Bentley Continental & Mercedes-Benz S600

There's the issue of status, which in this neighborhood, counts for a lot. These new-generation Bentleys are the It cars for entertainers and athletes. The S600 whispers "stealth wealth," for unless you look at the badge and a few other discreet indicators, it could be just another Big Benz. Some will want more than that, while others will appreciate it. Both models will be light on the ground, with no more than a few thousand of each available per year.

The S600's near $40K price advantage over the Flying Spur won't be a deal breaker for anyone buying either of these personal limousines, but is significant enough to mention. After all, rich people didn't get that way by wasting money.

This is one of the closest calls we've had to make in this type of comparo. Neither car is a loser in any capital-L-on-the-forehead sense of the word. While the Bentley Continental Flying Spur charms with its Britishness, upper-crust gentlemen's-club feel, and torrid performance, the Mercedes- Benz S600 wins via, by all definitions, a technical knockout. The S600 is competent at everything it does and smacks of luxury, quality, thoughtful design, and solid engineering. We look forward to the S65 AMG version-with its blaring exhaust and 700-plus-pound-foot torque rating-when it comes to market this fall.

Cool Features To Show Off

Bentley

Mercedes-Benz