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Car&Driver Comparo
Just got the May issue of Car$Driver in the mail yesterday. The cover is titled "The $55,000 Question".
Here are the results (sorry, I can't provide a link to the story).
1. Infinity M45 Sport
2. Acura RL
3. Lexus GS430
4. Mercedes E350
5. Audi A6 4.2 Quattro
6. BMW 530
7. Cadillac STS V-8
8. Jaguar S-Type 4.2 VDP Edition
"The price cap ($55,000 for this test) was not particularly good news for BMW, whose otherwise estimable 530i is only a few months shy of a new 3.0 engine invigorated by an extra 30 horsepower. Since it's a superb vehicle even with the engine we had (slowest times to 60 and quarter mile), more thrust might well have improved this car's position in our rankings-even at a fairly steep $54,720 as-tested price."
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Quote: Just got the May issue of Car$Driver in the mail yesterday. The cover is titled "The $55,000 Question".
Here are the results (sorry, I can't provide a link to the story).
1. Infinity M45 Sport
2. Acura RL
3. Lexus GS430
4. Mercedes E350
5. Audi A6 4.2 Quattro
6. BMW 530
7. Cadillac STS V-8
8. Jaguar S-Type 4.2 VDP Edition
"The price cap ($55,000 for this test) was not particularly good news for BMW, whose otherwise estimable 530i is only a few months shy of a new 3.0 engine invigorated by an extra 30 horsepower. Since it's a superb vehicle even with the engine we had (slowest times to 60 and quarter mile), more thrust might well have improved this car's position in our rankings-even at a fairly steep $54,720 as-tested price." | They should have conducted this test after the new BMW 530i was out. Though 6th place is not that bad for this car where v8 powered cars stand behind. I don't know why the Infiniti M45 and Acura Rl can be in 1st and 2nd place, The BMW 545i should have been 1st and the Mercedes-benz E-350 should have been 1st and 2nd. (Only an opinion)  The Infiniti M45 is ugly, and the interior looks dull, the Acura RL who would buy $70,000 for V6 powered Honda? Might as well spend $10,000 more and get a fully loaded BMW 530i with premium and sports pkg which has more appeal, handling, prestige, and better market value. 
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C&D should have used for there test the M35 V6 not the M45 V8
and the same for the Lexus GS300.
In that case lets bring the BMW545 
I am sure the result would have been different.
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Quote: | They should have conducted this test after the new BMW 530i was out. Though 6th place is not that bad for this car where v8 powered cars stand behind. I don't know why the Infiniti M45 and Acura Rl can be in 1st and 2nd place, The BMW 545i should have been 1st and the Mercedes-benz E-350 should have been 1st and 2nd. (Only an opinion) The Infiniti M45 is ugly, and the interior looks dull, the Acura RL who would buy $70,000 for V6 powered Honda? Might as well spend $10,000 more and get a fully loaded BMW 530i with premium and sports pkg which has more appeal, handling, prestige, and better market value. | Bilal, the autos chosen all had a top price of $55,000 as tested. Engine size was not a factor. As they noted in the article..."if we could have stretched another few grand to get the (BMW) V-8 model, we might be telling a very different story".
The Acura RL was actually the lowest priced auto in this test. It went for $49,470, fully loaded! "Everything on the RL is standard, including keyless operation and navigation with traffic-condition updates via XM satellite radio-also standard...The RL has swiveling headlights, a Bose sorround DVD stereo, a tire-preassure monitor and power rear-window shade. Many of the items that arrive with your RL, at the $49,470 asking price are expensive options on most of the other cars featured here. Remember, the steering-wheel-mounted paddles for shifting the five-speed manumatic are unique in the group."
As for "The Infinity M45 is ugly", well beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. C&D actually gave top exterior styling points to the Acura and the Lexus (9 points) and all others lumped together with 8 points. My opinion, they were overly generous with the BMW 5 series. As noted in the article..."Then again, the exterior styling of the (BMW) car will probably repel many conservative customers before they even crack a door."
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Quote: | Bilal, the autos chosen all had a top price of $55,000 as tested. Engine size was not a factor. As they noted in the article..."if we could have stretched another few grand to get the (BMW) V-8 model, we might be telling a very different story". " | I agree with HughH... The comparison is about the $55k and not about engine size or gadgets. And yes they were too generous with German cars overall as they have lowest line of accessories being standard and not over-priced.
As for the extra 30hp the new engine puts out... any of the above V8 can smoke you, slow down to take the curve nice and easy, push again and still outrun the nimble handling of a bimmer that's lacking cat power 
The mystrey of technology is to squezze the last bit of it.. if there is any 
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C&D really needs to change its method of testing criteria...they should test a similarly-equipped group of cars (all V8s or all V6s, for example), and then deduct points for being overpriced. That way you know which one is really best if you want to stretch your finances a bit. I think that's the way Road and Track does it- they have a "price dependent" and "price independent" rating at the end of their comparisons.
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