speedflex
05-19-08, 03:50 PM
Private Reserve Cabs: Luxury Sport Sedan Comparison
By Ron Kiino
Photography by Brian Vance
"I don't usually care much for wine," blurts technical editor Kim Reynolds after swigging a sip of the 2005 Jours de Bonheur, a 2007 release from Demetria Estate, "but this pinot noir is very nice." Owners Sandra and John Zahoudanis and winemaker Michael Roth see to the day-to-day demands at Demetria, a small winery in Central California's Santa Ynez Valley that produces a modest output of around 7500 cases per year. According to Sandra, renowned winemaker Andrew Murray used to reside on the estate, which sits a stone's throw from the Firestone and Fess Parker vineyards as well as the former residence of an infamous moonwalker. "Just over that ridge is Jacko's Neverland Ranch," she says, pointing south toward rolling hills that, due to an especially wet winter, resemble a mound of avocados. Following a few seconds of awkward silence, she poses a most appropriate question: "So, who wants another taste?"
On this warm spring day, Reynolds is treating his palate and shnoz-stimuli generally subjected to the earthy and bold blend known as Starbucks Sumatra-to intense flavors of cherry and raspberry and aromas of cinnamon and lavender. "Wow, I really like this pinot," he repeats to the group, which includes your scribe, editor at large Arthur St. Antoine, road-test editor Scott Mortara, and photographer Brian Vance, all of whom are enjoying the fruits of Demetria's labor. "Good thing we're done driving for the day," proclaims St. Antoine, who, after eight hours of zipping around Santa Ynez's challenging country roads, is already feeling the effects of multiple, generously poured samples.
Of the aforementioned sommeliers, er, editors, the most noteworthy is Reynolds, who's been brought along not just for his quick wit, dry humor, and uncanny ability to assess a car's nuances, but also because he authored the previous sport-sedan shindig ("Sideways," November 2005), in which the BMW 545i, Cadillac STS, Infiniti M45, and Mercedes E500 let their juices flow in nearby Paso Robles. The gold-medal ribbon? Wine steward Reynolds awarded that to the 545i. For this taste test, save for a losing vehicle from the prior group receiving a complete redesign or a new V-8, invitations were not extended; thus, nay to the STS and M45 but yea to the invigorated E550 Benz. Naturally, the BMW, now in 550i guise, was summoned to defend its title, with two robust newcomers-the Lexus GS 460 and Jaguar XF Supercharged-thrown in to challenge for editors' pick. Who'll garner the gold this go-around? To the presses!
Swirl
Based on color of attire, the GS, drenched in a metallic zinfandel, seems dressed for success. But looking at the scores, its chances of winning appear about as rosy as chardonnay. Not only does the GS post the slowest 0-to-60 and quarter-mile times, but its braking, lateral acceleration, and figure-eight numbers are all bested by the BMW and Jaguar. Granted, those figures-certainly the 5.6-second 0-to-60 time-still represent a speedy and agile machine (it scoots quicker than an Audi TT 3.2 Quattro and circles more swiftly than a BMW 335i Coupe), but compared with the best in this test, it pales. Then again, numbers tell only half the story.
"Though this is the slowest car here," notes St. Antoine, "it isn't a slow car. The engine is brilliantly smooth and pulls hard with a vibrant and engaging snarl." That motor is the same, buttery 4.6-liter V-8 used in the flagship LS, detuned to 342 horses for duty in the smaller GS. To optimize power flow, the 4.6 pairs with the group's only eight-speed auto, which delivers quick, seamless shifts when rolling along at anything but breakneck speeds. Problem is, when it comes time to break necks, the tranny doesn't keep up, endlessly hunting for that ideal gear (remember, there are eight of them) and delivering lethargic shifts when in manual mode. Paddle shifters? "Too bad there are none as in the Jag and Benz," observes Reynolds, while Mortara takes it one step further: "Paddles would transform this car," adding, "as would 19-inch wheels with more aggressive tires." Unfortunately, our GS has come with 18s wearing run-flats, stiff shoes that do little to offset the already firm suspension.
Looking at the wine glass half full, the GS's variable-gear-ratio steering and active anti-roll bars do deliver commendable chassis behavior and turn-in response, although they numb road feel more than we'd prefer. Nonetheless, there's much to like and admire with the GS. Our connoisseurs judge its interior as the most user-friendly, its back seat the most comfortable for two, and its EPA fuel economy and as-tested price the most appealing. With the votes in, though, the Lexus is akin to bringing sake to a cabernet competition. Sure, it's technically wine, but it doesn't really match up, lacking the requisite flavor, color, and vivacity to stir the judges.
