Vs BMW M5 Vs. Mercedes-Benz CLS55 AMG 1st impressions

[Alx]

This is from M5board.com, it is a really good comparison that i felt should be shared...

"My impressions and opinions....

1. Interior is up to par and in some ways better. Switch gear is better on BMW. The leather on my perf seats seams loose on the butt section...like it wasn't pulled tight enough. The seats are incredibly comfy though not as sporty as the CLS seats. They seem like they were made for people with larger butts since they don't wrap around as much I would have expected. iDrive will take a lot of getting used to. The whole concept is flawed as far as I am concerned. Everything takes extra steps and more time with your eyes off the road. For example, changing radio stations is no longer pressing "6" on the small keypad. I don't get it. The HUD is cool, but the delay on the tach is unacceptable. It is a gimmick because of the delay as opposed to a useful tool. I will use it in non-M mode or not at all. The sound system is 2nd to none for stock. Better than the MB Logic 7...strange, but true. Same system, but much better on the BMW.

In all fairness, I still have plenty to learn about how things work in this car. It requires a lot of time reading the manual which I hope to accomplish this weekend. I am sure once all the presets are done and the such, the iDrive will be less annoying. The door shut sound is perfect on the BMW...better than the MB. I was surprised the home link buttons don't light up. I think they did on the E39. They even do on my Lambo (which doesn't even have cruise control!). The Comfort Access is better than MB Keyless Go since there is no annoying reminder beep. The locking by simply touching the handle is WAAAAAY COOLER. The interior has no apologies to make. Fit and materials is great as is the leather everywhere on the dash etc. Very nice. The instrumentation on the M5 is beautiful and I like it much better than the CLS. The instrument cluster is awesome.

2. The M5 and CLS were parked side by side so I could transfer my stuff. The rear end is a hands down win for the M5. The CLS looked droopy. The front has the CLS looking a little sportier because of the headlamp housing and lower stance. Front is a toss up. The side is a hands down win for the MB because it looks much sportier due to the high beltline, sleek roof angle and short side windows. However, the M5 looks MUCH BETTER in person than any photos. The wheel gap is MUCH LESS than pictures would indicate. I was very happily surprised. The gap in some pictures was huge. The wheels are very sharp and look much larger then 19s. The M5 is not as sleek, but is still a great looking car.

3. Driving impressions. Simple comparison here. The CLS's torque wins hands down for "normal" driving. The M5 requires a lot more work from the driver (as expected) which isn't a bad thing. The SMG shifts are slower than I would have expected. Need S5 for decent time between shifts...anything else is too slow. The perceived time between gears over a manual gearbox is longer because the car is oprating the clutch, not the driver. This is a perception thing.

The handling is not much better (as I would have expected) over the CLS. That is a big surprise. I was expecting a big diff in handling. I think the higher ride height on the M5 is the problem here. We all know lower center of gravity wins for handling..that is MB's advantage here and over the E55 for that matter. The EDC settings do make a difference unlike the MB airmatic (which all setting feel pretty much the same). This engine needs revs for power and since I have not gone over 5500, the jury is still out. But like I said, the CLS is better for driving around town because of the low end grunt advantage. Until 1,200 miles comes, I will reserve final judgement.

I haven't really pushed...I took one turn that I normally hit everyday...the CLS seemed as good on this one turn, but I didn't check speed into the turn. I may have been going faster in the M5...not sure.

OK...long enough here. I will say that anyone who rags on the CLS for being "inferior technologically" is either stupid or hasn't spent time in one. It is a great car and definitely comparable to the M5 in every way.

They are both winners in different ways. I can honestly say I have no regrets at this point with the M5 and I need to get past break in to really render a fair opinion. With either car you can't go wrong. I am very lucky to have experienced both and look forward to knowing the M5 much better."

I would highly recommend reading the entire thread:

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=62369

 

[Zafiro]

Since we are into M vs AMG comparisons lately

another guy from m5board.com, M5 vs CLS 55

CLS55 IMHO is a very very sexy car. both interior and out. Plenty of torque across the range and always seem like it has plenty of power. The auto transmission left me wanting more. The backseat will push any adult into the roof with any bump in the road. But still, it's a sexy car with awsome engine. The CLS is faster off the line too because it has more torque in the lower RPM's ( I know about LC but have not experienced it. In my test drives, the CLS feels faster off the line.)

However, they both drive very very different. M5 revs and handles more like a sports car then the CLS. the M5's SMG is simply awsome compare to the CLS. Both can be very comfortable cruiser in the right settings.

I drove them almost back to back. ( drove the CLS friday night and drove the M5 Saturday morning. ) For me, the personality of the M5 is more suited to my driving. The CLS just always feel BIG and heavy and the M5 seems to get smaller as you drive it more. The handling in the M5 is just so much better the the CLS.

