Skip the chauffeur and drive yourself
However, what you gain with the BMW sports sedan at the pumps, you lose in performance and refinement. Taking 6.6 seconds to go from zero to100 km/h, the BMW is about one second behind the competition. And fans of BMW’S silky inline-sixes will be disappointed. Compared to the Audi and Infiniti sixes, the BMW four is smooth, all right. But the sound it makes is more of a whine than its purring rivals. Plus despite being down on cylinders and power, the 528i xdrive’s $56,900 sticker (all starting prices) is still more than the M37x. Spun off the larger 7 Series, the 5er delivers a high level of refinement inside. But when driven with verve, it feels more cumbersome than its rivals.
SECOND PLACE: 2012 INFINITI M37X
Also all-new in 2011, the mid-size M is the antithesis of the limo-like BMW. With an aggressive handling setup, the Infiniti feels smaller than its size chart says. When hustled, the M37x feels solid, and comers flat. I liked the way the car steers too: direct and accurate. I only wish the steering ratio was a bit more linear. And — at times — road imperfections were felt more readily than in the smoother-riding BMW and Audi. I tend to favour naturally aspirated engines, like the Infiniti’s 3.7L six. And with 330 hp on-board, it trounces the forced-induction BMW and Audi mills. Off the line, though, torque is what you want. And with only 270 lb-ft the M37x is 55 behind the A6. Starting at $54,900, the M37x has the lowest MSRP of this trio. But I didn’t feel it sitting in its cockpit.
Build quality and passenger comfort is excellent, and with an active noise control system standard, the Infiniti was by far the quietest midsize sedan I’ve driven in some time.
FIRST PLACE: 2012 AUDI A6 3.0 TFSI QUATTRO
The last-generation A6 sedan was no slouch. Through the years it had been slowly creeping up the lists of critics like yours truly, with excellent cabin ergonomics, gutsy engines, and Audi’s class-leading allwheel-drive system: a.k.a. Quattro.
And now with an all-new model for 2012, you get a sense that Audi should be penalized for piling on, as the $58,800 A6 3.0 TFSI Quattro betters the competition.
For starters, the A6’s powertrain has been measurably upgraded. With 310 hp and 325 lb-ft (increases of 10 and 15, respectively) the Audi’s supercharged six comes mated to an automatic gearbox, now with eight gears. That helps fuel economy and still delivers prompt responses.
Where Audis in the past have sacrificed ride quality for athletic handling, not so with the new A6. It offers a sinewy feel through the corners, but doesn’t suffer some of the harshness the M37x exhibits. And this may shock Bimmer fans, but the A6’s steering feels more natural and intuitive than the 535i xdrive.
With such an overall competent package, some drivers may ask for more power in their A6. That should be rectified when the 420 hp S6 comes later this year. But until then, know the current A6 is the best all-around mid-size luxury sports sedan you can buy.