The Bigger, The Better: The Largest Vehicles From The Past And Present
The 1960s and the '70s saw some of the largest automobiles of all time. American cars built during those times kept growing in size, as most buyers only wanted enormous land yachts. Back then, two-door coupes were easily over 18 feet long!
While the demand for gigantic cars dropped significantly after the oil crisis, there is still a market for oversized vehicles. Automakers across the world develop huge SUVs and pickup trucks to satisfy buyers in North America. These are the biggest cars ever made, both past and present.
Conquest Knight XV
The Conquest Knight XV may very well be one of the most intimidating automobiles money could buy. This crazy SUV is fully armored and intended to be used to safely transport VIPs, or become a daily driver of an equally crazy owner. Its armor can reportedly protect occupants from gunfire, or even huge blasts.
This monstrosity is based on a Ford F550 heavy-duty pickup truck. The Knight XV is around 20 feet long and weighs around 5.5 tons. Pricing starts at around $500,000.
Chrysler Newport
The Newport was first introduced on the market as a stylish dual-cowl phaeton back in the 1940s. It remained on the market all the way until 1981, with an 11-year long break starting in 1950. The fourth-gen of the Newport debuted in 1965 as the heaviest Chrysler ever made. It also measured over 18 feet in length!
The massive size of the Newport, as well as its enormous big-block V8 beneath the hood, did not help its sales after the '73 fuel crisis. Sales began plummeting and the model was eventually discontinued in the early 80s.
Cadillac Eldorado
Very few American cars are as iconic as the beloved Cadillac Eldorado. This luxurious landyacht first hit the market back in the early 50s and remained in continuous production for half a century.
In terms of size, the Eldorado peaked around the beginning of the 70s. By then, this magnificent ninth generation of the Eldorado had grown to 18 and a half feet in length. It weighed 2.5 tons, hence an enormous 8.2L V8 was somewhat justified. It only produced 235 horsepower, though.
Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight
The Ninety-Eight was yet another solid piece of proof that American buyers were going crazy for massive landyachts throughout the 60s and the 70s. The ninth generation, introduced in the early 70s, packed a massive 7.5L V8 beneath the hood rated at a whopping 320 horsepower.
This overpowered piece of steel was very large, too. Units built between 1974 through 75 were the longest of them all, measuring a whopping 232.4 inches in total! To this day, it remains the largest Oldsmobile ever produced.
Hummer H1
The H1 was Hummer's first production vehicle, and it was crazy to say the least. The vehicle was essentially a street-legal version of the Humvee military vehicle. The H1 packed a gigantic V8 under the hood, powered by either gas or diesel. The powerplant quickly became infamous for its truly awful fuel economy.
The dimensions of the H1 are equally outrageous. This enormous truck is over 86 inches wide, as the Humvee had to be wide enough to fit into tracks left behind by tanks and other military vehicles. The H1 also measures 184.5 inches, or over 15 feet in length.
Lincoln Navigator L
The Navigator is a full-size luxury SUV that first hit the market in the late 90s. The vehicle is marketed as a Lincoln, a subsidiary of Ford. The latest, fourth generation of this SUV debuted for the 2018 model year and quickly made headlines across the globe. The redesigned Navigator was more luxurious and modern than any of its predecessors.
The base Navigator SWB is already rather long, measuring 210 inches in overall length. The long wheelbase version is a whole different ball game, as it adds an extra 12 inches to the length! In effect, the Navigator L is one of the largest cars you can buy today.
Dodge Charger
The infamous fourth generation of the Charger hit the market back in 1975. It left most of the muscle car enthusiasts underwhelmed, to say the least. The car looked nowhere near as muscular as its predecessors. Gone were the powerful V8 motors, the largest engine offered in the fourth-gen was a 400-cubic inch eight-cylinder.
This vehicle is considered to be one of the worst downgrades in the history of automobiles. Nonetheless, this horrendous coupe was extremely long. It measured 18 feet in length! Unsurprisingly, Dodge discontinued the model just 3 years after its debut.