I honestly believe no matter which one you pick, you will be happy with your decision. Just make sure you drive both before you sign the check to see which is more to your liking. CLS is readily avalible for test drive and M5 can be found for a test drive too if you look hard enough. ( no dealer will turn you down for a test drive if they think you're a serious buyer.)

good luck .

 

[Zafiro]

From MBworld.org: M5 vs E55 impressions

Just got back from Oregon with My M5.

Wow! This is by far the best 4 door sedan there is. Simple as that.

Three gripes thus far.

1. Lack of low end puch in P400 mode. Under 3,000 RPM in P400 mode M5's output is really mediocre at best. But above that, this engine really cooks, sound nice too.

2. Lack of trunk closer option. This is one option that i really missed. I loved this on the E55 and BMW to me dropped the ball on this.

3. Small gas tank. M5 is a thirsty beast. Even at constant 80mph cruise back from oregon. The gas mileage is in the low 14 (far worse than my E55). Couple with small tank, i can barely get 200 miles on the tank before the reserve fuel waring pops up. At highway cruise, there is no way you can get 300 miles from a single tank. Which means you have to constantly stop for gas!!!!

Other than these three issues, the M5 outshines E55 in everything else.

M5 steering response is far more linear than E55. In addition, this thing love corners and grips is far superior than E55.

SMGIII is vastly improved than SMGII. A lot of jerkiness in the SMGII has been removed in SMGIII. Moreover, I complained very hard on the SMGII delay in downshiting more than 2 gears at once, this has been dramatically reduced in SMGIII. In fact during the trip back from oregon i can easily downshift from 7th to 4th and SMGIII would oblige very quickly. Overall, i think SMGIII has spell the death of true manual. SMGIII is that good. It made SMGII looks like 1000 year old design.

I-drve+voice command is now by far the best interface on the market. I have stated from beginning that I prefered I-drive over command. Because once you get used to the menus, its very easy to use and you don't even need to take your eyes off the road. This is still true. However, BMW's voice recognition has come a long way. In fact for daily use, you don't even need to use the I-drive knob any more.

A lot of people on this board complains about lack of key pad to key in phone numbers in I-drive. But why use a key pad when you can now dictate the phone numbers. Three voice command.

1. Telephone- brings the i-drive into phone menu.
2. Dial number (you can dictate the phone number one digit by one digit or you can give it as a sequence).
3. Dial.

Viola you just made 1st phone call using 3 verbal command. No need the use of i-drive knob, no key pad. I-drive and voice recognition really trumps command and japanese interface. Whoever designed BMW voice recognition deserve a nobel prize. It is that good. The recognition capability is by far the best out there. Better than Lexus/Fujustu voice recognition.

The new M5 handles very similar to the M3. It very nimble and as a driver you never feel the weight of M5's mass. My wife took a quick lap after i got home and commented that M5 feels lighter and much more nimble than the E55.

Also during my 635 drive back, with EDC at softest setting. M5 rides just as good as E55 on the highway. I was not expecting that M5 would be a great long distance cruiser. But i was so wrong on that. M5 at P400 mode and EDC at softest setting, really peformed just as well as E55 as highway cruiser.

Overall, M5 is too far ahead of E55. It can be as gental as E55 as daily cruiser and changes couple setting, you have a track car ready. I can't wait until my 1200 miles break in is done. That 500 HP with MDM transform an already capable car to the next level.

This is what a true sportsedan should be. The new M5 totally outclassed E55. I don't care what other E55 owners says. The M5 is just as good as E55 as highway cruiser. M5 has way better dynamics than E55. Now the I-drive/voice recognition is light year ahead of command. For $94k, this is the best sports sedan that money can buy right now. E55 will always have advantage in low end punch and ease of mod for straightline performance. But everything else, M5 is simply in a class of its own.

 

[Zafiro]

Too bad I cant find any CLS55 vs M6 comparisons. I guess we have to wait until it arrives to the states.

 

[Yperion]

This is what a true sportsedan should be. The new M5 totally outclassed E55. I don't care what other E55 owners says. The M5 is just as good as E55 as highway cruiser. M5 has way better dynamics than E55. Now the I-drive/voice recognition is light year ahead of command. For $94k, this is the best sports sedan that money can buy right now. E55 will always have advantage in low end punch and ease of mod for straightline performance. But everything else, M5 is simply in a class of its own.

After reading that there is no question in my mind about which is the best.

 

[Kleemann_SL]

You have owners who are dissapointed with their M-cars too. Dont try to proof that M-cars are better than AMG's. Its a metter of tastes. Im not gonna make me tired (however its not hard to find ) for posting threads of dissapointed M-owners. accually it would be better, it would look like a comparo-thread, now it looks like a MB-bashing-thread...

