2006 Buick Lucerne CXL vs. 2006 Chrysler 300 Touring Vs. 2006

From iconic to the endangered species list and now back on the road to recovery, the full-size American sedan continues to amaze and amuse critics and fans. Although the sales supremacy of this longtime bulwark of the U.S. auto industry has been usurped by fancy-cab pickups and sport/utilities of every stripe, crossovers, and well-crafted and engineered sedans from Germany, Japan, and now Korea, the latest strain of players to roll out of Detroit have recast the basic "big think" formula in ways their venerable forebears could only dream about.

To better appreciate the design diversity currently available in this most traditional segment, we assembled three notable members of the class of 2006 for a head-to-head-to-head shootout. All were fitted with their most capable V-6 engines and carried a base MSRP of less than $30,000.

Representing the General's army is the new-for-2006 Buick Lucerne, available in CX, CXL, and CXS trim. De facto replacement for the LeSabre and Park Avenue, the Lucerne offers V-6 and--for the first time in a decade--V-8 power. The six, standard in the CX and our CXL tester, is the Series III 3800, a veteran OHV design that makes 197 horsepower and 227 pound-feet of torque. For the record, the V-8, standard in the CXS and available in the CXL, is a 4.6-liter Northstar that dials up 275 horses and 290 pound-feet of twist. Both are paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. Each model gets its own suspension package, and the transition from CX to CLX V-6 uprates the base FE-1 tuning to a slightly more taut F-41 spec and 225/60TR16 Bridgestone Insignia SE200 02s to 235/55TR17 Continental TouringContact ASs on upsized alloy wheels. While traction control is standard across the line, only V-8s can be fitted with StabiliTrak, and Magnetic Ride Control is a CXS exclusive.

Upholding the honor of DaimlerChrysler is a Chrysler 300 Touring. Like all members of the 300 family, its suspension DNA is from the previous-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class, but unlike the base 300, it packs a 3.5-liter high-output SOHC V-6 in place of the rental-spec 2.7-liter unit and shifts gears via a five-speed AutoStick that supplants the conventional four-speed automatic in the entry-level model. The bigger engine brings 60 more horsepower and 60 more pound-feet of torque to the party, upping the grand total of each to 250. Other Touring mechanical tweaks include ESP stability control with Brake Assist, full-range traction control, and ABS. While the style of its 17-inch alloy wheels changes, fitment of 215/65 Goodyear Integrity all-season tires remains. For 2006, AWD joins the list of 300 Touring options. FoMoCo interests were entrusted to a Mercury Montego, specifically a topline Premium AWD version that matches its 3.0-liter DOHC Duratec V-6 with a CVT automatic and uses Volvo engineering expertise in its chassis design and the all-wheel-drive package. Luxury or Premier, all Montegos are fitted with identical Duratec 30 engines that make 203 horsepower and 205 pound-feet of torque. Where front-drive variants have a wide-ratio six-speed automatic, the AWD is CVT only. Premier status nets a bump from 215/60TR17 Continental tires on alloy rims to 225/55R18 Pirelli P6 Four Seasons shoes.