2008 Mercedes-Benz S550

Best no-compromises luxury car

• Strong performance
• Smooth ride, excellent handling
• Quiet, roomy interior
• Refined feel with high-quality materials
• Advanced technology

• Complicated controls
• High price
• Low fuel economy

Reviewers generally agree that the Mercedes S550 is the benchmark for luxury sedans. Editors say the S550 excels in offering all the prestige, comfort and technological features a luxury car owner would expect, and more. Its vast cabin is a cocoon of quietness, elegance and high-quality ambiance, reviews emphasize. Redesigned in 2007, the current S550 sedan continues with the new longer wheelbase and distinctive design. The big Benz's powertrain is a 382-hp V-8 engine matched with a seven-speed automatic transmission driving either the rear wheels or an optional AWD system, branded "4MATIC." Reviewers are surprised by the S-Class' quick acceleration and outstanding handling, often commenting that the Mercedes S550 drives like a much smaller sports sedan.

The Mercedes S550's interior design gets compliments for its refinement and quality materials, although many auto writers say the screen-based COMAND multi-function control system could be more intuitive and less complicated. Among the many available advanced features are an Active Body Control suspension, heated/ventilated seats with built-in massage function, and a Night View system which presents a view of the road ahead with an infrared camera. Reviews say one big drawback to the Mercedes S550 is its high price. Other lower-priced luxury cars mentioned as worthy alternatives include the Lexus LS 460 (*est. $62,900 to $72,900), the BMW 750i (*est. $76,800 to $79,900) and the Audi A8 (*est. $70,690 to $74,690).

Among the many sources that give top ratings to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Edmunds.com ranks it as one of the best sedans priced over $60,000 and provides a well-written summary review with a list of the car's strengths and weaknesses. Motor Trend contributes a head-to-head four-car comparison test of top-dollar luxury sedans that includes the S550. Consumer Reports also has an informative summary review coupled with exclusive reliability information available only to subscribers. Both Cars.com and Consumer Guide name the S-Class as best buys and offer detailed reviews of the Mercedes S550. The Car Connection has a thoughtful summary of the S-Class, and New Car Test Drive also gives detailed driving impressions, although not much criticism. Kelley Blue Book also recommends the S-Class and gives a valuable general review.

2008 Lexus ES 350

Best "budget" luxury sedan

• Smooth ride
• Comfortable, quiet cabin
• Premium-grade interior materials
• Lexus' reputation for reliability, dealer service
• Decent gas mileage

• Soft handling is not sporty
• Steering is too light
• Styling is too conservative for some

Reviews consistently emphasize that the Lexus ES 350 is smooth, quiet and comfortable, but will not appeal to drivers who desire a sportier driving experience. The ES 350 is front-wheel drive only, with competent and predictable handling, but it cannot keep pace with similarly-priced rear-drive sports sedans, reviewers say. They recommend several sportier alternatives for drivers who want a car that's more fun to drive, such as the BMW 3 Series (*est. $32,700 to $53,800) or Infiniti G35 (*est. $32,250 to $34,750).

Reviews point out, however, that many entry-luxury car shoppers place a higher importance on a plush ride and reputation for quality and reliability. For them, many editors call the Lexus ES 350 a "perfect" choice for the money. The single engine is a 272-hp V-6, rated at 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. Test drivers report respectable real-life mileage ranging from 19 to 27 mpg.

One of the best reviews comes from Edmunds.com, with a thoughtful summary of the Lexus ES 350's strengths and weaknesses. Consumer Reports also has an informative summary review and exclusive reliability information available only to subscribers. Among several recommendations for the Lexus ES 350 are top awards from Consumer Guide and Cars.com, both of which provide good road-test reviews. The Car Connection has a well-written summary of the ES sedan, and New Car Test Drive has a longer review with plenty of road-test details, although not much criticism. MotherProof.com gives some insight into the family friendliness of the ES 350.

