In his new, headline-only posting style, RF uncorked a bottle of worms (bottle of worms?) by asking if you’d pay $55k for a fully dressed Lincoln MKT. In this case, fully dressed means 355 hp/350 torques from the EcoBoosted mill, AWD and decent mileage (22 mpg) for a six-seater. Most people said, “Ha ha ha! NO WAY!” As a natural born contrarian, I wanted to simply point out that no one batted an eye while paying $60k for a fully loaded, less roomy, less powerful, F-150-based (meaning way crappo inside) Lincoln Navigator a few short years ago. And those monsters got 14 mpg. Jolly Jack Baruth took it a step farther and points out that the Ford Flex is all kinds of awesome, and the MKT has a better interior complete with individual DVD players. Jack actually likes the MKT. I just hate group think. But, here’s my question — if the MKT isn’t worth $55k, what is? To satisfy the Talmudic scholars amongst you, I refer specifically to passenger sedans. If you had to spend $55k (no more, no less) on a new car, paying list price, options included, what would you buy?
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This is too easy, but I’ll bite.
I’d happily pay $55,000 for a new Ferrari Enzo. Red, please.
If it has to be a passenger sedan, then my fallback is the ever-appealing AMG S65.
What do I win?
Cicero :
Bastard. And I mean that in an entirely complimentary, non-flaming way.
What do I win?
Reading lessons.
In this case, fully dressed means 355 hp/350 torques from the EcoBoosted mill
Why are you speaking Clarkson?
The MKT happens to meet my needs, so my answer might be the MKT.
Without the impending arrival of my son, Heinz-Harald Baruth, I think I’d be likely to pick up a Challenger SRT-8 or the new Shelby GT500.
BMW M3
I wanted to simply point out that no one batted an eye while paying $60k for a fully loaded, less roomy, less powerful, F-150-based (meaning way crappo inside) Lincoln Navigator a few short years ago.
You’re right, Jonny, I wasn’t batting an eye. I was mentally vomiting every time I saw one, and laughing at the poor suckers who were dumb enough to buy these ultra-depreciation monstrosities. And what is a Navigator worth today?
C63 AMG
I think for me, it would boil down to 3 cars: Audi S5, LS3 Corvette, and Jaguar XF.
I’ll go with the obvious answer here:
M3 Sedan (base model $54850)
Edit: I think a lot of people skipped the directions
Honestly nothing new. The only things in that price range that one cannot get cheaper are the Corvette and Boxster. Everything else in that price range is just fluf put on top of a cheaper platform (i.e. the MKT on top of the Flex or the M3 on top of the 328i).
So my “only one new car at MSRP” answer is a new C6, checking performance option boxes up to $55K.
2009 Corvette Coupe 2LT
$50,110
Z51 Performance Package
$1,695
Rear Axle, 3.42 ratio, limited slip. Included and only available with 6-speed manual transmission.
$0
Transmission, 6-speed manual, short-throw. Includes 3.42 axle ratio.
$0
Exhaust, Dual-mode, performance, increases horsepower, adds 6 hp, aggressive exhaust sound.
$1,195
Wheels, 5-split spoke, Competition Gray-painted aluminum, 18″ front and 19″ rear.
$395
Corvette Museum Delivery, Acknowledgement form required.
$490
Delivery
$850
Total MSRP $54,735
The remaining $265 can go to buying antacid to deal with the disgust of buying a car from bankrupt, bailout sucking GM. The Corvette is the best car for $55K, but my next car will be a used Miata, probably for about 1/10 of that amount.
2nd on the M3
Also, Jonny, nobody (ok maybe 5 people) paid $55K of their own money for a Navigator. It was all leases and sub-prime auto loans, along with some cash-out refis. Some people don’t realize how much they’re throwing away when the dealer runs the numbers creatively.
The 2010 Audi S4.
2004 Audi A8 ($25000). Then I’d spend about a grand to put independent turn signals in the rear (I wish whoever integrated them with the brake lights died a painful death).
2004 Range Rover HSE ($23000).
And spend the rest in gas driving around in style for a year.
In today’s economy – that’s easy. A house.
Or if you’re in Michigan, two or three.
Audi S5, and pick it up at the factory!
Corvette Convertible would probably be my first choice. Automatic because the great part about Corvettes is that you can be both hardcore and lazy with the same car. Automatic is good for the lazy part, paddle shifters for the hardcore part.
Mercedes Benz E350 would be my choice of a regular sedan.
I’ll take a black Infiniti M45 Sport for a couple hundred under 55K or a fully loaded G37x AWD for about 50K.
