2004 Audi A8L vs 2004 BMW 745i vs 2004 Jaguar XJ8 Vanden Plas

You don't normally see $450,245 worth of premium luxury automobiles rolling in tight formation down a Los Angeles street unless (a) J. Lo is having another wedding, (b) the cast of "The West Wing" is out playing motorcade again, or (c) Motor Trend is conducting a super-sedans comparison test.

Despite the conspicuous sheen on the vehicles, this time it was us. If you spotted our mini-parade, you may have noticed that we were wearing our finest T-shirts. After all, we're talking about automobiles that make no compromises when it comes to shameless luxury and top-of-the-line hardware. Indeed, each boasts an interior so sumptuous and exclusive it looks like it should be surrounded by a velvet rope and a self-important doorman sipping an espresso.

Our mandate for inclusion in this comparo was simple: We recruited only major luxury-sedan players with V-8 power and as-tested stickers not too far north or south of our $75,000 target price. Meeting our requirements was a field of six 2004 models, including familiar faces, freshened names, and new rivals. Interestingly, no domestic nameplate has yet climbed this high into the luxury-sedan stratosphere.

Audi's A8L (as-tested price: $74,320) appeared in all-new form for 2004, wrapping lightweight aluminum body panels around an aluminum space frame, a 330-horsepower V-8, and quattro all-wheel drive. BMW launched its redesigned 7 Series two years ago; the rear-drive, V-8-powered 745i (as-tested: $79,945) brandishes 325 horsepower and an uncommonly comprehensive array of advanced features. Like the Audi, Jaguar's 294-horse XJ made its 2004 debut in all-new form and also benefits from the wonders of lightweight aluminum; our top-model Vanden Plas stickered at $69,995.