Owning a giant luxo-barge like the Equus is an exercise in excess. There's a little bit more of everything in this car. Not because you need it, but because you want it.
The trunk is a good example. I can't really think of many situations where I would need all the space available in the back end of the Equus. In this case, I tossed in a week's worth of groceries and a few shopping bags without even thinking about it. And there's still half a trunk left. Maybe I should have gone golfing too.
I guess when you have big bucks to spend on a luxury sedan you have big suitcases too. I'd say the Equus will swallow them as good as the next luxury car even if it doesn't have fancy multi-pivot, gas-charged hinges like its German competition.
Ed Hellwig, Editor, Edmunds Inside Line
bimmerjay says:
03:31 PM, 01/16/12
The German competition use the same recessed and sheathed gooseneck hinges as the Equus. With few exceptions, cars that offer powered decklids use this design.
tjpark01 says:
04:22 PM, 01/16/12
You are correct. The gas hinges are going away, either due to cost and the fact that they are subject to a lot of corrosion and failure because they are in the trunk water evacuation channels. I hope they show the A8 trunk, it's a joke. can't fit more than 2 golf bags in there. FAIL.
explorerx4 says:
04:31 PM, 01/16/12
Gooseneck trunk hinges? I'm sure it has a power closing function, but kind of a let down.
mercedesfan says:
05:20 PM, 01/16/12
Bimmerjay is right, hardly any of the luxury cars use hydraulic hinges anymore. If you want to know why, just ask MB or Audi. They both tried power trunk lids with hydraulic hinges and ended up with excessively complex, excessively unreliable systems. Goosenecks also feel much lighter than hydraulic hinges for the cars not equipped with power-operation, which is also seen as a greater luxury.
ed124c says:
07:29 AM, 01/17/12
"The 2012 Toyota Camry, with the luxury of gooseneck trunk hinges."
bodyblue says:
08:15 AM, 01/17/12
ed: LOL +100
mercedesfan says:
08:19 AM, 01/17/12
@ed124c,
Haha, touche. There are different types of goosenecks, though. There are the cheap, squared off, exposed hinges used in most mass-produced cars and then there are the shielded, rounded, shrouded kind used in luxury cars. The former are drastically cheaper than hydraulic hinges, the latter are more expensive.
bodyblue says:
08:29 AM, 01/17/12
As long as they are covered on a lux car I dont see the problem really. Its just not a subject to get excited much about.....the struts and springs on my 12 Dodge I just sold still work perfectly....
bimmerjay says:
09:11 AM, 01/17/12
"Gooseneck trunk hinges? I'm sure it has a power closing function, but kind of a let down."
It does not - only the Equus Ultimate has the power closer.
Again, almost all larger luxury cars use this design. Even a Rolls-Royce Phantom.
j2j says:
04:47 PM, 01/17/12
Often simpler (and cheaper) is better.