2018 BMW M5 VS 2018 MERCEDES E63 S - Review

However, this duel now plays out with revised terms. BMW, like Mercedes-AMG did before it, has decided to join the four-wheel drive fraternity where its 441kW and 750Nm must be converted into sure-footed progress. Bavaria and Affalterbach are on an equal, twin-turbo V8 footing.

The Mercedes-AMG E63 S was the first of these two to debut. And when it did, there was a lot of worry from BMW enthusiasts that the next M5 might not be able to hang with it. That’s because this new E63 is flipping incredible. Its V8 is mighty and feels like a sledgehammer wrapped in velvet. It was also the first car in the segment to have an all-wheel drive system that’s capable of switching to rear-wheel drive. Now that the new BMW M5 is out, though, it seems that it’s fully capable of taking on the mighty AMG.

The sixth-generation M5 is definitely no longer your father’s go-faster four-door BMW. The biggest difference between old and new is the M xDrive system. With the exception of the sub brand’s X models, this is the first M car capable of pushing and pulling you out of trouble. An M5 for wimps? “Not at all,” says Van Meel, the man behind project F90. “All-wheel drive makes the new M5 faster, sharper, safer. Thanks to improved traction and stronger lateral grip especially on low-friction surfaces, it allows you to carry more momentum out of corners.” To avoid disappointment, all-wheel drive overrides rear-wheel drive only to correct arising instabilities, and one can lock the system in RWD for a family-sized serving of power oversteer. The transition between the AWD and RWD is nearly imperceptible.

He also felt the M5’s steering was a bit better, even if just a bit better. “The M5’s variable-effort rack operates with commendable precision and response. Steering angle and steering effort work in total harmony, even when you start changing through Comfort, Sport, and Sport Plus modes. The E63’s steering feels meaty and switched-on, but the self-centering force is somewhat exaggerated, and it takes a more conscious effort to dial in lock. Wind on more, and the feedback starts to blur just a touch.” To which he continued by saying “The steering of the M5 is more linear, and its response has more depth. Advantage: BMW, but not by much.”

BMW claims that the new eight-speed automatic matches the shift times of the previously used seven-speed DCT. This may be so, but my mind misses the whiplash upshifts in the fastest of the three gear-changing velocities. While the AMG employs a wet take-off clutch to shoot out of the starting blocks, the solution applied by the M wizards locks the converter clutch immediately after launching for maximum momentum and minimal slip. No surprise then that both four-door rockets accelerate to 100km/h in just 3.4sec.

In the 0-200km/h dash, the M5 edges the E63 S, claiming just 11.1sec as opposed to 11.5 for the Merc.

BMW claims that the M5’s new eight-speed automatic matches the shift times of the previous seven-speed DCT. This may be so, but the memory chip inside my head misses the whiplash upshifts of the older gearbox. While the AMG employs a wet take-off clutch to shoot out of the starting blocks like greased lighting, the solution applied by the M wizards locks the torque converter immediately after launch for maximal thrust and minimal slip. No surprise then that these four-door rocket ships take just 3.2 sec (BMW) or 3.3 sec (AMG) to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph. In the 0-124 mph sprint, the M5 edges the E63 S by four tenths, running 11.1 sec against the AMG’s 11.5 sec. Why the widened gap? Because the nine-speed transmission fitted to the car from Stuttgart makes one more upshift. Since the observed fuel economy of either car would make champagne corks pop in OPEC circles, let’s just say that both cars can drink you under the table.

Although the M5 is the new kid on the block, the defending champion AMG puts up a hard fight. And it has a lot going for it, like mean looks and a brutal growl, a more excessive way of addressing all things dynamic, and the fact that it is also available as a wagon. The E63 S is about as rough and raw as the subbrand wants to go. In contrast, the M5 looks less butch and is less butch. It comes across as the more refined machine, sweeter at the limit, always tactile and composed, a tad more compliant, pleasantly relaxed at five tenths yet totally switched on when it really matters. It wins, if only by a head.