High End Luxury Cars

24700 messages, Last post on Dec 01, 2009 at 12:24 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

What is this discussion about? Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ-Series, Lexus LS 460, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Volkswagen Phaeton, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, Sedan

Let's try to define this forum as being limited to luxury performance vehicles where the mainstream version in a typical configuration has an MSRP of at least $60k.

A luxury vehicle with a base price of $59k qualifies because it would typically be bought with some additional equipment, bringing the MSRP over $60k.

Vehicles like the E, 5, A6, M, or GS, even if available in certain versions over $60k, don't qualify because they are cars from companies that have higher end cars in their lineups.

Outline

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#15861 of 24700 Re: diesel-hybrids and Audi LeMans [tagman] by oac May 30, 2006 (10:25 am)
Replying to: tagman (May 30, 2006 8:16 am) Personally, I don't like the banana-shaped CLS... Feel its kinda constraining on rear passengers, IMO. The e90 3-series is too sedate for my liking... Seems BMW in trying NOT to Bangle it made it such that it won't be that polarizing. Yes, the 5 or 7 may not have all the love in the world on styling, they were at least edgy and different, and that is a good thing from the humdrum of styles these days. The SL, new S and any Porsche are all extremely beautiful cars...so you got my votes on these. Replies to this message: tagman (May 30, 2006 1:05 pm) lexusguy (May 30, 2006 2:13 pm) tagman (May 30, 2006 9:23 pm)
#15862 of 24700 Re: diesel-hybrids and Audi LeMans [oac] by tagman May 30, 2006 (1:05 pm)
Replying to: oac (May 30, 2006 10:25 am) OAC - Admittedly, I'm also not as huge a fan of the CLS styling as some others, including merc1. But my post was to counter the remark that the Germans were somehow "clueless" regarding their design. Whether or not you and I like the CLS, it is quite innovative and striking, IMO, and shows that the German styling is alive and well. We sure do agree about the Porsches, though, as well as the new S and the legendary SL. I also think your point about the 3-series makes good sense. TagMan Replies to this message: lexusguy (May 30, 2006 2:13 pm) tagman (May 30, 2006 9:23 pm)
#15863 of 24700 Re: diesel-hybrids and Audi LeMans [tagman] by lexusguy May 30, 2006 (2:13 pm)
Replying to: tagman (May 30, 2006 1:05 pm) The CLS is one of those cars that you really have to see in person. It looks 1000% better up close than it does in pictures. Replies to this message: tagman (May 30, 2006 9:23 pm)
#15866 of 24700 BMW 7 AND Harley,Its all image, thats all by stevekilburn May 30, 2006 (5:50 pm)
Replying to: hpowders (May 29, 2006 6:24 pm) BMWs have always been about image and brilliant propoganda. High on image and painfully short on substance. There is not one BMW product which stands upto all the hype. The recent comparison Video posted, b/w A8, 7 and S clearly showed that with BMW its all talk and lousy action. The video decisively debunked the MYTH of BMW handling. Replies to this message: reality2 (May 30, 2006 6:30 pm) hpowders (May 30, 2006 11:33 pm) tagman (May 31, 2006 7:40 am) and 13 more... lexusguy (May 31, 2006 8:06 am)
#15867 of 24700 Re: BMW 7 AND Harley,Its all image, thats all [stevekilburn] by reality2 May 30, 2006 (6:30 pm)
Replying to: stevekilburn (May 30, 2006 5:50 pm) Totally correct analysis. BMWs are all about hype and perception. They are a disappointment in terms of substance when compared to Audi and Mercedes-Benz. The 7-Series, like mentioned earlier, gets knocked about in the majority of world-wide comparisions when it goes up against the A8L, S-Class, the LS, and even the XJ. The 7-Series is due for a remake around '09 when the new A8 arrives so that will be interesting. Wonder if there any moles snooping around Inglostadt and Munich? The new S-Class wins because of all its gizmos, not necessarily a good thing. MB has to be careful as the S-Class is starting to gain an image of "overdone" and "overwraught." It's pretentious image will turn into one of crassness as the S-Class is beginning to look borish and arrogant (generally a BMW trait). The previous S-Class was more subtle and that made it elegant. Now it seems that MB has gone the way of Munich and has over-engineered and overstyled the car (just look at those fenders). It lacks a certain elegance in person. But the bigger the phalic symbol, the more attention I guess. Not real measure of achievement if that is what you are trying to show the world. Replies to this message: hpowders (May 30, 2006 11:33 pm) tagman (May 31, 2006 7:40 am) oac (May 31, 2006 10:04 am) and 11 more... hpowders (May 31, 2006 11:30 am) lexusguy (May 31, 2006 8:06 am)
#15868 of 24700 Why No Bentleys? by blckislandguy May 30, 2006 (6:31 pm)
With the huge expansion in the number of families with total assets (real estate plus liquid) exceeding 5,000,000 and approaching 10,000,000 I'm surprised that there isn't more discussion here of the Bentley Contintental GT and the Flying Spur. Heck there isn't even a Bentley board. I see a decent number of these cars in the Northeast and probably a lot of people who are looking at a new S Class could swing a Bentley. Based on a superficial look at the ads in the WSJ used Continental GTs are still fairly close to MSRP so someone is buying them. One of my neighbors with an older Bentley quotes Jeremy Clarkson as saying that a "Flying Spur is simply a VW Phaeton in a custom suit". While that might be the case, it is a bespoke suit, the twin turbos cranking out 550 or so of HP do the suit justice, and the AWD will get you home from the office no matter how late you work on a February night.
#15869 of 24700 Re: diesel-hybrids and Audi LeMans [lexusguy] by tagman May 30, 2006 (9:23 pm)
Replying to: lexusguy (May 30, 2006 2:13 pm) I was at the local MB dealer just this past Friday and you are right that the CLS looks better in person, but it's still not my cup of tea even though it has quite striking lines. Frankly, I just like the S-Class better. I was actually in to look at the SL and the GL. I am still impressed by the HP improvement in the newer 550 engine over the 500 it replaces. My local dealer was trying hard to make quite a deal on the '06 SL500, and it's no wonder with the '07 SL550 offering so many more ponies. TagMan
#15870 of 24700 Re: BMW 7 AND Harley,Its all image, thats all [reality2] by hpowders May 30, 2006 (11:33 pm)
Replying to: reality2 (May 30, 2006 6:30 pm) As previously posted, I would like to see BMW discontinue the 7. I like the 7-series but I am partial to BMW. Most buyers here want to bathe in luxo-barges with rich Titanic-like interiors. This has never been what BMW is about. Many posters here care more for air-freshioned vibrating seats than the Ultimate Driving Experience. BMW is out of its element here. Since it loses all the HELM comparos, I believe the 7 has become a useless vehicle in the BMW stable-call it the BMW's Lexus GS. BMW should stick to where they dominate: the 3, 5 and incomparable M's. I am looking forward to driving the LS 460 this Fall to see if I notice an improvement in the vehicle's handling. I wish they would get rid of that cursed gated shifter too. Replies to this message: tagman (May 31, 2006 7:40 am) oac (May 31, 2006 10:04 am) ivan_99 (May 31, 2006 11:26 am) and 2 more... stevekilburn (Jun 01, 2006 1:31 pm) and 7 more... hpowders (May 31, 2006 11:30 am) lexusguy (May 31, 2006 8:06 am)