Today on The Top Ten Auto Show the team take a look at the top ten best Executive and Luxury cars of 2002, basing their final descision on pure sales figures and features.
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------------------
Enjoyed this video? Don't forget to LIKE and SHARE the video and get involved with our community by leaving a COMMENT below the video!
Check out what else our channel has to offer and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to Men & Motors for more classic car and motorbike content! Why not? It is free after all!
Our website: http://menandmotors.com/
---- Social Media ----
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/menandmotors/
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Twitter: @menandmotorstv
If you have any questions, e-mail us at talk@menandmotors.com
© Men and Motors - One Media iP 2023
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MotorTranscript
00:00 [Music]
00:27 Hello, my name is Dave Lee Travis and welcome to another edition of the Top Ten Auto Show.
00:32 Each week we take you through our Top Ten car categories to find out which car is the class leader
00:37 as voted for by our Men & Motors panel of experts who include editors of the top motoring magazines.
00:43 The panel of experts have awarded points with the scores adding up to one overall winner in the Top Ten category
00:49 which for this week is Executive and Luxury Cars.
00:53 [Music]
00:56 Taking the number ten position this year is the Vauxhall Amiga.
01:00 The Amiga has been a familiar sight on our roads for quite a few years now
01:03 and despite a few facelifts it's starting to show its age.
01:06 In fact, don't be too surprised if we see a replacement for the Amiga in the not too distant future.
01:12 However, styling aside, the Amiga is still a great handling car
01:16 with its well-balanced rear wheel drive chassis delivering a composed and refined drive.
01:21 Combine that with the large amount of passenger space in the Amiga
01:24 and you have an excellent executive motorway cruiser.
01:27 If you're buying the Amiga privately, be prepared for nightmarish depreciation
01:31 as your big Vauxhall's value will drop faster than a steam train off a cliff when you drive off the forecourt.
01:37 The upside of this is that there are some cracking second-hand bargains out there.
01:41 So, let's now take a look at the manufacturer's facts and figures for the Vauxhall Amiga.
01:46 [Music]
01:53 [Music]
02:19 And from the manufacturer's figures to those of our expert panel as we see how they've marked the Amiga.
02:25 [Music]
02:35 In 10th place then with an average percentage of 55, the Vauxhall Amiga.
02:40 [Music]
02:45 In at number 9 this year is the curvy Peugeot 607.
02:48 For those of you who would find the Amiga just a bit too bland,
02:51 the 607 could well be the answer as looks wise it's everything the Amiga isn't.
02:57 The 607 is also quite refreshing with its impressive list of standard equipment
03:02 which on the top spec V6 models includes satellite navigation, leather seats and metallic paint
03:08 and on all models it includes alloys, climate control and a full set of airbags.
03:14 Out on the road the Peugeot offers a surprisingly involved drive for what is a big car.
03:19 Its steering is sharp and responsive and would certainly suit those drivers who like the sporty feel to their cars.
03:25 Now whether you actually want that in this type of vehicle I'm not so sure as it's almost too involved.
03:31 [Music]
03:33 Overall then the Peugeot offers a genuinely different good performing package in the executive car market.
03:39 Let's take a look at the specifications and statistics for the 607.
03:44 [Music]
04:13 And now let's see how the car has been marked in the top 10 autos categories.
04:17 [Music]
04:26 In ninth place then with an average percentage of 57 the Peugeot 607.
04:32 [Music]
04:37 We're staying with the French as we move on to our eighth place car
04:41 as this year it's the Renault Velsatis that takes this spot.
04:45 As cars go let alone executive cars the Velsatis is certainly unique in the looks department
04:50 and you have to give Renault big credit for going for a style that's new and cutting edge.
04:55 Whether motorists will be won over by this in the long run time will tell
04:59 but it's always refreshing to see something different on the roads.
05:03 The exterior styling cues are carried through to the interior of the Velsatis
05:07 and even if you aren't a fan of the exterior looks you'll be hard pressed to throw scorn on the interior.
05:12 Out on the road the ride of the Velsatis is aimed more towards comfort rather than sporty performance
05:18 with a softly sprung suspension that's excellent on the motorway
05:21 but can become a handful if driven with the same level of zealousness as you might the Peugeot 607.
05:27 Here's the specs then for the Velsatis.
05:30 [Music]
05:57 Let's now see how the expert panel have marked the Velsatis.
06:01 [Music]
06:11 With an average percentage of 62 the Renault Velsatis takes this year's eighth place.
06:16 [Music]
06:21 On to seventh place then with the BMW 7 Series.
06:24 Like the Velsatis we've just seen BMW have gone for a whole new look for their 7 Series
06:29 and it's very far removed from the executive flagships we've seen previously from BMW.
06:34 Whether on the motorway or on B roads the 7 Series remains impeccably composed and refined
06:39 with little wind, road or engine noise.
06:42 Engine wise the car is certainly not for the green at heart as it's either a 3.6 4.4 V8 or a massive 6 litre V12.
06:51 All are extremely smooth and powerful but all will cost a fortune at the pumps.