A decently optioned Miata and a decently optioned Prius. That totals about $55K, right?
Another option I’d consider would be a Volvo V70 wagon and I’ll take my change in Yarises.
I’m with no_slushbox — there’s nothing in that price range that I think would be worth $55K new except the Corvette, and I wouldn’t want a Corvette.
Caddy CTS-V, Audi S5, or the M45 Sport as lowmanjoe suggested
nudave :
In today’s economy – that’s easy. A house.
I’m with you, nudave.
I consider myself a car guy, and I’m glad there are phenomenal machines like the ‘Vette, M3, etc.
But even though I could qualify for the loan, and make the payments, I honestly don’t have any inclination to spend $55k for a car.
Give me $55k and I’ll purchase an old Mustang, Camaro, or even a Bug, and build a detached garage (paved floor), install a lift, and buy a whole bunch of tools to work on the car with.
argh, some of you guys are so lame. the game is what $55k vehicle would you buy, not what would you do if you won 55 thousand dollars in the lottery..
me? i’ve never driven anything even remotely close to a $55k car, but I have a feeling I would really like the Porsche Cayman S.
Guys, new car, list price!
If you had to spend $55k (no more, no less) on a new car, paying list price, options included, what would you buy?
Can it be a truck?
Dodge Ram Hemi Hybrid, or Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid.
I don’t think I’d want any car that cost $55k. But show me a big ass truck that can haul all my stuff and do it with the mileage of a sedan and I’ll take it.
Maserati GranTurismo … it’s only a small discount off the sticker price, in this down market, haha.
C O R V E T T E here as well.
If I were to spend $55k on a vehicle it better be making $ rather than consuming it.
I’d get a nice used pre EGR daycab semi-tractor. A Sterling A9513 with Detroit or KW T600 with a Cummins are good values.
If I had to get a car(s) I’d split it:
A Long wheelbase TJ Wrangler with all the aftermarket goodies installed by the previous owner.
A a nice 2nd gen MR2 or NSX as a track toy and daily driver. I might even have a shop do a EV conversion on the MR2.
This was tough since I wanted to stick to the “rules” as close as I could.
I narrowed it down to the Audi A6 3.0T, Lexus GS460, or the Volvo S80 V8 AWD. In the end, I would buy the S80 (+ collision avoidance package and a cargo mat) because that Yamaha V8 sounds awesome and the car comes with a heartbeat sensor. Final price: $54,987
So there you go, I pick a Volvo.
If I had it to spend…
Porsche Cayman
Lotas Elise
BMW M3
or
more likely a Miata and another Mazda3
I’m trying to beat-up– er “work with”– my Lexus dealer on a new (demo) IS-F. $55k ought to do it. If the salesman’s reading, less. Enough for a couple of set of snow tires. Oh, and does anyone really need that sixth seat? I reckon it’s either five (sedan) or seven/eight (minivan).
The post says passenger sedans, which isn’t an awfully good comparison.
For $55k, you can get a lot of nice sedans — the mythical M3 without options, or various fully loaded luxury sports or midsize luxury sedans, but none are, of course, going to offer nearly the passenger capacity as a MKT, and few are going to have similar engine output (of course, the MKT is a *luxury suv* as opposed to a sedan, and even with 355 hp isn’t going to be terribly agile).
With current incentives, *if* you could find a base G37 (as unoptioned luxury cars are about as common as leprechauns on dealer lots) for $30k; the $25k above that is paying a premium for fairly minor upgrades (until you hit the M3, but then you’re looking at unoptioned for $55k) to a very solid car. So it’s not that great of a comparison — to get a $55k sedan, you *have* to drop cash on overpriced premium features. Not so much with other car classes.
That said, if you gave me $55k for a sedan (and I couldn’t buy a G37 and pocket the rest), I’d load up a 335i, tick the “European Delivery” box, and ask to spend the leftover in the process of picking the thing up.
M3 if it had to be a new car, but I’d rather spend the money like this:
$10k or so for a used wrx wagon, for camping and snowboard trips, etc.
$5k for a used truck for hauling and towing duties.
$10k for a 240z in good shape with minimal rust.
and the last $20k to turn that 240z into a track monster, soup up the wrx a bit and maybe get a motorcycle.
Oh, and if it were any vehicle for $55k, helllooo ’09 Boxster S.
Since I can’t afford to get the M3 convertible it will have to be a 335i convertible with Logic7, cold weather package, metallic paint, comfort access, and iPod adapter = $54,750.
I just threw all the options on the335i xDrive configurator and it came out to $55k. So, that’s probably a good choice. I’m pretty sure it won’t be difficult to get a S5 up to that level either.
