As summer approaches it is once again time to get your bling-on with a brand new luxury sedan. But with so many to choose from, how are you supposed to know which ones are functional, and which are just that… bling. Alan Dean and Vince Bucciachio from BrandIntel.com offer their insight through their 2008 Consumer Voice Awards.

The first obvious point to mention upon looking at the results of BrandIntel’s research is that luxury sedan manufacturers in general are doing their job. The sentiments consumers had for this group of vehicles was fairly satisfactory for the most part. Another important point to come out of this is the return of the American made vehicle as a standard of quality.

For a long time now, the American consumer has been driven towards imports as the standard of quality and value for their money. Well, step aside BMW, Volvo, Audi, and Acura… we have a new king on the streets and it is American made!

Overall Bread-Winner — Cadillac CTS

Consumer Comments: “The newly redesigned Cadillac CTS can compete with many higher-end imports.” Consumers have been particularly impressed with the quality and performance of GM’s new 3.6 liter (DI) Direct Injection V-6 engine available now in North America.

The new 3.6 is capable of 304 horsepower, which easily rivals the Ford Mustang’s 4.6 liter (3-valve) V-8, which only puts out 300. The standard 3.6 liter Cadillac engine has 258 horsepower, which is plenty of low end grunt for the average consumer. The base engine also has an optional (AWD) All-Wheel-Drive transmission for their automatics.

Share of Consumer Discussion — 38%

Sentiment — 3.9

Consumers Like — Exterior Styling, Interior Styling, Quality, Value, and Performance

Consumers Dislike — Front Grille, Cadillac Image, and low Fuel Economy

Most Significant Rival — Lexus IS

Consumers believe that the Lexus IS offers a great build quality and is one of the most reliable vehicles in the luxury sedan segment. Consumers particularly love its “spacious trunk”. But on that same coin, consumers complained about its “ cramped rear seating”. As with most things in life, if you make something better, you are probably making something worse somewhere else.

Do you want trunk space or seating space? You can’t have it all unless you are talking about the 20 foot long Rolls Royce Phantom, which tilts the scales at 6,300 lbs and tilts your wallet even further beyond entry-level and directly into bankruptcy with its $350,000 price tag.

The overall most popular and liked vehicles among consumers in the Entry-Level Luxury car segment:

10^th Place— Chrysler 300 3% popularity, medium sentiment

9^th Place— Saab 9-3 5% popularity, high sentiment

8^th Place— Infinity G35 7% popularity, high sentiment

7^th Place— Mercedes C-Class 8% popularity, high sentiment

6^th Place— BMW 3-Series 10% popularity, high sentiment

5^th Place— Audi A4 10% popularity, high sentiment

4^th Place— Volvo S60 2% popularity, very high sentiment

3^rd Place— Acura TL 5% popularity, very high sentiment

2^nd Place— Lexus IS 6% popularity, very high sentiment

1^st Place— Cadillac CTS 38% popularity, very high sentiment

According to Edmunds.com’s editor, Karl Brauer, in the $45,000 and above range, three of the top flavors of SUV are the Mercedes-Benz GL Class.

The lowest version, or I should rather say “versions” starts with the Mercedes-Benz GL320 CDI (Controlled diesel injection) and the GL450. The biggest difference here between the two are whether you are into “green” living, or prefer spending it.

The 2008 Mercedes GL320 features a “green” biodiesel 3.0 liter V6 with 24 valves. On the vegetable juice, this beast can still pull 215 horsepower at 4000 rpm and 398 lbs torque at 1,600 rpm while offering about 18 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway. Base price on one of these will run on the low side of $50 grand.

The 2007 Mercedes GL450 on the other hand features a hefty 4.6 liter 32 valve V-8 (150 lbs more than the V-6) with 335 horsepower and 339 lbs torque. Toting around its hefty 5,500 lb body, you’ll be lucky to see 15 mpg on average. Although you will be able to reach 0-60 in just over 7 seconds and pull a quarter mile in 16.

The Mercedes GL450 starts at $55,000, but you can find yourself up to $70,000 in no time with just a few pricey options. Such options range from a power tailgate and off-road package ($2200), DVD navigation and ear-seat DVD entertainment ($2650), BlueTooth capability ($4500), climate-control ($1320), dual sunroof ($1500), metallic paint ($700), leather ($1650), rearview camera ($500), and adaptive headlights ($900).

Both the 2008 GL320 and GL450 feature a 7 speed automatic transmission, front and side dual stage air bags, and an optional “parktronic” parking sensor system.

The premium GL of 2008 is however the Mercedes GL550 coming in at around $75,000. With a 5.5 liter 382 horsepower, 392 lbs torque V-8, this Mercedes will at least be able to give the 403 horsepower Cadillac Escalade a run for its money at a stoplight. The GL550 is capable of 0-60 times in the 5 second range and quarter miles in the 15’s.

While the GL550 is basically a beefed up Mercedes GL450, they do throw in a few features to make you feel better about forking over the extra $20 grand. The GL550 comes standard with 21-inch rims, a revamped grill, giant badging, and around $10,000 in Mercedes confidence and a buyer’s necessity to own the best!

All in a days work for Mercedes-Benz!

Land Rover

Who would have ever thought that a Land Rover could be quick… but it can! We are talking 0-60 in 6 seconds for the 2007 Range Rover Supercharged, selling at $93,000. The really sad thing, is that for $20,000 less, you can have the Range Rover Sport, which is just 0.1 seconds slower with 390 horsepower instead of the 400 hp. $20,000 for 10 horsepower… come on!

Lexus

Classy, quality built, and some nice 0-60 times available for a few of these models… but you are going to pay for it. The fastest Lexus available is the projected 2009 Lexus LF-A, that will go for $100,000, produce 500 horsepower and travel from 0-60 in 4 seconds.

For the money however, $35,000 will get you a lexus IS 350 with 306 horsepower (Ford Mustang GT territory), a 3.5 liter V-6, and 0-60 in a cool 5.3 seconds.

Lincoln

We certainly don’t hear the word Lincoln and fast pronounced in the same sentence very often, and there is good reason for that. About the fastest you can do in a 2007 Lincoln MKZ is just under 7 seconds in a 0-60 run. Its 263 horsepower V-6 engine is just not enough to lug it through a stoplight much faster than that. But they still look good!

Mercedes

There are more quick Mercedes to choose from today than hamburgers from the menu at McD’s. But you aren’t going to get much faster than the 2007 SLR McLaren 722 Edition, with its V-8 supercharged 5.4 liter engine, pumping out a very respectable 641 horsepower and the capability of 0-60 in just 3.5 seconds. It will cost you close to 500 large though, that’s a 5 and five more zeros.

For your hard earned dollar, the 2007 Mercedes CLK550 Coupe can pull you through 60 at just over 5 seconds, which isn’t too bad. It will cost you around $55,000 to get there however. Price comes with speed for Mercedes. If you want to do a little bit better than the CLK550, then the 2007 Mercedes SLK55 AMG can get you there in 0.2 seconds quicker… but you will also be another 10K poorer.

Mini

You can’t forget about the infamous Mini capable of 0-60 in 6.3 seconds using the John Cooper Works package for the 2007 Cooper S Mini. The Works package boosts the compact Mini up to 218 horsepower from its normal 172. This car actually feels like you are going faster than you are at times… but than can be a good thing!