Sniff
There's no doubt the 550i looks like a champ, what with its aggressive front and rear fascias and 19-inch split-spoke wheels, all of which impart a particular M5 wickedness. Speaking of its steroidal sibling, the 550i isn't that much slower than the M, blitzing to 60 in 4.8 seconds and the quarter in 13.3 at 105.1 mph. Credit goes to BMW's turbine-smooth 360-horse, 4.8-liter V-8 and the group's only manual, an effortless albeit rubbery ZF six-speed. (We asked for the 550i's new-for-2008 six-cog "Sport" automatic that features steering-wheel paddle shifters and rpm matching for downshifts, but none was available.) While every editor would prefer to sample the auto, when the votes come down and the tumblers go up, our attention has shifted to the 550i's real strengths and weaknesses.
Unsurprisingly, the BMW, armed with active anti-roll bars and Continental summer tires, proves the sportiest of the bunch, offering the most engaging dynamics. "BMW sure knows how to put together a chassis," gushes Mortara, "this car just begs to be driven hard." St Antoine concurs, adding, "Surgical steering, with impressive feedback, nice weighting, and an agreeably quick ratio-point the wheels and they go there right now." Thus, the 550i is exceptionally fun and rewarding when slicing a serpentine stretch of asphalt, allowing us to explore the limits in a controlled, exuberant manner. Further, the ride over smooth surfaces is splendid, the car seemingly gliding along in complete serenity. And over rough roads? Better dial up the dentist.
"As soon as the asphalt cracks up, the ride shifts into hammer time-way too stiff for comfortable motoring, even if you're in attack mode," carps St. Antoine. Compared with the three-way-adjustable dampers in the Mercedes, the BMW's sole setting is significantly stiffer than even the E's tautest Sport 2 mode. Reynolds opines, "Over many areas of non-smooth surface, the car just goes into a blur." In addition to its intolerable ride over patchy pavement, the 550i disappoints with fatigue-inducing front seats, a still frustrating and unintuitive iDrive, a dark and cold cockpit, and a monster engine that somehow doesn't feel that monsterlike out on the road. Throw in a price tag that approaches 70 large, and the BMW is deemed best left in the cellar.
Sip
Similar to a three-liter double magnum of Bordeaux, the E550 isn't bashful about its no-replacement-for-displacement attitude, stomping up to the bar with 382 horses pouring from 5461 cc. Suffice it to say, the Mercedes doesn't lack punch, tying the BMW for the quickest 0-to-60 sprint and the Jag for the second-best quarter-mile time. Moreover, with 391 pound-feet available at just 2800 rpm and a telepathic 7G-Tronic seven-speed auto divvying up the torque, the Benz always feels ready to run, whether in first or seventh gear. "Barely need to change cogs, such is the V-8's torque band," notes St. Antoine. But when full command is demanded, simply click a steering-wheel paddle or nudge the gearshift from side to side. The only minor fault, as St. Antoine says, "If you're charging and click the upshift paddle, the transmission waits to execute the command until the engine reaches redline."
Tranny nitpick aside, we find a lot to love with the E. The styling, inside and out, still looks clean and classy. The adjustable Airmatic suspension can be dialed in for the optimal ride-handling compromise, be it plush or sporty-either way, the Benz never beats up its occupants and always behaves in a composed manner. "This car comes close to the others in pace, moves fluidly with no buzzy nervousness, and yet rides splendidly," concludes Reynolds, who also views the E's 10-way power driver's seat to be "the best." As for the backseat, the Mercedes treats three riders to the most accommodating and supportive bench. Thanks in part to all-season rubber with more sipes than on a snow tire, the Mercedes posts the longest braking distance, the feeblest lateral acceleration, and the slowest figure-eight time, specs that contradict the aura of our tester's optional AMG sport package. Proper summer tires, we surmise, would remedy most of these shortcomings and enliven the E's somewhat heavy steering and overall sense of weightiness.
Along with Mortara, Reynolds states he'd buy the $70,305 Benz if money were no issue. But since it is, there's a 2009 vintage that's a bit easier to swallow.
Savor
You don't have to be Stephen Hawking to calculate that Americans are a bit more smitten with the shape of Jag's new four-door fastback than they were with its bug-eyed-calzone forerunner, the S-Type. Just look at the numbers: Jag moved 1161 of the XF in its first month of sale, compared with only 3524 takers for the S-Type in all of 2007. Of course, the XF formula is more than simply a sexy, coupelike shape with hints of Aston Martin DB9-it's also about a thoroughly reworked chassis and, in our Supercharged tester, a 4.2-liter, 420-horsepower blown V-8.
