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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#19636 of 24700 Re: Just a thought [ljflx] by merc1 Oct 08, 2006 (11:06 am)
Merc1 - many congrats on your car. Glad you can fulfill that dream. Patience is always rewarding and I wish you the best of luck with the car. Is the garage in the pix the house investment you made years ago when you passed on buying a car like that? Thanks for the well wishes! Yes that is the house. M
#19637 of 24700 Re: Just a thought [blkcadillac] by hpowders Oct 08, 2006 (1:59 pm)
Replying to: blkcadillac (Oct 07, 2006 9:04 am) The 550i is a screaming bargain considering you are getting one of the world's best performing vehicles at under $60k. By "auto tran", if I decipher your abbreviations correctly, you are referring to the 6 speed steptronic transmission, by stating it is an option is misleading in that every 550i transmission can be ordered at no extra charge: the 6 speed manual, the 6 speed SMG and the steptronic. All the same: no extra charge. Comparing the 550i at $58,500 to the LS at $61,000, I would have to say the LS is quite over-priced.
#19638 of 24700 Re: Another Reality Check [] by merc1 Oct 08, 2006 (2:15 pm)
Replying to: unknown (Oct 08, 2006 11:28 am) That the LS is better-looking than the 750 or S550. IYO of course. The LS460 while much better looking than the LS430 still doesn't have the S-Class' flair and when the S is wearing AMG trim the LS460 looks like a throwback. The shape is so unimaginative. It is too slab sided and carry too many Camry cues to be better looking than a S or A8. Now the 7-Series..... M
#19639 of 24700 Re: Lexus vs Mercedes [dewey] by merc1 Oct 08, 2006 (2:16 pm)
Replying to: dewey (Oct 08, 2006 11:15 am) Yeah it was a tough decision for sure....lol! M
#19640 of 24700 Re: Lexus vs Mercedes [designman] by merc1 Oct 08, 2006 (2:17 pm)
Replying to: designman (Oct 08, 2006 12:04 pm) Lol....about 38K. M
#19642 of 24700 More reality check on LS460 vs. S-Class by tagman Oct 08, 2006 (3:03 pm)
Doc, As hard as it is to get into this comp thing again, I realize that the LS460 is new enough to deserve some discussion and to be put into a proper and realistic perspective. While I make every effort to be as moderate and respectful about Lexus as possible, there is a disconnection to the truth in your earlier post. To the typical Lexus "brand buyer", your remarks are exactly as you perceive the situation. But I've gotta tell ya . . . If you step back a notch, it becomes clear that the S-Class in particular had some of the best reviews imagineable . . . consistently I might add . . . and it has already established itself as the benchmark. The possibility for the LS460(L) to come along and topple the S-Class was very real, but unfortunately for Lexus, it just has not happened. Now, this next model year will be big for Lexus and the LS460. This is completely predictable, and when you start quoting sales figures, they will be initially skewed, as ljflx has also pointed out. Comparing the cars themselves, regardless of sales data for the moment, the performance of the Lexus is without any doubt worse than the S-Class. The styling is always subjective, and while the new LS seems to be regarded as an improvement, and I also believe it is an improvement, it is not the level of styling found in the S-Class, IMO. The whiz-bang technology may have backfired on Lexus, because in reality, the self-park feature is so restricted to more than ideal conditions, that those conditions hardly exist in the real world. Where do you find an open parking spot that is so huge that you could park a delivery truck, and yet at the same time need help getting into it? It's turned out to be laughable, and the reviewers have caught on to this for what it really is . . . a gimmick. It may have been a good idea initially, but the final feature has turned out to have way too many restricitons and limitations to be very useful. Any gradient, for example, is also a no-no. The price will definately be high for the long wheelbase loaded version, and I can see the justification for consumers with an open mind, to snatch up an S-Class and enjoy the real-world benefits it offers. So far the S-Class is the acknowledged benchmark. True performance, a purposeful 7-speed tranny (not built as a market ploy to achieve the magic number 8), solid brakes, superior styling (IMO), purposeful features as opposed to gimicktry, and dare I mention the Mercedes prestige. I believe that there will be a substantial number of neutral consumers that will discover this truth, and not be swayed by marketing or gimmicks, but by the genuine realities of these vehicles. As I have said, and you know this to be true, the Lexus LS460 is a terrific car, and deserves recognition for its achievements. But when we are talking about comparing it to an S-Class vehicle . . . well . . . at that point, the truth just is what it is. Hmmm, let's see now . . . similar price . . . LS460L or S-Class? S-Class, please! TagMan Replies to this message: drfill (Oct 08, 2006 3:28 pm) tagman (Oct 08, 2006 3:47 pm) hpowders (Oct 08, 2006 6:18 pm) brightness04 (Oct 08, 2006 8:54 pm) and 5 more... tagman (Oct 08, 2006 9:00 pm) and 2 more... brightness04 (Oct 08, 2006 9:06 pm)