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We regret to inform you that the era of the V8-powered midsize luxury sport sedan could be over. Gas prices aren't the problem; instead, it's the impending federal fuel-economy standards that could spell the end of these luxurious street sleepers.

So this meeting of the 2008 Audi A6 4.2, 2008 BMW 550i, 2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged and 2008 Mercedes-Benz E550 might represent the end of an era.

Under the new rules, shoving big V8s into midsize sedans will become a questionable prospect even for luxury brands. Without massive price increases, only the most expensive flagship models will be able to offer thirsty eight-cylinder engines, leaving the smaller sedans to get by with six cylinders or worse.

With that prospect looming, we figured a comparison of the current crop of V8 midsize European luxury sedans was in order. They may not have much of a future, but they offer some of the best combinations of luxury, prestige and completely unnecessary horsepower you can get - for now.

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