New Car Test Drive: The Maserati Quattroporte is about the sexiest sedan you'll ever see, and its Italian craftsmanship reflects passion. Its styling, by the legendary Pininfarina, shows them all how it should be done, without tricks (except for three little portholes, touches that work). The lines are so shapely they're striking. Quattroporte is Italian for "four door," and this is Maserati's flagship sedan. Its cabin is roomy for a car this low and stylish, but it's really all about the quality of its materials, with nine shades of leather and six types of wood to choose from. The controls could and should be simpler, but that's true of all the top luxury cars today. The Quattroporte comes into its element at high speeds, and inspires confidence when driven at those speeds. This reflects the high engineering quality of the car. Alas, we live in a world where it's illegal to use such technology to its capability. Around town, the QP, as its fans call it, is as easy to drive as a Toyota. The suspension is act   << collapse text

The 2008 Town Car remains Lincoln's entry into the luxury sedan segment. Accordingly, it is very well equipped with power leather seating, cornering lamps, automatic headlamps, heated exterior mirrors with a left-hand auto-dimming feature as well as a memory function, a six-disc CD changer, dual-zone climate control, power adjustable pedals with memory, remote trunk closing, and an electrochromic rearview mirror. Standard safety items include traction control, anti-lock disc brakes, rear park assist, and side air bags. Underneath the Town Car you'll find a fully boxed, hydroformed steel frame that provides a stiff platform. This allows the engineers to tune the suspension for a remarkably comfortable ride. You'll also find rack and pinion steering that adds a delightful sharpness to the Town Car's reflexes. The Town Car comes equipped with only one powertrain: the 4.6L V8 engine, rated at 239 horsepower and 287 lb-ft of torque. It is coupled with a smooth-shifting four-speed automatic transmission that sen   << collapse text

New Car Test Drive: The Audi A8 is a big luxury sedan designed to challenge the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It beats them in some areas and in others it offers an individualistic alternative. It many respects, the Audi A8 raised the bar for performance. Three versions are available. The standard A8 boasts instant throttle response from its powerful 4.2-liter V8 and six-speed automatic transmission, while quattro all-wheel drive and an adaptable air suspension provide an excellent balance between handling and ride quality. The A8 offers a supreme sense of control with Gibraltar-like stability, benefits of its lightweight, Aluminum Space Frame that bonds the car into one cohesive unit. The cabin is elegant and comfortable, and tops the class in finish quality. Audi's Multi-Media Interface, or MMI, integrates controls for various features and electronic systems into a big knob. It's a little easier to learn than BMW's iDrive, but it isn't easy. There is a learning curve and sometimes we find ourselve   << collapse text

The Maybach luxury sedan is available in four different models for 2008, and literally millions of configurations. The 57 is the "starter" Maybach, while the 62 provides more rear legroom by stretching the 57's 5.7-meter length to 6.2 meters. The standard engine is a powerful twin-turbo V12 that produces 543 horsepower and 604 ft-lbs of torque, and it is paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. The base engine is able to propel the 57 to 60 mph from a standstill in less than five seconds. For those who require even more go, the 57S and 62S use the same engine to produce a practically overwhelming 664 horsepower and 738 ft-lbs of torque. The interior of the Maybach is nothing short of spectacular. Besides an opulent blending of wood, leather, and fine metals, numerous other delights are present. Individual rear seats have controls to adjust the bottom, the back, the heating, the cooling, and even the leg support and pillow height. Between the two rear seats is a console whose wooden doors conceal a v   << collapse text

The Maybach luxury sedan is available in four different models for 2008, and literally millions of configurations. The 57 is the "starter" Maybach, while the 62 provides more rear legroom by stretching the 57's 5.7-meter length to 6.2 meters. The standard engine is a powerful twin-turbo V12 that produces 543 horsepower and 604 ft-lbs of torque, and it is paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. The base engine is able to propel the 57 to 60 mph from a standstill in less than five seconds. For those who require even more go, the 57S and 62S use the same engine to produce a practically overwhelming 664 horsepower and 738 ft-lbs of torque. The interior of the Maybach is nothing short of spectacular. Besides an opulent blending of wood, leather, and fine metals, numerous other delights are present. Individual rear seats have controls to adjust the bottom, the back, the heating, the cooling, and even the leg support and pillow height. Between the two rear seats is a console whose wooden doors conceal a v   << collapse text

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New Car Test Drive: The 2008 Lexus GS makes its mark with sense as well as speed, restraint as well as luxury. Although it's easy to think of it as an alternative to an Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz, the Lexus GS embraces an entirely different set of values. Lexus itself has promoted the phrase "L-finesse" to define its way of crafting an automobile, an example of market-speak that gets right to the heart of the 2008 Lexus GS. This sport sedan is meant to be dynamic, yet free of gimmicks. It is meant to combine precision with lavish, luxurious appointments. It is meant to deliver a high standard of automotive performance, yet be easily intuitive to drive. Amazing examples of automotive technology are included as standard equipment, yet the driver is never aware of them. The Lexus GS does everything you ask, and yet it always feels effortless. There's also a hybrid: The GS 450h combines the 3.5-liter V6 with an electric motor for improved power and fuel economy. Rear-wheel drive is what makes the GS a driver's ca   << collapse text

New Car Test Drive: The 2008 Lexus GS makes its mark with sense as well as speed, restraint as well as luxury. Although it's easy to think of it as an alternative to an Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz, the Lexus GS embraces an entirely different set of values. Lexus itself has promoted the phrase "L-finesse" to define its way of crafting an automobile, an example of market-speak that gets right to the heart of the 2008 Lexus GS. This sport sedan is meant to be dynamic, yet free of gimmicks. It is meant to combine precision with lavish, luxurious appointments. It is meant to deliver a high standard of automotive performance, yet be easily intuitive to drive. Amazing examples of automotive technology are included as standard equipment, yet the driver is never aware of them. The Lexus GS does everything you ask, and yet it always feels effortless. The 2008 GS 460 replaces the previous GS 430. The new V8 is a 4.6-liter that makes 342 horsepower, 52 more than last year's 4.3-liter V8. It is also now mated to an eight-s   << collapse text

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Buick's Lucerne is offered in four different trim levels-CX, CXL, CXS, and Super-for 2008. These models span a wide range of roles, from a comfortable full-size car to a sporty, loaded luxury cruiser. The CX model has the softest suspension, while the CXL gets a slightly firmer "Ride and Handling" setup, along with 17-inch wheels. Top CXS and Super models upgrade to a sport-tuned suspension with magnetic ride control, which uses a fluid with magnetically charged particles to quickly adjust the damping for either quick maneuvers or rough surfaces. CXS and Super models also get StabiliTrak stability control and brake assist in addition to the standard anti-lock brakes. The side blind zone alert employs radar sensors and helps alert the driver when other vehicles are in hard-to-see areas around the vehicle, while the land departure warning system uses a camera to study lane markings and warn the driver if he or she is straying from the lane-a common indicator of fatigue. CX and CXL models are powered by a 197-   << collapse text