 

[Zafiro]

You have owners who are dissapointed with their M-cars too. Dont try to proof that M-cars are better than AMG's. Its a metter of tastes. Im not gonna make me tired (however its not hard to find ) for posting threads of dissapointed M-owners. accually it would be better, it would look like a comparo-thread, now it looks like a MB-bashing-thread...

There are disappointed owners among RS,AMG, M. Noone had said there dont exist any. Noone is making a MB bashing thread.
You seem alway taking this stuff personal and it is always a war going on in your mind. Noone said M's are for everyone (the same goes for AMG and RS). And you calling AxlAMG a basher when he owns a CL55 LoL

 

[emarati]

Seems to me that they both win, but at the end it all goes back to what u really want from the car.

 

[Zafiro]

but at the end it all goes back to what u really want from the car.

exactly, you seem to be a wise man

 

[Centurion]

These opinions are not exactly the end of the world. Just becasue one person liked the M5 more than the CLS55 doesn't mean that the M5 is better car. The M5 might have better handling but one person might not like the interior or design of the car and choose to buy the CLS55. There are infact people that don't care about how sporty a car is, they might just want a fast luxury car.

 

[Zafiro]

These opinions are not exactly the end of the world. Just becasue one person liked the M5 more than the CLS55 doesn't mean that the M5 is better car. The M5 might have better handling but one person might not like the interior or design of the car and choose to buy the CLS55. There are infact people that don't care about how sporty a car is, they might just want a fast luxury car.

Im surprised about all smart dudes outthere. Of course cars is about personal preferences. Some people find A8 a better car than S-class and others the other way around. I dont think we have to mention it 100 times, cars is about personal preferences. I dont care what other people or carmags says, I buy the car that suit me. What others say, who cares.

 

[GTA45E]

These opinions are not exactly the end of the world. Just becasue one person liked the M5 more than the CLS55 doesn't mean that the M5 is better car. The M5 might have better handling but one person might not like the interior or design of the car and choose to buy the CLS55. There are infact people that don't care about how sporty a car is, they might just want a fast luxury car.

Thats right Luwalira! with the overall spams in some of these threads you really do get the impression that it`s "the end of the world" with one or two
opinions! thats a rather small minded view of the overall picture.

 

[LaArtist]

To be perfectly honest..i have to say i would take the M5 over the CLS... just cause its a damn good performer.. and it looks evil..
But on these points the CLS beats the M5 IMO:
Interior
Class
Comfort
Luxury
Design as far as pure beauty goes
...
Damn it sounds almost foolish to take the M5 over the CLS now.. but then again i would do it anyways.. cause none of the above stated points are bad in the M5.. but not just as good as in the CLS..

 

[Matt]

Too bad I cant find any CLS55 vs M6 comparisons. I guess we have to wait until it arrives to the states.

I picked up an automobile article and it had the comparison of the M6 and the CLS 55. Right now I have to go to bed, but I will tell you what was said manana.

 

[martinbo]

I wonder how many of these "internet impressions" are actually legit...
Somehow, only Alxamg's reference comes across as credible. Anyone saying that an M5's handling is far superior to that of the CLS 55 hasn't driven a CLS 55 properly.

Hmmm, conjecture and speculation based upon the experiences (real or imagined) of anonymous individuals. Where does the real truth lie?

 

[Deutsch]

Just the other day I said I'd take an E55 over an M5 because of the massive low end/everday torque, however that's the only + I see between those two. The CLS55 on the other hand, while very good looking, and very well crafted is a heavily compromised piece of machinery, it serves no real point next to the E55. Earlier on when the car was first released it had a slightly quicker steering rack than the E55, now the E55(those produced from this month on) have the sharper setup. Other than that, the CLS55 is a glamorized(very attractive) E55. But it sells, because it's a Mercedes Benz.

Today I had the oppurtunity to see my first M5 in broad daylight, up close and personal, and man does this car exude sex appeal in every way, in shape and form. The particular model I observed was SG on Blk w/ Aluminum trim. There is no comparo between this interior and that of comparable E55. Though the E's interior is slightly easier on the eye in terms of shape and form, the 5's is of greater detail and superior build quality. I could go on and on, but in the M5, I feel like I'm in something serious, not a hot cup of soup that's waiting to spill on my white thermal. Gotta drive the car next, but I'll wait until the hype has piped down, or wait and see if one of my freinds/ and or associates ends up w/ one. The E55 may pull, but in the end it's the M5 that rules, literally.

 

[Zafiro]

I picked up an automobile article and it had the comparison of the M6 and the CLS 55. Right now I have to go to bed, but I will tell you what was said manana.

LoL I was talking about owners and their experiences I read comparisons CLS55 vs M6 before.
But I suggest we stop posting a thread like this since it appears to upset people. Maybe I should post where M owners are disappointed with their cars so some people can be happy again. I thought everyone know that everyone dont like M cars (or AMG and RS). This thread is so FU.