RON430

Glad to know it wasn't just me. As has been pointed out the Civic sedan has grown quite a bit but I just can't understand the luxury end of the market getting tighter on the interiors. OK, so I am a big guy but this is ridiculous. As big as the SWB LS, 7, and A8 are on the outside, they aren't much if any roomier than my second gen GS. I had a chance to rent an Avalon for a week a couple of weeks ago and my guess is it compares very well from the room standpoint to these big luxury sedans. I left the S out because someone would point out that there isn't a SWB S but in the front, it isn't any different either. And the interior quality is something that both my wife and I came away with the same opinion, Lexus and BMW are doing a good job, Audi has slipped and MB is just very unimpressive to downright awful. The E320 Bluetec at the show had a worse interior in it than a Malibu rental car.

Off topic, if you were at the SF auto show, did you see the R8 done up in the CHP paint job? That was one I wish I had a camera for.

LexFather

I'm with you that too many companies think MORE POWER is the answer. Clearly some cars are just better balanced, the 328 here and the Boxter/Caymen comes to mind. Cars not overpowering but just perfect in responses.

I've always said I felt the IS 250 is better balanced than the 350.

TwiBlueG35

LOL. It seems to me C&D thinks 3-series could beat any car that has ever been produced in human history in the whole world.

TwiBlueG35

Then C&D probably would think 328i is a much more balanced car than 335i.

Och

iTrader: (3)

Doesn't BMW use caddy's trannies?

Och

iTrader: (3)

I don't know if I agree with that, my parents S500 is the only car that I drove where I didn't have to move the drivers seat all the way back (I'm 6'4).

RON430

It is pretty easy to accomodate a tall driver with seat fore and aft movement. I don't have any problems with any of these cars keeping my noggin out of the roof. The biggest dimension I was talking about is cabin width at the elbows and shoulders. It was easy enough for my wife and I to get in the cars, adjust the seats and get our impressions about our relative distance to each other across the arm rest and to the doors and compare it to our GS's. After adjusting the front seats to where I would drive the car, I then try the back seat. No point getting in the back with the drivers chair fully forward and up the way they seem to always be at auto shows. At least the luxo boys have battery packs to let you adjust.

The S550 may be slightly larger than our GS for us and of course the back has more room as it is really comparable to the LWB of the other models. But that is comparing a seven year old 45K car to a current 90-100K car. It is an easier decision if having the three pointed star means that much to you, it doesn't to me. The E is considerably tighter than our GS. With the reliability and price premium of the MBs, and other impressions of the interior materials and build quality, I don't feel they justify their price premiums.

I was probably most disappointed in the MBs and slightly less disappointed in the Audi's that seem to have slipped a notch in their interior appointments and build quality. Bimmer is right up there but there are a lot of negatives about the 7 for me although room isn't one of them. It is just as roomy as the S, A8, and LS up front. Just like the E, the 5 is definitely considerably tighter than my GS. Bigger trunk but tighter cabin. Once again, it isn't that I can't move the seat back far enough to keep from brushing the headliner. But if that were my only criteria, I could get most any sedan nowadays. I've driven enough rental cars to know that even compacts have drivers seats that go back far enough to keep me out of the headliner. Of course your extra three inches in height may make a difference. Only the coupes and coupe wannabes, like the CLS, are just too limited for me to feel comfortable in from the headroom standpoint. If you get to an auto show and they have the Avalon powered up try it, you may find that you won't need the drivers seat all the way back in it either.

jracerlmn

the current GS has horrible headroom...

i always hit my head...

MoLexus

Thats true but I'm not sure they make the manny tranny for BMW I think its only the 6 speed auto.

mavericck

I thought both Caddy and BMW used Getrag transmissions.

MoLexus

See I'm not sure but I am sure that GM supplies BMW with the 6 speed auto but I'm not sure about the manual transmissions.

Mr. Jones

actually GM only supplies the 6spd auto for the 328i and I believe the base X3.
the 335i auto is from ZF.

Mr. Jones

C&D as usual worships BMW the G35 losing to a 328i is laughable. It's questionable if the 335i is an overall better vehicle.

dsp979

I have to agree with GFerg. I like the exterior look of the new C. I will get a chance to see the interior in a few days at the SF auto show.

As for comparing the C to the civic, the civic is getting bloated along with other cars and people's expanding waistlines. I actually like cars that are a tighter package, makes it easier to get out of tight situations. (plus the fact that i'm only 5'4).

I applaud Toyota for making the last generation Celica tighter, and lighter, than the previous gen. Automakers should get on that idea. Besides, a smaller car will be lighter, and will need a smaller engine. No, don't get into K-cars. Just want them to go back to the dimensions of cars 2 or 3 generations back.

Just my .02