Editors' Most Wanted Vehicles for 2000

Luxury Sedan

Winner: BMW 5 Series

The 5 Series is a favorite of enthusiasts everywhere, and for good reason. Perhaps more than any other carmaker, BMW has the best balance of luxury and performance. Throw in rock-solid build quality, aggressive styling and safety features galore and it's no wonder why this is our favorite luxury sedan. Whether gobbling up hundreds of miles of interstate or dispatching decreasing-radius turns on your favorite canyon run, the 5 Series is unflappable. Sharing the same body, the main difference between the two 5 Series models is the powerplant. The 528i comes with a 2.8-liter, inline six making 193 hp, whereas the 540i has a mighty 4.4-liter, 282-horse V8. Either car can be fitted with a manual or automatic transmission and both offer excellent performance in terms of acceleration, braking, handling and ride. For those with deeper pockets and an even greater need for speed, the 540i offers sports car level athleticism, such as a sub-6-second zero-to-60 time.