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David Grainger

Yesteryear's high-end cars far cheaper. Since their inception, luxury cars have been a measure of success in our society.

In the earliest days of their existence, they were the toys of the rich -- smelly, noisy curiosities to flaunt amid the horse-drawn traffic.

In the early 1900s, a good car could cost $3,000 or $4,000. In the 1920s and '30s, luxury cars usually did not cost much more than that, unless one wanted a coach-built body designed.

The most expensive cars of the day were the Duesenberg S and SJ, built from 1928 to 1937, and they had a whopping price of $8,500. Bear in mind that what one got for $8,500 was a bare chassis and engine.

For $13,000, you could have a finished car, but, if you wanted a "doozy" of a Duesy, you were going to have to pay up to $25,000. And that was in a period when many workers only made $1,000 a year or less and the Great Depression was in full swing.

Despite its huge cost, the Duesenberg became a beacon in American society, a mark for people to shoot for. They were the favourites of movie stars and tycoons, and the Duesenberg name became synonymous with fame, glamour and the best of all things.

Unfortunately, Duesenberg did not survive the Depression, becoming extinct in the late 1930s alongside other luxury dinosaurs of the day such as Marmon and Pierce-Arrow.

In the 1950s, luxury cars -- especially Cadillacs -- symbolized the United States' success for all to see. The befinned juggernauts of the period were incredible symbols of how good the country felt about itself. To buy one was the aspiration of almost everyone.

Caddy sticker prices ranged from $5,000 to $6,000 or so, with the most expensive car of the period being the 1957-58 Broughams. These were limited-run cars that could be ordered for $13,500. As a comparison, the top-line Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud cost a little more than $12,000.

What one got for the money with the Cadillac was a pillarless four-door with a special body, stainless steel roof, aluminum bumpers that were chromed -- a very difficult process -- a man's smoking kit in the glove box and a lady's toiletry set in the back seat, which included perfume, combs, brushes and cosmetics.

The car also featured a high-performance engine with twin carburetors and multi-programmable seats that were done with about 80 kilometres of wire and a host of mechanical switches.

For another comparison, a top-line '57 Chevy cost about $3,000 loaded, so a normal Cadillac was about double the price and the Brougham was almost five times the price.

The price disparity between the very best luxury cars and ordinary cars remained about the same until just quite recently. Now, luxury-car prices seem to have departed the world of common sense.

These days, the price of normal, everyday cars generally ranges from $15,000 to $30,000. By the old measure of luxury, a top-end car would cost about $60,000 and an exceptional car -- a low-production model with all the bells and whistles and cutting-edge technology -- should cost around $150,000.

So, try walking into a Ferrari, Aston Martin, Bentley, Rolls-Royce or Maybach dealership waving $150,000. You won't even get the attention of the receptionist, although the janitor may steer you to the previously owned department in the back.

True luxury cars -- I'm not talking about mass-produced luxury models such as Mercedes and their ilk, but about very-low-production cars, the kind that draw crowds when parked -- cost more, a lot more.

These days, a Rolls or a Bentley can run well in excess of $500,000.

For $300,000, one might get a bottom-of-the-line luxury unit, but if you really want to stand out you had better be ready to write a cheque for $1 million or more.

So, how do they stack up to that Duesenberg SJ that cost $25,000 in 1932?

Adjusted for today's rates, that Duesy would be at the back of the showroom with a bargain basement price of around $350,000.

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