let's face it

[wagonman]

a great deal of the decision to buy any of the cars mentioned in the comparison, (bmw, mb, volvo, jaguar, lexus) is based upon looks. you gotta it. exterior styling and image (or perceived image). yes, we love the way bmw's drive. but the ultimate driving machine is more about looks than it is what is under the hood. this in my humble opinion.

the lexus is an interesting addition to the mid-range aport sedan group. sowehow though the japanese always seem to miss the boat with exterior styling. i would not even consider a jaguar. too ostentatious. a volvo s80 is not a serious competitor to a 5 series. the v70 cross country is actually a great buy. i got an 04 wagon for my girlfriend at the end of the model year for 33.34k. this was a loaded car and represented a real value. i think some of the v50's are interesting in the class.

bmw is still king in almost all segments of the market although i do understand there are other viable choices.. :)

[noonehome]

I may be the exception but I disagree with you. I find the front of my e60 awkward looking. Too much space between the grill and radiator.

However, when I test-drove the e39 vs. the e60, the e60 won hands down based on ride comfort, power, and handling.

So I did not make my selection based upon appearance.

[wagonman]

i agree with you there. i also feel i was out of line in saying what i said. of course, driving feel plays a big role in why anyone would buy a bimmer. my own humble opinion is this: the e60 looks great from the front (in know many disagree). it also looks good from the back. from a side view it is less appealing. the new 3 series looks good in photos anyway...