T Bone

Butts dynos are notoriously wrong. When you have tree-stump pulling torque like your AMGs, they feel very fast. The M cars feel completely different....you don't get kicked in the pants hard but it feels like you are getting pulled and for a long time.

With WOT acceleration, the M cars are always in the powerband but the partial throttle operation / driving around town, they don't feel particularly fast.

hkpooh

well I stomped it WOT and most of the opinion above is pretty much right.
lack of torqe make it kinda dull especially on stoplight. I doubt this feeling will change much when on freeway doing a WOT 60-100mph acceleration. Thats why the E63 I like it better cuz above is the 2 things a care most when we talk about the "performance department"

On M5, SMG is nice in manual when you shifting. auto sucks.
M5 have btter feel on the handling. which I don't really care cuz I don't track and nothing an M5 can do that an AMG cannot do in real world driving condition.

One thing I really liked the M5 is the lumber support! They automatically tug you in when you start the car...........I really liked it =)

p.s. I am not saying M5 sucks, you can't go wrong with either one. Is just a matter what suits you most.

StealthAuto

I had an M5 for about 8 months and gave it back. Had too many problems and didn't feel nearly as quick as the E55's.

What I've noticed with the M5's, due to their high revving engine, is that low-end power is almost non-existent. The car doesn't feel fast till after 4500 or so rpms.

Just my $0.02

-AS

AMG Rider

i've been driving my friend's M6 for a month now since im in Korea for winter break...i love the SMG transmission....i too love driving, so like Vic said, it totally makes sense for me...I know it's very jerky sometimes(especially when u try to get it goin from a dig) but on the highway, it's so much fun especially shifting at redline... and the handling...hands down to BMW M department...
it's slower than my 55, but imo, it's more fun to drive....

Fast55

Liked the car a lot, just not the trans in B to B So. Cal. traffic. That V10 sings when it's on the pipe. Also seemed like a lot of road noise to me?

S55inPA

i just purchased an 08 M5 6 speed. i only have about 120 miles on it so far. the clutch action is super smooth. especially first gear starts. the car seems docile in regular driving. once it is broken in i'll get a chance to push it harder. i traded my RS-4 on it. i thought about keeping both but in the end that just would have not made sense.