Hot Luxury Vehicles for 2005 and 2006

Although it's scheduled for introduction in spring 2005, the redesigned Infiniti M will officially be a 2006 model. Innovations include a new Lane Departure Warning system that helps alert the driver to an unintended lane change. It accomplishes this by recognizing lane markings and calculating the distance between the car and the marking. On Sport models, a Rear Active Steer system adjusts the geometry of the rear end according to steering input and vehicle speed.

Audi will introduce a redesigned A4 in spring 2005, along with a smaller A3 that's been sold elsewhere in the world but joins the U.S. market for the first time. BMW is redesigning its 3 Series and expects to introduce a smaller model to the United States later.

An updated Cadillac DeVille is expected soon and will likely have a new model name. Jaguar will soon have a wagon version of its X-Type sedan for U.S. buyers. The X-Type wagon is already on sale in Europe.

Lexus is developing a reworked version of its sporty GS series, and a hybrid-powered RX 400h sport utility vehicle goes on sale in the 2005 calendar year as a 2006 model. As a late 2005-model-year change, Volvo's XC90 will be available with V-8 power. A smaller Hummer will debut soon, too.

Six brand-new luxury models debut for the 2005 model year; they include the Cadillac STS, Chrysler 300C, Land Rover LR3, Maserati Quattroporte, Saab 9-7X and Volvo V50. Hummer has introduced a new version of its H2, called the H2 SUT, which features a pickup-truck cargo bed in place of a traditional SUV cargo area.

Six additional models have been redesigned for 2005, namely the Acura RL, Audi A6, Bentley Arnage, Infiniti Q45, Jaguar S-Type and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Infiniti is scheduled to introduce the V-6- and V-8-powered M35 and M45, respectively, but these cars will be 2006 models.

All of the winners are new or redesigned models, but carryover models can be notable if they offer significant new features. Three key factors determine whether a 2005 luxury vehicle qualifies as notable:

• Technical advances: In the luxury field, technical advances usually apply to new comfort, convenience and safety features. Entertainment features may be valuable, too, but they're typically secondary. To be considered notable, a luxury vehicle must have at least one or two significant technical improvements.
  
  
• Innovative features: New innovations — technical or otherwise — typically make their initial appearance in luxury models. Unless a new model has features that help it stand above the crowded luxury-vehicle pack, it doesn't warrant inclusion in this list. Models that have been around for a while and haven't changed appreciably this year might qualify if they have a new feature that is sufficiently significant.
  
  
• Overall excellence: Enticing features are fine, but the vehicle has to be appealing in a general way as well. Additional comfort and convenience features aren't worth much if a premium automobile fails to drive as expected.

Seven models are the most noteworthy in the 2005 model year: the Acura RL, Audi A6, Bentley Arnage, Cadillac STS, Chrysler 300C, Land Rover LR3 and Maserati Quattroporte. Three additional models — the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Saab 9-7X and Volvo V50 — warrant recognition, though they're not quite on a par with the top seven.

The redesigned Acura RL wears aggressive-looking sheet metal and features a 300-hp, 3.5-liter V-6.

Acura RL: Unlike most new 2005 vehicles, the redesigned RL sedan from Honda's luxury division has a feature that isn't currently available anywhere else: real-time traffic information. XM NavTraffic traffic information data, including flow, accidents and freeway construction in select metro areas, can be displayed on the RL's 8-inch navigation screen. Flow information is updated every five minutes, while accident details are updated every minute.

This latest version of Acura's flagship sedan now uses all-wheel drive instead of front-wheel drive. In curves, Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) can apply as much as 100 percent of rear torque to the outer rear wheel to enhance cornering and stability. Under the hood is the most powerful engine ever installed in an Acura: a 300-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 that teams with a five-speed-automatic transmission that can be shifted using paddles on the steering wheel.

Audi A6: It's bigger, it's roomier, and it's offered only with quattro all-wheel drive. With the redesigned 2005 A6, Audi has taken the essential characteristics that made its predecessor an appealing highway cruiser and added extra helpings of refinement without tucking in a lot of fancy new features. Fresh technology isn't absent, though. Audi offers new adaptive bi-xenon headlights that can follow the curve of the road based on the steering wheel's position. A new electromechanical parking brake is used, and a dashboard button opens the glove box door, though space inside isn't much to boast about.

The Audi A6's profile is similar to its predecessor's, but its grille exhibits the company's new face.

