The Fast and the Luxurious
2007 will be a bumper year for
cars designed to outperform, outmuscle, and outcool everything else
on your block.
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.