2012 BMW M5 testing...

[Parker]

Nice...

[NarcissisticDeity]

Nice...

Wonder if it will eclipse the CTS-V

[Parker]

^possibly, but all Caddy has to do is turn up the boost...
Wonder is Lexus is going to drop the  560 HP 4.8 V10 in the next gen GS to make the GS-F, or punnch it out to 5.0 liters for more torque...

[chunkramwell]

Car is nuts, the last generation model was nuts! You're never going to reach it's limit on the street and the people that have them are unlikely to ever take them to the track.

[Aerian]

I am not impressed with anything from BMW these days in terms of looks.  Fantastic engines but boring looking. 



It looked like the trunk is better designed.  The older versions had a trunk that just looked awkward to me.




I am sticking with my CTS Coupe any day of the week compared to a BMW.

[epic_alien]

when is parker gonna get one

[Parker]

I am not impressed with anything from BMW these days in terms of looks.  Fantastic engines but boring looking. 



It looked like the trunk is better designed.  The older versions had a trunk that just looked awkward to me.




I am sticking with my CTS Coupe any day of the week compared to a BMW.

Diff design language...the design language of today's BMW is just toned down Bangle--or smoothing it out. In terms of the M5, all M5s have the "wolf in sheep's clothing" look. Including the E60 M5...the reason it was more extroverted, was because the E60 5 series was more extroverted, a departure from the classy E39 5 series, which still is my favorite.

The CTS coupe looks good from the front, but awkward from the side and 3 quarter view---it's that C pillar and hatchback look...it's BMW counterpart, shows how to style a 4 place lux coupe...it is effing blazing...

Now, I am by no means a BMW fanboi, because I am really feeling the E Class coupe, I don't think Mercedes has a AMG variant planned, but if they do, it would be a beast.

Lexus needs to get on the ball. They are slowly offering more engine and body choices, but they need a IS coupe (instead of the IS hardtop convert) and a GS coupe, and a true SL and CL competitor...

Caddy is apparently working on a SL and CL competitor---but that is a rumor, they've had a clay model of a Bentley Continental Coupe competitor, it's called the ULS or ULC (ultra luxury Sedan/ ultra luxury Coupe)

[chunkramwell]

I got to drive a few E39 M5s and they were great, and the E36 M3 is one of my favorite cars of all time. After Bangle did the E65 my enthusiasm for the brand went down hill, it's like the soul of the company changed. Most of the high performance luxury cars these days are the automotive equivalent to the McMansion.

AMG has been doing a consistently good job since the 90's though, stuffing the biggest engine they could in what ever boat Mercedes wants them to.

[Parker]

I got to drive a few E39 M5s and they were great, and the E36 M3 is one of my favorite cars of all time. After Bangle did the E65 my enthusiasm for the brand went down hill, it's like the soul of the company changed. Most of the high performance luxury cars these days are the automotive equivalent to the McMansion.

AMG has been doing a consistently good job since the 90's though, stuffing the biggest engine they could in what ever boat Mercedes wants them to.

What I want to know is what would have happened had Mercedes went thru with it's AMG vs Mclaren rivalry, as Mercedes was part owner and had a partnership with Mclaren (the Mercedes Mclaren SLR is the fruit of the relationship)---and the next project, Mercedes was having AMG design a car and Mclaren design a car---AMGs is the new SLS, I don't know what Mclaren's was or if they scrapped it, or if it is the new MP4-12...

[chunkramwell]

What I want to know is what would have happened had Mercedes went thru with it's AMG vs Mclaren rivalry, as Mercedes was part owner and had a partnership with Mclaren (the Mercedes Mclaren SLR is the fruit of the relationship)---and the next project, Mercedes was having AMG design a car and Mclaren design a car---AMGs is the new SLS, I don't know what Mclaren's was or if they scrapped it, or if it is the new MP4-12...

That was in interesting time, was the story that Mercedes wanted to buy out Ron Dennis and when they couldn't do that they bought Brawn GP? I was never quite clear. McLaren has been making noise for years that they were working on a whole range or road cars but nothings ever materialized except the F1 and the customer project SLR.

[njflex]

i loved the e39 m5 and drive an e60 530 i like the look and feel,i have driven just about every vehicle from 98 to 2010,i work for porsche and must say the the panamera turbo is awesome,watch out for the audi a7 and redesigned a6 getting ready to make noise.

[Parker]

That was in interesting time, was the story that Mercedes wanted to buy out Ron Dennis and when they couldn't do that they bought Brawn GP? I was never quite clear. McLaren has been making noise for years that they were working on a whole range or road cars but nothings ever materialized except the F1 and the customer project SLR.

I think that was it, but Ron Dennis was frustrated with how Mercedes handled the SLR project...they wanted the car to look just like the concept, and wanted the car to be front engined---it ended up being Front Mid-Engine, as the engine was so far back, it was rediculous. And the car was heavy as shit, which is not a Mclaren trademark...Then there was the situation that Mercedes was the engine supplier and part owner of Mclaren...and the fact that they owned AMG as well. And then there was going to be a inhouse rivarly with AMG coming up with their own car for Mercedes and Mclaren doing the same---and it seemed that Mercedes was encouraging this in house competition...