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High End Luxury Cars

24723 messages,  Last post on Jan 28, 2013 at 6:55 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum.

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.

Messages Page 2136 of 2473

#21349 of 24723 Re: Tag [drfill] by merc1

Nov 26, 2006 (10:51 pm)

Replying to: drfill (Nov 25, 2006 11:10 am)
Merc has constantly, ad-nausium, put up pics of Mercedes evolution in exterior styling. But they are at best inconsistent on interior styling, as the 1998, 2000, and 2006 have little incommon with each other. I didn't know the wheel needed reinvention. Mercedes interiors aren't "restyled", they are thrown out and started from scratch!
 
Which is how design works when you trying to keep things fresh. For years Mercedes used the same interior layout right down to the pattern of the seats, but unlike Lexus Mercedes is more forward thinking when it comes to design both inside and out. Lexus couldn't build a CLS if they tried.
 
I see chinks in the armor.
 
Apparentley you're about the only one.
 
The S-Class is a step back, inside and out. Still a fine car and all, but nothing for Lexus to fear. Lexus has it right, and Mercedes is trying to find an interior identity, and maybe seperate it's design from Maybach, which is better (from the last S500/600)
 
IYO, allow me to use a Lexus theme here: "the market has spoken and it loves the new S-Class".
 
I gotta tell ya all this design commentary from you is really funny when Lexus has nothing that even evokes any passion or lust in any of their "designs". For years we have to hear ad-nausium how great the LS430 was yet it looked like the box that the IS or GS came in. How you can go from accepting a design like the LS430 to being such a critic of a brand like MB that has had "design" all over Lexus is beyond me. The new LS merely manages to look ok at best and yet it is supposed be some type of design revolution?
 
M

#21350 of 24723 Re: Tag [houdini1] by merc1

Nov 26, 2006 (10:57 pm)

Replying to: houdini1 (Nov 25, 2006 2:31 pm)
Really? Just read the current Audi S6 follow-up here on Edmunds where it tried to be a BMW and/or MB but failed miserably!!
 
I think he meant in terms of design. It is no secret that Audi wants to be as prestigous as MB and BMW.
 
M

#21351 of 24723 Re: Tag [dewey] by merc1

Nov 26, 2006 (11:01 pm)

Replying to: dewey (Nov 25, 2006 1:16 pm)
It is almost certain that the exterior and interior styling of the next generation BMW 7 Series will be emulated by both Lexus and MB in fuutre years.
 
Gotta disagree with the "MB" part in there. The current S-Class has a rear end like the original Maybach concept from 1997, not the current 7-Series. The 7 came out years after the Maybach concept of 1997 so if anything..........
 
M

#21352 of 24723 Re: Hi to all!! [blkhemi] by merc1

Nov 26, 2006 (11:06 pm)

Replying to: blkhemi (Nov 26, 2006 11:14 am)
Merc1, thanks for the E-Class family tree. Very good history, and yes, like yourself, I'm on the hunt for the best E-Class of all time(or up until this year's E63 perhaps), the 500E.
 
There is one in the classified in the back of Autoweek right now. A 1994 model with only 8K on the clock supposedly owned by Al Unser Jr. No price listed of course, it is likely in the ridiculous for me category, but you can't beat that mileage.
 
M

#21353 of 24723 Doc by merc1

Nov 26, 2006 (11:12 pm)

Remember you said you could live with the LS placing second in a C&D comparo? Well I don't know how you're going to take this, but Autospies is reporting that in the Jan issue of C&D there is a comparo of the LS460, S550, 750i, A8, and XJ8 Super 8. The S550 placed first and the LS460 place dead last.
 
As I type this I'm trying to remember that really wasn't a fair test to the LS460 because they should have used a LS460L, not the SWB LS460, but still last place? I wouldn't have guessed that in a million years. That is the same place the S430 you loved to talk down about placed.
 
Now this by no means is an etched in stone impression. I still want to see the all the LWB variants compared.
 
M

#21354 of 24723 Doc - Edit by merc1

Nov 26, 2006 (11:24 pm)

Ok these are the LWB variants, the A8L, 750iL, LS460L, S550 (only comes one way, long) and XJ Super 8 so it looks like this was a fair fight afterall Doc. Some scans of the article from some of the autospies posters:
 
link title
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The official rankings:
 
1st - MB S550
2nd - Audi A8L
3rd - BMW 750iL
4th - Jaguar XJ8 Super V8
5th - Lexus LS460L
 
An upset of major proportions IMO. Second place I could see, but the LS460L placing last? The LS460L was 93K, only 10K less than the Benz, that may have cost it. Lexus seems to have forgotten their value price roots. Still reading....
 
M

#21355 of 24723 Pictures posted by lexusguy

Nov 26, 2006 (11:49 pm)

Ok guys, I got around to taking and uploading some pictures. Enjoy.
 

#21356 of 24723 Re: Pictures posted [lexusguy] by merc1

Nov 26, 2006 (11:53 pm)

Replying to: lexusguy (Nov 26, 2006 11:49 pm)
Wow she is pretty! I don't think I've seen that color interior relationship before with the dash/seats. Is the dash supposed to be a similar color to the top?
 
M

#21357 of 24723 Re: Pictures posted [merc1] by lexusguy

Nov 26, 2006 (11:59 pm)

Replying to: merc1 (Nov 26, 2006 11:53 pm)
Is the dash supposed to be a similar color to the top?
 
Actually the top is navy blue, but it appears more as a dark gray in the photos.

#21358 of 24723 Re: Doc - Edit [merc1] by houdini1

Nov 27, 2006 (6:40 am)

Replying to: merc1 (Nov 26, 2006 11:24 pm)
What a laugher. The only surprise here is that they didn't award Mercedes an extra 20 points for having the largest wheel well arches. Unbelieveably biased to the point of being ridiculous.

Messages Page 2136 of 2473

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