Objectively, the XF SC's test results are imposing: 0 to 60 in 4.9, the quarter in 13.4 at 106.9 mph, 60 to 0 in 105 feet, lateral acceleration of 0.90 g, and the figure eight in 26.0 at 0.70 g, with the last three representing best in test. More important, subjectively, the XF is the finest Jaguar sedan we've ever driven. "A sublime automobile," asserts St. Antoine. Mortara declares, "They finally did it! Jag has made a sedan that offers more than just good looks and a strong engine." Indeed, the XF's steering feels light to the palms but provides just enough weight to relay precise feel, sharp turn-in, and exquisite linearity through the fingertips, which, by the way, get the tactile pleasure of clicking the ultra-responsive six-speed's paddle shifters, relishing rev-matching throttle blips with every downshift. This, as we discover, comes in handy when chasing game on the aptly dubbed Cat Canyon Road, a most challenging wiggle of curves and undulations. But whether the road is straight or sinuous, heavenly or harsh, the XF, riding atop CATS active dampers, always feels poised and ready to pounce.
Once nestled in the cabin, you'll want to pounce on a glass of pinot, if only it were legal. Adorned with an elegant blend of leather, wood, and aluminum, and with such techno touches as motorized air vents and gearshift, the XF's interior is classic yet modern, an English study on wheels. As tough critics, though, we constantly have something to whine about; for the XF, that would be compromised rear-seat headroom, a thirsty V-8 (we see only 14.8 mpg), and narrow front seats.
But for those who appreciate a superb sport sedan as much as a world-class wine, the XF Supercharged is the purrfect pour.
1st Place Jaguar XF supercharged
Bold, complex, luscious: a vintage worthy of celebration.
2nd Place Mercedes-Benz E550
Full-bodied and smooth: a standout effort for everyday consumption.
3rd Place BMW 550i
Strong fruits produce sharp, fast flavor, but the finish is rough.
4th Place Lexus GS 460
Commendably competent, but lacking crispness and character.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/112_0807_luxury_sport_sedan_comparison/index.html
By Ron Kiino
Photography by Brian Vance
"I don't usually care much for wine," blurts technical editor Kim Reynolds after swigging a sip of the 2005 Jours de Bonheur, a 2007 release from Demetria Estate, "but this pinot noir is very nice." Owners Sandra and John Zahoudanis and winemaker Michael Roth see to the day-to-day demands at Demetria, a small winery in Central California's Santa Ynez Valley that produces a modest output of around 7500 cases per year. According to Sandra, renowned winemaker Andrew Murray used to reside on the estate, which sits a stone's throw from the Firestone and Fess Parker vineyards as well as the former residence of an infamous moonwalker. "Just over that ridge is Jacko's Neverland Ranch," she says, pointing south toward rolling hills that, due to an especially wet winter, resemble a mound of avocados. Following a few seconds of awkward silence, she poses a most appropriate question: "So, who wants another taste?"
On this warm spring day, Reynolds is treating his palate and shnoz-stimuli generally subjected to the earthy and bold blend known as Starbucks Sumatra-to intense flavors of cherry and raspberry and aromas of cinnamon and lavender. "Wow, I really like this pinot," he repeats to the group, which includes your scribe, editor at large Arthur St. Antoine, road-test editor Scott Mortara, and photographer Brian Vance, all of whom are enjoying the fruits of Demetria's labor. "Good thing we're done driving for the day," proclaims St. Antoine, who, after eight hours of zipping around Santa Ynez's challenging country roads, is already feeling the effects of multiple, generously poured samples.
Of the aforementioned sommeliers, er, editors, the most noteworthy is Reynolds, who's been brought along not just for his quick wit, dry humor, and uncanny ability to assess a car's nuances, but also because he authored the previous sport-sedan shindig ("Sideways," November 2005), in which the BMW 545i, Cadillac STS, Infiniti M45, and Mercedes E500 let their juices flow in nearby Paso Robles. The gold-medal ribbon? Wine steward Reynolds awarded that to the 545i. For this taste test, save for a losing vehicle from the prior group receiving a complete redesign or a new V-8, invitations were not extended; thus, nay to the STS and M45 but yea to the invigorated E550 Benz. Naturally, the BMW, now in 550i guise, was summoned to defend its title, with two robust newcomers-the Lexus GS 460 and Jaguar XF Supercharged-thrown in to challenge for editors' pick. Who'll garner the gold this go-around? To the presses!