FERRARI 599 GTB FIORANO

The 599 GTB made it's debut at the Geneva Motor Show on February 28, 2006. The styling of the 599 GTB was done by Pininfarina, under the direction of Ferrari stylist, Frank Stephenson. It was named for its engine displacement and the Fiorano test track used by Ferrari. The 599 comes with a range of options, and for the spirited customers the 'Racing and Track' options include CCM (Carbon Ceramic Material) brakes, 20 inch Challenge one-piece rims with run-flat tyres, four-point harnesses and a cockpit roll-bar.

BUGATTI VEYRON

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 has a very impressive top speed of over 400 km/h (407.5 km/h or 253.2 mph) and an equally impressive price tag of over 1 million u.s dollars. It reached full production in September 2005. The car is built by Volkswagen AG subsidiary Bugatti Automobiles SAS and is sold under the Bugatti name. It is named after racing driver Pierre Veyron, who won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1939 while racing for the original Bugatti firm.

BUGATTI EB110 GT

The Bugatti EB110 from Bugatti is one of the most celebrated cars in automotive history. It was unveiled on September 15, 1991 in both Versailles and in front of the Grande Arche at La D?fense in Paris, France exactly 110 years after Ettore Bugatti's birth. The powerplant is one of the most advanced and complex engines ever created while the chassis and design is just as superb.

BMW Z8

The BMW Z8 was made from 2000 to 2003. The Z8 is the production variant of the 1997 Z07 concept car, which was designed by Henrik Fisker at BMW's Designworks in Southern California. In order to promote the Z8 to collectors and reinforce media speculation about the Z8's "instant classic" potential, BMW made the promise- unprecedented in the auto industry- that a 50 year stockpile of spare parts would be maintained in order to support the Z8 fleet.

BMW M6 E63

The BMW M6 E63 made its debut at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. It is based on the BMW E63/E64 6-Series, introduced in 2004. It shares the same 5.0 L V10 S85 engine and SMG III gearbox with the E60 M5. The M6 combines the presence of a supercar with grand touring potential. Joining an ever growing club, the fourth new M car of the decade sets a new performance benchmark for production cars. The M6 will have the same 'power button' as the M5 which modifies the throttle response.

BMW M3

With performance characteristics rivaling the most exotic sports cars at a fraction of the price, the E46 BMW M3 represents a great automotive value. The BMW M3 engine is the most powerful six-cylinder ever in a production BMW and at 106bhp per liter is one of the highest naturally aspirated 6-cylinders in the world. Changes for 2003 include rain and light sensors and an in dash cd player in combination with the navigation system.

BENTLEY GT

Performance claims predict the Bentley Continental GT coupe will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds and reach a maximum speed of more than 180 mph. Power will be fed through a new, paddle-operated 6-speed automatic gearbox and will be delivered to the road via all-wheel drive--a first in Bentley's history. The company says all-wheel drive was considered essential not only for safety but to enhance the car's everyday usability everywhere from metropolitan highways to ski resorts all over the world. Electronic Stability Control is also included. Suspension is made up of a multilink rear axle with double wishbones in the front and the latest in electronic damping control.

AUDI S8

the Audi S8, powered by a V10 engine derived from the 5.0 L V10 used in the Lamborghini Gallardo. This is the first ever V10 from Audi and is effectively harnessed by a chassis combining adaptive air suspension with the latest generation quattro permanent four-wheel-drive system, featuring a standard torque split of 40:60 (front / rear) that helps to optimise axle load distribution for even greater agility and steering precision. The previous S8 came to popular prominence after the movie Ronin, starring Robert De Niro.

ASTON MARTIN VANQUISH S

The Vanquish S V12 is the flagship model of Aston Martin. To build such an extraordinary car, the company has used British expertise in aerospace and race-car engineering. The Vanquish S is unmistakably an Aston Martin. It is elegant, powerful and dynamic. But there is also a hint of menace in this classic Aston Martin design.

