sub 50k luxo-sport cars

[Submariner]

"the 2010 TL SH-AWD 6MT features the most powerful engine Acura has ever offered in this 3.7-liter 305-hp V6 with an advanced version of iVTEC. It's linked to one of the most sophisticated all-wheel-drive systems known to man, but the big news here is that Acura has, for the first time, combined a manual transmission with its highly developed SH-AWD system."

1st Place: While the 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD 6MT might not have the horsepower to keep up on the straight with any of these other sport sedans, it works best by far in the corners and made up time over its competition in speed at the apex and at the exit. At nearly every corner, the SH-AWD was so astute and intelligent that you could literally slap the go pedal to the carpet and let the all-wheel drive sort out how best to put the power to good use. And yes, these optional 245/40ZR19 Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires (the largest and stickiest of any of the tires in the entire group) really help, but it was in combination with the SH-AWD where the rubber really made a difference. This car carves the corners.

2nd Place: While the 2008 Audi S4 Quattro would seem to hold an advantage by the sheer fact that it hangs a 340-hp V8 over its front wheels and offers the traction of all-wheel drive, it is hampered by stubborn understeer on the entry to slow and moderate-speed corners. The steering remained light and precise throughout the course, as did the feel of the light-effort clutch and shifter. The S4 was the only car here other than the TL that was able to put the power to the pavement before the apex of the corners ? a real advantage thanks to all-wheel drive. Poor weight distribution keeps it from getting close to the TL.

3rd Place: The BMW 335i maintains its composure even when driven extremely hard, yet it feels surprisingly slow and out of place compared to the TL and S4. Of course, putting power down with just the rear wheels means the front wheels almost needed to be straight before the throttle could go all the way to the floor. The throttle response from its twin-turbo 300-hp inline-6 is only happy and snappy in the upper rpm range, and the steering feels indirect and slow in comparison. Great brakes, but this wasn't enough to make up the 2.7-second gap to the TL. It's just too slow to react.

4th Place: Hoping the BMW 335xi's all-wheel drive would allow the 3 Series to put its 300 hp to better use, we discovered that it only further snubbed the responses of the sedan. The steering became less direct, the throttle response grew worse and the understeer became more pronounced. The added weight of the car was obvious, especially in a high-speed corner with an apex at the crest of a hill.

5th Place: To be honest, the Infiniti G35s didn't even get a second drive in the comparison. From the second corner of the first hot lap, it was painfully obvious that the heavy effort and lurching response of the clutch pedal (it turns out they're all like this), the heavy-effort shift action and an inability to keep its rear tires hooked up on anything less than a dead-straight piece of track kept the G35s from being able to put up a good fight. On this track, it required constant vigilance just to keep the G35s on the pavement.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FirstDrives/articleId=132226#9

[Danish]

Too bad the TL is god-awful ugly

[MrH]

The S4 was the only car here other than the TL that was able to put the power to the pavement before the apex of the corners ? a real advantage thanks to all-wheel drive. Poor weight distribution keeps it from getting close to the TL.

You're not supposed to put power down before the apex no matter what your drive train configuration is...

If you are putting down power just fine before the apex, you're going too slow into the apex.  The amount of grip used to put the power down that early could be used to carry a higher speed into the apex to begin with.

[the Teuton]

I'm not the only one who thinks AWD BMW sedans suck!  w00t!

[Colonel Cadillac]

This reminds me of the beginning of all TL flame wars on C&D. Looks like it's the best...

[Raza]

Sounds like a bunch of guys who are scared of RWD.

[the Teuton]

xDrive is t3h suck in BMW sedans.

[giant_mtb]

Too bad the TL is god-awful ugly

Amen.

[Tave]

Sounds like a bunch of guys who are scared of RWD.

"On this track, it required constant vigilance just to keep the G35s on the pavement"

Sounds like a sissy to me too.

[Cookie Monster]

The TL sounds awesome but it looks like an even uglier Camry.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Too bad they couldn't get a early production S4 with the supercharged V6.

[sportyaccordy]

I would still get the G35 over all these cars.

I don't care how good the TL is. A girl can give the best head, but if she has a dog's face I can't mess with her for long. I don't know what the fuck Acura is thinking.

[r0tor]

Too bad they couldn't get a early production S4 with the supercharged V6.

+1

[cawimmer430]

What!? BMW 335i in 3rd place? Edmunds sucks. Jap-lovers.   

[r0tor]

If i could justify having 2 cars that can't get 20mpg on a normal drive, i'd get a B6/B7 S4

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

This reminds me of the beginning of all TL flame wars on C&D. Looks like it's the best...

Yep! Here you go!
http://forums.caranddriver.com/auto/board/message?board.id=21&thread.id=193705

[sandertheshark]

xDrive is t3h suck sacrilege in BMW sedans.

Fixxed

[Panama Jack]

I would still get the G35 over all these cars.

I don't care how good the TL is. A girl can give the best head, but if she has a dog's face I can't mess with her for long. I don't know what the fuck Acura is thinking.

LOL

[the Teuton]

I would still get the G35 over all these cars.

I don't care how good the TL is. A girl can give the best head, but if she has a dog's face I can't mess with her for long. I don't know what the fuck Acura is thinking.

[cawimmer430]

^^^ ^^^

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

I would still get the G35 over all these cars.

I don't care how good the TL is. A girl can give the best head, but if she has a dog's face I can't mess with her for long. I don't know what the fuck Acura is thinking.