[Revvmaster]

With a growing strata of people who are willing to spend a half crore on cars today, the options available are plenty. A check of the scenario and you'll find a whole host of players.

1. Mercedes E270 Cdi. The quentisential Mercedes. Diesel and powerful. Undoubtedly the best E-class available in India.

2. Mercedes E240. A V6 that powers the Merc to 220 kmph. Fast, but is beaten by the diesel.

3. Mercedes ML270 CDi and ML 350. Good SUVs. But better options are available. For less.

4. Mercedes SLK200. Fast and very nippy handler. It is what the SLK always wanted to be. But a bit down on value.

5. Porsche Boxster. Posemobile for some. Ripmobile for others. VFM like you can't begin to fathom.

6. Porsche Cayenne V6. VW engine. Loads of street presence. Another VFM offering. Outclasses its competition. Completely.

7. BMW X5 3.0 and 3.0D. Good lookers. Strong brand value. Hold niche values.

8. BMW 530D and 530i. Bangled alright. But seem to offer more value than the Mercs. Plus rare sight on the roads means people do a double-take to have another glimpse of your car.

9. Audi A6. Compromise between the E and 5 series. Fast and more comfy than the E. But lacks the flame that either Merc or BMW possesses.

So which would be your choice if you were to spend the better half of your crore? Take your pick ladies and gentlemen.

Revvmaster

P.S. Its a given that each of the vehicles have a different purpose. SUVs, sedans and coupe/cabriolet sports cars. But its just the money that matters here.

[v12]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]3. Mercedes ML320 CDi and ML 270. Good SUVs. But better options are available. For less.

Hey rev, if i'm not mistaken isnt it a ML270CDi and the petrol one is the ML320.

Anyways for me its the Cayenne V6. The M Class is also very tempting but it does not have the road presence and the class of a Porsche.
The SLK200 is a total waste of money at 50 lakhs. Has the same engine as the C Class Kompressor. 25 lakhs extra for 2-doors less and a roof that folds automatically *

[Revvmaster]

Yes V12, i stand corrected.

ML270CDi and ML350.

Revv

[aadix]

hmm...why arent suvs like lx 470 included in the list?
my choice would be the e 270cdi followed by the cayenne,but if the lx 470 was there,that would be my first choice

[sridhar24]

It has to be Porsche cayenne or I would even consider Lexus LX 470 also.

[fasbond1412]

i would go for merc E 270 CDI or maybe the porche.. or maybe even a accord 3L and a octavia rs and a grand Viatara all three will fetch 50 lakhs ..

[X-Machine]

Well,it has to simply be the Cayenne or the 270Cdi.Confused between the two of em!
Like both equally,but since Porsche has an amazing road presence with that breathtaking power on the tap,i aint gonna let it go!
So it it the Cayenne V6 for me.

X

Ps: Revv,can we make this a poll.Wud be more interesting to know the race.

[Dippy]

Cayenne V6 for me

Monster of an automobile Outrageous performance even in the V6 version awesome off roader at the same time. I get the best of both worlds in this . It wont stop at anything

And yes its a Porsche...

Dippy

[X-Machine]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (fasbond1412 @ Nov. 13 2004,19:44)]i would go for merc E 270 CDI or maybe the porche.. or maybe even a accord 3L and a octavia rs and a grand Viatara all three will fetch 50 lakhs ..

Hey Fastbond,
The last 3 cars u mentioned are around 30L.And u have to choose one from the Revv's list.

X

[shravan316]

Porshe Cayenne for me..... For indian road conditions i feel that a sports-SUV would fit the bill perfectly!

[ported_head]

Easy, when I'm going to be spending 50 lacs worth of my hard earned money, it's going to have to be a Porsche. Out of the two Porsche cars on the list, I pick the Boxster, more preferrably the S. Of course, with the choice i also risk, bad Indian roads and as a result suspension damage, and being positioned right next to a cargo truck with asthma spewing black smoke. At the same time, I risk being called a yuppie, or worse still, a hairdresser. A 'girlie' car for some, but my ultimate sportscar for the money. Such different characters, and yet the same car. In normal conditions, the perfect SoCal car, for top down and cruising, and sun-tan too if I can ever get those bikini-clad women next to me (driving a Porsche i probably will), and take it to the Nordschleife and it will lap the 21 odd kms in 8min 18sec. The new one looks just right too, and they removed the spare tyre and replaced it with an aerosol can of sealant and an air pump, saving 20 kgs in weight, proving that Porsche AG core values haven't gone beserk.

Though looking at Indian conditions, I should have picked the Cayenne, but since the only one on the list was the V6, NO. Porsche have gone back to their old ways of borrowing things from the VW/Audi parts bin, and i'm not for it, but can't blame them for the same. As long as they make good money out of it and surprise me with the 997 Turbo i'm happy. From what I've heard the V6 wheezes and is inadequate for what is quite large a car. A Turbo, definitely.

Sorry for the ranting, to summarize, the Boxster S hell ya.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (ported_head @ Nov. 13 2004,20:28)]the Boxster S hell ya.

Me too .....

Its gotta be the Boxter ....

Unlesss you could get an SL cabriolet or an SLK in this price bracket ....

else its the Porsche Boxter ....

[normally_crazy]

yeah,

has to be the Boxster for me too ....but but only by a wafer thin margin over the BMW 530i.

agree absolutely with what ported has said above !

cheers

[Vin]

Just to make things clear ....
when i say SLK/SL i mean the top enders there ...

Sl500/SL 55/SLK 55

the 600 wud be way too off the range

[Revvmaster]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]Ps: Revv,can we make this a poll.Wud be more interesting to know the race.

I would have loved to. But the problem lies is that there are some cars which even I may not covered. Like the LX470. Yes you can import it and get service too, but Toyota hasn't officially launched it. Yet.

Fasbond, sorry you can't buy more than one. I appreciate your choice though, three really wonderful cars there, but yea if you'd ask me to go beyond the list, then hell there are so many wonderful used E39 M5s available for the price of a C-class and when imported would still be in the 50 lakh bracket. But then it is not everyday that we think that way, and this is an everyday poll, not a dreamer's wishful thinking!

My choice. Hard really. I am tossed up between the wonderful and totally delicious 530D (0-100 in 7 seconds!) and the Boxster. Ported, i doubt that the Boxster S would come into the price range of 40-50, you could confirm the same.The 530D totally converts even the hardest of petrolheads to take a re-look at the Bavarians magic with Common Rail engines. Porsche, inspite of years of trying to shake that yuppie image off can't hide behind a curtain when its capabilities are put to the test.

Maybe i choose the bavarian diesel. But its only just.

Revv