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Entry Level Luxury Performance Sedans

16087 messages,  Last post on May 09, 2013 at 9:32 AM

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What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G37, Acura TL, Lexus IS 350, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Cadillac CTS, Volvo S60, Audi A4, Acura TSX, Car Comparisons, Sedan

Messages Page 923 of 1610

#9212 of 16087 My thoughts from Atlanta Auto Show regarding ELLPS by louiswei

Mar 20, 2007 (9:04 am)

Well, since this is only a static display so don't fault me on not incorporating the "performance" and "handling" part into the discussion.
 
Went to the Atlanta Auto Show over last weekend and pretty much spent at least 10 minutes in every ELLPS that was on the floor. I went with 2 buddies of mine, buddy A drives a 06' G35 coupe and buddy B will be looking for an ELLPS in about 2 years. So buddy A and me took the opportunity to give him some pointers about the current ELLPS market.
 
Acura TL: still has the best looking interior in class in my opinion, even though I recently found out that Acura uses fake wood and carbon fiber. The quad exhaust was a nice touch on the TL-S but standard rims could use some steroid treatment. I did find a serious flaw in TL's interior though. The handle on the door panel was made out of rubber and one can easily twist it by applying some force to it. This may not be a big deal to some but to an interior nazi like me could very well be the deal breaker. This indeed is another cost-cutting evidence from Acura.
 
Audi A4: Nothing to report here, same old interior as my friend's 2002 A4. Good fit and finish but lame in style.
 
BMW 3-series: My buddies and I all agree that BMW has one of the best interior materials in this class along with Lexus but the style really belongs in the 90'. There was a pre-owned E46 parked right besides an E90 and we all agree that the former has a better interior style-wise.
 
Caddy CTS: The new 2008 CTS was on the display ramp with a "Do Not Touch" sign to it. From a distance the interior looks great, good body style as well. I must say I am really impressed with this honest effort from Caddy. However, it does look substantially larger than all other ELLPS (including the TL) so to me this is really a 5-series fighter. I was curious about the material Caddy used for the lower part of the door panel so I asked one of the Caddy representatives to see if I can touch it. She told me it's the same material used on the current CTS and then led me to one of them. After inspecting the current CTS I was surprised that the lower door panel was actually made out of soft plastic. Even though it's one of those "spongy" type of plastic instead of the hard rubber kind on IS, it is still WAY better than the hard plastic that Infiniti uses on their G35. Score one for Caddy here. However, the current CTS interior still looks like crap to me regardless of materials.
 
Infiniti G35: Much improved from the old model but cost-cutting evidence like hard plastics still makes it inferior to its competitor interior-wise. Still don't understand why the control buttons are facing up instead of the driver or at least forward. I was mocking buddy A about not waiting for the new one and after seeing it in person now he is seriously thinking about trading in his 06' for one of the 08's. Again, love the washi aluminum trim. Lexus, are you listening?
 
Lexus IS: Nothing to add here, best interior in class in fit-and-finish and material used. Second in style only to the TL. Would like to see the metallic trim replace by aluminum during mid-life upgrade but I wouldn't hold my breath to it. Rear seat space is no doubt the smallest among this pack.
 
M-B C-lass: Nothing to write home about, solid effort for an entry-level luxury car. Doesn't appear to be better than 3er and IS IMO. Since this is an outgoing model I am much more interested in the new 08' C-class.
 
After the "tour of ELLPS", buddy B thinks TL is the best fit for him. He loves bigger space, doesn't need (ok, want) class-leading power and is not much of an enthusiast. However, that could very well change when it's time for him to make a decision but now TL is definitely the front runner.

#9213 of 16087 Re: Acura TL is no ELLPS [ontop] by wale_bate1

Mar 20, 2007 (9:22 am)

Replying to: ontop (Mar 20, 2007 8:11 am)
There seems to be, and rightly so, IMO, some debate here on what exactly the ELLPS class comprises. As new entries land on our shores, or hopefully are developed here, the indentified participants change.
 
The A3 is already part of the game, and not just in my opinion; we will finally get a 1-series here as well. Both of those certainly fit the description and both are far more appealing to me (the BMW on paper) than anything currently being discussed in here, but that's my subjective view of course...

#9214 of 16087 Re: Acura TL is no ELLPS [wale_bate1] by kyfdx HOST

Mar 20, 2007 (9:24 am)

Replying to: wale_bate1 (Mar 20, 2007 9:22 am)
I don't think the A3 qualifies, as it isn't a Sedan..
 
Just my opinion.. I'm not the host here...

#9215 of 16087 Re: Acura TL is no ELLPS [kyfdx] by hauss

Mar 20, 2007 (9:32 am)

Replying to: kyfdx (Mar 20, 2007 9:24 am)
If it has four doors though doesn't that make it a sedan? Or would you state it's a hatchback or wagon? What the heck is it classified as?

#9216 of 16087 Re: Acura TL is no ELLPS [kyfdx] by wale_bate1

Mar 20, 2007 (9:33 am)

Replying to: kyfdx (Mar 20, 2007 9:24 am)
That's OK, KY, autosite, last time I looked, was still tracking it as a coupe.
 
Pretty hard to get a following in a thread on ELLPHs, so one must e'en discuss it where one findeth room...

#9217 of 16087 Re: Acura TL is no ELLPS [hauss] by kyfdx HOST

Mar 20, 2007 (9:48 am)

Replying to: hauss (Mar 20, 2007 9:32 am)
I call it a hatchback or wagon.. but, I'm not the omnipotent arbiter of this discussion..
 
Lets put it this way... my wife won't consider one, because she doesn't like station wagons..

#9218 of 16087 Re: Acura TL is no ELLPS [hauss] by blueguydotcom

Mar 20, 2007 (9:48 am)

Replying to: hauss (Mar 20, 2007 9:32 am)
CA DMV lists it as a wagon.
 
A 1 series would be a godsend in this country.

#9219 of 16087 Re: Acura TL is no ELLPS [kyfdx] by blueguydotcom

Mar 20, 2007 (9:49 am)

Replying to: kyfdx (Mar 20, 2007 9:48 am)
My sister said "station wagon" with a sneer when she saw the A3. Uh, she drives a cute-ute which is just a tall station wagon. People are odd.

#9220 of 16087 Oh heck... by wale_bate1

Mar 20, 2007 (9:56 am)

Ever since the arrival of the Explorer Americans have fallen in love with the wagon all over again. They just don't want to admit it...
 
If we leave A3 out of the mix here, IMO, we leave out a fairly influential player in the ELLP game. Certainly it's caused more than a few mfrs to reconsider their offerings' potentials here...

#9221 of 16087 Re: Acura TL is no ELLPS [blueguydotcom] by andres3

Mar 20, 2007 (9:57 am)

Replying to: blueguydotcom (Mar 20, 2007 9:48 am)
I'll tell you one thing that's a great benefit with the A3 being classified as a station wagon.
 
1. Insurance company. They view it as a station wagon which means a 30K car costs less to insure than your average 20K car (of course some of that probably has to do with Audi's excellent safety), but most is probably due to station wagons having a history of being driven by conservative drivers.

Messages Page 923 of 1610

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