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Building an ideal executive-style luxury sedan is not an easy task for a carmaker. If the car turns out too soft and isolated, you lose enthusiasts who aren’t quite ready to retire in a Lexus. Too complex or high-strung and you risk alienating your technology-challenged, soft-in-the-middle buyers who expect a measure of mindless comfort. Get the balance just right, and your five-passenger $60,000 midsize sedan will both impress with remarkable dynamics and indulge with palpable comfort.

We’ve gathered three such vehicles for this comparison: the 2009 BMW 550i, 2010 Jaguar XF Premium and 2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 Sport.

The 2009 BMW 550i is widely regarded as the benchmark among sporting luxury sedans with its imposing modern design, 360-horsepower 4.8-liter V8 and legendary sporting dynamics. For a car that’s been around for five years, its reputation remains consistently impressive.

All-new in ’09, the Jaguar XF now is available in a midlevel model, and this Jaguar XF Premium includes not only a new 385-hp direct-injection 5.0-liter V8 but also more standard features. Riding a 1st-place finish from the last time we collected four similar cars in 2008, the Brit car should be taken seriously.

The new-generation 2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 Sport stands a very good chance of improving on its previous 3rd-place finish. Sure, the 382-hp 5.5-liter V8 is a carryover item from the outgoing E-Class, yet Mercedes-Benz has spent a considerable sum to refine this ninth-generation E-Class into a car meant to define this segment of sedans.

Duration : 0:4:18

Technorati Tags: 2009, 2010, 550i, auto, BMW, British, car, E550, engine, european, GERMAN, Jaguar, luxury, mercedes, mercedes-benz, motor, Premium, sedan, Sport, v8, vs., XF

Duration : 0:3:47

Technorati Tags: 2009, 2010, auto, CARS., carscom, GOLF, gti, mazda, mazdaspeed3, new, ny, rabbit, show, subaru, Volkswagen, vw, york

Duration : 0:1:1

Technorati Tags: 2008, 2009, 2010, ad, advert, advertising, Audi, bowl, cannes, car, CARS., Caspersen, Christophe, classic, commercial, competition, cool, David, directors, Ever, festival, festivals, funny, Garmark, Gear, godfather, gun, HD, hostage, Johansen, klasikker, le, lions, mans, maranello, marinello, Ole, perfect, police, policeman, quattro, r10, r15, R8, reklame, reklamefilm, Slowest, spot, super, superbowl, Top, tv, V10, v8, video, werbespot, werbung, winners, young

Duration : 0:1:43

Technorati Tags: 2010, 29MOTOGUIDE., allan, Audi, CARS., Drive, FSI, GC, GERMAN, mcnash, mcnish, R8, Seabring, Test, V10