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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#18203 of 24700 Re: LS460 [houdini1] by designman Aug 17, 2006 (12:37 pm)
Replying to: houdini1 (Aug 17, 2006 10:53 am) I am very surprised that you would put so much faith on the rag reviews. Faith? What faith? I thought I made it clear that the most important review is by the people who drive and buy. What I was trying to say is that they mention key things in these reviews that allow us to anticipate what it will be like. Based on what we have already heard, it is quite clear to me that the driving dynamics are pure luxury and in the ilk of the LS 430. Some people were anticipating more of a Euro ride and I don't think this is the case. But when I drive it I'll know for sure and form my own opinions, the rags be damned. Replies to this message: topspin628 (Aug 17, 2006 12:50 pm)
#18204 of 24700 Re: LS460 [designman] by topspin628 Aug 17, 2006 (12:50 pm)
Replying to: designman (Aug 17, 2006 12:37 pm) Some people were anticipating more of a Euro ride Not me. I would have put the odds at about 100-1. Why would they change a thing? They are the biggest volume seller in the Luxury sedan market in the US (their main market) and they don't want to turn off their loyal customer base who wants the "soft" ride. To me the risk they face is that if they don't start reaching out to the younger more performance oriented crowd, they may find their core clients aging and no group to replace them with. I think it really makes sense to offer an AMG, M division so that they can appeal to another crowd without changing their basic product. Hey, I'd love to play golf with you guys but we'd need the new hard drive on the Lexus to calculate how many strokes you "pros" would be giving me!
#18207 of 24700 another LS review by syswei Aug 17, 2006 (5:14 pm)
The engine is a delight. It will drive the LS460 from standstill to 100km/h in a sportscar-like 5.7 seconds and maintain the athletic character with a bolt from 80km/h-120km/h in just 4.7 seconds. Unusual for Lexus is the pleasing throaty burble allowed when the V8 is asked for a best-effort. link title
#18208 of 24700 Re: Canadian Driver August 15, 2006 [hpowders] by brightness04 Aug 17, 2006 (5:51 pm)
Every owner of an S Class can easily purchase an LS Not necessarily some of those who leased an S320 last year / earlier this year for less than $500 a month. many LS owners cannot afford to . . . Highly doubtful. It's like saying people lease 545i because they can not afford LS . . . while it may be true for some folks since the 545i is after all less expensive, more often than not there are other reasons. The hyperboles are just so many wasted electrons . . . or shall I say, projection?? as in projecting your own frustration with settling for a 545i?
#18211 of 24700 Re: LS460 [merc1] by brightness04 Aug 17, 2006 (9:57 pm)
Ownership and long-term hands-on experience does bring a more in-depth perspective. For example, BMW's i-drive system, every "professional" story teller panned it, yet quite a few owners adjusted to and eventually even enjoyed it as they got used to its, shall I say, idosyncratic logic. "Professional reviewers" specialty is in journalism, i.e. writing and telling of rivetting stories . . . not auto engineering or ergonomics. So their prowess is in helping selling ad space . . . not necessarily anything car related . . . we have witnessed numerous PC reviwers of the early 90's becoming car reviewers and stock pickers in the late 90's . . . proof that their specialty is in writing . . . the underlying subject matter just happens to be the catch of the day.