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Why It's OK, When Someone Tells You "Shut Up and Drive"

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There always will be disconnects in this world: and this appears to be one of them. At a time when drivers are talking about $5 -- and $6! -- for a gallon gas, the field of ultra-luxury sedans is more visible than it has been in years. One of my car-guy friends posed the question "Which one is best?" Ooooooh. "Best." Parents are hesitant when you tell them to name their best child (the youngest -Ed.), so what follows is my purely subjective listing of "Best Luxo-cruisers," for your fantasy garage. If you know better --and why wouldn't you?-- weigh in, in Comments, below.

Best styling: the newly redesigned Jaguar XJ. The long version, especially, looks like a piece of modern art:

Best old-school prestige: Mercedes S Class. Rock solid. 'Nuf said:

Best stealthmobile: Audi A8L. You may be overlooked among flashier entries at the valet line. But that just means you know something others don't. It doesn't shout 'class!' It whispers:

Best value: Hyundai Equus. A Korean manufacturer has joined the club? Yup: at less than half the cost of one of the more expensive competitors here. Is the Equus in the same performance league as the more established cars? No; but Hyundai is off to a very, very impressive start:

Best freeway flyer: BMW 7 Series. As with past generation 7-cars, you can drive this thing all day, and arrive energized:

Best chauffered drive: Lexus LS 460hL. You can be a passenger in this thing all day, and arrive refreshed. A back seat the reclines almost horizontal with more massage modes than a shiatsu school will do that for ya:

Admission to the luxo-cruiser game starts at about $60K, and goes North from there, fast. Hey, I said this is a fantasy garage, right?

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