The luxury flagship goes electric — and the segment scrambles to respond

For two decades the executive sedan was defined by the sound of a straight-six and the badge on the bonnet. The arrival of a fully electric flagship rewrites both — and the rest of the segment is now playing catch-up on range, refinement and the quiet authority buyers expect at this tier.

Order books opened this week, and early demand has skewed toward the higher-output trims — a signal that buyers at the top of the market are treating electrification as an upgrade rather than a compromise. Dealers report the configurator is doing the heavy lifting, with most reservations completed before a test drive is ever booked.

Independent reviewers have praised the ride isolation and the restraint of the interior, while noting that the real competitive moat is software — over-the-air updates that keep the car improving long after it leaves the forecourt. That shift, more than horsepower, is what rivals are struggling to match on their current platforms.