Luxury Sedan Comparison

[ThatRoundHeadedKid]

If you had to choose only one luxury sedan that you can have with what ever options and packages it came with (no after market) for what ever you needed it for, which would you choose?

Audi A8 4.2 or 6.0
Jag XJ8, Vanden Plas, Super V8, XJR
BMW 745, 760
Mercedes S430, S500, S55 AMG, S600
Mercedes CLS500, CLS55 AMG
Volkswagen Phaeton W12, V8
Lexus LS430
Maserati Quattroporte

Now they have to be one, specific trim level. One that fulfills your interests in performance, comfort, quality etc. ONE tirm level.

I would be torn between the CLS55 AMG and the Phaeton W12. BOth are great cars, and the Phaeton has been talked about very highly, and some people in the mags claim they would take the Phaeton over their ex-favorite, the Jag XJ8. BUt for now, the Phaeton W12 is my choice. Great car, awesome styiling, performance, options, luxury, and it's just so unique. Also, tests have shown that so far, the Phaeton is one top-notch dog, and there hasn't been any serious problems other than the little nicks here and there. BUt for the lon-term test from R&T mag, $0 maitinence costs. So From what I see, reliability is no question, aslo because it's a Volkswagen, which they make pretty good cars. I don't care if it's a $100k VW, I'd still take it in a heartbeat.

[crayzayjay]

1. Maserati Quattroporte - powered by Ferrari, looks and sounds great, but most importantly, it has more character than the other luxobarges put together.

2. BMW 760i - the styling is not everyone's cup of tea but on fat alloys and in solid black, the 7 looks menacing and has lots of presence. Not as grunty as the Benz duo, but handles better.

3. Mercedes CSL55 AMG - no, Mr Schrempp, the CLS is not a coupe. I'm not completely keen on the styling, (haven't seen one in the metal though), but for some reason i like this car, particularly in AMG trim. Should hold up better than most recent Benz's in terms of reliability and quality due to Mercedes' recently launched quality initiative.

4. Mercedes S55 AMG - the S-class is the default luxury sedan choice, and for good reason. Comfortable and very capable in all areas. Interior quality isn't what it should be.

5. Jaguar XJR - great to just sit back and waft around in, Jags typically have superb ride quality (never been in an R though). The styling is somewhat disappointing in that it's near-identical to the previous model, which i actually prefer. Would be ranked higher if it didn't look so 'fussy' from the back. But a great car to cruise in and not short of power.

6. Audi A8 6.0 - looks good, goes well, but is just a little too conservative for my liking. As one kiwi puts it, it leaves me cold...

7. VW Phaeton W12 - very competent, but looks anonymous, like a fat Passat. And i'm not paying a ridiculous price tag for a VW, albeit a very rare one. Much rather have a similarly-powered A8.

8. Lexus LS430 - so bland. I dont think it could be any more bland if it tried. Really, really hard.

[ThatRoundHeadedKid]

Originally Posted by crayzayjay

3. Mercedes CSL55 AMG -I'm not completely keen on the styling, (haven't seen one in the metal though) and quality due to Mercedes' recently launched quality initiative.

You'll like it when you see it. A dude a few blocks from me has a CLS55 AMG right in his driveway. The silver is so bright, it sticks out, but not horibbly, it sticks out a good way. You'' fall in love with it when you see it, especially with teh AMG package. Trust me .

[crayzayjay]

Yeah, i have the feeling i will

What;s funny is that you have the CLS in your sig but choose the Phaeton in the comparo! Couldn't find any nice Phaeton pics?

[ThatRoundHeadedKid]

Originally Posted by crayzayjay

Yeah, i have the feeling i will

What;s funny is that you have the CLS in your sig but choose the Phaeton in the comparo! Couldn't find any nice Phaeton pics?

nope lol.

[kman10587]

Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG. I usually prefer something with a bit more character, but nothing in the ultra-luxury section really has that, and the allure of that massively powerful turbocharged V12 is just too much.

[SuperHighOutput]

Originally Posted by ThatRoundHeadedKid

You'll like it when you see it.

Agreed, I just saw my first one yesterday, great looking car, it would be my pick.

[Jimster]

1. Maserati Quattroporte Sport- Gorgeous, Ferrari engineering, very luxurious and plenty of character.

2. Jaguar XJR- Also has character, I still like the unchanged (Almost) styling, has a brilliant V8 and top-of-the-tree quality and reliability, drives like both a sports car and a luxury car.

3. BMW 760Li- Looks awesome, as Jay said on proper alloys and in black, has a nice engine and handles very smoothly for its size. Easily better than the last 7 series.

4. Mercedes Benz CLS55 AMG- I had almost forgotten what a Mercedes with a finely crafted interior looked like, until I clapped eyes on this. Looks iffy, has a good engine to it's name, but it's still lagging Jag, 7 and Maserati.

5. Audi A8 6.0 W12- Always loved the way the new ones look, AWD and solid engineering. Completely lacking in character, though.

6. Mercedes Benz S600- I have no doubt the next S Class will bring Mercedes Benz quality back to where it once was, but for now it lacks the quality given the price. good all-rounder, but could do better.

7. Volkswagen Phaeton W12- Absolutely amazing car, complete marvel of engineering. But why couldn't this be a Bentley or Bugatti or something else? VW don't make luxury cars, they make near-luxury cars.

8. Lexus LS430- Something this ugly/boring has no reason to be considered among equally well engineered competition. The car is more or less 15 years old.

[DinanM3_S2]

Luxury Boats I like:

BMW 7-Series- great overall car, I love BMWs, the new one coming in 06' will be better. Only thing I don't like about it is IDrive.