Ford Excursion
The Excursion was a truly massive SUV. Ford introduced this model on the market for the 1999 model year. The idea behind it was quite similar to Chevy's Suburban- a spacious body fitted on the platform of a truck. In fact, the Excursion was based on the frame of a heavy-duty F250 pickup.
The Excursion was even larger than its pickup truck sibling, coming in at nearly 20 feet in length. Thanks to its massive sive, the Excursion could seat up to 9 passengers plus nearly 50 cubic inches of cargo space in the trunk. Talk about practicality.
Chevrolet Suburban
Chevy originally introduced the Suburban nameplate back in the mid-30s. The first-ever Suburban was innovative at the time, as it featured a practical station wagon body built on the frame of a half-ton truck. In effect, the Suburban combined the practicality of an estate with the durability of a truck.
Nearly a century later, the Suburban is still a part of Chevrolet's lineup. The latest, twelfth generation of this enormous SUV is 225 inches long! The Suburban is offered with a V8 motor as standard, as well as a Duramax diesel-powered variant.
GMC Yukon Denali XL
The Yukon initially started off as a rebadged version of the Chevrolet Suburban that hit the market in the early 90s. Today, however, the Yukon Denali XL is a tiny bit shorter than the Chevy, slightly redesigned, and powered by a different motor.
The GMC Yukon Denali XL measures 224.3 inches in length, which isn't all that different than the Suburban's 224.4-inch length. Instead of the 5.3L V8 found in the Suburban, the Yukon received a more powerful 6.2L V8 under the hood. Its 420-horsepower motor surely helps move this 3-ton monstrosity.
International CXT
International released this gigantic truck back in 2004. It surely was a dream come true for any fan of lifted pickup trucks. The CXT was larger and crazier than anything available on the market until that point. It was only sold for four years at the starting price of roughly $115,000.
The CXT is a massive 7-ton truck that must have been a breeze to drive around town. It weighs around 7 tons and measures over 21 feet in total length. In the rear, the CXT packs a pickup truck bed borrowed from a Ford F-550 Super Duty.
Bentley Mulsanne EWB
The mighty Rolls Royce Phantom isn't the only massive luxury vehicle made in Great Britain. In fact, the long wheelbase version of the Bentley Mulsanne is nearly identical in length. It measures a whopping 229 inches, or a little over 19 feet.
Unlike Rolls Royce, Bentley chose an eight-cylinder motor to power the largest vehicle in its lineup. Mulsanne's V8 motor peaks at 506 horsepower. As a result, this enormous limousine can gracefully shoot up to 60 miles per hour in around 7 seconds. It's not a sports car, after all.
Rolls Royce Phantom
Few cars are as impressive as Rolls Royce's flagship model, the Phantom. This iconic limousine starts at over $450,000 before any extra options, making the Phantom one of the favorite picks among the super-rich.
The long wheelbase variant of the latest Phantom is a little less than 20 feet long! This luxury vehicle is not exactly light, either. In fact, it weighs around 3 tons. Despite the heavy weight, the Phantom can accelerate to 60mph in 5.1 seconds thanks to its 563-horsepower V12 powerplant.
Chevrolet Impala
The Impala has become a true icon of American automobiles. This beautiful full-size first hit the market back in 1958, only to become one of Chevrolet's best-selling cars within just a few years. The Impala remained in continuous production until the mid-80s, and then made two returns in the 90s and the 2000s respectively.
Back in the late 50s, the Impala was one of the best commuter cars a buyer could pick. It packed a powerful V8 under the hood and featured distinctive styling. These cars were massive, too! In fact, an early 2-door Chevy Impala would measure around 17 and a half feet in overall length.
Ford Expedition MAX
The Expedition MAX is the largest SUV currently offered by Ford. Although it's not exactly a small vehicle, the Expedition MAX is nowhere near as large as some of the older vehicles on our list. In fact, it's an entire foot shorter than the Ford Excursion.
