MERCEDES-AMG E63 S BMW M5
BODY 4-door, 5-seat sedan 4-door, 5-seat sedan
DRIVE four-wheel four-wheel
ENGINE 3982cc V8, DOHC, 32v, twin-turbo 4395cc V8, DOHC, 32v, twin-turbo
BORE/STROKE 83.0x92.0mm 89.0x88.3mm
POWER 450kW @ 5750-6500rpm 441kW @ 5600-6700rpm
TORQUE 850Nm @ 2500-4500rpm 750Nm @ 1800-5600rpm
POWER/WEIGHT 230W/tonne 238kW/tonne
TRANSMISSION 9-speed automatic 8-speed automatic
WEIGHT 1955kg 1855kg
SUSPENSION four-link axle, air springs, adaptive dampers (f); multi-links, air
springs, adaptive dampers (r)double A-arms, adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar (f); multi-
links, adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar (r)
L/W/H4993/1907/1460mm 4665/1903/1473mm
WHEELBASE 2939mm 2982mm
TRACKS 1649/1595mm (f/r) 1626/1595mm (f/r)
STEERING electrically assisted rack-and-pinion electrically assisted rack-and-pinion
BRAKES (F) 390mm ventilated carbon-ceramic discs, 6-piston calipers 395mm ventilated carbon-ceramic discs, 6-piston fixed
calipers
BRAKES (R) 360mmventilatedcarbon-ceramicdiscs,single-piston
calipers380mmventilatedcarbon-ceramicdiscs,single-piston
floating calipers
WHEELS 20.0 x 9.5-inch; 20.0 x 10.0-inch (f/r) 20.0 x 9.5-inch; 20.0 x 10.5-inch (f/r)
TYRE SIZES 265/35ZR20(f);295/30ZR20(r) 275/35ZR20(f);285/35ZR20(r)
TYRE Continental SportContact 6 Pirelli P Zero
PRICE $239,611 $199,900
PROS Crazystraight-linepace;epicsound;defiesheftyweight Performance;handling;steering;valueequation
CONS Tech overload (so is M5); ultimately not quite as sharp Doesn’t sound/look as angry as Merc; limited numbers
STAR RATING 11112 11112TheSpecs
Eightcylinders,four-wheeldrive,twinturbos–happinessinnumbers
Since the observed
fuel economy would
make champagne
corks pop in OPEC
circles, let’s just say
that the BMW can
drink the Mercedes
under the table, and
vice versa. But really,
no-one’s caring about
that with these twoAt the end of the day,
we very nearly have two
winners. While the AMG
is all kinds of animal ripe
andreadyforaracetrack
brawl,thenewBMWM5
harbours–almostin
equalparts–thebeauty
and the beastall your preferred settings into one button (M1 and M2
buttons on the steering wheel for the former and an
Individual mode for the latter). However, both are far
too complex to get ‘just right’.
Now we come to the question everyone wants an
answer to – which is best? For a start, both hyped four-
seaters are very good cars. That’s in terms of being fast,
entertaining and communicative. Although the F90
M5 is the new kid on the block and comes decorated
in plenty of laurels, its German compatriot, the E63
S, puts up one hell of a fight. And it has a lot going for
it. The Merc’s design, loud voice and its brutal way of
addressing all things dynamic all stack up; you can
even get it in a cool wagon in other markets. The E63 S
is about as rough and raw as the sub brand wants to go.
In contrast, the M5 looks less menacing – because it
is. It comes across as the more pragmatic (if an M-car
ever could be) driving machine that’s also sweeter at
the limit, always tactile and composed as well as being
a tad more compliant. Surprisingly, it is pleasantly
relaxed at five tenths, yet totally switched on when it
really matters most. It wins, but only just.M
48 january 2018 motormag.com.au