When it comes to luxury, bigger often means better. Why else do you think the most opulent, comfortable, and expensive chariots on the planet have mile-long wheelbases, massive power, and enough rear seat room to throw a party? At least, that’s what Rolls-Royce must’ve been thinking when it developed the Cullinan. Size is what people want, and as long as they’re willing to take out five-year loans with insane interest rates, companies are going to give them, until they find a way to do more with less, that is.

Rolls-Royce

One of the oldest and most respected ultra-luxury automakers, Rolls-Royce was established in 1904 by Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. The duo quickly made a name for themselves as excellent engineers, and later on developed aeroplan engines through the world wars. In the early 70s, the business was liquidated and some parts of it bought over by a government-owned company. It was sold to the public in 1987, and since 2003, has been a subsidiary of Rolls-Ryce Holdings plc. It is recognized as a leader in ultra-high-end coachbuilt cars that require a substantial outlay to acquire.

Founded

1906 (Rolls-Royce Limited)

Founder

Charles Rolls & Henry Royce

Headquarters

Goodwood, England

Owned By

BMW

Current CEO

Chris Brownridge

However, there have been times when automakers promised a premium luxury driving experience, but came up short due to an engine choice that just didn’t fit. There have been plenty of reasons for this, whether it be for the sake of fuel efficiency or simply a lower starting price, but there’s no denying there’s something funny about a big vehicle with a tiny power plant. Here are 10 large luxury and premium segment sedans that have been offered with tiny engines, and the list goes from small to puny pretty quickly.

10

1986-1991 Mercedes-Benz 260SE

Engine: 2.6-liter Inline-6

As one of the most famous and renowned luxury generations of all time, the W126 S-Class is a benchmark in automotive luxury. The vehicle is lauded for its engineering, quality, and timeless style, but that didn’t mean it was immune to some underpowered engine choices. The second series of the second-gen model, sold in the mid ’80s, featured a 2.6-liter inline six at the very bottom of the lineup that made a measly 168 hp (without a catalytic converter) to move a car that weighed a hair under 3,500 lbs. This meant the leisurely stroll to 60 mph took over 10 seconds, which probably wasn’t too bad given how great a place these vehicles were to spend some time.

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9

1996-2001 BMW 725tds (E38)

Engine: 2.5-liter Straight-6 Turbodiesel

While there are many reasons to be jealous of diesel offerings abroad, we’re not sure the 725tds is one of them. First, the good: BMW had big shoes to fill when it needed to produce a replacement for the E32 7 Series, and the resulting E38 was everything we could have asked for and more. This was definitely a golden era for the company, as the contemporary 5 Series and 3 Series generations are also icons in their own right, but what sets the 7 Series apart is its sleek, handsome, unassuming interior and mixed with athletic luxury that features some of the greatest engines the nameplate has ever seen.

However, the 2.5-liter turbodiesel wasn’t one of them, unless fuel economy and tax avoidance were your concern. This measly engine only produced 143 horsepower, but torque was okay at 207 ft-lbs. However, in a car that weighed almost 4,000 lbs, you weren’t getting anywhere fast, but at least the range was incredible thanks to a 22.5-gallon tank and up to 31.5 mpg combined.

8

1979-1985 Peugeot 604

Engine: 2.4-liter Inline-4 Turbodiesel

The Peugeot 604 was an attempt to confidently break into the executive-class market in Europe in the late 1970s, but the oil crisis and tough competition saw that it didn’t happen. However, all things considered, the 604 was a pretty solid entry. Designed by Pininfarina, the sedan debuted an attractive, assertive look inside and out, and the company even boasted “The engineering of the Mercedes-Benz 280E, the handling of the BMW 5 Series and the elegance of the Jaguar XJ6,” in adverts from the time.

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It can even boast being the first production sedan to be offered with a turbodiesel engine in Europe, but its 80 horsepower did little to generate more sales, despite the engine and the overall vehicle receiving plenty of praise from the press.

7

1984-1994 Lancia Thema

Engine: 2.0-liter Inline-4 8V

The Lancia Thema was one of the more stylish and understated executive cars of the 1980s, and it was unique in that its platform was shared with vehicles from Alfa Romeo, Fiat, and even Saab. It wasn’t the sharpest model of the period, nor is it the biggest vehicle on this list, but the boxy styling is very typically 1980s “premium sedan”, and it was impressively well-packaged. When anyone talks about this vehicle, they love to discuss the Thema 8.32, a hopped-up Italian sedan with a Ferrari V8 under the hood, but why have a V8 when you can get an 8V 2.0-liter inline-four instead? Anyone? Yeah, we know.

