CLS63 Vs M5

My vote is the CLS
I used to BMW's 100%, but since the Bangle/I-Drive era I've converted to the darkside. Also while BMW was up those shananigans, Daimler was putting stupid horsepower in there cars.
Those specs say the M5 has a 7 speed manual. Not true, its a 6 sp manual with a traction control that you cannot turn off.
The styling of the CLS is cutting edge.
Get the CLS.

 

Looks, Interior CLS by far!!!!!

Actual driving M5 SMG


Read the latest Car & Driver (S6 vs E63 vs M5) they hated the 6-speed and it was much slower than the SMG due to DSC issues.

 

Mr. Bangle's leading edge designs are some of the most beautiful out there and are now being copied by other makes from Toyota to Mercedes...and, iDrive is very simple to use...even my 9 year old daughter picked up on its use in only a few minutes...if you have trouble operating idrive, you shouldn't be driving a car anyway... and the e60 M5 does in fact have a 7 speed manual...its called SMG...which is a "Sequential MANUEL Gearbox"...and you can turn off the traction control...however, due to USA customer pressure a 6 speed with an antiquated foot clutch is now being offered too which you can not completely turn off the traction control...since the high revving engine was designed for SMG, the performance numbers are now with the foot clutch 6 speed though. I own a new M5 with SMG as my daily driver and highly recommend it over any MB...it is my 4th M5 having previous owned an e34 and e39 models...

 

M5.
You will tire of CLS in less then 3 months,the more you drive M5 the more you love it and never get tired of it.
(personal experience ,since had both)

 

I really love the CLS, but given Mercedes' major reliability issues in recent years, ID go with the M5. Besides, they now offer a full manual M5...

 

Driven both, and currently own an E39 M5 and would take the BMW hands down.

Pro's to the CLS are the interior is more comfy, and the engine has a lot more torque down low, but the M5 still has the soul of a sports car.

I may be in the minority, but I drove the SMG version and loved it, and can't imagine why anyone would want to get one with a 6 speed. The car rev's a ton, and needs the extra ratio to put power down effectively.

Both cars were a definate improvement on my car for different reasons. The CLS for its more luxerious interior and the M5 for its more advanced powertrain and definate power advantage above about 60, however neither one of them struck me enough to get rid of my beast.

 

I'd drive a Geely over an M5........it's the ugliest car on the planet.

 

??? IMHO, the new e60 M5 is the best looking four door sedan out there...much better looking that the old e39 model...I love the Bangle flame-sculpted design cues...and the sound from the 500hp V10 is wonderful...it is queer though how beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder...different strokes for different folks and all that...

 

I'm pretty sure it's not the ugliest but it is a very conservative design. Mercedes is much better looking and faster. BMW is probably more rewarding to drive in the right area. First year with the new motor in the CLS can always lead to problems but that is what the warranty's for.

 

CLS might be fast but its steering feel is so bad it makes me want to smack the engineers.

 

The MB's still have a long way to go in terms of driving dynamics.

Also, the 63 series motor has been a disappointment to many who were used to the 55 series motors.

In terms of looks, a lot of people complain that the F430 design is lacking but looks are in eye of beholder!

 

Auto/Semi Auto - would go CLS - or a QP over both. Otherwise, 6spd M5 and unplug the DSC.

 

Tough to argue that. From the outside looking in I'm not surprised though. The M5 is much more of a drivers car than the CLS63. I just can't stand the design of the 5-series though.

Though, wouldn't it be a better comparison the E63 vs. M5?

 

i would go with the cls, simply because of the exterior styling. aside from performance, the styling is just so fresh that it really sets itself apart.

 

I'm not too big on the styling of the new M5, but particularly I love the lines of the CLS.

 

The CLS is a beauty. The M5 is butt ugly IMO. I've had tons of problems with the MB I bought, so I wouldn't recommend either.

RMX

 

I'd call it mediocre outside, gorgeous inside. The 7 series is the big wretched festering eyesore, but they're re-doing it now.

Of anything BMW is offering now/soon, the M3 is the best looking and will likely be a scream to drive.

I like the CLS, but agree with Remix that I wouldn't buy either one. I'd lease a CLS for the warranty term and then lace up the track shoes to get away from it at lease end. It's far and away the most original four-door design in many years. In fact while Toyota has borrowed the Bangle Butt for its Camry and some other sedan (and with equally bad results), no one has been willing to draw such a bold arc as Mercedes has in order to clone the CLS.

As far as performance, they're both 4000+ lb, long, tall, four door sedans that will never have the dynamics of a hard core sports car, so if the M5 has more verve I think it's likely to be wasted anyway.

Finally, my M-B dealer has been superb. The BMW dealer was always backlogged in service and treated me indifferently.

 

Whether or not Mr. Bangles designs are going to stand the test of time, we will have to wait and see. Just because somebody copies someone else, that does not make it right! Your 9 yr old is not also driving in rush hour traffic while playing with I-Drive. You are right in the SMG 7 speed , but I'm sure it was just as aparent to you as it was to everyone else here that I was refering to the Manual with the use of an Clutch. I'm sorry, maybe I'm too much of a traditionalist, but if there is not a clutch pedal, I think of an Automactic. A clutch to me will never be antiquated.

 

BMW.

MB is awful inside and i doubt its funnier to drive than the M5

 

BMW's all the way for me as I tend to buy cars for their feel and not how fast can I go in a straight line. MB's handling is non-existent and if you must go the MB way, buy used...at the auctions, an average 2007 CLS63 AMG with 1200 miles, in Pewter, sold for $73,600 on 12/21/06. An average 2006 M5 with 2800 miles, in Silver Gray, sold for $64k in 01/18/07.

 

I'd agree, MB interiors are unimpressive for the price. BMW has passed them up.

Not sure the M5 is funnier to drive...

 

Interesting. The new car and driver rated the new CLS63 a better handling overall package.

Darrell.

 

I have to agree on this one also. Call it what they may, but if you are not shifting it with a clutch, it is an automatic. All the rest is just more marketing speak. BTW where does it say automatics have to have torque converters?




Darrell.

 

I would by a used cls55 AMG, why anyone would want an engine with a few more hp, less torque and no ability to upgrade is beyond me. Nope sorry, I'll take a blown v8, a different size pulley, a tune and an extra 100 hp.