06:56 However to get poor fuel economy figures you have to get a car that will start
07:01 and in the new 7 Series getting it fired up is no mean feat.
07:05 The ignition system like every other function on the car is very complicated
07:09 and requires careful studying of the driver's manual to get you going.
07:13 Even things like temperature and radio settings require the dexterity of a kung fu master
07:18 to work your way through the bizarre iDrive system
07:21 following all the instructions on the small screen
07:23 whilst trying not to plough into the back of the traffic in front of you.
07:27 Now this is certainly a high tech car and an awesome drive
07:30 but it's quite possibly too advanced for its own good
07:33 which is why it only makes 7th place in our chart.
07:37 Let's take a look at the specs then for the 7 Series.
07:40 [Music]
08:06 And from the technical facts and figures to those of our expert panel as we see
08:10 how they've marked the Beamer.
08:12 [Music]
08:20 With an average percentage of 67 the BMW 7 Series takes 7th place.
08:26 [Music]
08:30 In at number 6 this year is another German car, this time it's the Audi A6.
08:35 Now unlike the Beamer and the Velsatis there's no love them or hate them ground breaking lines with the A6.
08:41 Its shape is just pure and simple style that anyone can appreciate.
08:45 Out on the road the A6's softly sprung chassis and copious interior
08:49 makes it an excellent tool for motorway cruising.
08:52 It's also extremely comfortable, even with 5 passengers
08:55 and the space is well thought out so you still get a good size boot.
09:00 On the power front the Audi has a superb range of engines in 4, 6 and 8 cylinder guises
09:05 as well as a stunning V6 diesel which is probably the best all round unit of the bunch.
09:11 Let's check out the specification then for the A6.
09:15 [Music]
09:45 And now here's how our expert panel have scored the car.
09:50 [Music]
09:58 So with an average percentage of 68 the Audi A6 takes 6th place.
10:04 [Music]
10:08 We're into the top 5 now with a Swedish surprise, the Saab 9-5.
10:13 Now although Saab have been around for many years
10:16 it's definitely not the first brand you think of when it comes to luxury cars.
10:19 However, if you're after a car that's a little bit different
10:22 and does let you stand out from the executive crowd, the 9-5 is an excellent choice.
10:28 From a quality standpoint the 9-5 is first class.
10:31 It's solid, well put together and like the best cars in this class
10:34 uses materials that will stand the test of time.
10:37 The interior is also laid out differently to the majority of cars
10:40 which all adds to that feeling of driving something a bit special.
10:44 And that feeling is carried through to the drive of the car.
10:47 Although the chassis design isn't the last word in technology
10:50 the 9-5 has a superb ride.
10:53 Across the entire range of cars the level of standard equipment is impressive
10:57 both on the comfort and safety fronts.
11:00 One strange omission though is the lack of traction control
11:03 on the basic 2 and 2.3 litre cars as you'd think that's a necessity rather than luxury.
11:09 Traction aside though, the 9-5 is every bit a worthy top 5
11:13 placing in this year's top 10 of executive and luxury cars.
11:18 Here are the specifications then for the Saab 9-5.
11:21 [Music]
11:50 And from the technical facts and figures to the scores of the men and motors panel.
11:55 [Music]
12:04 With the percentages averaged out the 9-5 gets a total of 71.
12:09 That's it for part 1 of top 10 executive and luxury cars.
12:13 Join us after the break when we reveal the top 4 cars.
12:17 [Music]
12:23 Hello and welcome back to the top 10 auto show
12:26 where this week we're running down the top 10 executive and luxury cars
12:30 and straight in at number 4.
12:32 [Music]
12:35 It's the all new VW Phaeton.
12:38 Now before you start ringing in we haven't made a mistake this isn't a Passat Honest.
12:43 Although you'd be forgiven for thinking it was
12:46 as the looks of VW's top flight executive motor are very similar to its smaller brother.
12:51 In fact the Phaeton is a completely new car
12:54 which will also become the basis for the new Audi A8 which is out later this year.
12:59 Being all new the Phaeton is packed with high-tech features
13:02 including draft free air conditioning, self-levelling suspension and adaptive damping.
13:08 As you'd expect from a car with such a high-tech suspension system
13:12 the ride of the Phaeton is superb, it's refined, composed and solid at all speeds
13:17 and with the bigger engines it would think nothing of batting down the autobahns at 150 miles an hour
13:22 keeping its 5 occupants comfortable and relaxed.
13:25 So from a big car to its big statistics.
13:28 [Music]
13:58 [Music]
14:03 We know it's in third place but let's see our expert panel have scored the Phaeton in each of the categories.
14:09 [Music]
14:16 With an average percentage of 72 the VW Phaeton.
14:20 Watch out Mercedes for next year's chart.
14:23 [Music]
14:27 But for this year they're safe as in at number three is the Mercedes E-Class.
14:32 For a company that became famous for building top quality big cars
14:36 it's no surprise that the new Mercedes E-Class makes the top three in this year's chart.
14:41 This latest version of the E-Class takes all of the best features of the previous model and improves on them.
14:47 On the old model the interior was one of its poorest features and that's changed on the new car.