Swirl
Based on color of attire, the GS, drenched in a metallic zinfandel, seems dressed for success. But looking at the scores, its chances of winning appear about as rosy as chardonnay. Not only does the GS post the slowest 0-to-60 and quarter-mile times, but its braking, lateral acceleration, and figure-eight numbers are all bested by the BMW and Jaguar. Granted, those figures-certainly the 5.6-second 0-to-60 time-still represent a speedy and agile machine (it scoots quicker than an Audi TT 3.2 Quattro and circles more swiftly than a BMW 335i Coupe), but compared with the best in this test, it pales. Then again, numbers tell only half the story.
"Though this is the slowest car here," notes St. Antoine, "it isn't a slow car. The engine is brilliantly smooth and pulls hard with a vibrant and engaging snarl." That motor is the same, buttery 4.6-liter V-8 used in the flagship LS, detuned to 342 horses for duty in the smaller GS. To optimize power flow, the 4.6 pairs with the group's only eight-speed auto, which delivers quick, seamless shifts when rolling along at anything but breakneck speeds. Problem is, when it comes time to break necks, the tranny doesn't keep up, endlessly hunting for that ideal gear (remember, there are eight of them) and delivering lethargic shifts when in manual mode. Paddle shifters? "Too bad there are none as in the Jag and Benz," observes Reynolds, while Mortara takes it one step further: "Paddles would transform this car," adding, "as would 19-inch wheels with more aggressive tires." Unfortunately, our GS has come with 18s wearing run-flats, stiff shoes that do little to offset the already firm suspension.
Looking at the wine glass half full, the GS's variable-gear-ratio steering and active anti-roll bars do deliver commendable chassis behavior and turn-in response, although they numb road feel more than we'd prefer. Nonetheless, there's much to like and admire with the GS. Our connoisseurs judge its interior as the most user-friendly, its back seat the most comfortable for two, and its EPA fuel economy and as-tested price the most appealing. With the votes in, though, the Lexus is akin to bringing sake to a cabernet competition. Sure, it's technically wine, but it doesn't really match up, lacking the requisite flavor, color, and vivacity to stir the judges.
Sniff
There's no doubt the 550i looks like a champ, what with its aggressive front and rear fascias and 19-inch split-spoke wheels, all of which impart a particular M5 wickedness. Speaking of its steroidal sibling, the 550i isn't that much slower than the M, blitzing to 60 in 4.8 seconds and the quarter in 13.3 at 105.1 mph. Credit goes to BMW's turbine-smooth 360-horse, 4.8-liter V-8 and the group's only manual, an effortless albeit rubbery ZF six-speed. (We asked for the 550i's new-for-2008 six-cog "Sport" automatic that features steering-wheel paddle shifters and rpm matching for downshifts, but none was available.) While every editor would prefer to sample the auto, when the votes come down and the tumblers go up, our attention has shifted to the 550i's real strengths and weaknesses.
Unsurprisingly, the BMW, armed with active anti-roll bars and Continental summer tires, proves the sportiest of the bunch, offering the most engaging dynamics. "BMW sure knows how to put together a chassis," gushes Mortara, "this car just begs to be driven hard." St Antoine concurs, adding, "Surgical steering, with impressive feedback, nice weighting, and an agreeably quick ratio-point the wheels and they go there right now." Thus, the 550i is exceptionally fun and rewarding when slicing a serpentine stretch of asphalt, allowing us to explore the limits in a controlled, exuberant manner. Further, the ride over smooth surfaces is splendid, the car seemingly gliding along in complete serenity. And over rough roads? Better dial up the dentist.
"As soon as the asphalt cracks up, the ride shifts into hammer time-way too stiff for comfortable motoring, even if you're in attack mode," carps St. Antoine. Compared with the three-way-adjustable dampers in the Mercedes, the BMW's sole setting is significantly stiffer than even the E's tautest Sport 2 mode. Reynolds opines, "Over many areas of non-smooth surface, the car just goes into a blur." In addition to its intolerable ride over patchy pavement, the 550i disappoints with fatigue-inducing front seats, a still frustrating and unintuitive iDrive, a dark and cold cockpit, and a monster engine that somehow doesn't feel that monsterlike out on the road. Throw in a price tag that approaches 70 large, and the BMW is deemed best left in the cellar.