Much like the Excursion, the Expedition MAX appeared on the market to compete with the best-selling Chevrolet Suburban. This long SUV comes in at 229 inches, or 19 feet in length. It can accommodate up to 8 passengers as standard, though buyers can opt for the third-row bucket seats that reduce the capacity by one spot.
Chrysler Town & Country
If you're a die-hard Mopar fan, you may have heard of the original Town & Country. Decades before the debut of Chrysler's minivan back in 1989, the automaker used the same nameplate on a stylish station wagon. It was also one of the first automobiles that used elements made of real wood, as opposed to artificial wood paneling.
The real wood elements were eventually replaced by fake wood in the 70s (the Woodie styling pictured here was discontinued in 1949), though the dimensions of the station wagon remained impressive. The practical Town & Country measured around 19 feet in overall length!
Cadillac Escalade
The Escalade is yet another rebadged version of the Chevrolet Suburban that's sold by General Motors. Unlike its Chevy and GMC siblings, the Escalade promises a more lavish experience. This enormous SUV features an upscale interior and even more high-tech safety and comfort features than its cheaper cousins.
The latest Escalade packs the same 420-horsepower 6.2L V8 engine as the previously mentioned GMC Yukon Denali XL. Its overall length comes in at 224.3 inches long, which is exactly the same as the Yukon and an entire tenth of an inch shorter than the Chevrolet Suburban.
Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham
Fans of older automobiles are well aware that cars used to be massive back in the 60s and the early 70s. The Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham is a prime example. This full-size sedan measures a whopping 19.5 feet!
Back then, nearly all American cars would also come powered by enormous gas-guzzling motors, such as the 7 V-8 that powered the Fleetwood Sixty Special. This upscale sedan was also fitted with some of the most lavish comfort features available at the time, such as airbags and automatic level controls.
Dodge Polara
Dodge's stylish Polara received a couple of stylistic tweaks after its initial 1960 debut. The debut of the last, fourth-gen of the car has gone down as one of the most notable changes in the history of this stylish full-size.
The fourth generation of the Dodge Polara hit the market back in 1969. Apart from an array of mechanical and stylistic upgrades, it was also the largest Polara ever built. It measured around 18 feet in overall length! Sadly, the Polara was one of the many vehicles that were killed off by the '73 fuel crisis, and the vehicle was discontinued that same year.
Ford Thunderbird
It's safe to say that the iconic Thunderbird, Ford's alternative to the Chevy Corvette, has suffered from quite a downgrade in 1972. The overall design language changed dramatically, leaving many buyers unhappy, to say the least.
Nonetheless, the sixth-gen Thunderbird remains a cool classic car by today's standards. Its overall length is over 19 feet! The enormous 7.7L V8 is worth mentioning, too. Sales figures peaked a year after its debut and continued to plummet ever since. Ford's attempts to boost sales by redesigning the beloved Thunderbird did not pay off. The model was eventually discontinued in the late 90s.
Rolls Royce Cullinan
Rolls Royce launched its first SUV ever, the enormous Cullinan, for the 2018 model year. It shares the same platform as the Phantom and the Ghost, though its overall size is larger than any other vehicle offered by the British automaker. In fact, it weighs around 3 tons and measures 17 and a half feet in length!
Under the hood, the Cullinan packs a 6.75L V12 motor rated at 563 horsepower. Luxury does not come at a low price tag, though. This bespoke SUV starts at $325,000 before options.
Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6X6
While buyers in the United States have always been fans of extremely oversized vehicles, European automakers have had their share of crazy creations throughout the years as well. The Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6X6 is a prime example.
This inane pickup truck is essentially a long-wheelbase, six-wheel version of a lifted G wagon, complete with a large pickup bed. It's unarguably one of the craziest vehicles ever sold by Mercedes-Benz. It's nearly 20 feet long and weighs over 4 tons. In addition, it comes powered by a monstrous twin-turbocharged V8 motor rated at around 600 horses.
