Posted at 6:45 p.m.
BMW 8 Series
Price: from $128,900
From the first glance, the Series 8 imposes. His line, a little overdone in places, already shows wrinkles. Even indoors. On these two aspects, the Mercedes does better. On the road, the hot 4.4L supercharged V8 finds its place behind under the long hood. It manages, in its M configuration (617 hp) only, to lower the acceleration time (0-100 km/h) by two tenths of a second against the SL at the cost of even higher consumption. The 8 Series blurs the cards between comfort and sport. Greater tourism, then? Certainly. The weight of its front axle limits its agility.
Lexus LC Convertible
Price: from $124,300
PHOTO PROVIDED BY LEXUS
Lexus LC Convertible
Even more than the SL, the LC does not go unnoticed. Whether thanks to its huge grille or its beautifully chiseled walls, this Lexus twists many necks in its path. At the wheel, we quickly understood that despite appearances, Lexus did not seek to favor the sporty aspect at all costs. The performance is exhilarating, but the structure and equipment are geared primarily towards comfort and safety. It would have held up admirably well against the fifth and sixth generation SLs. Not against the seventh, which turns out to be more homogeneous, more stimulating to drive and less seasonal. The LC relies only on its rear wheels to move it.
Porsche 911
Price: from $129,600
PHOTO PROVIDED BY PORSCHE
Porsche 911
Since its creation in 1963, the 911 has strived to evolve without seeming to. True, the stormy, sometimes indomitable character of the first 911s has gradually faded in favor of almost exemplary road holding. Regardless of the variation chosen, the 911 always projects itself into the horizon with as much harshness. The response time is practically nil and the smoothness of the engine at low revs, above all, is impressive. More playful than the SL, the 911 remains THE reference to this day, even if its interior is not as “technopop” as that offered by Mercedes.