It seems like we’ve been waiting for the debut of the newest-generation BMW M5 for decades now. It’s finally here, though, and we now get to see it in all of its glory. From its initial debut, we’re very excited about the new M5. It looks great, has 600 hp and is the fastest accelerating BMW of all time. With that recipe, the new M5 has the chance to be the best super sedan in the world. There’s only one car standing in its way — the Mercedes-AMG E63 S. The new AMG is an absolute monster and a fantastic car in its own right. While we won’t know which is better until we drive them, we can compare how they look to see which is the meanest looking of the two.
From the front, the new BMW M5 seems to be the sharper looking car. It’s a bit lower, sleeker and more aggressive. It’s not that the AMG is a bad looking car, because it isn’t, it just seems a bit bubbly and a bit soft. It also seems like its front end is very tall. The M5 looks angrier and more like a performance sedan. Both are still very understated cars, considering they pack supercar-shaming horsepower under those hoods. But If I had to choose just one, it’d be the M5.
Out back, I definitely have to go for the BMW M5, here. Maybe it’s just me but Mercedes’ sedan design language at the rear is just not good. Every Mercedes sedan, AMG or otherwise, looks as if it’s melting or its ass is sagging. While I don’t love the taillights on the new 5 Series, the M5’s rump is far nicer than the E63’s. It’s more dynamic looking and more exciting, with the rear diffuser and quad pipes. I like AMG’s quad rectangular exhaust pips, as they look kind of cool, I just don’t like the rear end of any Mercedes sedan. In profile, it’s tough. Both cars are very cool looking, in that they looks sporty but understated. They aren’t too shouty or obnoxious, even if the AMG has black center-lock wheels. I like the AMG’s wheels over the BMW M5’s but I like the muscular lines of the M5 more. It’s the sharper looking car. The AMG is nice and even more understated than the M5 but you can tell it’s based on a car that’s supposed to be a baby-S-Class.
Inside, it’s even tougher to make a judgement. Both cars have excellent looking cabins, filled with tons of tech and rich materials. We really can’t just material quality or comfort, as we haven’t yet been in the new M5, obviously, but we can judge their designs. Again, I think I’m going to have to go with the M5, here. The E63 AMG is nice but you can tell that it’s based on a car that’s far more concerned about luxury than performance. So it seems like a luxury car with some yellow bits and AMG badges. While the M5 is also based on a luxury car, you feel like more time went into making it more aggressive, sportier than the standard car. I do really like the AMG steering wheel, though, and think it’s the better looking helm. Though, BMW’s M Sport steering wheels are some of my favorite in the business at the moment.
Now, this is just me venting but I’m still annoyed that AMG uses a column shifter in its cars. They aren’t Buicks. There’s no place for a column shifter in a performance car. Even though the BMW M5’s new shift lever looks like a Transformer’s foot, it’s still a helluva lot better than the spindly little wand that sticks off the AMG’s steering column. Rant over.
All in all, I think the BMW M5 is the better looking car. I think it looks a just a little bit better, in all regards. There’s a lot to love about the AMG and it’s a very cool car. But the M5 is just the angrier, sharper and more dynamic looking car while still being decently understated from the outside. BMW really hit a home run with this one.