14:52 It's still a mass of black materials here but it's more curvaceous and well thought out than the last car and it doesn't feel as sombre.
15:00 That Mercedes attention to detail is carried through to the tarmac with a very impressive ride.
15:05 The new car is also more responsive than the old model with much sharper steering and handling
15:10 and for such a big car the amount of driver feedback is impressive.
15:15 So let's take a look at the all important facts and figures for the Mercedes E-Class.
15:20 [Music]
15:23 [Music]
15:51 So how did it score? Well let's find out with the expert panels marked for the E-Class.
15:56 [Music]
16:04 With an average percentage of 76 the Mercedes E-Class takes third place.
16:09 So the big question, what's at number one?
16:12 [Music]
16:17 Well one car that isn't is another Mercedes, this time the S-Class.
16:22 As an iconic luxury car the Mercedes S-Class has it all.
16:26 The subtle styling, the awesome build quality and all topped off with one of the most famous car badges in the world.
16:33 From the moment the keyless entry system allows you access to your S-Class
16:37 so you can hear the solid thud as the door closes, you know you're in a very special motor car.
16:44 You can pretty much forget the optional extras list for the S-Class
16:47 as even the entry level model comes with all you would ever need and more.
16:51 Metallic paint, automatic box, climate control, leather seats and electric everything.
16:56 In fact there's probably more electric motors in an S-Class than you'd find in a scale extract factory.
17:02 Yes the S-Class is one very impressive car and that's before you've driven it.
17:07 But once you do get into it and out on the road the biggest thing you will notice is how nimble the car feels.
17:13 It's surprisingly agile for such a big car and even around busy streets the S-Class feels at home
17:19 and it gives you the impression it's a much smaller car than it is.
17:22 The pricing of this Mercedes is also quite impressive as you can get into the S-Club for just under 45 grand
17:29 which will get you that 2.8 V6 model we mentioned earlier.
17:36 Here's those all important stats for our number two car.
17:39 [Music]
17:45 [Music]
17:50 [Music]
18:15 And from the technical stats to those of our panel of experts
18:18 as we see how they've marked the S-Class in our top 10 auto show categories.
18:22 [Music]
18:30 It was only two points off but with 77% the S-Class takes second place.
18:37 So what is it number one?
18:39 We'll find out shortly but first here's a quick recap from 10 to 2.
18:46 In at 10 is the Vauxhall Amiga.
18:51 At number 9 is Peugeot's 607.
18:54 Taking 8th place this year is Renault's Velsatis.
18:58 At number 7 is the BMW 7 Series.
19:02 Taking 6th place is the Audi A6.
19:06 Just making the top 5 is the Saab 9-5.
19:11 At number 4 is VW's Phaeton.
19:15 3rd place goes to the Mercedes E-Class and the Mercedes S-Class takes second.
19:22 [Music]
19:26 Which means yet again it's another top place for BMW.
19:30 This time with their 5 Series.
19:33 Like its bigger brother the 7 Series, the 5 Series is quality on four wheels
19:37 but where it wins out is that BMW haven't been too clever with the car.
19:42 Yes it is high-tech and yes its cockpit lights up like a fighter plane at night
19:47 but overall it's a much more traditional and classically stylish car both inside and out.
19:52 Whether BMW change this when the new 5 Series comes out though remains to be seen.
19:58 Like the S-Class the more you drive the 5 Series the smaller the car seems to get
20:02 and you feel really confident threading it through inner city traffic.
20:06 Get it up to speed on the motorway and it's a superbly balanced car with near perfect steering and ride
20:12 and though the rear is a little cramped in comparison with some of the bigger cars in our top 10
20:16 it's a really comfortable long-range cruiser.
20:19 However, jump off the slip road and onto a B road and the 5 Series is just as impressive
20:25 and it'll give you a rewarding and involved drive to all standards of driver.
20:29 However, if you do get your rear-wheel drive 5 Series out of shape
20:33 there's electronic safety devices galore to keep you out of the hedges.
20:37 So, let's have a look at the specifications for our top placed 5 Series.
20:42 [Music]
20:47 [Music]
21:13 We know it's the number one car but let's see how our expert panel have marked the car.
21:18 [Music]
21:26 With an average percentage of 79 it's the BMW 5 Series that is this year's number one.
21:33 Good evening, I'm Rob Ovens, Managing Director of Men & Motors
21:36 and I'm delighted to be here at BMW with their Marketing Director Phil Houlton
21:40 to present him with the award for the top executive and luxury car, the BMW 5 Series
21:45 as chosen by our panel of top experts. Well done Phil.
21:49 Thank you very much indeed Rob, that's great.
21:52 I mean, in a way it doesn't come as a surprise, I mean this car which is a fantastic car
21:57 it's the heart of the BMW range, it's what we're really known for
22:00 so it's fantastic to get another award and thanks very much.
22:04 So, well done once again to BMW for another first place in our top 10 auto show.
22:09 I'm Dave Lee Travis, thanks for watching and do join me again soon for more Top 10 Autos.
22:16 [Music]
22:25 [Music]
22:48 [BLANK_AUDIO]