High End Luxury Cars

24697 messages, Last post on Nov 28, 2009 at 3:09 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

Messages Page 1855 of 2470: 1; ...; 1852; 1853; 1854; 1855; 1856; 1857; 1858; ...; 2470; Prev; Next; Last

#18541 of 24697 Re: Lexus [houdini1] by merc1 Aug 31, 2006 (8:23 pm)
Replying to: houdini1 (Aug 31, 2006 11:03 am) I guess I just don't get your point about the Camry and the LS looking the same, or having a resemblance. Why do you care? Why does this bother you so much? Is the E Class diminished because Chysler now uses their platform? Not really. It is just good financial planning and trying to save money to make a better car. Please get over this. Yeah obviously because it doesn't bother me, just an observation. Supposedly Lexus and Toyota have different design teams and facilities yet the cars still look a lot alike. Financial planning and saving money don't have squat to do with any of this because they aren't the same car, I'm talking about design. Some Toyota fans need to get over the standard response about financials, it doesn't apply to any and everything about an automobile! M
#18542 of 24697 HELM engines by tagman Aug 31, 2006 (8:23 pm)
This is something that might be interesting to this forum. Some interesting information about the different marque's engines and their horsepower ratings, torque ratings, and average displacement ratings. The results speak for themselves, and the methodology is explained, so no need for any spin here. link title TagMan Replies to this message: merc1 (Aug 31, 2006 8:31 pm) tagman (Aug 31, 2006 8:41 pm) merc1 (Aug 31, 2006 8:50 pm) houdini1 (Sep 01, 2006 5:05 am) and 2 more... syswei (Sep 01, 2006 3:39 am) ivan_99 (Sep 01, 2006 6:47 am)
#18543 of 24697 Re: Lexus [tagman] by merc1 Aug 31, 2006 (8:25 pm)
Replying to: tagman (Aug 31, 2006 11:11 am) However, the point is that Toyota is a DIFFERENT marque than Lexus, even if it is the same parent company, and whether or not platforms are shared, the styling and design similarities do not necessarily need to be so similar. Bingo. Not a hard point to grasp. M Replies to this message: houdini1 (Sep 01, 2006 4:57 am) merc1 (Sep 02, 2006 4:27 am)
#18544 of 24697 The future models of the major European marques by tagman Aug 31, 2006 (8:29 pm)
This is fairly good look at the future model plans for major European marques . . . all in one handy chart. link title TagMan
#18545 of 24697 Re: HELM engines [tagman] by merc1 Aug 31, 2006 (8:31 pm)
Replying to: tagman (Aug 31, 2006 8:23 pm) Interesting, Mercedes preference for torque is clear there. I got the Oct issue of C&D today and their initial test put the LS460 at 6 seconds 0-60 mph. They said because the engine hits a flat spot and doesn't really give any real push until 3500 rpm. Different engine/tuning practices at work here between BMW, Lexus and Mercedes. I do expect that 6 sec time to improve though when they test the LS460 on U.S. soil. M Replies to this message: tagman (Aug 31, 2006 8:41 pm) merc1 (Aug 31, 2006 8:50 pm) houdini1 (Sep 01, 2006 5:05 am) hpowders (Sep 01, 2006 6:46 am) tagman (Sep 01, 2006 7:15 am)
#18546 of 24697 Re: HELM engines [merc1] by tagman Aug 31, 2006 (8:41 pm)
Replying to: merc1 (Aug 31, 2006 8:31 pm) I do expect that 6 sec time to improve though when they test the LS460 on U.S. soil. The word is getting clear that it's about 5.4 or 5.5 seconds 0-60, but we'll see if it really does that. The flat spot is unfortunate, however. Did they say if it's due to the way that tranny is so low geared in the first two gears and then has to ramp up from there? That would make sense to me. TagMan Replies to this message: merc1 (Aug 31, 2006 8:50 pm) houdini1 (Sep 01, 2006 5:05 am) hpowders (Sep 01, 2006 6:46 am) tagman (Sep 01, 2006 7:15 am)
#18547 of 24697 AMG turns up the heat! by tagman Aug 31, 2006 (8:48 pm)
For those interested in the Mercedes AMG performance variants, it looks like AMG is going to turn the performance dial up another notch. link title TagMan Replies to this message: merc1 (Aug 31, 2006 8:53 pm)
#18548 of 24697 Re: HELM engines [tagman] by merc1 Aug 31, 2006 (8:50 pm)
Replying to: tagman (Aug 31, 2006 8:41 pm) The flat spot is unfortunate, however. Did they say if it's due to the way that tranny is so low geared in the first two gears and then has to ramp up from there? That would make sense to me. They said something like the engine doesn't have any oomph until 3500 rpm and the first gear isn't short enough. Kinda surprising since C&D almost always beats manufacturer 0-60 times. M
#18549 of 24697 Re: AMG turns up the heat! [tagman] by merc1 Aug 31, 2006 (8:53 pm)
Replying to: tagman (Aug 31, 2006 8:48 pm) Oh AMG is going for all out sport now it seems when it comes to chassis dynamics. The Black Series version of the SLK55 is few pounds lighter than stock and has 400hp instead of 362hp, but the problem is the price for this track-day special, something over 100K. Limited production is an understatement. The packages you've linked were available on the outgoing E55, CLS55 and last year's SLK55 and SL55 too. This is what AMG should be doing, not making AMG versions of the R-Class, though Edmunds seems to love the R63 and R-Class in general if their long-term report on their R500 is anything to go by. M
#18550 of 24697 Re: Ford to sell off Aston, possibly Jag? [blkhemi] by nvbanker Aug 31, 2006 (9:14 pm)
Replying to: blkhemi (Aug 31, 2006 5:29 pm) "Jaguar, let's see: First off, take the X and S-Type's out back and put them out of their misery. DO NOT USE A FORD CLONE PRODUCT, as is the case with the X's Mondeo, and the S' Lincoln LS/Ford T-Bird." I hear this all the time, and I don't know why this misinfo continues to be proffered. The S, LS and T-Bird share a platform, but it's the best platform that was built in the day. The poor S-type gets denigrated because it lent its platform to a Lincoln and a Thunderbird coupe. Jag still built their engine differently than the Lincoln & Thunderbird, so that doesn't make the S-type a Ford. Jag built the engine for all of them, theirs is just better than the other two. The Mondeo is a great car. Europe loves it still. Making it an entry level Jag wasn't a big reach. If you drove it, you'd say, "Hey, this feels like a Jag, it drives like a Jag, and it smells like a Jag, for $30,000!" I've driven one. It's the cheap Jag for sure, but it's definitely a Jag. Could they do better? Not for that price. But people would be happier with it if it were all designed in Coventry from the ground up. But hey, I'm betting if they did, it wouldn't be as dependable as the X or the S is right now.... Ford has done good things for Jaguar, including keep it alive. It's sad they never made a buck on it. Replies to this message: merc1 (Aug 31, 2006 10:10 pm) nvbanker (Sep 01, 2006 3:29 pm) tagman (Sep 01, 2006 6:37 pm) and 2 more... merc1 (Sep 02, 2006 4:35 am) lexusguy (Sep 01, 2006 12:58 am) merc1 (Sep 01, 2006 1:05 am) lexusguy (Sep 01, 2006 1:16 am) and 1 more...