Stanford finally called to give you the good news. Little Suzie, who's not so little anymore, has been accepted to the prestigious school's undergraduate program. As if this wasn't wonderful in itself, she also got a full-ride scholarship! Yes, the youngest of your brood was the smartest one, after all. She studied, tested and scored brilliantly, saving you tens of thousands of dollars.

Today, you've recently returned from the trip to drop Little Suzie and all of her Big Belongings off at the dorm. Thankfully, your Lincoln Navigator made the move simple, what with all that cargo space aft of the cushy front captain's chairs. But the unloaded Interstate cruise homeward provided plenty of time to reflect as crosswinds blew you about and the harsh ride rattled your fillings.

Sport utility ... hmmm, not much sport in this big honking Lincoln now is there? But is sure is loaded with luxury. Lots of utility, too. Glad I had this thing for the trip to Stanford ... but what do I need it for now? The kids are gone, and I'm certainly not planning on hauling any 4'x 8' sheets of plywood anytime soon ... Well, we might want to go for a romantic weekend camping in some desolate place in the mountains ... nawww. Buffing the scratches out of the paint wouldn't be much fun, and there's a lot of paint on this truck. Plus, I prefer indoor plumbing ... But SUVs are the "in" thing, aren't they? I wonder why? ...lousy gas mileage, and despite the air suspension, this truck rides like a ... well, like a truck. Wish I had a more carlike Town & Country ...

Whoa! Back up. Time to jump on the clue bus. You don't want a Town & Country. You don't need a Town & Country. See, empty-nest syndrome has set in and muddled your brain waves. Look at the bigger picture. You're free! Remember that mutual fund you'd planned to spend on Stanford? It's all yours! And you no longer need that huge Navigator. Face it, you no longer want that huge Navigator. And a Chrysler Town & Country isn't going to make you happy.

So, sell the sport-ute, cash in that mutual fund, forget about minivans, and don't fret about your big empty house. You're not going to be spending much time in it anymore. Why? You're going to buy one of the three luxury sport sedans listed below, and have a blast driving the hell out of them while visiting those places you've always wanted to go but never had the time, or the money. Any of these is a cure for the empty-nest blues, but only one is recommended by nine out of ten automotive publications.