A bold new rectangular grille gives the A6 a distinctive appearance. The A6 comes with a choice of V-6 or V-8 power and uses a six-speed-automatic transmission. Performance is sufficiently strong with the new V-6, making a V-8 nonessential, except for those drivers who wish to savor its heartier exhaust note and are invigorated by quick takeoffs. Quattro all-wheel drive adds to the A6's confidence level, especially on wet pavement. While an A6 handles with precision, the ride can get a bit bumpy when the pavement turns rough.

Bentley Arnage: Power gives the latest Bentley a spot on the cars.com notable list of luxury vehicles. Even though it has been fully re-engineered for 2005, the Bentley sedan might not look much different from earlier Arnage models. But under the hood, the Arnage T is the most powerful road-going Bentley ever, with a twin-turbo V-8 putting out 450 hp and a walloping 645 pounds-feet of torque. Regular Arnage models get a 400-hp version of the V-8. An Arnage RL, with a 9.8-inch wheelbase extension, is also available.

Cadillac STS: As a successor to the Seville, which was long known as an admirable road car, Cadillac's latest sedan carries on that tradition but switches from front-wheel drive to either rear- or all-wheel drive, depending on the model. Both a V-6 and a V-8 are available, but the V-6 has enough power to please most drivers.

The STS can be loaded with technology. Two-mode Magnetic Ride Control is optional, though it doesn't necessarily deliver a smoother driving experience than the standard setup. Adaptive Cruise Control, which maintains a set distance from the vehicle ahead, and Intellibeam, which automatically switches the headlights between high and low beams, are also optional.

Styling that sets it apart from the crowd and a V-8 with cylinder deactivation are among the attributes of Chrysler's 300C.

Chrysler 300C: For its 340-hp, 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 alone, the Chrysler 300C warrants a position on our notable list of luxury vehicles. The 300C's status is further enhanced by its bold and imposing design, which is led by a prominent, low-positioned crosshatch grille.

To boost fuel economy, an innovative Multi-Displacement System shuts down half the Hemi's cylinders when the car is cruising. The 300C has either rear- or all-wheel drive. To counteract concerns that the sedan won't handle properly on snow and ice, Chrysler installs an Electronic Stability Program. Chrysler also offers a model named 300 that has V-6 power, but the 300C is the star.

Land Rover LR3: Built on a new platform, Land Rover's replacement for the Discovery can seat up to seven occupants when properly equipped. It is powered by a Jaguar-derived 300-hp, 4.4-liter V-8. Land Rovers have long been renowned for their offroad prowess, and the LR3 continues that tradition; engine breathing has been revised so this SUV can wade through rivers.

New Terrain Response technology offers five settings, from general on-road to extreme offroad modes. Optional adaptive headlights swivel to illuminate curves, and an air-spring suspension is installed.

Maserati's Quattroporte luxury sedan is available with a rear-seat entertainment system.

Maserati Quattroporte: Limited-production models don't necessarily warrant inclusion on a list of this nature, but the newest Maserati is an exception. In addition to the richness of its Italian design, courtesy of the legendary Pininfarina firm, the Quattroporte is loaded with comfort amenities and several noteworthy technical features. The full-size sedan uses a Skyhook automatic-damping suspension. Paddle shifters can be used to operate the DuoSelect automatic transmission, which is mounted at the rear of the car. The V-8 generates 400 hp. The most notable feature is the Quattroporte's long-hood profile and prominent grille.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class: To create the redesigned 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the company took the 2004 sport sedan as a guidepost. The new sport coupe is said to flaunt a "more aggressive" look. Two V-6 engines and a supercharged four-cylinder are available. C-Class sedans and wagons may have rear- or all-wheel drive. Topping the list is a new C55 AMG edition with a 362-hp, 5.5-liter V-8.

Saab 9-7X: The Swedish automaker gets the nod in 2005 to finally join the SUV segment, even though its entrant isn't exactly brand-new. The 9-7X, which goes on sale early in 2005, is related to several General Motors SUVs, including the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy. Either an inline-six-cylinder engine or a V-8 goes beneath the hood, and each 9-7X gets 18-inch tires and all-wheel drive.

Volvo V50: Wagons don't always require major changes to get a new personality. Similar in appearance to its V40 predecessor, the new V50 shares a lot of its technology with Ford and Mazda models. A 168-hp, 2.4-liter five-cylinder goes into regular models, but the T5 gets a 218-hp, turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder. Offered with front- or all-wheel drive, the V50 emphasizes safety and crashworthiness, like other Volvo models.