Sip
Similar to a three-liter double magnum of Bordeaux, the E550 isn't bashful about its no-replacement-for-displacement attitude, stomping up to the bar with 382 horses pouring from 5461 cc. Suffice it to say, the Mercedes doesn't lack punch, tying the BMW for the quickest 0-to-60 sprint and the Jag for the second-best quarter-mile time. Moreover, with 391 pound-feet available at just 2800 rpm and a telepathic 7G-Tronic seven-speed auto divvying up the torque, the Benz always feels ready to run, whether in first or seventh gear. "Barely need to change cogs, such is the V-8's torque band," notes St. Antoine. But when full command is demanded, simply click a steering-wheel paddle or nudge the gearshift from side to side. The only minor fault, as St. Antoine says, "If you're charging and click the upshift paddle, the transmission waits to execute the command until the engine reaches redline."
Tranny nitpick aside, we find a lot to love with the E. The styling, inside and out, still looks clean and classy. The adjustable Airmatic suspension can be dialed in for the optimal ride-handling compromise, be it plush or sporty-either way, the Benz never beats up its occupants and always behaves in a composed manner. "This car comes close to the others in pace, moves fluidly with no buzzy nervousness, and yet rides splendidly," concludes Reynolds, who also views the E's 10-way power driver's seat to be "the best." As for the backseat, the Mercedes treats three riders to the most accommodating and supportive bench. Thanks in part to all-season rubber with more sipes than on a snow tire, the Mercedes posts the longest braking distance, the feeblest lateral acceleration, and the slowest figure-eight time, specs that contradict the aura of our tester's optional AMG sport package. Proper summer tires, we surmise, would remedy most of these shortcomings and enliven the E's somewhat heavy steering and overall sense of weightiness.
Along with Mortara, Reynolds states he'd buy the $70,305 Benz if money were no issue. But since it is, there's a 2009 vintage that's a bit easier to swallow.
Savor
You don't have to be Stephen Hawking to calculate that Americans are a bit more smitten with the shape of Jag's new four-door fastback than they were with its bug-eyed-calzone forerunner, the S-Type. Just look at the numbers: Jag moved 1161 of the XF in its first month of sale, compared with only 3524 takers for the S-Type in all of 2007. Of course, the XF formula is more than simply a sexy, coupelike shape with hints of Aston Martin DB9-it's also about a thoroughly reworked chassis and, in our Supercharged tester, a 4.2-liter, 420-horsepower blown V-8.
Objectively, the XF SC's test results are imposing: 0 to 60 in 4.9, the quarter in 13.4 at 106.9 mph, 60 to 0 in 105 feet, lateral acceleration of 0.90 g, and the figure eight in 26.0 at 0.70 g, with the last three representing best in test. More important, subjectively, the XF is the finest Jaguar sedan we've ever driven. "A sublime automobile," asserts St. Antoine. Mortara declares, "They finally did it! Jag has made a sedan that offers more than just good looks and a strong engine." Indeed, the XF's steering feels light to the palms but provides just enough weight to relay precise feel, sharp turn-in, and exquisite linearity through the fingertips, which, by the way, get the tactile pleasure of clicking the ultra-responsive six-speed's paddle shifters, relishing rev-matching throttle blips with every downshift. This, as we discover, comes in handy when chasing game on the aptly dubbed Cat Canyon Road, a most challenging wiggle of curves and undulations. But whether the road is straight or sinuous, heavenly or harsh, the XF, riding atop CATS active dampers, always feels poised and ready to pounce.
Once nestled in the cabin, you'll want to pounce on a glass of pinot, if only it were legal. Adorned with an elegant blend of leather, wood, and aluminum, and with such techno touches as motorized air vents and gearshift, the XF's interior is classic yet modern, an English study on wheels. As tough critics, though, we constantly have something to whine about; for the XF, that would be compromised rear-seat headroom, a thirsty V-8 (we see only 14.8 mpg), and narrow front seats.
But for those who appreciate a superb sport sedan as much as a world-class wine, the XF Supercharged is the purrfect pour.
1st Place Jaguar XF supercharged
Bold, complex, luscious: a vintage worthy of celebration.
2nd Place Mercedes-Benz E550
Full-bodied and smooth: a standout effort for everyday consumption.
3rd Place BMW 550i
Strong fruits produce sharp, fast flavor, but the finish is rough.
4th Place Lexus GS 460
Commendably competent, but lacking crispness and character.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/112_0807_luxury_sport_sedan_comparison/index.html