People seem to be ignoring the “passenger sedan” constraint. But I’ll do one better.
As far as luxury minivans go, there aren’t many, so the MKT is probably the best. What are you going to get a R350? I think not.
But as for what they should have bought, the luxury wagon, the correct answer is Audi A6 3.0T Avant
I would have picked the Buick Park Lane straight from AUS $51,000 (6 litre version, not the Chinese 3.6)
Hell no. Another Detroit 3/4 ton dinosaur.
Anyone recognize that Obama intends to kill off all of these vehicles?
The Ecobost is the ICE of the near future. Direct fuel injection eliminates much of the diesel advantage. Better choice would be intro in the FusionMilan. Hogs are dead.
Where to begin?
2010 Audi S4, BMW M3, AMG C63, Porsche Cayman.
Plenty of tempting toys for that kind of cash – just not from Lincoln.
What Corvette goes out the door for $55k? The dealers here(in Warren MI, so that says a lot)would be delighted if you handed them $40k for one. And give you an Impala for about $14k to drive in the winter.
Cayman
No car is worth $55k. I can think of at least 10 new cars right now that would put a smile on my face every day for under $25k. The extra $30k is another year I can retire early.
Seriously, I don’t care how much money you have, work sucks, family is awesome, and that’s that.
ca36gtp:
“Why are you speaking Clarkson?”
Clarkson’s true greatest innovation to auto journalism is his realization that most people aren’t engineers.
Hence rather than writing “350 lb-ft of torque,” I write 350 torques. Much easier.
I stole that directly from Jeremy Clarkson. I admit it.
You want my lawyer to contact yours?
Hyundai Genesis and a new boat.
The best luxury and real-world sports cars are worth $30K to me, and supercars are worth $150K to me (if I had that kind of money.) Everything in between sounds like a down payment on a house.
A fully loaded 335i 6 speed sedan, thanks
Okay, someone here needs to represent the “going-down-with-the-ship” Panther contingent, so I will:
2009 Lincoln Town Car Signature L, fully loaded at $54,710 (What other new vehicle offers a whitewall tire option?)
Just an amused observation =)
It’s nice to see all the love for the ‘Vette. The Vette, Cayman/Boxster and Elise/Exige are the only cars out there worth $55k in my opinion. You can’t really go wrong with any of those choices
If it has to be a sedan, I’d take a G8 GXP with a 6 speed and get a motorcycle to go along with it
I’d go with a base model 535xi wagon, thank you very much. $55,800 or thereabouts.
1973 E-Type, and with the leftover (if any), a beater honda of some kind for crap weather.
Mr. Farago . . . Does anybody need that sixth seat?
More telling . . . Does anybody need that sixth gear?
BMW 535xi (AWD) with active cruise control. Titanium silver metallic.
Hmmm, my personal favourite all rounder, the G37 Sedan, clocks in at a whopping 37K. Canadian. I’ll take one of those, and use my extra dough to pay for the gas I’ll burn with that magnificently thirsty V6.
E-320 bluetec, that would be me…
Jonny Lieberman :
I write 350 torques. Much easier.
Agreed.
You want my lawyer to contact yours?
I’m going to need a retainer.
Nothing!!! I can’t justify spending anything more than $30,000 on a car. I spent many years working in the automotive tooling industry and I saw how many of the guts are the same.
A quick check of Cars Direct shows that the Infiniti FX50 is selling for about 8 grand under MSRP. So I’ll take one with the Sport Package.
Or I’ll find a nice 450 SEL 6.9 and pay a max $13k for it and use the rest of the money for its maintenance. That should last—what?—about a year?
I knew my answer would be a Corvette, and it’s good to see so many are thinking along the same lines. And I’m down with how no_slushbox specced out his (hers?). I’d do it the same way. I can live w/o the factory delivery, though, but would end up spending that money on the extra-cost Atomic Orange Metallic color.
If it had to be a sedan, it would be the G8 GXP w/ stick, and the extra 15K or so on a used MX-5 or S2000.
No car is worth $55,000. None. But I’m a confirmed cheapskate used-car guy who’s spent $11,000 on car purchases (two) in the last eleven years.
55k is pushing Lexus LS territory. You don’t need more than that. However, I would note that 55k is also a full down payment on a house in many areas. There are so many good –really excellent– cars for 35k that 55k seems absurd to me.
the daily: 2008 Corvette, 1LT – $33K
if I have to schlep 3 people (and to teach them to NEVER bum a ride from me again): 2006 Mazda RX8 – $22K
No car is worth $55,000 – all it means is you have more money than you know what to do with.
