mhh

My M5 is coming up 2 years old and I'm keen to get something with more torque in my next sedan. I don't want an E-class AMG as my wife has an E500 Wagon plus the E63 model shape is older than my BMW. I'm thinking S63 or S65. Anyone made this trade? Will I be happy or disappointed. I don't really need the size of the S class but I like to have the current shape. I use the car mostly for city work, but also do a lot of country trips and need plenty of overtaking power to get past the really long articulated trucks we run down here. The M5 is quick if you are in the right gear but it never feels like it is enjoying itself when being driven hard.

russjr

have been in your very situation: had an m5 which i traded on cls 63 and then moved to s65 and s63. while the m5 is, as you know, nice, it takes a lot of work to extract its best qualities. none of these cars are race car like in their handling- thank goodness- but all are extremely capable on the road in the real world. you'll be quite amazed how the s class handles like a smaller car; and the comfort and quality are superior to the m5. the 65, especially when chipped is unworldly in its power; the 63 is no slouch, though not the equal of a 65, but it does have, particularly if equipped with the 030 option, a crisper feel than the 65. really comes down to whether the somewhat greater urge of the 65 balances out the crispness and price differential of the 63. you wouldn't go wrong with either.

WSH

M5 is a debacle in US mkts....poor tq, dubious SMG, small fuel tank, lackluster safety engineering.....BMW has had cheap 2yr leases, free mtce for M5 in US since launch.....car mkts are reasonably efficient after all....

S63 is a no-brainer choice.....unless one lives in Germany and largely drives derestricted AB only in warmer, drier mths, S65 is a fairly archaic/useless car from a tech/traction/useability standpoint (if ignoring status issues of top-line sedan)....

Ironically, I suspect most of S65s in Munich/Frankfurt (of the few that Germany actually buys) also tend to be driven on slow urban streets....or on more congested, speed-restricted urban ABs....despite being debadged to avoid German jealousy issues...