race7117

How was the 4 wheel drive system? Love the idea of being able to switch on and off

ipse dixit

Works great.

When it's decoupled the car drives just like a pure RWD setup (which it is). Aside from the added weight, when decoupled there is no difference than a straight up RWD setup.

br911

^agree. I tried a couple of times today. Easy to switch 2WD/4WD. Cool feature and the car is so heavy anyway that the additional weight is no big deal, it seems.

Sound in Sport Plus is quite aggressive, but I guess AMG's hire some maestros for their exhaust tones.

I agree with some observations above. Between E63S and M5, it's a matter of taste, but at this price range, for this segment, nothing beats these 2 cars, I believe. Similar driving experience only with the higher up Pannys or Bentley for way more $.

AhsanU

I'd take a Panamera 4S over an M5.. and that's exactly what I did recently. I got a killer deal on the 4S that's completely loaded, so I couldn't pass it up. In retrospect, it may have been a bit better to pony up the money and buy a Turbo for the 8 cylinder sound/power, but the 4S delivers plenty of poke and with just an ECU tune, can push out 570bhp very easily.

BMW M's don't hold value in the slightest (at least the newer ones definitely don't) and usually are plagued with some sort of factory issue. The F80 M3 that I stepped out of had crank hub issues, and now there's a recall for the carbon fiber driveshaft for 2 MY's. The new M5 will have its inevitable issues, and BMW will fight you tooth and nail to not foot the bill. BMW flags cars with aftermarket intakes, and then proceed to inform the owner that their warranty is void because of a simple intake - it's ridiculous, I didn't know an intake could somehow cause exhaust valves to start failing! The E46 M3 had subframe cracks, E92 had rod bearing issues, and so forth. For peace of mind, I will avoid any and all things BMW related.

While I like the interior of the new 5 series and feel it's quite luxurious, it just doesn't impress. It feels as if it was made to sell to the masses as a safe bet, the new BMW 3 series further reiterates this notion as it's a style that isn't offensive in the slightest, but in doing so it's become a snooze fest and a boring car that I wouldn't even remotely want to own. The performance numbers are impressive for the M5.. but that's not what I'm looking for in a DD/luxury sedan. The M5, despite inherently being a 5 series at heart, still does not ride so well and doesn't take bumps well either. The Panamera 4S that I recently picked up rides like an absolute champion. It may not have the best acceleration figures, nor does it have an exhaust note that's worth writing home to, but it does drive extremely smoothly and it the interior quality is a step above what BMW's currently offering IMO.

Only thing I don't like: the gearing feels unnecessarily short in the 4S, but I may have become far too used to the 991 GT3.. also, the single turbo Panamera 4 sounds waaaay better than the 2.9L V6 that's in the 4S/Audi RS5. The driving experience isn't as great as the M5, but that's not what I'm looking for when I'm hauling family/kids. The Panamera is safe, luxurious, has plenty of technology, looks better, and attracts far fewer douchebags that love to rev/race a BMW M car when they see one.

Black on black.

C.J. Ichiban

can't argue that the 400+HP pan 4s is or isn't a good car- it's just hard to ignore the peer pet dollar factor that E63 and M5 have going for them...

personally I like the styling of the Sport Turismo. that's my panamera of choice.

Bruce R

That's a keeper then!

strettyend

I loved the E63 but found it nowhere near as comfy as the M5 on crappy NJ and northeast roads. After a year of having the GT3 as my only car I was ready for my 'other' car to take the comfort level up several notches. So far it has been great.

Jzips

Jimmy-D

Agree 100%

Bought a CPO 2015 550I in March for 40,000. Original sticker was $79,000. Had every bell and whistle plus my favorite color- Space Gray

The only cars I have bought new were .1 GT3, GT4 and my .2 GT3. Every other car I buy is a year or two old and I do my due diligence.

pitt911

because I do 95 % of my driving during the week . I had the F10 m5 , and currently drive the E 63 S, and I can tell you they are a blast to drive

ajag

This. I just can't justify the depreciation on the AMG/M/RS cars anymore for a daily, I'd rather DD an SUV honestly and have more of a dichotomy in my garage.

C5driver

The appeal is in the contrast. I have an F13 M6 and while it's heavy, it's also more comfortable cruising at speed and a rocketship, which is ultimately the purpose of a Gran Turismo. Power on demand, heated/cooling seats, 300 movies on the USB on tap to play on the widescreen display, cup holders, surrounded by leather and alcantara, amazing sound system, etc... It's an entirely different category of car and entirely different purpose.

strettyend

My family lives a few states away and so I generally need to do a 3+ hour long highway bomb at least once every month now. Being able to do that in a 600 horsepower large sedan that can carry people and luggage, with every technological bell and whistle, all-wheel drive and elevated levels of comfort is actually a very nice experience. Sure I could have gotten a regular 5-series but the added level of performance of the M5 ensures I'm not bored to tears when I am away for the weekend and can't reach for the keys to my GT3.

reacher

Because the bar is set high by my Porsches and I want the best I can get for daily driving. That's why I have an X5M with 733hp, I want all my driving to be fun, I don't want to settle for less when I take the kids to school or go on road trips. I want something that is fast and sporty, I don't want something that is quiet and economical. Quiet and economical = boring.

I also have a Ford Raptor that I daily most of the time now (my fiancee stole the X5M), and that is fun in its own right. It definitely isn't quiet and economical, though. It's just fun. When you spend hours in traffic you want something that you really enjoy being in.

DNSGT3

I tried the new M5 at a dealership event. For the street, it is the ultra-fast, all-in-1 type of sedan. Way better performance-wise comparing to a normal 5 series without losing much of the comfort.
For someone that have to drive a family sedan and still loves driving, this is the one to get - if you can live with the depreciation.