For as long as fast, comfortable 4-door sedans have been called "luxury sports sedans," the BMW 5 Series has served as the quintessential example of the category. First, with the inline-6-powered 535i, then the V-8 540i, BMW's popular midsize bahn-burner has always balanced luxury-class comfort with driver-oriented performance. The latest 545i continues to evolve this formula, incorporating new technologies, better performance and bold styling.
Most of the 5 Series' V-8 competition has traditionally come from its European neighbors, namely Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Audi. While Lexus and Infiniti both build V-8-powered cars that compete in the same class, the current-generation GS 430 and M45, respectively, neither has posed much of a threat from a performance or personality standpoint. The Lexus is competent yet dated, while the Infiniti's Japanese-market roots have never translated well stateside.
All that stands to change, however, as the next-generation Lexus GS 430 and Infiniti M45 hit the ground running with their sights clearly set on the BMW 545i. Neither company has made a secret of its increased focus on performance or its intent to knock Munich's benchmark sedan off its perch. With an intelligent blend of luxury, styling, performance and high-tech features, both cars are finally in a position to pose a legitimate challenge to the BMW.
To find out how legitimate, we took all three cars deep into the country around Death Valley, California, for nearly 1000 miles of hard, fast, demanding driving. High speeds and undulating terrain were the order of the day(s), providing a perfect backdrop for determining how good these newcomers really are and whether they do indeed have what it takes to unseat the all-conquering 5.
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