The Fast and the Luxurious
2007 will be a bumper year for
cars designed to outperform, outmuscle, and outcool everything else on your block.
By John Carroll
Sure, most of the news about driving these days starts with gas-induced price headaches and then moves on to whether the Detroit auto giants are mapping a short ride to the boneyard. But beyond where the headlines hit the road, you’ll find a few secluded places where clever automotive engineers are blending a bold mix of classic designs and razor-sharp technology in the great race to produce an eye-catching title contender for master of the American road.
These engineers know there are still plenty of people who grew up sitting in the back row of French class, drawing the outline of a Mustang from memory and feeling a breeze that never came through those tilt windows. These are the people who still turn their heads at every classic coupe that rolls by. And while these drivers may never have learned much French, they can debate the finer points of automotive performance with a singular passion. ¶ Whether they love
or crave such automotive gems, real car enthusiasts never lose their taste for celebrating something better. ¶ You know who you are. ¶ We’ve gathered a magazine showroom of this year’s upcoming top-of-the-line cars — from hybrids to the luxury lines, and from muscle machines to sports vehicles. Every one of them pushes the envelope on auto design, from your first glance to your last backward plea for some time at the wheel. ¶ Crank your mental engines, please, ladies and gentlemen. It’s time to get revved up.
2007 Jaguar XK
Forget the angular muscularity that’s characteristic of some among the German breed of autos (if you can). This European-made model relies on an aluminum body to lighten the load and comes with more curves than a Henry Moore, from its sloping, windblown outline to its wide, catfish-mouth front hood.
The engineers in the Jag lab clearly went for smoother handling, opting for a new, automatic, six-speed transmission that makes acceleration a breeze — and relegating any of the jerking around associated with older models to classic-car rallies. Its 300 horsepower V-8 can hurtle the 3,671-pound chassis and body to 60 mph in just under six seconds, giving you a definite qualifier for the on-ramp 500. Throw in a new antilock-brake system and you can claim bragging rights to top-of-class road responsiveness.
The body is stiffened by a bonded aluminum manufacturing process for easier handling, and there’s an adaptive suspension system to get the shock absorbers to work in sync with the engine and transmission. The effect is supposed to be something akin to a magic carpet ride — all forward motion without any sense of toil.
Ford had some quality issues to deal with when it took over Jaguar back in 1989, and took some heat for letting the brand’s styling get a little stale while it focused on performance. The new-look 2007 XK is saying goodbye forever to the performance trouble and hello to its position right at the top of the luxury line. Jaguar is giving consumers a choice between coupe and convertible. Choices, choices ...
$75,500 base for the coupe and $81,500 for the convertible, plus options.
Lexus LS 600h L
Hybrids have a well-earned appeal among the granola set, but Lexus is throwing in Champagne style in a dramatic case for environmentally friendly luxury with its LS 600h L. This hybrid is one swanky looker that can outperform just about anything on four wheels.
The LS 600h L was turning heads at the New York International Auto Show last spring. When the car hits the showroom, Lexus is betting its Hybrid Drive system can take on the best of the 12-cylinder luxury sedans on the market. Its V-8 gas engine mates to two electric motors/generators that can rev up to a combined 430-plus-horsepower performance. An all-wheel-drive system will enhance vehicle handling considerably. And Lexus is promising one of the quietest rides on the planet as you bull your way to 60-plus mph in split-second timing.
The base price may remind some people of what they paid for a starter home in the 1990s, but you’ve got the best bragging rights with this hybrid from the Lexus auto lab: top-of-the-line class with a buttery-smooth ride.
This luxury-car maker has always had the happy distinction of being able to elicit rave reviews from Consumer Reports. But with a mileage rating we’re guessing is unlikely to pass the mid-20s, the LS 600h L isn’t likely to gin a whole lot of enthusiasm from the environmental crowd. A significant consolation: a likely certification as a Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle. For anyone who hungers for special accessories, there’s a lineup of optional features that includes a 19-speaker stereo, parallel-parking assistance from a three-camera system, and more gadgetry than you’d find onboard some private jets.
No official price yet, but analysts predict a sticker price in the neighborhood of $150,000.
Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee
Any complete review of must-see autos has to have a classic muscle car in the lineup. And who better to pick from than Dodge?
This classic remake comes courtesy of Chrysler Group’s Street and Racing Technology organization. It will blow past most of your fancy imports with a flat, five-second zero-to-60 speed record and will go from zero to 100 to zero in under 17 seconds — if you can find a track to put it on.
The engineers were aiming to build a road rocket, so they added 85 horsepower to the 6.1-liter HEMI V-8 under the hood, producing 425 ponies total and 420 pound-feet of torque.
This car screams “street racer” louder than any kid who ever held up his new model car and growled engine noises while running through the living room. From its school-color mix of yellow and black to the Super Bee logos on the fenders, this is the car that boomers dreamed about at an early age. And for good reason. Its muscle-car heritage harks back to the 1968 Dodge Coronet, which changed its name to the Dodge Charger in 1971.