6

1983-1984 Opel Senator 2.0E

Engine: 2.0-liter Inline-4

While we aren’t used to hearing the Opel name on our shores, it’s a well-established brand abroad with a long history of impressive cars, although not necessarily in the premium market these days. The Senator arrived in 1978 as the company’s largest sedan, set to replace the aging Diplomat model, which had been on sale since 1969 as an “executive” sedan. It arrived with a very modern, aerodynamic appearance, with large taillights and headlights, and a clean, but somewhat spartan interior that made it’s executive aspirations feel slightly out of reach.

It came with many different powertrains, including a 180-horsepower 3.0-liter inline-six and a paltry 2.3-liter turbodiesel making only 86 horsepower. The 2.0-liter E and EC models made a bit more, but 109 horsepower still isn’t much, and certainly wouldn’t have been worthy of the OPC badge.

5

1984-1992 Renault 25

Engine: 2.0-liter I4

Renault hasn’t always been a brand known for its luxury sedans, but the 25 aimed to bring it to the forefront of the market. Introduced in 1984, the model was given an unconventional notchback style with the aim of pleasing foreign customers who wanted a sedan and local customers who wanted a hatchback.

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Most of the interior is relatively inoffensive, although the boring 2.0-liter inline-four engine at the bottom of the range could be perceived as such, but the interior was excellent. Here, the odd shape lent to extra space in the rear, and the passenger area was full-blown futuristic thanks to being designed by Marcello Gandini, with a layout well before its time that even offered a voice assistant in the top trim that would report on vehicle functions and tell you about upcoming maintenance.

4

1985 Citroën CX 20

Engine: 2.0-liter Inline-4

The Citroën CX was the last in a long line of incredible, larger Citroën models, and although it wasn’t as gorgeous as the DS or SM, it’s still a ridiculously fabulous affair. First, the Kammback bodystyle cut between a hatchback and a sedan, and it looked much better than the previous Renault on this list. It was considered a proper premium car for its time.

The base 2.0-liter engine was paltry, but it returned impressive gas mileage and was enough to help you float through the streets on the car’s brilliant hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension. Supposedly, the car was initially envisioned with a rotary engine, and hearing the high-pitch revving of an engine like that in a futuristic car like this would have truly been something.

3

1998-2005 Rover 75

Engine: 1.8-liter I4

The Rover 75 was one of Britain’s last true non-ultra-luxury sedans, and while its nostalgic styling may not be for everyone, it did make a name for itself as a comfortable vehicle with quality craftsmanship. The Rover V8 gets all the headlines, but at the bottom of the range sat a tiny, 1.8-liter inline-four that was big on fuel economy and not much else.

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However, the car was truly doomed from the start, as the model arrived after BMW acquired the Rover brand, and quickly cast negative comments that the brand would struggle without help from the British government to keep its factory open. Unfortunately, it wasn’t lying, and just a few years after it was introduced, the brand was gone.

2

1981 Ford Granada (Europe)

Engine: 1.6-liter I4

Ford’s European-market Granada was a massive change from the Granada we received in the US. While ours was malaise era gold, the one abroad could likely be mistaken for a BMW or Mercedes if you saw it from afar. It came in various trims, with the Cologne V6s coming in at the top of the range, but if you needed or wanted something smaller to save money and gas, the company downsized all the way to a Pinto-derived 1.6-liter inline-four, which made a paltry 74 horsepower. We don’t care if this car is old; this is just pitiful, and acceleration could best be described as glacial.

1

2015–2024 Skoda Superb (B8)

Engine: 1.4-liter Turbocharged I4

This one surprised us, but the barge with the smallest engine only arrived just a few years ago. We’re not used to Skoda here in the US, but the brand has been one of Europe’s best-kept luxury secrets for years. This is the third generation of the Superb line, and it was the first to move over to the MQB platform, resembling the VW Passat. While we would hear arguments that this is more of a premium sedan than a luxury one, it likely has more comfort than most vehicles on this list, and it’s massive in comparison to most of them. The base 1.4-liter engine is weak, however, even if its power output is impressive relative to its size, it’s a testament that turbocharging is incredible.

Sources: Ford, Volkswagen, Stellantis, Renault, BMW, Mercedes-Benz