places

8's are more effortless. Linear pull, smoother and deeper acceleration. The 6 will work perfectly well but it will work harder to get going whereas the 8 will do it without needing to mash the pedal.

MBNUT1

The M256 in the CLS53 makes 429 horsepower and 384 foot-pounds of torque and that is from 3 liters. Inline 6's are inherently smooth.

MBNUT1

Trouble is you will have to get that stupid screen to get the 6.

places

I agree that the 6 is in generally pretty smooth and as we see more hybrid assisted cars, output certainly increases into 8 territory. However there is a different dynamic when you're pushing around 4500+ pounds in an 8 vs a 6. Anyway you cut it, the 6 needs to work harder than the 8 and that dynamic is easily felt by the driver. That being said, the 53 engine is quite capable, those are impressive numbers.

syswei

Agreed, the effortlessness and torque of a V8 are trumped by an EV. Car & Driver puts 50-70 acceleration at 2.0 sec for a Tesla Model S P100D, 3.5 sec for an S560, and of course from a standing start a good EV is also advantaged. I think people here are going to like the Porsche Taycan, and when it comes, the MB EQS. Of course a big downside is range and refueling on a long trip, and some people want to hear an engine growl.