衔接，现在还没有答案，这也是上一次就给辉腾的销量造成了麻烦的问题。

Acura RLX: Wannabe flagship

    Long an underachiever in the luxury car wars, Acura tried shock treatment earlier this year when it launched the all-new RLX sedan, replete with such features as all-wheel steering and a slew of control-seizing safety devices But having sold just a few more than 1,500 units since the beginning of the year, the RLX is proving sadly inadequate at flying Acura's brand flag. Blame it on an anonymous profile that commands no attention, along with an absence of a V-8 engine or rear-drive platform. Honda's (HMC) Acura brand will likely command more attention with the halo from the $100,000 NSX supercar due next year.

讴歌RLX：不自量力的旗舰

    讴歌（Acura）一向在豪车战中表现不佳。今年，它推出了一款全新轿车RLX，希望借此扳回一城。RLX搭载了全轮驱动和一系列主动安全设备，但是从年初至今只卖出了1,500台，以悲惨的事实证明它不并适合挂上讴歌的徽标。RLX失败的主要原因包括外型毫无特点，缺少一款V8引擎或后驱平台等。等到明年价值10万美元的NSX超跑上市时，或许能给讴歌带来更多的关注。

Range Rover: All-weather flagship

    The stately Range Rover, with its unmistakable profile, immense girth, and royal associations, practically screams flagship. While the product range that it tops is comparatively slight (Evoque, LR2, LR4, Sport), the Range Rover's distinguished history (dating from 1948) and unmatched brand identity make it exemplary. With a base price of $83,000 and more off-road capability than anyone really needs, the Range Rover is nobody's idea of practicality -- which makes this fourth-generation model, the first produced by India's Tata, all the more appealing.

路虎揽胜：全天候旗舰

    庄严霸气的路虎揽胜（Range Rover）凭借独树一帜的外形、巨大的尺寸和它的皇家血统，实在是一款令人尖叫的旗舰。虽然它的产品阵容比较小（极光、LR2、LR4、运动版），但揽胜的品牌历史（从1948年至今）和无与伦比的品牌识别度却使它成了行业的典范。这款车型的起价是83,000美元，而且提供了强悍的越野能力，人们买它并不是冲着实用去的，而这也使得第四代揽胜——它也是印度塔塔集团（Tata）收购后推出的第一款揽胜——显得更有吸引力。

Infiniti Q80: Future flagship

    Infiniti hasn't produced a true flagship since the late, lamented Q45 went out of production in 2006. Now Johan de Nysschen, who was poached from Audi, has announced that it will be developing a vehicle for the 2018 model year that will sit above the current M56 (above) in the Infiniti product line. There's no word on whether it will be adopt the V-8 power and rear-drive of the old Q, but chances are it will not be saddled with the belt-buckle front emblem and rocks-and-trees advertising campaign of the car, either.

英菲尼迪Q80：下一站旗舰

    自从Q45于2006年停产以来，英菲尼迪（Infiniti）还没有生产过一款真正的旗舰车型。不过从奥迪跳槽过来的新总裁约翰•德•尼琛近日表示，英菲尼迪将为2018年度开发一款新车型，它在英菲尼迪产品线中的定位将高于上图中的M56。我们还不知道它是否会继承Q45的V8发动机和后驱设计。不过这次它可能不会再犯以前的错误，把前车标设计得像皮带扣一样，或是播放一个只有石头和树、但没有出现任何汽车画面的电视广告。

Hyundai Equus: Economical flagship

    Hyundai upgraded its top-shelf contender with underdog credentials for 2014 with a restyled grille and headlamps, a refined suspension, and a redecorated interior. With its V-8 powered rear-drive platform, an array of luxury features and fittings, and superior fit and finish, Equus flaunts everything except a prestige nameplate and premium price (it starts at $61,000). Exclusivity is guaranteed however: Sales are running at 200 a month.

