I signed up for a BMW driving event today that was doing one of those "compare us to the competition" things. I selected the BMW 640i Gran Coupe vs. the Mercedes CLS550. This seems like an odd comparison; the CLS550 has a twin-turbo V8, which means the 650i would have been a better match (the 640i has a single-turbo I6). In retrospect, though, the Mercedes needed all the help it could get.
The Mercedes was really fast. Flooring it was quite a surprise. By the time I processed how quickly the trees were whipping by, they had accelerated so much that I had to re-calibrate. Of course, that wouldn't have been so difficult if I didn't have to look out the windows to get an idea of how fast I was going. There was absolutely zero sensation of speed. Technically impressive, but stupid in practice and arguably dangerous. The steering was utterly lifeless. Under hard braking the whole car heaved forward on its suspension before beginning to slow down. It honestly felt like a stupid car to drive. The only thing I found genuinely impressive was the suspension tuning: body motion control and ride quality were both very very good.
The BMW wasn't as fast in a straight line, but it still had plenty of go -- and it handled like a sports car compared to the Mercedes. Cornering was sharp and responsive. The brakes just did their job accurately and positively without the whole car flopping around. The ride was firmer, but not by much -- even in Sport+ mode. The steering had at least some feel to it. The cabin felt serious, whereas the Mercedes's cabin felt like a waiting room with a steering wheel.
Unfortunately, both cars have complete deal-breakers for me: no manual transmission option, and that stupid turbo lag every time you tip the gas pedal. If I were buying a car in that class, I wouldn't touch either of them with a 10-foot pole. However, I did come away appreciating the BMW for what it was, whereas I couldn't wait to get out of the Mercedes.
This is a bit of a surprise for me. I think the current Mercedes C-Class is a better car than the current BMW 3-Series, and I have very fond memories of the 2012 Mercedes E-Class I drove last year. I fully expected the CLS and the 6 Gran Coupe to have their own virtues, but to be comparable overall. Instead, I can't imagine why anyone would go for the CLS.
The Mercedes was really fast. Flooring it was quite a surprise. By the time I processed how quickly the trees were whipping by, they had accelerated so much that I had to re-calibrate. Of course, that wouldn't have been so difficult if I didn't have to look out the windows to get an idea of how fast I was going. There was absolutely zero sensation of speed. Technically impressive, but stupid in practice and arguably dangerous. The steering was utterly lifeless. Under hard braking the whole car heaved forward on its suspension before beginning to slow down. It honestly felt like a stupid car to drive. The only thing I found genuinely impressive was the suspension tuning: body motion control and ride quality were both very very good.
The BMW wasn't as fast in a straight line, but it still had plenty of go -- and it handled like a sports car compared to the Mercedes. Cornering was sharp and responsive. The brakes just did their job accurately and positively without the whole car flopping around. The ride was firmer, but not by much -- even in Sport+ mode. The steering had at least some feel to it. The cabin felt serious, whereas the Mercedes's cabin felt like a waiting room with a steering wheel.
Unfortunately, both cars have complete deal-breakers for me: no manual transmission option, and that stupid turbo lag every time you tip the gas pedal. If I were buying a car in that class, I wouldn't touch either of them with a 10-foot pole. However, I did come away appreciating the BMW for what it was, whereas I couldn't wait to get out of the Mercedes.
This is a bit of a surprise for me. I think the current Mercedes C-Class is a better car than the current BMW 3-Series, and I have very fond memories of the 2012 Mercedes E-Class I drove last year. I fully expected the CLS and the 6 Gran Coupe to have their own virtues, but to be comparable overall. Instead, I can't imagine why anyone would go for the CLS.
