Well I do not care much for if they like E63 over M5 or not. Because they said M5 is faster in straight line. I am pretty sure it will turn out to be faster on track also
The only thing that disappoints me BIG TIME IS: Since when did BMW start getting its behind handed to it by MB with regards to weight.
I have always admired the fact that BMW M's have been the lighter then their competition. The weight is the enemy of driving dynamics. Yes, you can make a heavier car handle as good as a lighter car with a bunch of technology and gizmos. But the fact of the matter is it will never feel as pure as the lighter one when it comes to driving dynamics.
I can see this mags point of view with regards to weight, noise and interior.
A ultra high performance sedan should sound like one and feel like one. One can clearly see without a bias that both the Jag and BMW have an interior that is not much different than the standard 5 series. The MB has a much more sportier flavor to its steering wheel. While BMW steering wheel looks like it belongs in an mini-bus.
But I guess you can't blame BMW because it seems like their customer base is changing. When BMW owners come on here and complain about race car like back firing noise coming upon downshifts claiming ewwww the car is "farting ". You can tell who BMW is catering too.
I for one think a hyper sports sedan should be in your face and raw. Other wise if you want to drive sedate cars that do not "ewwwww fart" on down shifts etc...do us a favor and buy a Toyota Prius. Give the M5 some mean sound like muscle cars or exotics, give it some back firing sounds on crackling down shifts. Make it sound like a 4 door race car. The sad thing is when I drove the CTS-V sedan on race track. That same Vette ZR1 engine that sounds amazing in ZR1 was extra muted and dulled down by Caddy. Why?????
This stupid trend of making cars more quite and calm is even seeping into ultra exotic cars. Just take a look at the new Mclaren MP4. Until people complained they did not go back and revise the exhaust sound. Why???.......it makes no sense that you would not build a performance car to sound like one from the get go.
The M5 should sound raw and feel like a light weight, agile, and precise surgeons scalpel that can carve any road with its driving dynamics.
Otherwise if you want comfort and power only. Then there are plenty of choices on market. To me it seems like they tried to make M5 into a 4 door version of GT-R without the bargain price. Super fast but lacking the excitement. For GT-R that works because of its superb price range. But for M5 it does not due to its ever increasing base price.
Well at least all is not lost. The engine makes great power and is much more fuel efficient and the car does offer more room and luxury then the last one. If now BMW can just get a bug to start making its car lighter and more agile and great sounding.
I just hope the next M3 is more raw and lighter and not more porky and sort of dull.