TV550

Stream I agree with your post a while back about how the M5 rides very smoooth like the 545 or 550 sedans. If I could get the steering feel of the M5 in a 550 I would go 550 due to gas savings. I definitely dont like active steering after feeling the M5 vs 550. The whole gas issue has got me worried. I know for a high end car of that magnitude gas should be no issue. Its not the money its the time it takes to pull over and fuel up. Its bad enough to pull over once a week but twice to three times a week would really kill me.

for the person that prefers the E55 over the M5 both cars are so close that choosing one over the other does not make you bad. If one car could be so good at everything you would see the other brand cease to exist. But both brands seem to thrive because they fill slightly different niches which is good. Variety is the spice of life.

E55 does have better gas mileage I checked the computer after my test drive with spirited mixed driving and it averaged 15 mpg. The M5 averaged 7 mpg.

0700700

and as allready discussed the e55 would cost me 75% of the price of an m5 (2nd hand ones)

cobradav

Yep, as they say, something for everyone. Otherwise we'd have to fit in one car. And if you did get down to one mfr then what would they build then with no competition. I love the choices. Hell, its alot of the fun seeing the differences and similarities. On the AMG special the other night on Speed Channel they said fully half of all AMG production is for USA consumption to the tune of 10,000 cars (E55, CLS55, SL55, SL55 and CLK55). I'm sure the biggest seller was the E55 but they did not say. They also said the "NEW" AMG engine approach will be to go NA. Now I wonder who they might be targeting

TV550

Yep, as they say, something for everyone. Otherwise we'd have to fit in one car. And if you did get down to one mfr then what would they build then with no competition. I love the choices. Hell, its alot of the fun seeing the differences and similarities. On the AMG special the other night on Speed Channel they said fully half of all AMG production is for USA consumption to the tune of 10,000 cars (E55, CLS55, SL55, SL55 and CLK55). I'm sure the biggest seller was the E55 but they did not say. They also said the "NEW" AMG engine approach will be to go NA. Now I wonder who they might be targeting
[/quote]

Yes the new AMG 63 engine will be quite a treat for the AMG cars. They are predicting 500+ naturally aspirated http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Featu...rticleId=106510 Possible they will put this in an E55 late 2006 which would be a worthy adversary to the M5 engine. AMG said they are going away from superchargers due to weight. If my M5 takes to long to get here I might drive the new 63 AMG, but I bet the prices for that E63 will out the roof so I doubt Ill seriously buy it. Supposedly the 63 AMG engine was built from the ground up by AMG itself for the first time without Mercedes providing the block or any parts.

wolverine

Yes the new AMG 63 engine will be quite a treat for the AMG cars. They are predicting 500+ naturally aspirated http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Featu...rticleId=106510 Possible they will put this in an E55 late 2006 which would be a worthy adversary to the M5 engine. AMG said they are going away from superchargers due to weight. If my M5 takes to long to get here I might drive the new 63 AMG, but I bet the prices for that E63 will out the roof so I doubt Ill seriously buy it. Supposedly the 63 AMG engine was built from the ground up by AMG itself for the first time without Mercedes providing the block or any parts.
[/quote]


I just test drove an E55 this afternoon, and it is a very nice, luxurious car. Definitely smoother and more comfortable around town than the M5. Very nice acelleration with very little effort also - just tap the pedal and you're there. You don't really feel the connection with the road though, it's almost like you're a spectator, watching the world fly by. It's a totally different car than the M5 - really a luxury sedan with great performance, but not in the same performance class as the M5.

I felt the acelleration was comparable, up to freeway speeds. Once on the highway, flooring the big benz is just nothing compared to hitting the pedal on the M5 in S6, P500 sport, in third gear. The pulling power of the M5 is just unequalled at that speed. Plus of course, the connection to the road, the curves, the handling - it is really a 'sports car' experience in a luxury sedan.

If I had both in my garage, I'd drive the M5 almost all the time. Why wouldn't you want to drive the car that's just a heck of a lot more fun? But, for lunch with customers, a night out on the town with friends, or for a family drive on the weekend, I'd probably pick the benz. Both are just fantastic, beautifully executed cars.

TV550

Yes the new AMG 63 engine will be quite a treat for the AMG cars. They are predicting 500+ naturally aspirated http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Featu...rticleId=106510 Possible they will put this in an E55 late 2006 which would be a worthy adversary to the M5 engine. AMG said they are going away from superchargers due to weight. If my M5 takes to long to get here I might drive the new 63 AMG, but I bet the prices for that E63 will out the roof so I doubt Ill seriously buy it. Supposedly the 63 AMG engine was built from the ground up by AMG itself for the first time without Mercedes providing the block or any parts.
[/quote]


I just test drove an E55 this afternoon, and it is a very nice, luxurious car. Definitely smoother and more comfortable around town than the M5. Very nice acelleration with very little effort also - just tap the pedal and you're there. You don't really feel the connection with the road though, it's almost like you're a spectator, watching the world fly by. It's a totally different car than the M5 - really a luxury sedan with great performance, but not in the same performance class as the M5.