ASTON MARTIN V8 VANTAGE

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage is the closest to a pure sports car of any in the current Aston Martin range. Aston Martin has used the name "Vantage" on high performance variants of their existing GT models. ''The V8 Vantage is a significant car for us,'' explained Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin. ''It is now the third model in our range and is the culmination of the first phase of reinvigorating the Aston Martin brand around the world that began in the year 2000.''

ALPINA ROADSTER V8

Alpina Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH is an automobile tuning company based in Buchloe, in the Ostallg?u district of Bavaria, Germany specialising in BMW cars. To celebrate the tremendous success of the Z8 Roadster, BMW has partnered with Alpina to create an exclusive and unique rendition of this contemporary classic. Production of the Alpina Z8 will be limited to 555 units worldwide.

ALPINA B7

BMW with Alpina have created a special high performance version of the 7 Series luxury sedan. The 2006 BMW Alpina B7 brings together the luxury, pioneering design, and advanced technology of the 7 Series Sedan. The heart of the B7 is a 4.4 litre V8 engine that is charged through the use of a radial (Nautilus-type) compressor. The combination of Valvetronic and charging is world first.

ALFA ROMEO GT COUPE

The Alfa Romeo GT is a coupe produced by Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo since 2004. The GT is based on the larger 156 sedan, with the coup? body styled by Bertone. Most mechanicals are taken directly from the 156, with some influence from the slightly more modern 147. The 240bhp 3.2-litre V6 offers good all-round performance but is prone to torque steer.

ALFA ROMEO BRERA V6 Q4 SV

The Alfa Romeo Brera first appeared as a concept car at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show. It was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign Giugiaro, and was a large luxury sports car with V8 power. Before it was released, the Alfa Brera concept car was voted "Best of Show" by Autoweek magazine at the Geneva Motor Show, "Best of Show" in the prototype category at the Villa d?Este Concorso D?Eleganze, it picked up two prizes at Challenge Bibendum 2002, and "the Most Fascinating Car" award at the Super Car Rally 2002 form Paris to Monte Carlo.

AVANTI

In 2003, Avanti celebrated its 40th anniversary as one of the premier automotive marquees in the United States automobile market. The 2003 Avanti represents the latest generation of this classic automobile, which can trace its lineage back to 1962 and the Raymond Loewy design for Studebaker. The 2003 Avantis are manufactured in a half a million square foot facility in Villa Rica, Georgia. Avanti Motor Corporation plans to produce 150 automobiles per year in either a sport coupe or convertible model. Every car is custom built to the customer's specifications. A GT supercharged model is available for an additional $10,000.

ASCARI KZ1

Only 50 Ascari KZ1 cars were ever produced making it a very exclusive supercar. Hence its price of close to half a million dollars. Each car was handcrafted which took 340 hours per car.

ACURA NSX

Make and Model: Honda NSX Year: 1991 Engine Type: 3.2 Liter, DOHC VTEC V-6 Torque: 224lb-ft@5500rpm Acceleration 0-60: 5.0 s Suspension: 4-wheel independent Wheel Base: 99.6 inches List Price: $89,000 Horsepower: 290bhp@7100rpm Top Speed: 175 mph Brakes: 4-wheel vent. disc Transmission: 6-speed manual Weight: 3153 lbs

AUDI RS6

Dynamic drive. Extraordinary power. Designed for the fast lane. The limited edition Audi RS6 (available Summer 2003) is a powerhouse five-passenger sedan that lives up to the Audi reputation for performance. This ultra high performer is equipped with an incredible 450 horsepower engine at 6500 rpm, making it a world-class sedan with the heart of a sports car. The Audi RS6 is first Audi equipped with an innovative, new suspension concept called Dynamic Ride Control (DRC). As the driver steers, the Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) suspension changes the shock absorber characteristics so that rolling and pitching movements are virtually eliminated. With the Audi RS6, driving is no longer a means from point A to point B. It's an exhilarating end in itself.