San Francisco Chronicle

Other luxury sedans

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Lincoln Continenta­l

MSRP: $46,155 Distinct styling, sumptuous interiors, and the latest tech are on hand to attempt to restore luxury-car relevance to the Continenta­l. Engine choices provide good accelerati­on, but their fuel economy is poor. The ride quality isn’t as refined as we’d expect from a sedan intended to be luxurious; braking performanc­e is average. The roomy cabin has a 10-speaker stereo, real wood trim, and ambient lighting; outward visibility is good. Tech includes Sync 3 and 4G LTE with a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Tesla Model S

MSRP: $78,200 Boasting up to 335 miles of range, the Model S is the all-electric dream car envied by many. Icing on the cake is Ludicrous mode, which blasts the top P100D to 60 mph in a claimed 2.5 seconds. The lower-spec models offer reduced driving ranges and features. Luxury items such as an air filter that Tesla says can protect occupants from bioweapons and pollutants — plus available high-tech features such as Tesla’s Autopilot — seal the deal.

BMW 5-series

MSRP: $53,645 Its luxury cabin is nice, but the 5-series is no longer the adept driving machine that made BMW a legend. The engines are a bright spot, delivering peppy accelerati­on especially in the 540i and the hot-rod M550i; diesel and hybrid engines are also available. We saw 38 mpg and 18 miles of electric-only range on the highway with the hybrid. In our testing, we found the brakes to be weak and the steering light. A 10.2-inch infotainme­nt system with navigation is standard; Apple CarPlay is optional.

Audi A6

MSRP: $50,675 Sharply creased bodywork and a refined cabin make the A6 a well-tailored option for discerning drivers. Its nimble handling and long list of features also make it a wellrounde­d package. The turbo four-cylinder is peppy, and the supercharg­ed V-6 provides autobahn-worthy performanc­e. Choose front-wheel drive or Audi’s legendary Quattro all-wheel drive. Either will yield a car that’s predictabl­e and easy to drive quickly when the road gets twisty. An all-new A6 goes on sale in late 2018.

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