flyingpuck

Good question, a legendary car and legendary engine DO seem to go hand in hand!!

pennetta

The engine is where the extra weight is which is in the front. You can circular logic wheel weight distribution all you want but the weight is in the front, front and only the front. Google "center of gravity." If the weight was ten feet up above the car the weight distribution would be the same, would the car handle the same????

jashy247

HUHHHHHHH "4600 amg mercs can handle amazingly"

WAS THIS SAID???

Im no BMW FANATIC that says only BMW but I know AMG does not handle "amazingly"
Please stop me if im wrong...
The only thing going for them is the torque and the straight line speed

swajames

1) Most importantly, it is not just the engine that contributes to the extra weight in a 550. Standard equipment isn't always the same, and other parts and hardware aren't always the same.

2) I challenge you to produce a source confirming that the V8 engine is 250lbs heavier than the powerplant in the 535. You won't find one.

3) If you were able to add a 250lb weight to the specific area on a 535 that you claim is where the 550 has its extra weight, you will find that the 535 no longer has its 52/48 weight distribution.

swajames

Drive a C63 AMG and you'll find that yes, you're not quite right in your assumption. It's not your AMG of old - it's far from the classic AMG models of days gone by where a monster engine was mismatched to a mediocre chassis.

CWS530

I am so happy this debate has come up again. Seriously, I'm feeling nostalgic.

pennetta

I'm am not saying that the 535 handles better, I don't know. To your question 1 & 3, then where do you think the extra weight is coming from? You know the 535 is a 3.0 liter six cylinder and the 550 is a 4.8 liter V8. That's more than a 50% increase in displacement and would logically be the cause of the extra weight. Where did you find the extra weight is from?
My last example to you is if you took a 535 and added 250 lbs to it somewhere, would it handle better or worse than before adding the weight.
I owned a 545 previously and will be getting the F10 550 TTV8 in July if it's out, so I like both cars. The current 550 is a great car too.

525iEnjoy

All handle well, So both. If all to most E60's have near 50/50 weight distribution then all should handle similar. To uh settle this debate we need a gtech pro some stock cars and do slalom and skid pad tests. Measure a stock I6 handling then take the sport model out and compare the two. Do the same with a V8 models and see which one had a better improvement and theres your answer. We need the Stig

Brit_in_NJ

To address 1 and 2



265lbs difference between the Auto 535 and 550...ok so its probably not all additional engine mass but unless there are some really heavy options I'd say the bulk would be added engine weight. Brakes would be my 1st thought for a heavy option and exhaust my 2nd, I know my 545 brakes are larger than the other models but I would imagine the 535 and 550 have similar brake specs.

As for 3, I agree...and as you know if you put that weight on the center of mass it will have no effect on the weight distribution

Where did you get your number for weight distribution? Using some rough calculations for the load transfered to the rear wheels based on the engine center of mass 1.5 feet (a big guess) behind the front axel I only get a weight of 55lbs transfered to the rear of the car with 210 still being on the front axel. We would be looking at a 54/46 weight distribution if 52/48 is for a 535

uheenada

I beg to differ.

What I want to question your logic is, why do you think all the extra weight on v8 e60 is all at the front axle?
First of all, we do not know the exact weight of v8 and I6 so you can't say all the weight is from an engine and therefore it's on front axle.
However, the v8 will be heavier by "x" much therefore, we can say v8 e60 is nose heavier than I6 in comparing pure weight(meaning compare the two weight only with out other factors). Now if you compare in balance of chassis in mind, then v8 e60 is virtually same nose heavy or .2% nose heavier than 535.

The exact weight difference is 286lbs.
Basic knowledge about weight balance/center of gravity is whatever you put on the front you will need to add to rear.
I am dare to say that the v8 engine is about 140lbs heavier than i6(educated guess) and rest of other half weight is "dead weight" on the rear axle to NEUTRALIZE
the added weight on the front. It's not always about weight saving. It's all about how balance the weight and chassis are. Also, to compensate the added weight,
the engieers put stiffer, farmer shocks etc to help regain the loss of handling by added weight. That's why they have different suspension parts number.
Now, since you will going to challenge me to give you a hard proof. I will.

From the bmwusa.com
they list
550 MT as 3946lbs with weight distribution of 51.4/48.6
535 MT as 3660lbs with weight distribution of 51.2/48.8

So, with simple math, you will quickly get the numbers like these:
550 has front weight of 2028.244 lbs/rear of 1917.756 lbs
535 has front weight of 1873.920 lbs/rear of 1786.08 lbs
Now if you subtract front weight of 550 and 535, you will get 154.324 lbs!! Isn't it my educated guess close enough?
and the rear weight difference would be 131.676 lbs.

Just like I said, BMW equally divided the added weight. BMW engineers are not stupid.

I really hope we can settle this now.