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      01-07-2020, 12:19 AM   #37
stein_325i
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mjr24 View Post
Mercedes is lost with their AMG models that aren't 63's. No, a M550i is not a real M car and some might say it brings shame on the M name....but a car that does 0-60 in 3.5 or whatever is hardly a shame. An AMG car that is still in the 4.5 range is pathetic. You pay for a badge and no actual performance.
I'm going to respectfully disagree with the M550i vs E53/CLS53 claim. Performance and 0-60 times is not the key reason these cars are bought. These are comfortable everyday cruisers that are supposed to have just enough sporting edge and some speed to be fun on a curvy road.

I had a 540i for almost two years, was unsatisfied, tried the M550i for a weekend - which other than speed, didn't offer much more to the 540 - then tried an E53 as I had read many positive reviews/impressions, and ultimately ended up with a CLS53, my first ever Mercedes, as well as the first ever time I had no BMW in my garage (other than my son's) in over 20 years, and I have to say, I don't miss the 540 at all.

Yes, the E/CLS 53 are slower than the 550, but speed doesn't always make a vehicle the best. Many publications have beaten the 0-60 times - some as low as 4.0 seconds, I myself have felt the vehicle is faster than the manufacturer's claim, but regardless the car is still plenty fast, especially for the use of these vehicles which will likely never see drag strips or be raced from stoplight to stoplight.

The 550 in my opinion is a sterile rocket. It's fast, but it is lacking in involvement and feel that 5-series before the F10 had. It feels heavy and has a surprising amount of body roll, and the steering is bad. Its saving grace is its engine, but honestly, the E/CLS 53 have much better body control, handling reflexes, and more natural steering feel, while still having a pretty unique engine setup that fills in boost with an electric supercharger, and provides a seamless start/stop system for comfort driving - that and I never have to turn off auto start stop anymore. The interior and tech of the 5-series is nicer, but I find my CLS to be more satisfying than any 5-series (other than the M5) I've driven/owned in the last 10 years.

Honestly, in my opinion, it's as if BMW and Mercedes have swapped their roles. The 5-series seems like the comfortable car for retirees, and the E/CLS have become the more lively vehicle of the two. I love BMW, and they are getting a lot of things right after their stumble last decade, specifically their SUVs, the 2-series, 3-series and M5, but the regular 5 and 7-series aren't the best they could be.

I'm sure we'll disagree on this, but that is just my opinion as a former owner of the current 5-series who has moved to "the dark side."
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Current Garage: 2022 Mercedes-Benz S 580 / 2023 Genesis GV70 2.5T / 2007 Mercedes-Benz E 350 / 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Retired: '95 E36 325i 5MT / '04 E46 330i 6MT / '05 E83 X3 3.0i / '11 E90 335xi / '17 G30 540i / '19 F87 M2C 6MT / '19 MB CLS 53 / '20 MB GLC 300

Last edited by stein_325i; 01-07-2020 at 12:28 AM..
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