现代雅科仕：经济型旗舰

    为了备战2014年度的豪车市场，现代（Hyundai）对现款雅科仕（Equus）进行了升级，重新设计了格栅和大灯，改进了悬挂，对内饰也进行了重新设计。这款车型具有V8引擎、后驱、各种享受型配置以及高端的做工，唯一缺少的就是声誉卓著的品牌徽标和一个高端的售价（起价只有61,000美元）。不过你肯定不用担心它变成“街车”，因为它的销量只有每月200台左右。

Lincoln: Invisible flagship

    In its search for seams in its competitors' defenses, Lincoln has declined to fight the flagship wars. It wants to go after younger buyers who don't yearn for a big, expensive sedan, and due to its decision to stick with Ford's (F, Fortune 500) One World product plan, it lacks a proper rear-drive or V-8 engine anyway. Too bad. Whether under a Lincoln or Continental badge, it has produced memorable designs both under Edsel Ford (1939) and his son, William Clay Ford (1955).

林肯：隐形的旗舰

    林肯（Lincoln）一边在寻找竞争对手的漏洞，一边对旗舰轿车大战敬谢不敏。林肯希望吸引那些年轻买家，而这些年轻买家对又大又贵的轿车并不痴迷。由于林肯坚持福特公司（Ford）的“同一个世界”的产品计划，因此它也缺乏一个合适的后驱平台和一台V8发动机。太可惜了。不管是林肯还是欧陆（Continental），这两个品牌最令人难忘的经典车型差不多都是在艾德索•福特（1939年）和其子威廉•凯利•福特（1955年）时代生产的。

Lexus LS 460: Quiet flagship

    Even though it claimed half of its 6,000 parts were new, Toyota's (TM) Lexus unit failed to set the world on fire when it updated its flagship LS 460 for the 2013 model year. Most of the enthusiast attention was focused on the F Sport performance variant and the outgoing LFA supercar. But then Lexus was never one to raise its voice, even when its sales-rate these days is well short of a thousand LS cars a month -- a quarter of the number it sold during the early '90s.

雷克萨斯LS460：安静的旗舰

    虽然雷克萨斯（Lexus）声称，其旗舰车型LS460的升级版的6,000多个零件里有一半都是全新设计的，但是这款车型却没有点燃全世界的激情。大多数雷克萨斯的车迷把注意力放在了它的F Sport高性能版和LFA超跑上。即便LS460如今的销量甚至还达不到每月1,000台，还不如90年代的四分之一，但雷克萨斯仍然保持了低调淡定。

Maserati Quattroporte: Fashion flagship

    Maserati rolled out a new range-topper for the 2014 model year that seemed to shave some of the spikier points from its Italian personality in favor of a more generalized appeal. It's bigger, with more width and wheelbase, but blander. Reviewers were especially critical of interior bits that seemed to come straight from Chrysler's parts bin. But how can you not love a car that flaunts its fashionability by offering 13 color choices for stitching, 11 for the seat piping, and 10 for the steering wheel?   

玛莎拉蒂总裁版：时尚旗舰

    玛莎拉蒂（Maserati）推出的全新2014款总裁版似乎为迎合大众品味而砍掉了一些浓郁的意大利风格。它的尺寸更大、更宽，轮距也更长了，但是少了几分特色。评测人员尤其批评了它的内饰，因为它看起来就像是直接用了克莱斯勒（Chrysler）的零件。不过对于一款提供了13种颜色的坐椅缝线、11种座椅花色、10种方向盘颜色的时尚跑车来说，谁能不爱上它呢？ 

Audi A-8: Senior flagship

    Though it was introduced as long ago as 2009, the A8 seems as modern as today, with its aluminum frame and all-wheel drive, while affordable with a price that starts at $75,100. The next-gen model isn't due until 2016.

奥迪A8：高端旗舰

    虽然奥迪A8在2009年就已经面世，但从它的铝合金框架和全轮驱动来看，到今天仍然一点也不落伍，75,100美元的起价也没有高到让人难以接受的程度。下一代的奥迪A8将于2016年问世。

BMW 7-series: Senior flagship II

    BMW's 7-series is equally aged as the Audi and also gets a redo in 2016 when the application of large doses of carbon fiber squeeze as much as 500 pounds off its weight. In the meantime, $73,600 can get you into a 2013 model.

宝马7系：高级旗舰2号

    现款宝马7系与奥迪A8是同一年推出的，而且它们也将在2016年共同迎来下一代车型。届时，碳纤维材料的大量使用将使其车身重量在现款基础上减轻500磅（约226公斤）。另外，你只要花上73,600美元就能买到一辆2013款宝马7系。（财富中文网）

    译者：朴成奎