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As I drove home in the CLS last night, I couldn't stop thinking about Jaguar's XF. The Mercedes has a dramatic presence that the XF is missing. I don't find the CLS gorgeous - especially the headlights - but it does stand out in the crowd. What a great concept Mercedes has. Build the E-Class for the more traditional Benz buyer and the CLS for the person who wants a bit more style. Unfortunately, the CLS doesn't drive as well as the Jaguar. The Mercedes V-8 is very strong but the seven-speed automatic is slow to downshift. I also find the air suspension really disconnects the driver from road. It is too floaty and I don't like constantly having to toggle the suspension switch to try to contain body motions. In the end, I wish the XF was more dramatic like the CLS but that the Mercedes drove as well as the Jaguar.

It's nice to see that Jaguar has updated a few minor details on the XK. The old-school power antenna is gone, the headliner is much nicer, and there are some other minor improvements inside. Luckily, the company didn't change the way the XK drives, as this XKR Convertible is still a wonderful car. From the linear steering to excellent ride quality, this is the best driving car in the class. You wouldn't believe it's on twenty-inch wheels as it glides over Michigan's horrible roads. The six-speed ZF automatic is also miles ahead of the seven-speed setup in the Mercedes SL. Still, I can't help thinking the Jaguar isn't screwed together or designed as well as an SL. Some of the interior plastics just don't feel fantastic. Plus, the slow to respond touch screen (also seen in the XF) is annoying. Ergonomically, the touch screen is quite good but it needs to have a much faster interface. Still, the Jaguar is a wonderful car to drive and that supercharged V-8 is very strong and sounds great.