If it has to be a sedan… E320 CDI Bluetec
If a new car is the requirement, I’d think it may be the Cadillac CTS (A CTS-V would be better but that’s about $60k+) at an average of $50k-sticker. After having a ride in one and what Top Gear says of the thing, I’m impressed and would gladly support a dead-domestic. Finally.
2009 2.0 tfsi quattro manual A4 with no other options and $25,000 in the trunk
Whatever 4 door Lexus 55K would get me.
Personally, there’s not a GD thing produced by any carmaker I’d spend a PV of $55k on, except perhaps a small (miniscule, really) chunk of what goes on inside Holger Härter’s head.
That said, here’s an alternative question that may seem a bit more relevant to your average ‘murican, and a bit more telling to interested readers:
Assuming no huge trade-in (i.e. net new car purchase), what would your personal yearly income level need to be at before spending $55K on a NEW PASSENGER SEDAN was either do-able or a good idea? Obviously, family situation, employment, age, geography, lifestyle, etc play a role here. Throw a little background in, but don’t go overboard.
As an upper midwest DINK with mortgage and grad school considerations, I think I’d have to be well above $300K per year in HH income before I’d even consider dropping that kind of cash on a car. Long story short, I think new vehicles are a sucker play (unless you plan on keeping your car for 20 years), and you gotta have a lot of other stuff well squared away before dropping that kind of scratch on transport makes any kind of sense.
I hate to sound old fashioned, but I would buy an x5 335d and pawn my wife’s jewelry for the extra $500 I’d need, or a loaded 335d and fight my driveway with the salt I’d buy with the hange
I’m going to pay that kind of money for a premium crossover, it’s going to be from a premium brand, like say Audi or Acura (I guess if I had that kind of money I’d get a Q7). Lincoln barely registers on my radar; I’m not old enough.
i just could not imagine spending that much money purely because of the resale. i hate losing money and throwing away 30g in a matter of years would make me ill
If I was shopping in the $55k 4wd family car category like those SUV’s basically are, I’d get Black Sapphire Metallic 535i xDrive Sports Wagon with Natural Brown Dakota leather interior, Sports Package and M Aerodynamic Kit and Procede software :)
A CTS-V and if I had any cash left over another scooter (Aprilla).
Easy. I’ll take the new Panamera from Porsche and sell it on Ebay for 120k.
I’ll then buy a used Quattroporte and pocket 80k.
I’m a cheap SOB.
RF, I’m surprised the dealer isn’t in the sub 55k price for the IS-F. Loaded, the website says they top out at 61k.
Audi S4 2010 or 2004/5 Maserati Quattroporte.
I much rather spend 10K-16K on a 2001 BMW 740iL. Since my arm is behind my back I guess a 2009 Lexus GS 460. It comes pretty close to the 55K target.
Comparing a MKT or a Navigator to a M3 or Corvette just because they are about the same price is crazy. Jonny Lieberman tried in is post to limit everyone to passenger sedans but maybe the limit should have been something else; like “Choose a $55k vehicle to drive the kids to school, get groceries, and tow your horse/motorcycle/club car to the track”. That puts the MKT or a Navigator into a very different class than a M3 or Corvette.
Now I am seriously concidering the MKT.
Of course, how cool would you be if you pulled through the gates othe your favorite track in your new Corvette – towing your Corvette track car!
quote: $55k vehicle to drive the kids to school, get groceries, and tow your horse/motorcycle/club car to the track”.
Like I said – 535i xDrive Sports Wagon :)
towing capacity: 4400lb – it’s plenty for single horse or club car trailer. Medium sized boat would be also ok.
“Choose a $55k vehicle to drive the kids to school, get groceries, and tow your horse/motorcycle/club car to the track”.
Kids fit just fine into an M3, 911, Mini, Mustang, or other sports coupe. Groceries fit just as well. When my daughter was three she fell in love with our E36 coupe and would have screaming fits if you tried to put her in the Expedition. She liked the sound and the acceleration. I soon discovered that unlike in the Expedition, I could reach back and find a lost pacifier dropped toy in the coupe.
Now that she’s a teen, she and her friends would rather squeeze into one of the coupes than be seen in the sedan or the recently departed mini van. When I was little, my earliest and best memories are of the rides my Dad would take me on in our Austin Healey, so I can understand. I also have friends that have fond memories of being carted around in their parents 65 Mustang.
So don’t feel compelled to buy a so called “family vehicle” just because you have kids. You and your child will be happier with something that you really like.
My 55k would toward…
a lightly optioned A4 2.0T manual
and a lightly optioned Cooper S
or
a lightly optioned S5
or
a heavily optioned 335i xDrive
A Lexus.
