BMW M5 (E39). I think it may be the best mid size car ever made. Prices are already staring to become reasonable for used ones. Hopefully it will be my next car.
Oh yeah! I forgot that one. Very quiet, comfortable, smooth ride. There's the Infinity as well, but that's a rung below the Lexus IMO. I was just going to do the three Germans - Audi, MB, BMW - and decided I had to through some others in their for some extra flavor. But, I forgot the Lexus.
Does price matter? If not the E55 AMG or the BMW M5 would take it, but the quality of the Cadillac CTS-V is really quite amazing considering where they have just come from and what it can do and the price tag. And when the dealer proudly tells me to compare the panel gaps to those of the Mercedes dealer next door... well you know something is going on.
Seriously, what does the E-Class have on the CTS. In fact, what does the E55 AMG have on the CTS-V? Seroiusly, 5mph in trap speed at the end of the quarter......nothing else really. Oh, well 30K in price, can't forget that.
Depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for a daily driver to get around the urban canyons of this country, I'd suggest a sport SUV like the Cayenne, the Lexus GX, the VW tour-egg, and perhaps the new BMW X class or the MB M class. It's a war out there driving around any of our major cities. If the pot holes don't git ya, the wacked out truck drivers will. If you are looking for a highway crusier, the Lexus is the most luxurious. An E55 is a great car, but buy a used one because man do they depreciate. The M-5 is probably the sportiest, but sadly all BMWs are turning into the ugliest. DrTax
I like the Caddy, but my mother, just as an example, thinks it's one of the ugliest car she's ever seen in her life. E-class styling is a bit...safer.