k for a carmaker. If the car turns out too soft and isolated, you lose enthusiasts who aren\'t quite ready to retire in a Lexus. Too complex or high-strung and you risk alienating your technology-challenged, soft-in-the-middle buyers who expect a measure of mindless comfort. Get the balance just right, and your five-passenger $60,000 midsize sedan will both impress with remarkable dynamics and indulge with palpable comfort. We\'ve gathered three such vehicles for this comparison: the 2009 BMW 550i, 2010 Jaguar XF Premium and 2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 Sport. The 2009 BMW 550i is widely regarded as the benchmark among sporting luxury sedans with its imposing modern design, 360-horsepower 4.8-liter V8 and legendary sporting dynamics. For a car that\'s been around for five years, its reputation remains consistently impressive. All-new in \'09, the Jaguar XF now is available in a midlevel model, and this Jaguar XF Premium includes not only a new 385-hp direct-injection 5.0-liter V8 but also more standard features. Riding a 1st-place finish from the last time we collected four similar cars in 2008, the Brit car should be taken seriously. The new-generation 2010 Mercedes-Benz E550 Sport stands a very good chance of improving on its previous 3rd-place finish. Sure, the 382-hp 5.5-liter V8 is a carryover item from the outgoing E-Class, yet Mercedes-Benz has spent a considerable sum to refine this ninth-generation E-Class into a car meant to define this segment of sedans.