High Performance Luxury Sedans

1045 messages,  Last post on Apr 29, 2013 at 5:47 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum.

What is this discussion about? Jaguar XJR, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW M5, Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG, Audi S6, Maserati Quattroporte, Audi S8, Sedan

#905 of 1045 XJR vs. Quattroporte vs. STS-V by xkss

Feb 19, 2005 (6:17 am)

The new Jaguar XJR doesn't really compete with the E55 AMG and the BMW M5. The closest car to the aluminum XJR is the Maserati Quattroporte. It will be interesting to see how the 2006 Cadillac STS-V fares against the XJR.
 
Information and pictures on the 06 STS-V:
 
http://media.gm.com/events/autoshows/05naias/brands/cadillac/stsv- %20overview.html
 
http://www.cadillac.com/under5/under5.html
 
from motorsportscenter.com
 
"The supercharged Northstar V8: 4.4 liters, 440 hp, 430 lb-ft of torque - 90% of which is available from 2200 to 6000rpm, and VVT. This supercharger is worthy of special note - engineers were happy to tell us that this blower operates with some 30% less drag than the Ford GT's supercharger, and the intercooler has 50 cooling fins per inch length of the pipeline."

#906 of 1045 The aluminum Jaguar XJ by xkss

Feb 19, 2005 (6:25 am)

Pictures, videos, and more of the 05 XJ
 
http://www.keycast.com/keycast/jaguar/xj/USNewXJ_LWB/default.asp?- ref=noref&detect=1&flashversion=7&jsenabled=1
 
Information on Jaguar's 4.0 V-8:
 
http://www.jagweb.com/aj6eng/v8_performance.html
 
The new aluminum XJ8 (from 2004 on) has a 4.2 V-8 with a ZF 6 speed automatic transmission. It pollutes less, makes more power, and is more efficient than the 4.0 V-8.
 
Here is a picture of the new XJ's aluminum chassis:
 
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/jk/images/04jagxjbody.jpg
 
The new XJ's chassis is 40 per cent lighter than that of the equivalent steel body and 60 per cent stiffer than its predecessor. The next XK8 will use the new XJ's aluminum chassis.

#908 of 1045 M5 competitors? by xkss

Feb 19, 2005 (6:59 am)

I would take these two sedans over a new M5:
 
Holden HSV sedan video:
 
http://www.hsv.com.au/cars/vy2/video/premiere.wmv
 
The above Holden HSV sedan (owned by GM...HSV is Holden's performance line) uses a Corvette's LS1. They now use the LS2. Holden races their sedan in the Australian V8 Supercar series.
 
Here is a link to Holden HSV:
 
http://www.hsv.com.au/index_new.html
 
Ford Falcon XR8 video:
 
http://www.strategicqld.com.au/files/burnbabyburn.mpg
 
The above car is made by Ford of Australa. Ford of Australia has a performance line, FPV. Here is a link to Ford FPV:
 
http://fpv.com.au/

#909 of 1045 New M5 by xkss

Feb 20, 2005 (5:03 pm)

The new M5's grille looks like a Pontiac's grille.
 
The rear taillights look like a 2001 Kia Rio's taillights.
 
Why does the new 5 series have a nasty flat dash?

#910 of 1045 Thoughts.... by merc1

Feb 21, 2005 (12:47 am)

This class is quickly splitting into smaller classes and getting more interesting every year.
 
The XJR has already been beaten by the E55 and the Quattroporte in a C&D comparo.
 
The M5 I predict will simply walk away with this segment. I mean nothing can really touch it in power and dynamics equally.
 
The E55 and new CLS55 will continue to play second fiddle to the M5 in the car mags.
 
The STS-V while nice isn't going to top any of the German cars, especially the M5, but it may beat a Jaguar here or there. With 440hp its a little light on power for this class. Imagine a car with 440hp being short on hp for its class! What a era we're in for hp. It will however provide the classic GM formula, lesser car for less money. I actually like the STS-V a little, I like the idea of a supercharged Northstar. Now GM needs to make this new 6-speed auto standard in all STS variants.
 
Jaguar knew the S-Type R couldn't compete with the E55 or the old M5 so they dropped the price down to E500/545i levels where it appears to be much more competitive. I still can't help but think that a 545i Sport with the 6-Speed manual is almost as fast as the 400hp S-Type R, but I haven't seen any numbers for a manual trans 545i. It is just a matter of time before the 545i becomes the 550i with a 360hp wallop.
 
What I'd like to see is the battle of the sultry sedans: XJR, Quattroporte and CLS55 AMG.
 
M

#911 of 1045 sedans by xkss

Feb 21, 2005 (4:00 pm)

It is too bad that the M5 isn't backed by the factory in racing like the Cadillac CTS-V, Holden HSV sedans, and Ford (of Australia) FPV sedans.
 
The M5 will just be a rich man's Subaru WRX. It has lost all of the style and class of the old M5s.
 
The Jaguar XJR is around the size of a BMW 7 series. The XJR obviously competes more with the big luxury sedans than with the mid-size sedans.
 
These two pictures sum up the new BMW 5 series:
 
http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/2915-36-1.jpg
 
http://www.theraceforum.com/images/forum/2915-36-2.jpg

#912 of 1045 the new BMW 5 series is just too ugly by xkss

Feb 23, 2005 (2:11 am)


 

#913 of 1045 Maintaining an XJR by poorman

Mar 17, 2005 (3:55 pm)

Hi folks, first post. I am the prototypical wants more car than he can really afford guy. I'm currently in a Mitsu Eclipse Turbo with 205k on it. I'm more than likely purchasing something in June and there are many cars I'm looking at from the 05 GTO to the Legacy GT. One I'm looking at is my bosses 02 Jag XJR. He is a total neatnik and the car is immaculate. It has about 34k on it and I can probably get it (If I kick butt in sales...) for around 28k, which I believe is a pretty good deal.
 
I've heard that Jags are very expensive to maintain and I've even heard that you can't just go to Jiffy Lube and get a standard oil change, that you have to have an OEM filter etc. I'd hate to end up with a 500+ dollar a month car payment and then end up with super high maintenance costs. I know the gas mileage isn't the greatest, but it's hard to get a sedan of that size under 6 sec. 0-60 without using a little gas! Please fill me in on whatever you can about owning and maintaining an XJR. Thanks in advance!

#914 of 1045 02 Jaguar XJs have the bugs worked out by xkss

Mar 17, 2005 (8:42 pm)

They don't have the potential timing chain tensioner problems of the 98-00 XJ8s. Check the XJR out at a very good independent Jaguar repair shop if you can. Check the seat rails as they can become loose over time and make the seat wooble.
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