Jan 212014
 

MB S550 bmw 750il

 

I was invited by BMW to test drive the 2013 BMW 750iL vs. the 2013 Mercedes Benz S550 in a side-by-side test.   It was a perfect opportunity to compare both vehicles at the same time.

Here are the quick stats:

Price (MSRP) Engine Horsepower Torque City/Hwy fuel economy
BMW 750iL $90,500 4.4 liter V8 445 480 17/25
Mercedes Benz S550 $95,000 4.7 liter V8 429 516 15/25

 

Stepping into the Mercedes first, it was large, luxurious and comfortable.  The controls on the dash and door mounted window and seat controls seemed a bit dated and chunky.  However, materials inside the car were top-notch as expected.  While the ride was smooth, it was more limo-like than sporty.  Nailing the gas unleashed the massive power from the V8, but motivating this 5,800 pound car wasn’t easy.  The transmission kicked the gears down a tad slow on rapid acceleration.  0-60 mph felt around mid 5 seconds, which is amazing for this massive car.  Cruising in traffic was effortless and smooth.

Back at the car lot, I got into the BMW 750iL.  Night and day difference.  It was more modern inside with a larger navigation screen, a better in dash console data center, and controls seemed more current than the Mercedes.  I still don’t like the confusing iDrive system, as it is distracting, but the system is improving.  Waiting for a traffic light on a freeway on ramp, I floored it and the BMW launched like a rocket.  It felt around a 5 second flat 0-60 mph time – super impressive for a 5,700 pound car.  Ultimately, it was more sporty than the Benz and drove more spirited.  But with so many driving settings, it takes a master’s degree to figure out how to use the car.

Both cars get around 20 m.p.g in mixed driving and requires premium fuel.

Verdict:  Two separate cars for two separate personalities.  Ultimate Driving Machine = sporty, and the Benz is refined and confident.  Both will hit your pocketbook for north of $100K with options.  I personally liked how advanced and modern the BMW was, and how it drove like a much smaller automobile.

S550 2 750il 2

Aug 102013
 

 

Too bad for us Americans – we never get the cool cars.  These two super wagons are brilliant – twin turbocharged, gobs of horsepower and torque, and too fast unless you are on the autobahn.  The Mercedes-Benz has a twin turbo V8, 5.5 liters of displacement, generating 525 horsepower and 516 lb.ft of torque.  The Audi uses a twin turbo V8 too, but with 4 liters of displacement and 560 horsepower and 516 ft lbs of torque.  The Mercedes puts the power to the ground with rear wheel drive, and the Audi uses its Quattro all-wheel drive system.

Chris Harris puts these cars through the ringer during this great comparison.   So cool

 

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