Lamborghini LM002
While the Urus is Lamborghini's first SUV ever, it wasn't the brand's first attempt at making a large vehicle. In fact, the LM002 from the mid-80s was arguably even more insane than its spiritual successor. It remained on the market up until 1993.
The LM002 was an enormous truck powered by a roaring V12 motor borrowed from the legendary Countach supercar. Though the LM002 looks rather intimidating, it's far from the longest vehicle on our list. Its total length is a little under 16 feet.
Mercedes-Maybach S650 Pullman
If you ever come across a Mercedes-Maybach S650 Pullman driving around town, there is a great chance that whoever is sitting in the rear is quite a big deal. After all, not everyone can afford to splash out on an $850,000 S-Class.
This incredibly over-the-top limousine is the absolute peak of the S-Class, just in case the standard one wasn't quite luxurious enough. The S650 Pullman measures over 255 feet in total length, ensuring the VIP occupant has plenty of legroom.
Terradyne Gurkha
The Terradyne Gurkha is a somewhat budget-friendly alternative to the previously mentioned Conquest Knight XV, if you will. It "only" costs around $280 000. In return, the buyer receives a massive armored truck powered by a 6.7L turbocharged diesel V8 motor. Buyers can pick between the extremely capable off-roading tires or opt for a set of flat ones, which have a top speed of 70 miles per hour.
The Gurkha also happens to be one of the biggest vehicles on the market. Its length measures a whopping 20.8 feet!
Mercedes-Benz Unimog
The Unimog is perhaps the best commercial vehicle to ever come out of Europe. It was originally developed as an agricultural machine to help farmers, the first Unimog ever went on sale shortly after World War 2. This massive vehicle then evolved into a practical monstrosity used in all sorts of industries.
Today, you can spot Unimogs converted into firetrucks, military vehicles, or even civilian pickup trucks. It may not be the longest or the widest vehicle on our list, but it sure is one of the most capable ones of them all.
Nissan Armada
In order to succeed in the North American market, Nissan had to create a large SUV that would appeal to American buyers. The Armada was ideal for the job. This humongous SUV is only available in North America ever since its 2004 debut.
The Armada was completely redesigned for the 2017 model year. The second generation is based on the Nissan Patrol, complete with a V8 engine beneath the hood as well as exceptional off-road performance. It's also nearly 210 inches long!
Lincoln Continental
The history of one of America's favorite landyachts dates back to the late 1930s. The year 1940 was when Lincoln unveiled the first generation of the Continental, an upscale coupe that quickly became a dream car for most Americans. Production continued all the way until the 2020 model year, though there have been several pauses in between.
The fifth generation of the Continental, released in 1970, was one of the most glamorous of them all. This enormous cruiser measured nearly 230 inches in total length, providing plenty of legroom for all occupants.
Dodge Royal Monaco
Some petrolheads may recognize this enormous sedan from many classic American movies. For example, a police interceptor in Blues Brothers was a Royal Monaco. Sadly, this gigantic automobile did not offer much more than a few cool features and a V8 beneath the hood.
Cool hideaway headlights or an impressive 19 feet in length could not save the Royal Monaco. Sales plummeted and the model ended up being called off merely two years after its initial debut.
Genesis G90L
Though this sleek-looking sedan was released in Korea back for the 2016 model year, buyers in other markets had to wait another year to be able to order one. Hyundai's luxury sub-brand quickly proved to be a hit, though. This comes as no surprise, as the G90L is both lavish and practical, all for a fraction of the price of some of its competitors.
The G90L is a long wheelbase version of the regular G90 sedan. In effect, the occupants can make the most out of increased legroom and plenty of cargo space in the rear boot. The length of the G90L is around 18 feet.
Ford LTD
This list could not possibly be complete without mentioning the iconic LTD, the biggest car ever offered by Ford. It debuted back in the mid-60s, just a few years before the fuel crisis. The full-size featured distinctive styling as well as a V8 under the hood as standard.
The American automaker offered different body styles of the LTD throughout its lengthy production run. The station wagon was the longest one of them all, measuring a whopping 19 feet in total. The sedan was only a little shorter, coming in at 18.6 feet.
