executive director at North America Design | Lincoln | Lexus RX330 | Peter Horbury

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.

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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.