Merc1

Just got the December issue of Motor Trend today and there is yet another comparo that hasn't yet posted online.

The Finishing Order:


1st - Maserati Quattropore Sport GT - "Lights up the brain's pleasure centers like no other sedan we know".

2nd - Mercedes-Benz S550 - "Pushes the lux sedan envelop in all the right directions."

3rd - Jaguar Super V8 - "Disguises modern technology andy dynamics in authentic 19th-century elegance."

4th - Lexus LS600hL - "Overpromises and underdelivers on performance, fuel economy, and even luxury."


Since I don't have a scanner I'll give you the last 2 paragraphs:

"In the end the Lexus strikes us as ideal for CEOs who've made their fortunes plundering the earth's resources and want to appear to be making amends. It said little us beyond "Forgive me; I'm not quite the guzzler I appear to be. Its smugness irked us almost as much as its undeserved 600 badge. We'd all sooner driver the tire-smoking LS460L for 33K less, so the 600 finishes fourth. The Jaguar Super V8 says "I'm a ladder-climbing establishment type who's made it." We respect that, we enjoyed thrashing and cruising in this supercharged boudoir, and we appreciate its (relative) value pricing, so it finished third. The Mercedes-Benz S550 is arguably the best car here by all objective measures. It's suave-looking inside and out, peforms admirably, pushes the technological envelop enough to remain relevant for years, commands valet respect nationwides, and says "This plutocrat isn't afraid of the future."

But the one car that every voter desperately wanted to mortgage his soul to own was the Maserati. "I think that it is the best-handling sedan I've ever driven," gushed St. Antoine on climbing out atop Mt. Palomar-tall praise from someone with over two decades' experience evaluating sport sedans. Nobody could argue. We all know this car will drive its owner crazy reaching for a CD changer mounted below the steering column, waiting forever for the nave systme to calculate a route, cranking the engine three times as long as any othe car to start, listening to a squeak in the driver's shoulder belt, etc. None on that matters when the car is shouting, "I'm so special I had this gorgeous car tailor-made for me and you're damned lucky just to catch a glimpse of it." It made us feel like F1 glamour-pusses and we physically ached to see it go. If you can swing $116,500 plus some options, look no further for the feel-big sedan of our time.

Motor Trend - December 2007.

Can someone please scan this article until the link comes online?


M

Beemer B773ER

Put the Quattroporte Sport GT, S-class, A8, 7 series, Jag, Lexus LS, M5, E63, RS6 and whatever other luxo-sports sedan you can think of and I'd pick the Maserati faster than an F1 car changes gears!

Something about that stunning Quattroporte, and it only gets more and more appealing with the Sport GT variant. Flaming hot exterior blends with the refined yet passionate interior (unlike the overly clinical German interiors).

Can't wait for someone to scan the article or for it to be online.

Sunny

Pretty much the same order I would pick, unless there was a S8 in the list.

Bruce

Kind of strange comparison, ain't it? Those four couldn't be any different from each other.

Tycoon

True.

ree

This test is more an emotional test and so is the result. It's difficult to find appraisable similarities.

Merc1

An introductory video has posted:

- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER


M

atuv

Or S63/65 in there

Centurion

I saw the LS600h reviewed on TV yesterday. It looked splendid in white and the functions and features are magical. Nontheless it continues to be at the bottom of every comparison. Lexus treated it like a Playstation console and stuffed it with all sort of technology, the fuel economy is a joke just like it's cousin the Prius and it's not super comfortable despite the soft suspension. Lastly it's expensive. All in one it's a failure.

NarutoRamen

I'd take the S-class anyday. While the Quattroporte is a great car, I'm not keen on it's looks.