Toyota Sequoia
Much like the previously mentioned Nissan Armada, the Sequoia is a Japanese SUV that was primarily developed for the North American market. It's no secret that American buyers are fans of massive vehicles, hence the Sequoia was bound to be a hit from day one.
The Sequoia is currently the largest SUV produced by Toyota. It measures a little over 205 inches in length, and packs a 5.7L 381-horsepower V8 engine as standard! Buyers can get all this starting at around $50,000.
Lincoln MKT
The MKT may not be the largest vehicle offered by Ford or even the biggest vehicle sold by its Lincoln subsidiary. However, the Lincoln MKT was larger than the Ford Flex and the Ford Explorer, even though it shared the exact same platform.
The Lincoln MKT debuted for the 2010 model year, though it was called off after 2019 due to low sales, despite a rather fuel-efficient flat-four motor under the hood as well as a unique design. Its overall length measured a little over 207 inches in total.
Imperial LeBaron
Unlike most automakers in the United States, Chrysler did not respond to the '73 fuel crisis very well. When most manufacturers were busy designing downsized, fuel-efficient vehicles, Chrysler did the exact opposite. The marque released its biggest car yet, the Imperial LeBaron, around the same time as the oil crisis.
Despite the awful timing, the '73 Imperial LeBaron was indeed a gorgeous landyacht. It also measured a little over 235 inches in total! It wasn't exactly a perfect fit for the post-crisis buyers, hence it had to quickly be replaced by the succeeding generation in 1974.
Plymouth Gran Fury
After the '70s fuel crisis, the size of American cars was dramatically reduced. Interestingly, some models did not shrink as much as the others. The length of the 1980 Plymouth Gran Fury, for example, was not too different than its earlier generations.
The post-fuel crisis Gran Fury remained one of the longest production cars available on the market at the time. Its length was an astounding 18 feet, or 221 inches. Its powerplant was an old 5.9L V8 that wasn't particularly powerful, nor fuel-efficient. The model was eventually discontinued after 1989.
Infiniti QX80
The QX80 is essentially a rebadged Nissan Armada, except it features a more luxurious look along with some extra features. It debuted back in 2004 alongside the Armada. Just like its Nissan counterpart, the QX80 is only available for the North American market.
The QX80 is the exact same length as the Armada. However, its high-quality finish and extra features do make this SUV slightly heavier than the Nissan. In fact, the Infiniti QX80 weighs a whopping 3 tons in total.
Buick Electra 225
At first sight, you may have thought that the Electra would come powered by a 225-cubic inch motor. Back in the late 50s when GM unveiled this enormous landyacht, buyers cared about the size a lot more than what was beneath the hood. Hence the "225" in Electra's name actually stands for its total length and not the engine size.
The Buick Electra 225 could measure up to 233 inches in its largest variant, though most hit the 225-inch, or 18.75 feet, mark. In its most powerful configuration, the Electra 225 packed a big-block 7.5L V8 rated at 370 horsepower.
Mercury Colony Park Wagon
Back in the second half of the 1960s, American station wagons did not get much better than this. The Colony Park saw six different generations during its lengthy lifespan that lasted over 3 decades, starting from 1957. A decrease in demand for station wagons resulted in plummeting sales figures, forcing Ford to discontinue the model in the early 90s.
Apart from being one of the most beautiful station wagons of all time, the Colony Park was also one of the longest vehicles available at the time. The '60 Colony Park Wagon measured a little under 220 inches in total!
Audi A8L
The A8L was launched as an alternative to the luxurious Mercedes-Benz S Class. Much like its rival, this Audi sedan features an extremely quiet and smooth ride, as well as an upscale interior fitted with high-tech safety and comfort features. The powerful V6 motor ensures that the wealthy owner is never late for any business meetings.
On top of being one of the most luxurious Audis of all time, the A8L doubles as one of the largest modern vehicles available on the market. This lavish sedan is over 17 feet in length.
