From the January 2007 issue of Car and Driver.
If you’re in the market for one of the long-wheelbase versions of sports-luxury sedans in the $80,000-to-$100,000 range, then you’re probably a big-city businessman or -woman who needs a car in which you often sit in the rear while being driven to work or play.
Why else pay the premium for all that extra back-seat space? Not for the kids to run amok in, surely, or for the Great Pyrenees dog to stretch out in. Nope, these cars are desirable not only because they’re roomy and luxurious in the rear-passenger compartment but also because they are satisfying to drive when you have the car to yourself.
And the model choice is creamy rich. Newest among these bourgeois buggies is the Lexus LS460L, flagship of the company’s fourth-generation LS range and first-ever long-wheelbase model. Lexus threw everything it knows about luxury at this car, including optional air springs, variable-ratio steering, a premium airline-like right rear seat with power ottoman and multifunctional massage, advanced parking guidance, and an integrated 30-gig hard drive that not only speeds up the navigation system but also stores music and videos.
Powering all this extravagance is a 380-hp V-8 with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Of course, you have to check some options boxes to get all the features mentioned here, but you get the picture.
For a sense of how well the Lexus fulfills its luxury promise, we lined up the obvious suspects. Audi’s A8L is an incontrovertible competitor, armed as it is with an oversize leather-and-wood-lined rear-passenger compartment. For 2007, the A8 has a new direct-injection 4.2-liter V-8 with 350 horsepower; unfortunately, only a 2006 with the 40-valve, 335-hp V-8 was available for this test. So keep in mind that the specification, performance, and pricing information are for the 2006 A8L. Expect the ’07 car to be a smidge quicker and cost about $1000 more. The Audi brings with it the advantages of four-wheel drive and competitive pricing. But despite all-aluminum body construction, the Audi weighs within a couple hundred pounds of the heaviest contender.
Jaguar’s Super V-8 long-wheelbase version of its XJR also boasts aluminum construction, but in this case the light metal is used to better effect, and the car tips the truck scales at Schick Moving & Storage at just over two tons—the lightest car here. Adding a supercharger helps tote that load, too, giving the long Jag a distinctive theoretical power-to-weight advantage in this group.
And no group would be complete without a BMW. It just so happens that the company makes a long version of its 7-series bruiser—the 750Li—complete with thundering 4.8-liter V-8 and the traditional athletic chassis to go with it. You get a sense of BMW’s priorities when you read that the 750Li is equipped standard with 20-way power-adjustable “comfort” front seats. Always thinking about the driver, those guys.
Rounding out the group is the Mercedes-Benz S550, which is not a special long-wheelbase model. It just comes with a generous wheelbase and a ton of rear-seat legroom, somehow without looking freakishly long. Powered by a new-generation four-cam V-8 that drives through a seven-speed transmission, the S550 we requested also wore the company’s Airmatic springs with adaptive damping and active roll control, promising good ride and handling balance.
Thus equipped, we put the cars through our usual battery of tests to see what would shake out. And yes, we also remembered to spend a little time in the back seat.
Fifth Place: Lexus LS460L
For a car that some of us thought might win going in, fifth place seems astonishing. But you have to blame the Lexus’s obsessive isolation from noise and vibration for this outcome. Although the LS460L cossets its occupants with comfortable seats and all kinds of creature comforts (such as an air diffuser over the rear occupants to avoid drafts and an extraordinary DVD sound system), its dynamics don’t hold up in hard-driving situations.
HIGHS: Tranquil environment, flawless finish, comprehensive standard luxury equipment.
LOWS: Soft in roll, squishy tires, small trunk, long stopping distances.
Blame goes mainly to the all-season tires and the car’s soft roll motions, but the variable-ratio steering was also cited for its uncommunicative nature—if not its accuracy—and the electrohydraulic brakes were similarly peculiar in operation, producing longer-than-expected stopping distances.
Persuading the Lexus to negotiate our famous lane-change test was akin to driving a coach. When the vehicle-dynamics system (VDIM) is switched off—a “VSC off” light illuminates, making us wonder which acronym applies here—the LS460L indulges in long, wide slides. Leave the system on, and it still allows the car to get well out of shape before stepping in to confuse the driver.
In normal twisty surrounds, the Lexus reverts to a safer understeering mien, squealing its all-season rubber and rolling like a dinghy in a squall when pushed hard. But the true essence of the car is quite spectacular, with a tuneful V-8 and slick eight-speed automatic. The steering mechanism rotates as if on roller bearings (it might well be), and the sound levels are low enough inside that imperfect door seals on our preproduction vehicle produced wind noise that seemed hurricane-like in comparison.
But if the back seat is where you spend most of your time, then Lexus has its priorities correct. A comfortable ride, a quiet and scrupulously climate-controlled atmosphere, multi-adjustable seating with Peltier cooling pads, and video entertainment with one of the best car stereos ever devised are at your disposal. So chill. You made the right decision after all.