Sue me.
BMW 528i, that was easy…..
I’ll take the XC70.
If a dealer has a 2005 Acura NSX still on the lot, I’d consider spending $55k for one.
No way I’d spend that much for just another German/Japanese luxury sedan.
A Lincoln MKT… :)
First, the U228 Navigator was not crappy inside. It had super comfy seats and nice materials, even the third row was bearable due to the flat floor allowed by the IRS. It also drove suprisingly well. The turning circle wasn’t the best but it had a solid, surefooted feel, and actually took corners with minimal body roll and understeer, but maintained a comfortable ride. Backup sensors made it easy to navigate(sorry) a parking lot, as well. The 5.4 3V V8 is also a smooth, powerful powerplant, and I’d wager that it gets better gas mileage while towing 4400lbs than the MKT will. My dad had one of these for years, which unlike the fact that I helped design it, is why I think its an outstanding vehicle.
As for a new $55K car, Euro delivered M3 coupe or nicely optioned 335d.
Kurt.:
“Comparing a MKT or a Navigator to a M3 or Corvette just because they are about the same price is crazy. Jonny Lieberman tried in is post to limit everyone to passenger sedans but maybe the limit should have been something else; like ‘Choose a $55k vehicle to drive the kids to school, get groceries, and tow your horse/motorcycle/club car to the track’. That puts the MKT or a Navigator into a very different class than a M3 or Corvette.”
Unless someone lives in downtown Chicago or New York a car doesn’t need to be a pocket knife (and if they don’t have storage for a 2nd car then they don’t have storage for something to tow).
Keep my Corvette, drop it from MSRP to market price, and throw in a very good condition low mileage 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. I’ll still be under $55K, and I’ll be able to tow 7500 pounds, not the weak 4500 pounds that the MKT is good for.
And the body on frame live rear axle Fleetwood will still be towing after the MKT has destroyed its multilink suspension and bushings and toasted its AWD system.
@mcs,
OK, I grew up in the back seat of a 911 and yes we towed our 12′ Boston Whailer or my single rail mototorcycle trailer behind my Mom’s SC but in my post, I also had “…and tow your horse/motorcycle/club car to the track”.
Even MY father wouldn’t use his 930 or Mom’s 911 for towing the 914-6 to Sebring for the PCA track day. (Though not for lack of trying!)
I would pay $55k for an M3 Sedan.
Give me an A5 with everything. It comes to about 53K for one sweet ride.
“Assuming no huge trade-in (i.e. net new car purchase), what would your personal yearly income level need to be at before spending $55K on a NEW PASSENGER SEDAN was either do-able or a good idea?”
I bring home about 12k a month – about 220k a year before taxes, 401k etc and 55k with 10% down is only $880 a month. You can certainly do that on 220k a year. I think the key is to not buy too much house.
I’m grateful that I’m not married to someone who’s into the whole McMansion thing- if I had bought a bigger house in 2006 rather than a new car I would have lost so much more money!
It’s alot harder to be upside down on a house note than a car note.
“What Would You Pay $55k For?”
An enlarged garage, two bathroom renovations or two more bedrooms added onto my house.
Oh you wanted to know what car I’d pay $55K for?
Maybe a new Prius AND a Z4; could that be done for 55K? If not, maybe I’d go with Prius and Miata. I don’t know, even if it could, I would still need that bigger garage to put them in; can’t drive them both at the same time…
A new condo in tampa
yes they’re that cheap now
A Porsche Cayman.
But I really couldn’t because I need room to haul 2 kids around. And since I have a wife and those 2 kids, there’s no way in hell that I could justify spending $55k on a car. But you asked.
regarding torques- pound feet would make little sense to the British
regarding towing trailers with cars or crossovers, you can do it but it sucks. Everything has to be perfect or its sway city, plus its slow.
Give me a truck every time for even a small trailer.
$55k will also get me a Chevy Avalanche loaded up with some left over for accessories
I’d also like an Audi TT but it doesn’t quite make it to $55K, Audi A5 would be nice also
Cayman
Easy, Corvette 2LT: Z51, NPP exhaust. Less than $55K.
Nice to see some Volvo love on here. I leased my XC90 Sport for 41k in 2007 even though it listed at almost 53.
So, given those guidelines for 55k I would like to test drive a 535xi. I spec’ed one for about 63k. I would also like to drive the Cayenne GTS though it’s doubtful you’ll see a new one for 55k; maybe a dealer demo driven “by the owners wife.” I could never see spending THAT much (75k with the Nordic Gold option) on a car…everyone has their limit I guess!