MOST
RESPECTED | | | 2004
LUXURY CAR OF THE YEAR |
In
spite of its Jaguar's rich history and always-beautiful styling, its flagship
XJ sedan had been relegated to a minor-league status in the ultra-luxury car market,
primarily due to its tight interior and somewhat lackadaisical performance. But
the 2004 Jaguar XJ sedan crouched, dug in its claws and then launched itself back
into the hunt with an all-new, aluminum-skinned body that is at once larger and
lighter than before. With
its newfound interior space, all memories of too-small interiors fade away, and
with its newfound lightness, its performance is astounding. What hasn't changed
is the sinewy, feline assertiveness of its slick body contours, as well as the
elegance of its British-parlor interior fitments. What's more, all this excellence
starts at under $60,000, which undercuts its competitors by such a large margin
that you could be able to afford to fill the capacious trunk with equally high-quality
items from Barney's, Geoffrey's and Neiman Marcus. And what, honestly, could be
better than that? Honorable
Mentions:
Audi
A8
Like the Jaguar XJ, the hot new Audi A8 also wears a state-of-the-art
aluminum suit that lightens up the body so that it can incorporate still more
state-of-the-art features, such as Audi's new Multi-Media-Interface and countless
luxury features. The interior is one of Audi's best and largest ever, and the
standard 330-hp V-8 never fails to satisfy. Mercedes-Benz
S600
Although the styling of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class has been with
us for some five years now, the significance of the Mercedes-Benz S600 rests under
the bonnet and inside its super-luxurious interior. Sure, its $122,000 price may
make your eyes water, but the twin-turbocharged V-12 will make your heart quake.
Start saving now.
[READ
OUR '04 JAGUAR XJ ROAD TEST REVIEW]
Class
of 2004 ~ 8th Annual Awards Links | | | |
|