THE VERDICT: May be the most indulgent luxury car in the segment.
2007 Lexus LS460L
380-hp V-8, 8-speed automatic, 4700 lb
Base/as-tested price: $71,715/$93,990
Interior volume, front/rear: 55/52 cu ft
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.2 sec
100 mph: 14.8 sec
120 mph: 21.4 sec
1/4 mile: 14.6 sec @ 99 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 207 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.80 g
C/D observed fuel economy: 13 mpg
Fourth Place: Jaguar Super V-8
Jaguar has the correct weapon for this comparison test, with 400 horsepower in the bag and about the best tires in the bunch to deploy that power. Thus armed, the Super V-8 turned out to have a compelling combination of speed, space, and sprightliness. With the lowest weight in the pack, the Jag may have the best compromise here of ride comfort and handling agility.
HIGHS: Keen steering, pliant ride, low weight, simple controls.
LOWS: Engine not always that strong, narrow body compromises space for passengers.
True, it’s set up to hang out more at the limit, making the car too wide to miss all the cones in our lane-change test at full steam, but the chassis calibrations work well in the real world, delivering a pretty plush ride without upsetting the Jag’s composure during high-speed handling maneuvers.
The Jaguar brings many of the luxury category’s obligatory gadgets to market without encumbering the car with a controller like BMW’s iDrive or the stunning array of buttons we see in the Lexus. But we’d sure like to see the new XK’s gear selector in there instead of the dreaded J-gate, and it would be nice if the car would step off in first gear more often. Even with a purported 400 horses, second-gear starts feel lethargic.
We say purported because our car felt down on output, and this is reflected in our six-second 60-mph-sprint result. Jaguar claims five seconds, which seems more likely. The car required a fair bit of spurring to keep up with the Benz and the muscular BMW, but it is certainly not slow when the boost is up. Long it might be, but it’s not wide, so the back seats aren’t as substantial as in some of the other cars here, and headroom is limited. Tall drivers don’t enjoy a huge amount of room up front, either, even though the seats are comfortable and the surroundings utterly charming in that archetypal British way.
In the end, the seductive British approach wasn’t quite enough to sway our panel’s emotions and vote the car any higher in the rankings. But trust us: Fourth place in this company does not suck.
THE VERDICT: The perfect long car for those still fighting World War II.
2007 Jaguar Super V8
400-hp supercharged V-8, 6-speed automatic, 4080 lb
Base/as-tested price: $92,000/$93,400
Interior volume, front/rear: 56/51 cu ft
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.0 sec
100 mph: 14.1 sec
120 mph: 20.7 sec
1/4 mile: 14.5 sec @ 102 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 164 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.85 g
C/D observed fuel economy: 13 mpg
Third Place: BMW 750Li
BMWs are apparently for smart people. How else can you explain the many puzzling control mechanisms in the 750Li? From the often-dissed but undoubtedly versatile iDrive to the weird seat controls to rear switches that toggle between window and power-sunshade control, the whole car is full of devices that require research and experimentation, but they offer considerable convenience to a resourceful driver once they’re all figured out.
HIGHS: A fast driver’s car that has all the moves.
LOWS: Challenging ergonomics (the curse of iDrive), interior is not that elegant.
And no one can argue that this approach does not greatly reduce control clutter, leaving the driver to explore the BMW’s stalwart straight-line speed and communicative handling attributes. Gadgets notwithstanding, the 750Li is still a driver’s car, with a hefty feel at the wheel, good throttle response, and disciplined ride-motion control.
Without beating you up, the BMW goes where it’s aimed, turns in without rolling like a harpooned whale, and clings to the intended line with considerable tenacity. The steering wheel loads up enough to tell the driver what the score is at the contact patches, and there’s a stability-control system to back up the driver who runs out of talent. It is, however, fairly conservative, and you need to delve into the iDrive to switch it off.
But check this out. The BMW tied the all-wheel-drive Audi for highest skidpad grip, at 0.87 g, and won the lane-change contest outright. The charts tell us that BMW’s 4.8-liter V-8 spots the Benz’s 5.5-liter V-8 a whole 22 horsepower, but it doesn’t feel like it. Although it trails the S550 by just 0.1 second to 60 mph and through the quarter-mile, the Bimmer still feels plenty strong. The unthrottled Valvetronic V-8 responds well at low and medium engine speeds and then pulls with increasing vehemence as the tach needle rises. You can run triple-digit speeds all day without distracting the boss in back from the Wall Street Journal.
For those in back, the BMW offers a roomy cabin for two. The situation worsens when you add a third occupant, mainly because the prominent seat bolsters prevent outboard passengers from scooting sideways to make extra space. But as they say, two’s company, three’s a crowd.
THE VERDICT: Fun to drive if not to look at.