I felt the acelleration was comparable, up to freeway speeds. Once on the highway, flooring the big benz is just nothing compared to hitting the pedal on the M5 in S6, P500 sport, in third gear. The pulling power of the M5 is just unequalled at that speed. Plus of course, the connection to the road, the curves, the handling - it is really a 'sports car' experience in a luxury sedan.

If I had both in my garage, I'd drive the M5 almost all the time. Why wouldn't you want to drive the car that's just a heck of a lot more fun? But, for lunch with customers, a night out on the town with friends, or for a family drive on the weekend, I'd probably pick the benz. Both are just fantastic, beautifully executed cars.
[/quote]

I agree the E55 is a head turner with women as well as men and would be perfect for a night on the town. The M5 is a head turner but for men only. Most women think its just another nice 5 series BMW. When my wife sees a Mercedes whether its stock or 55 series she always says thats a nice car. When she and her friends sees a 525-M5 they just think thats a bmw. I guess you buy the one that gives you the most pleasure.

SolarFactory

I don't get how the E55 or any benz is a head turner. Just my opinion but they are all old and farty looking to me. I think BMW is much more cutting edge and daring with their style. I use to like the look of the SL500 but I'm even sick of that. The M5 is way more aggresive looking than the E55 to me. JMHO.....I HATE MERCEDES!!!

0700700

i think it has something to do with the fact that to the untrained eye a 5series sport looks 99% like an m5, whereas even with the amg body kit the e-class can not be mistaken for an e55 amg

AC_S5

i think it has something to do with the fact that to the untrained eye a 5series sport looks 99% like an m5, whereas even with the amg body kit the e-class can not be mistaken for an e55 amg
[/quote]

You are right, MB is for the untrained. So I would never drive one

michiganM5

Yes the new AMG 63 engine will be quite a treat for the AMG cars. They are predicting 500+ naturally aspirated http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Featu...rticleId=106510 Possible they will put this in an E55 late 2006 which would be a worthy adversary to the M5 engine. AMG said they are going away from superchargers due to weight. If my M5 takes to long to get here I might drive the new 63 AMG, but I bet the prices for that E63 will out the roof so I doubt Ill seriously buy it. Supposedly the 63 AMG engine was built from the ground up by AMG itself for the first time without Mercedes providing the block or any parts.
[/quote]


I just test drove an E55 this afternoon, and it is a very nice, luxurious car. Definitely smoother and more comfortable around town than the M5. Very nice acelleration with very little effort also - just tap the pedal and you're there. You don't really feel the connection with the road though, it's almost like you're a spectator, watching the world fly by. It's a totally different car than the M5 - really a luxury sedan with great performance, but not in the same performance class as the M5.

I felt the acelleration was comparable, up to freeway speeds. Once on the highway, flooring the big benz is just nothing compared to hitting the pedal on the M5 in S6, P500 sport, in third gear. The pulling power of the M5 is just unequalled at that speed. Plus of course, the connection to the road, the curves, the handling - it is really a 'sports car' experience in a luxury sedan.

If I had both in my garage, I'd drive the M5 almost all the time. Why wouldn't you want to drive the car that's just a heck of a lot more fun? But, for lunch with customers, a night out on the town with friends, or for a family drive on the weekend, I'd probably pick the benz. Both are just fantastic, beautifully executed cars.
[/quote]

I agree the E55 is a head turner with women as well as men and would be perfect for a night on the town. The M5 is a head turner but for men only. Most women think its just another nice 5 series BMW. When my wife sees a Mercedes whether its stock or 55 series she always says thats a nice car. When she and her friends sees a 525-M5 they just think thats a bmw. I guess you buy the one that gives you the most pleasure.
[/quote]

You are correct. The M5 is 100% a "guys" car. When I brought my M5 home from the dealership my wife looked at it and said, "that's what you get for $95,000? It looks just like our neighbors (525)." A few days after that we went to a party with quite a few people in attendance and it was very intersting to see the difference between when a women walks by the car as compared to a man. The women who noticed the car looked at it as if it was just a nice, clean, black bimmer. When it came to the men it was a different story as they did a few circles around it, peaked inside, got on one knee looking under the rear of the car, etc. It is certainly a "guys" car and that is just the way I like it.

Cheers