F-segment is a niche of the European market and the range is limited to only a few models. Most F-segment cars use a sedan body style, however some have been produced as wagons/estates or have a hatchback rear door. Extended wheelbase variants of these cars are common, as many of the luxury features are placed for the rear-seat occupants. In some markets, short wheelbase models are excluded completely, and only long wheelbase variants are sold. Ultra-luxury cars are also included in F-segment.
The first F-segment car from an Asian manufacturer for an outside market was the 1989 Lexus LS400. Before the debut of luxury orientated Japanese manufacturers such as Lexus or Infiniti, most flagship models were limited for Japan only. Examples included the Toyota Century and Nissan President. In South Korea, early F-segment cars were the result of partnerships with long-established manufacturers, for example the 1994 Daewoo Arcadia, the 1997 SsangYong Chairman and the 1999 Hyundai Equus. More recent F-segment cars from South Korea include the Genesis G90.
Europe
The lineage of Mercedes-Benz's current F-segment car begins with the 1951 Mercedes-Benz W187. The W187 was replaced by the Mercedes-Benz W180 in 1954, which was replaced by the Mercedes-Benz W111 in 1959, which was replaced by the Mercedes-Benz W108 in 1965. The W108 was replaced by the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in 1972, which has been produced for six generations and remains in production today. Jaguar's first F-segment car was the 1951 Jaguar Mark VII. The Mark VII was replaced by the 1956 Jaguar Mark VIII, then the 1959 Jaguar Mark IX and the 1961 Jaguar Mark X, which was renamed the "Jaguar 420G" in 1966. The 420G was replaced by the Jaguar XJ in 1968, which has been produced for four generations and remains in production today. The 1952–1963 BMW 501/502 sedans are predecessors to BMW's current line of F-segment cars. The successor to the 501/502 was the BMW New Six, introduced in 1977. The E3 was replaced by the BMW 7 Series in 1978, which has been produced for six generations and remains in production today. The Maserati Quattroporte was released in 1963 and is currently in its sixth generation. The first F-segment car from Audi was the 1988 Audi V8. The Audi V8 was replaced by the Audi A8 in 1994, which has been produced for four generations and remains in production today.