2007 BMW 750Li
360-hp V-8, 6-speed automatic, 4600 lb
Base/as-tested price: $78,795/$90,790
Interior volume, front/rear: 56/57 cu ft
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.7 sec
100 mph: 13.4 sec
120 mph: 19.8 sec
1/4 mile: 14.2 sec @ 103 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 176 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.87 g
C/D observed fuel economy: 13 mpg
Second Place: Audi A8L Quattro
Of all the cars here, Audi’s aluminum A8L is palpably the most sporting interpretation. From its flat ride to its meaty steering feel to its blipped-throttle downshifts in manumatic mode, the Audi is infused with a boldness that belies its stretched-limo appearance. Yet if you were picked up by your driver one evening, from the moment you ducked inside the leather-lined, wood-trimmed compartment and settled into one of the supportive seats, the experience would feel first-class.
HIGHS: Cool styling, sporty character, cheaper than german colleagues.
LOWS: Smallish engine relative to the competition, slowest off the line.
We scored the Audi’s rear-seat comfort the same as that of the Lexus, which is only surprising until you notice that the Audi is almost an inch wider and 1.6 inches longer. It simply doesn’t look like the larger of the two. Nor does it drive like a particularly large car. For the gearheads at this magazine, the integration of size and maneuverability was seductive, and the A8L trailed the Benz by just one point when the votes were tallied.
Indeed, the Audi needs the more powerful engine that it got for 2007. Although the 4.2-liter V-8 pulls steadily with a linear increase in urgency and a mellifluous exhaust note, it can’t match the accelerative prowess of its rivals. This may matter on the straights, but the Audi is another animal altogether when the road gets all wrinkly.
Despite its damped responses in the lane-change test, where even large inputs fail to upset the chassis, the A8L takes to the twisties with an agile precision, cleaving to the driver’s lines and resisting spurious body motions. The controls feel right in tune with what the driver is doing, and the paddle switches for the manumatic produce fast, crisp shifts, with rousing throttle blips during downshifts to synchronize all rotating components.
It’s a heady combination, helped quite a bit by tasteful interior design and good ergonomics. Audi’s Multi Media Interface is easier to use than BMW’s iDrive or Mercedes-Benz’s new knob-controlled COMAND device, even though MMI operates on the same principle. The charm of the car lies mainly in its engaging persona.
Your chauffeur will love it.
THE VERDICT: A very adaptable vehicle.
2006 Audi A8L Quattro
335-hp V-8, 6-speed automatic, 4500 lb
Base/as-tested price: $72,810/$88,185
Interior volume, front/rear: 53/54 cu ft
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.8 sec
100 mph: 16.8 sec
120 mph: 25.9 sec
1/4 mile: 15.2 sec @ 94 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 171 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.87 g
C/D observed fuel economy: 13 mpg
First Place: Mercedes-Benz S550
Expressive car design tends to polarize opinion, and that’s exactly what the S550’s Mazda RX-8-like flared and contoured fenders did to our jury. Some liked the look, others hated it, but the important thing is that the compiled scores still put this car at the head of the board.
HIGHS: Torquey v-8, great ride, amazing handling.
LOWS: Seriously expensive, polarizing styling.
That’s how good this new Benz is. Somehow, the car’s engineers managed to combine a comfortable ride and roomy interior with great performance and an excellent driver experience. The seats are generous in size and comfort yet provide about as much support as you can stand, particularly when the active side bolsters are turned on and they grab you at every corner.
The engine is a torque monster, thrusting the big car down the road with authority at virtually any engine speed, and the seven-speed transmission is so perceptive that you hardly ever need to resort to manual override. With the optional air springs, adaptive damping, and active body control, the car rides flat and stable in almost any situation, greatly understating the car’s sheer size and mass.
If the steering is a tad less organic in nature than the Audi’s or BMW’s, it’s not numb enough to spoil a great driving experience. The ease with which this big car can be wheeled around the suburbs is a measure of its unexpectedly nimble chassis.
Whatever you think about the exterior design, the S550’s interior is elegantly simple if a little dark, with a profusion of silver-metallic switches throughout that provide conspicuous highlights. The new “mouse” for the controller proved quite easy to use and shows that Mercedes has been hearing the critics of the earlier COMAND systems.
Although the Benz doesn’t really have the exaggerated waist section of other “stretched” models, it certainly offers a ton of rear-seat space and scored maximum points in our comfort assessment. But C/D priorities invariably center on the driver, and for a big luxury car, the S550 dishes up plenty of sensual and aesthetic stimulation for the guy behind the wheel. Whether you prefer to sit in the front or back—to drive or to be driven—this car’s a winner.
THE VERDICT: Maximum comfort, with plenty of excitement for the guy behind the wheel.
2007 Mercedes-Benz S550
382-hp V-8, 7-speed automatic, 4680 lb
Base/as-tested price: $87,175/$103,825
Interior volume, front/rear: 54/55 cu ft
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.6 sec
100 mph: 13.6 sec
120 mph: 19.7 sec
1/4 mile: 14.1 sec @ 102 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 182 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.84 g
C/D observed fuel economy: 13 mpg
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