Expected to start in the high $30s, which is just a tad higher than the $3,000 MSRP sticker that the Dodge Coronet displayed in ’68.
Porsche Cayman
Let’s face it: In the language of economy cars, you never hear a Porsche accent.
Porsche’s always styled itself exclusively for the Monte Carlo crowd — on a winning night. So what to make of this: Their engineers stuck their heads together for this rare model, a Boxster little brother that can turn heads at a base price of a shade less than $50,000.
To be sure, there’s plenty of Porsche performance to ooh and aah over in this starter model. The 2.7-liter, 245-horsepower engine will propel you to 60 in just under six seconds. And that qualifies for a none-too-shabby 32 mpg on the highway, 23 mpg in the city. Take it on the track and the Cayman starter model is billed for a top speed of 160 mph.
There are black front-spoiler lips on this two-seater and a trapezoidal tailpipe to mark your rapid departures. And let’s not forget the titanium logo in the rear to broadcast your association with the finer things in life.
Need to spend a little more to impress the neighbors? You can still stick with the Cayman. Add on some of the options — like a six-speed manual transmission — and you can get the sticker price up to snuff. Or just buy the Cayman S, which has a few extra bells and whistles (such as a larger, more powerful engine), at a starting price that takes you up by $10,000. But, hey, that also comes with a hotter engine that will knock a full eight-tenths of a second off your zero-to-60 commute time.
Starting at $49,400, or $59,400 for the S.
Bentley Continental GTC
Auto blogs were buzzing about this speed demon as soon as it purred its way onto the showroom circuit earlier this year. There’s more glamour here than in a night out with Scarlett Johansson.
If you’ve always wondered what life is like in the fast lane, sans Scarlett, there’s no better way to see for yourself than behind the wheel of this luxury convertible. The 12-cylinder, 552-horsepower engine rockets to a top speed of 195 mph (with the top up), or a state-trooper-pleasing 60 in under five seconds. That’s less time than it took to read that last sentence.
The Bentley people are quite emphatic, though, about the tamer elements of the Continental GTC. The designers stiffened the body to improve handling, and there’s an all-wheel-drive system (natch in this class) you’ll need to maintain your trajectory. Practicality is worth a lot of points on any car, even this winsome beauty. And they made it easy to handle, so you won’t feel like you’re fighting every mile down the freeway on the daily commute.
You’ll know you’re in the hands of a luxury master the second you slip behind the wheel. The wood is natural, and the leather is the real thing — just like this convertible.
A mere $189,990.
Lincoln MKX
Lincoln’s first luxury crossover clearly has the Lexus RX330 squarely in its sights.
This crossover is all about bringing you the driving dynamics and fuel efficiency of a sedan along with the sedan style that brands all of Lincoln’s executive designs. Add the load capacity of an SUV, and you get a lighter, more efficient vehicle that does all the heavy lifting you ever asked of your SUV. And this crossover is the most stylish ride you’ll ever take to the family reunion — or the corporate retreat.
Peter Horbury, executive director at North America Design for Ford Motor Company, likes to talk about the vehicle’s “confident stance” and “elegant shape,” but there’s plenty of in-your-face luxury to deal with too.
The front seats can be heated or cooled (a new standard in luxury), and adaptive halogen low-beam headlamps move with the wheels (adding plenty of added illumination while leading into a curve). A 14-speaker THX II audio system can coo Debussy or blast AC/DC, and there’s also an MP3 jack for those who want to create their own small world of sound. In the rear seat, passengers can lower an eight-inch screen for DVDs, and there’s a 6.5-inch screen up front for the navigation system. Directions come in English, Spanish … and the French you never learned.
The sound of luxury is pure quiet, and Lincoln thickened up the side glass and added some other sound-absorbing touches — including a few sound shields outside — to keep the decibels down.
For drivers (and passengers) who like the feel of a sunroom, Lincoln will be offering the MKX with a front sunroof and a rear moonroof, which is a big step up from the cramped shipboard windows we’ve grown used to. The idea is to make everything inside roomier and a lot more open for all of Mother Nature’s children.
The MKX is pulled by a new 3.5-liter V-6 engine with a six-speed automatic transmission that keeps the drive smooth (all-wheel drive is also available) and the fuel economy tuned up.
Starting at $34,495.
RANGE ROVER
Range Rover has one of the most durable reputations in the off-road category, and its engineers stayed true to the original concept when they came up with this year’s breed. It’s a Range Rover, only better.
First, there’s a Terrain Response system — now standard for ’07s — that lets you match your vehicle’s braking, suspension, power train, and so on with the landscape you choose to drive on. But what’s sparking most of the buzz this year is a new V-8 diesel engine that replaces the old V-6 and adds a lot more get-up-and-go than you’ve ever felt here before. This is a luxury 4x4 with significantly improved performance specs and a more authoritative claim to quiet power. At top speeds of 124 to 130 mph, you won’t have a vehicle that can compete with one of the luxury sports cars on display here — unless, of course, you choose to leave the road behind.
Roughing it was never this easy.
No official price set yet, but the 2006 MSRP started at $75,000.