Quote:
Originally Posted by mirob
Can anyone translate/summarize the conclusion and pick?
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I'll try to do a quick summary here.
Guram: We've got one of the fastest Mercedeses in history here — AMG GT 63s. But it's brand new so we got to break it in to unlock the Race Start mode (launch control). Hence we're driving to St. Petersburg and back (from Moscow) to do that and pick up our friend Maksim and his M5 Competition.
We understand that those two are not direct competitors (M8 GC is coming) but for now, let's try and compare the fastest 4-doors from both makes.
Driving back to Moscow he tries to activate the Race Start mode with 1499 km on the clock — it doesn't work. Then he repeats with 1500 and enjoys a violent launch — the car is fully broken in.
9 minutes in he talks about the ingredients of the GT 63s: powerful motor, nice gearbox, carbon ceramic breaks, rear wheel steering, and active aerodynamics. The Nordschleife lap time is faster in the GT 63s than the standard M5 (no time for the M5 Comp yet).
He acknowledges the rear-wheel drive only option in the Mercedes and does some drifting, but mentions the Merc doesn't seem to like being a hooligan — it's cumbersome to engage the rear-wheel drive only mode (unlike a single button click in the BMW) and the burnouts are not consistent, so you might fail miserably if you plan to flex in front of your girlfriend.
13 mins in he talks about the BMW's 4.4 liter engine being a failure in the previous generation (F10) in terms of reliability. Although the engine is principally the same, the components have been redesigned so the hopes are it will be more reliable now.
He doesn't feel like the M5 Comp suspension is violently harsh, but the improvement of handling vs the standard M5 is noticeable.
Dyno + scales. Both cars are more powerful and torquey than the official numbers. The Merc's power curve is more impressive, but the car is heavier.
Those who say that Mercedes is not about speed but about luxury and comfort would be surprised that this one rides harsher than the BMW.
He likes the AMG's exhaust a lot. Its interior is also a winner — when you get in you feel your money's worth (unlike the BMW).
Maxim grapples with headrests being uncomfortable and no ventilated seats in such an expensive car.
Drag races. Pretty obvious. The M5 is slightly faster but they give its due to the Merc for keeping up given its extra weight.
Conclusion. Maksim being a bimmer fanboy jokingly suggests that the conclusion should be 'BMW is power', Guram tries to be objective. He says he expected the Merc to be significantly slower, so he's very impressed with the performance. Both of the cars are top vehicles, hence there are no losers. But there are disciplines at which one is better than the other:
— Drag racing, BMW
— Braking, BMW
— Exhaust, AMG
— Exterior, AMG
— Interior, AMG
— Price, BMW
Though you shouldn't choose based on the numbers and facts. You should choose with your heart. As for Guram, he's quite happy with his Trackhawk.