MERCEDES BENZ E-CLASS 6.3AMG vs BMW M5

     MERCEDES BENZ E-CLASS 6.3AMG
In the high-performance-sedan segment, there is little room for subtleties. More power, more performance, more aggression all are par for the course. The quest for domination leads to ever-more outrageous variations of the family sedan. With the latest E63 AMG, which we’ve already sampled in prototype form, Daimler's performance division has raised this bar once again.  The outgoing E63 AMG was the second Affalterbach-fettled version of the W220 E-class. Launched with a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 in 2009, it switched to a 518-hp 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 in 2011. That 5.5-liter also was available with an optional Performance package that upped the power to 550 hp. For the 2014 model year, that engine is upgraded again: 550 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque now are standard, and there is an S version that makes a remarkable 577 hp—achieved by tweaks to the engine-management system, an increase in peak injection pressure, and by raising the boost pressure from 13.0 to 14.5 psi. That is more horsepower than any other E63 in history, and more than any of its competitors currently offer. Top speed is governed at 155 mph on the standard car and is raised to 186 mph on the S model. Mercedes estimates the sprint from 0 to 60 mph will take a mere 3.6 seconds, with the S shaving down another tenth.

To put that awesome power down, an all-wheel-drive system is standard, making this the first AMG passenger car offered without rear-wheel drive. Other AMG cars will follow in the E63’s footsteps, including the CLS and the next-generation S-class. (In Europe, you will still be able to order a rear-wheel-drive model.) The all-wheel-drive system is rear-biased, with only one-third of the torque going to the front wheels. However, there is—as is always the case in such matters—a weight penalty involved: The all-wheel-drive system adds 154 pounds, according to Benz.

The only available transmission on the E63 AMG remains a seven-speed automatic, and it can be controlled by paddle shifters. The gear shifter is where it belongs—in the center console—and not on the steering column, where it is on every other E-class. The slightly enhanced interior now is graced by a centrally located clock with IWC Schaffhausen branding—a nice touch, even though this must be the least-sophisticated IWC timepiece ever.

The E63's stability-control system offers three modes; most notably, Sport Handling mode will briefly apply the brake of the inside rear wheel to counter any understeer. The suspension—sprung with steel in front, air in the rear—can move through three settings: Comfort, Sport, and Sport Plus. The S model adds a limited-slip rear differential. Wide 255/35 front and 285/30 rear tires on 19-inch wheels are standard on both versions; carbon-ceramic brakes are available only on the S model.
Then there's, uh, the styling. The E63 AMG is based on the heavily face-lifted E-class, but while the goal of Gorden Wagener's design team was to tone down the mainstream models, the AMG arguably has become meaner-looking than ever. Okay, the four-headlight style has disappeared, but these new units with their sharply angular LED daytime running lights aren't exactly subtle. The lower front fascia is graced by gaping air intakes. Gone are the extroverted rear fenders, which were hated by customers, but the four large exhaust pipes are more extreme than ever.

 

                              BMW M5
Just as it did to the 5-series, BMW is making subtle yet significant changes to the M5 for 2014. But while those upgrades border on inconsequential, the brand will offer an optional Competition package that reinforces the M5's position as the purest among high-performance sedans. It’s the Bavarians’ latest response to the high-performance luxury arms race, if you will.  Unlike the more-pedestrian versions of the 5-series, the refreshed M5 doesn’t receive new front and rear bumpers, and, subsequently, changes will be recognized only by the initiated. Among them are a new grille with glossy twin spokes and an M5 logo, which recalls the original M5; there now are full LED headlights, and the taillights receive new, and less cluttered, inner workings. The interior benefits from a new, slightly retro-styled three-spoke steering wheel—the same that’s found in the M6—which replaces the previous, slightly bloated tiller. There are a few more chrome strips inside, and the knob of the iDrive system now recognizes handwriting inputs, much like upper-crust Audis.

Moreover, the M5 gets all the electronic goodies that don’t pertain to the strict business of focused driving, but attempt to save your posterior as your attention drifts away in today's dull traffic environment. They include upgraded lane-departure- and collision-mitigation systems, pedestrian recognition, and a new high-beam assistant.

All of these changes are good, but what really stirs our enthusiasm is the optional Competition package. It will be offered at a still-undisclosed price on the 2014 M5, and also on all three M6 models—coupe, cabriolet, and Gran Coupe. This package bumps horsepower from 560 to 575, which cuts a tenth of a second from the 0–60 times of each model, with the exception of the M6 cabrio. This means that the M5, thus equipped, will now require 4.1 seconds to do the deed. Real-world numbers could be even more favorable; we recorded a 0-to-60 time of just 3.6 seconds in a test of the current-generation M5. Top speed, of course, will be limited to 155 mph with the option to raise that governor to 190.

Customers can continue to choose between the excellent seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and the six-speed manual.
Even more important than the improved acceleration are the improvements in handling, the Competition package adds a revised, stiffer suspension with stronger stabilizers; the elastokinematics—that’s geek speak for flexible components of the suspension, such as bushings—have been adjusted, as has the M-spec rear differential. When it’s all said and done, the vehicle sits lower by 0.4 inch. The hydraulic power steering is more direct than on the standard M5. And the M Dynamic mode, which can be pre-selected by the driver, is even more aggressively tuned with this package. Carbon-ceramic brakes, which provide the ultimate edge in performance, remain optional.

To visually differentiate M5’s equipped with the Competition package, BMW bolted on aggressive and specifically designed 20-inch aluminum wheels and a black-chrome exhaust system. The result is subtle, yet sufficient to attract the attention of brand aficionados.
Thanks to the Competition package, the M5 has virtually caught up with the 577-hp Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4MATIC. Where BMW continues to lag behind is in the department of four driven wheels, and, and in a recent interview, M GmbH chief Friedrich Nitschke remained adamant that this won't change in the current model generation.