Maserati Quattroporte- its an Italian sedan done right. Probably the least reliable of these cars though...

Audi A8- Awesome interior, good exterior, AWD is great, not quite as interesting as the 7, and not nearly as interesting as the Maserati.

Ones I only kinda like:

MB S-Class- most average luxury sedan on the market. I saw more S-Classes last time I was in Manhattan then I did C-Classes. In fact, they were second only to taxis...

MB CLS-Class- Closer competition to the 5-Series I think. "4-door coupe" idea is stupid. Looks better then the E or the S-Class

Jaguar XJ- I like the interior and exterior styling, but nothing else.

VW Phaeton- Alot like the A8, except with a VW badge. Call me snobby, but i'll take the Audi.

One I don't like

Lexus LS- this car sums up Lexus as a company. More reliable then anything else in the class, but completely lacking of a soul. Not much fun at all. Except for reliability, Lexus is the opposite of BMW as far as luxury cars go.

[del]

1. Maserati - more exclusive than the rest and like the someone mentioned ferrari engineering
2. audi - top notch interior, overall very handsome car inside and out.
3. bmw - thought the looks would grow on me a little but still hasn't. and idrive is just stupid but other than that, the most driver's car of the bunch
4. lexus - bland as it is, a nice car nonetheless. and when you think about something going wrong with the above mentioned, the repair and ownership/maintenance costs of the lexus is reason enough to consider this car
5. mercedes S - too old, needs a refresh otherwise not a bad car in general.
6. jaguar - not a jaguar fan really but of all jag sedans, this is the only one worth mentioning. hasn't been ford-ified like the S and X types.
7. vw - ranked last for all the idiots who pay $70k for a vw. may have all the luxury appointments but these cars are about image as much as they are about the actual car itself. sorry vw doesn't cut it no matter how hard tehy try

why i didn't include the cls is simply coz it's out of place. more comparable to a 5 series, A6 or E class.

[Layla's Keeper]

Either the Maserati Quattroporte or the Jaguar XJR. I don't find any of the German cars appealing, and the Lexus LS430 is even more German (in spirit) than damned MERCEDES.

Although, there is a car I'd choose that was sadly left out of this comparison and has reached the end of it's lifespan thanks to those MOTHERFUCKINGVOLKSWAGENBASTARDSWHOSHOULDCHOKEONTHE IROWNVOMITFORFUCKINGUPBENTLEY.

ahem... The Bentley Arnage complete with the PROPER 6.75L OHV turbo V8. No BULLSHIT Volkswagen V12.



0-60 mph: 5.5 sec
0-100 mph: 14.0 sec
Quarter Mile: 14.9 sec @ 108 mph
Skidpad: .80g
Top Speed: 168 mph

[del]

Originally Posted by Layla's Keeper

Either the Maserati Quattroporte or the Jaguar XJR. I don't find any of the German cars appealing, and the Lexus LS430 is even more German (in spirit) than damned MERCEDES.

Although, there is a car I'd choose that was sadly left out of this comparison and has reached the end of it's lifespan thanks to those MOTHERFUCKINGVOLKSWAGENBASTARDSWHOSHOULDCHOKEONTHE IROWNVOMITFORFUCKINGUPBENTLEY.

ahem... The Bentley Arnage complete with the PROPER 6.75L OHV turbo V8. No BULLSHIT Volkswagen V12.



0-60 mph: 5.5 sec
0-100 mph: 14.0 sec
Quarter Mile: 14.9 sec @ 108 mph
Skidpad: .80g
Top Speed: 168 mph

that's getting quite a bit more expensive than the cars listed in the original thread. it's a beautiful car dont' get me wrong. but that's ultra luxury. we're jsut talking plain ol' luxury here. if you want raise the price cap (not that there is one), this is the car you're looking for:

[Layla's Keeper]

Try again del. That's no Roller. That's a BMW abomination that deserves a "Skank of Adequacy" instead of the "Spirit of Ecstasy".

Nothing BMW or Volkswagen can regurgitate will ever match the prestige, poise, and potency of the truly grand Rolls-Royces or Bentleys of the past.

[ThatRoundHeadedKid]

Dude, it's way over what the comparison is. try to choose something else.


By the way, I do agree that the CLS is too out of place and I was trying to decide whether it should be included or not. I thought it should br included because Benz already has the E-Class for mid-luxury sedans. Secondly, the prices to some of the luxury sedans are similar CLS = $64k US while as the Phaeton V8 = $64k roughly; Jag XJ* is mid $60k; BMW 745 is around upper $60k, Audi is same area, and even the Maserati is still the most expensive out of the basic bunch of these cars. ALso, Benz has the CLS55 AMG which is priced around the Maserati. I know why not include the E55 AMG if I included the CLS55 AMG; the reason is because its an E-class, and it still goes with the 5-series, and the A6.

[Rakshas]

1. BMW 760li- With an Alpina kit, this car is downright sexy, also probably the best performer.

2. Audi A8L W12- Love the styling, Love the interior, Love the engine, there's not much I don't love about it.

3. Jaguar XJ Super V8- All the performance goodies of a XJR, and more luxury and tech than the vanden plas, Plus that beautiful jag styling and interior.

4. Mercedes Benz S600- Twin turbo V12, looks nice in black, I'm sure it performs adequately.

5. Mercedes CLS55 AMG- Nice styling, Engine is a Beast.

6. Maserati Quattroporte- Honestly Don't know enough about it to judge it.

7. Lexus Ls430- Nice features, blocky styling is ok.