VelocitE55

And I'll take an SLR over a Carrera GT or an Enzo.

tifosi

BMW has 2 completely different set of SMG system in their current model line up.

1 with hardware designed by BMW and software designed by Siemens, it is the one on M cars (E36　M3, E46 M3, E60 M5). this system is much faster than Ferrari's F1 transmission, and SMGIII is the fastest F1 gearbox that i can think of. and IMO, as long as a sportscar is concern, the gear shift is faster the better, regardless of its smoothness. in that regard, this SMG is one of the best production F1 transmission avaliable.

the other SMG system is used on all non-M car. this SMG box is simply purchased from Magnetti Maralli, the company that also supplies gearbox for Ferrari/Maserati, Aston Martin, Lamborghini...etc. but i think because of the budget issue, BMW's unit is no where as sporty and fast as Ferrari or Lambo's F1/E-Gear transmission. and 545i has that gearbox, and it isn't all that good.

BoBcanada

Too bad BMW doesnt make supercars....

they also dont make trucks or buses... And from now on, they only make ugly cars... lol what a shame...

VelocitE55

Hahaha, ugly is right!

rsteele

Ok... I own a '01 BMW M5, and I'm on the waiting list for the next M5. But I'm also on the waiting list for the MB CSL55 AMG and flirting with the E55. I joined the MB World message board to learn more about the MB options. Unfortunately, useful comments and responses are few and far between. I have read through many threads. I haven't read through this entire thread, but I've responded to this one entry, because its tone is what this message board should be striving for.

MB and BMW both make very good cars that differ. There is no black and white here. Perfectly reasonable and intelligent people can prefer one to the other for their own reasons. MB and BMW purposely cater to different constituencies and could easily cater to another. Neither builds the perfect car. For how many is a 0.2 sec difference in 0-60 mph acceleration time important in the category of "luxury sport sedan?"

I have posted an occasional question about the E55 or CLS55 on this forum, and I have received relatively little in return. I have "listened" and learned almost nothing. I still know very little about the MB CLS55 AMG, even though I'll probably have an opportunity to buy one before I can buy the next BMW M5, about which much can be learned on BMW's own web site. Frankly, if I want to learn something about MB cars, I've had better luck on BMW forums.

I'm beginning to think that an MB committee created an interesting CLS exterior/interior and asked AMG to put a big engine in the car. Can I expect anything else of this car?

Guys, that's pathetic! There are "undecided voters" camping out on the MB World message board. There's not much substance available here. MB enthusiasts, please rethink this message board.

oggle

The biggest morons are those who have blind loyalty to a brand and attempt to insult competitor brands every chance they get. So far the biggest idiot I've seen has to be Kain.

Heck, this kid barely got what seems like the first ride as a passenger in an M3 just a few days ago. LMFAO and he thinks he's qualified to make criticisms.

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthr...6&page=1&pp=20

Kain

BMW is making a Z10 with the M5 V10 engine.

Belmondo

Really , because to quote myself : "its a fugly sedan that pretends to be a racecar." There you have it.
To read your BS is if you cant red-line it to 8000rpm in every gear there is no joy in driving it?/
WTF is that??? I guess its a POS than because red-lining it "every-gear" will be as often as Christmas. Get a clue.

makken85

you know, it's not that hard to redline 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and maybe 4th gears. just.. keep your foot down and hand off the upshift paddle...

I have fun redlining my car in second and third on the onramps to the freeway nearly everyday, of course, it's no E55 or M, and it's only a 5 spd, but sure is fun.

If the M5 is just "a fugly sedan that pretends to be a racecar," then what is the E55? I might as well call it Merc's pathetic attempt to build an M5. :p

LifeDies

Point is they are using forced induction to achieve those numbers. BMW is NA. I am sorry but in my world that is way more impressive.

VelocitE55

The point is they (MB/AMG) are CHOOSING to use forced induction. Theres a difference. If MB/AMG wanted to build a high power NA motor, they could. But as it happens, they dont seem to feel it necessary and I for one am not complaining.

reggid

In all honesty i think BMW would produce a better FI engine than MB a high revving NA engine. Why else did MB goto FI on the C32 and E55 because they found it hard to compete with the M3 and M5 using a NA engine. There's nothing wrong with FI, those are just my thoughts on why they went to FI, interesting to notice a few more NA vehicles under the AMG name are appearing too which is good to see. It is far more difficult to produce a high revving engine and achieve reliability than to FI an engine as BMW have found.

W210

As a 2004 E55 owner, I find it hard to warm up to the CLS55. To me the CLS is all about style and little about substance (similar to the new BMW designs), except perhaps the wider tires for better traction in the CLS55 compared to the E55.

The M5, I'm no. 1 on the waiting list but I'm not too crazy about the looks. It may have the handling of a king but it sure looks like a drag queen. Added on top the poor ergonomics (poorly designed iDrive knob and unusable telematics) and the way too many buttons (suspension, engine power, traction control, SMG modes), I have much doubts.

Zlaatan

How did BMW fail? Looks - yes What else? A pathetic outcome??! Have you driven the M5? How many do you know of that has driven it? I have read about ONE person that has even sat in one..

Regarding the SMG. How can you guys say it's crap when your argument is "I've been in an M3 with SMG and it sucks" I got a ride in a 69' Ford Fairline and that auto took like 4sec to shift and therefore, the auto tranny in the new Mondeo is just as bad... A bit exaggerated I know but the SMGIII isn't even close to SMGII. It's a whole new tranny. Regarding the jerkiness, there are 11 different "modes" for the SMG (both the SMGII and SMGIII), 6 for sequential (sp?) and 5 for auto, where the first mode allows slow but smooth shifts and mode 6 is fast and harsh. Try shifting fast with a manual without getting that "jerk".

My point, don't flame something when you don't know anything about it..

Jon200

SLR for me though :p

Jon200

it doesn't matter how the horses are made, as long as they are made

Is the Skyline GTR engine impressive enough for u because it uses FI and will known to be one of the best engines ever made

Jon200

I think there will be a high power NA from Benz very soon. I read somewhere that the engine used in forthcoming baby McLaren will be used by Benz

BoBcanada

Guys do you see Z10 around? Noooooooooo Until they release one, Mercedes will produce flying machines lol.....

secret

Mark....Email me!!! shelbyspeer@yahoo.com

novit360

e55 and the new m5 are both great cars, as much as I love my E55 with an extra 80HP, I am also on the list for the new M5.

SLK55_AMG

whats your bad experience with the damn 745 dude?

BoBcanada

Well it was 2002 one of the first ones in Toronto, and it was ok for a while, then i started getting flat tires measage all the time, then my Idrive started to balck out, they changed my transmition, lots of spark missfires, I dont remember all the other details, i wrote BMW Canada, they gave me some lame answer, then i wanted to sue them, but decided not to waste my time...and sold it to some guy, He sold it after 6 month of driving got a new one tho...so i'm not going back to BMW anytime soon....Soon I'm goign to trade in my ML55 to CLK55 or E55.... I think they are perfect gorgeous cars!!!

Talos

There are also hundreds of "horror stories" for the S-Class... every once in awhile, you get a bad apple when you buy German.

BoBcanada

Not as much as new 7...

Belmondo

First: your quote;
" The joy of driving an M car is to redline it in every gear, and listen to the engine sing."

Every ricer with fart-can for exhaust is EXPERIENCING tremendous JOY when they redline their Civics. THe joy of red-lining is not UNIQUE to any particular car. Therefore it does not add anything new to the description in your quote.

Second:
E55 is a beautiful car that will leave you in da dust whether you red-line or not . Pure and simple.