22 Votes

2009 BMW 750Li vs. Mercedes Benz S550

JRobUSC submitted on 4/3/2009 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 7:31:22 PM

42 user comments | Category: Reviews | Source: | SOURCE: www.caranddriver.com

Tag Links: BMW, 7-Series, 750, MB, Mercedes, S-class, S550

Comparison test of the new 750 with the Benz S550.

Very positive review. Coupled with the absolutely glowing Edmunds.com Inside Line article from a few weeks ago (http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=143826, "the BMW flagship is once again one of the finest, most likable automobiles in the world... It rates with the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG at a price tag less than a Mercedes S550.") it looks like BMW has a real winner here.

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— JRobUSC (View Profile)

User Comments

Both cars are absolutely sweet, but I want the BMW :-D
— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/3/2009 8:00:25 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6

These cars leave very large carbon footprints. No one questions that, why?
— inspirion7 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/7/2009 2:27:47 PM | | Votes: -1

oh please..."carbon footprint?" drinkin' way too much kool-aid. cars...all cars...are horrible for the environment. you're kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

find me a 3,500lbs + hunk of metal that's shipped across oceans and burns gasoline that DOESN'T leave a hideous carbon footprint. and in the case of a prius, there's also that fun toxic 150lbs. battery that's made of strip-mined metal. yeah, that's really gentle on the environment.
— enthusiastx11 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/7/2009 8:22:22 PM | | Votes: 2

"As a synthesis of power and grace and ease and prestige, the new 7-series demands that we reset our calipers, raise our ceilings and throw out our measuring sticks. There is now a new standard."
— America (View Profile)

Posted on 4/3/2009 8:04:51 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

nice, I'd like to read the review that quote appeared in, where was it?
— JRobUSC (View Profile)

Posted on 4/3/2009 8:22:51 PM | | Votes: 0

I liked this one, from the Edmunds article:

"Most of us who drove the 2009 BMW 750i came away thinking we'd driven an even more expensive car. Upon hearing our tester rang in at 'only' $89,870, the 7 Series started to seem like a bargain given its eye-popping performance, car-shrinking handling and a cabin that beautifully blends technology and luxury."
— JRobUSC (View Profile)

Posted on 4/3/2009 8:32:31 PM | | Votes: 2

— JRobUSC

| nice, I'd like to read the review that quote appeared in, where was it?

Here:

"Sadly, though, the 7-series is let down by two things. First of all, BMW makes much noise, quite rightly, about the inherent sportiness of all its cars. But sportiness is all wrong in a car like this. It’s like buying a coat when you want a tablecloth. Yes, it has great steering, great reactions and great urgency, but they all come at a price. And the price is comfort and quietness. Put simply, a Mercedes is a more relaxing ride and in a big, very wide, very heavy and completely unsporting package, that’s what you want."

Article: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article5676222.ece
— MrBratwurst (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 12:41:27 PM | | Votes: -5

MrBratwurst

The review you are quoting is a 730d not the 750.
— theoptimisticpessimist (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 2:02:20 PM | | Votes: 5

Bratwurst, when I'm 60 maybe that's what I'll want in a car, in which case I probably wouldn't get a Benz, I'd get a Lexus. Until then I do want sporty, even in my luxury car, and that's why I like the 7-Series. BTW, Edmunds said the interior of the 7-Series was quieter than the Benz. And the suspension is adjustable. So I can choose how sporty I want the ride, and the car is quieter, and it's faster and nicer inside... which is why I like it more. You are free to like whichever one you want.
— JRobUSC (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 2:41:33 PM | | Votes: 4

— theoptimisticpessimist

| The review you are quoting is a 730d not the 750.

750 is likely even harder cause it's a more powerful, faster car.

— JRobUSC

| Bratwurst, when I'm 60 maybe that's what I'll want in a car, in which
| case I probably wouldn't get a Benz, I'd get a Lexus.

Oh please stop this, it's not even funny.

| BTW, Edmunds said the interior of the 7-Series was quieter than the
| Benz.

Stop making things up!

2009 BMW 750i
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 66.7

Mercedes-Benz S550
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 62

Since decibels are logarythmic scale, it means the S-class is about TWO-THREE TIMES quieter inside than 750i which positions it in the another leage of soundproofing.

| And the suspension is adjustable.

It is not. Only dampers are and you can't change coil spring characteristics by regulating them, you can only slightly adjust damping and rebound forces.

| So I can choose how sporty I want the ride

See above. You can't.

| and the car is quieter

See above. It isn't.

References:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=108988/pageId=68239
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FullTests/articleId=143826/pageId=162964
— MrBratwurst (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 4:39:17 PM | | Votes: -6

First, get down off your soapbox -- don't portend to tell me what I want and don't want in a car. I want sporty. I like sporty. Even in a luxury car. Who are you to sit there and tell me otherwise?

As for the rest of what you said, I guess Car & Driver lied when THEY said the interior of the 750Li was quieter than the S (when reviewing the S550 - "It’s quiet back there, too, though not as quiet inside as the BMW, whose hushed interior rivals Lexus LS sedans"). I guess all the other magazines also lied when they said you could adjust the firmness of the ride with the adaptive drive. I guess when I physically DROVE the new 750 myself and physically changed the drive characteristics (again, myself, in person) and felt the difference in the way the car felt and drove, that I was hallucinating.

Or maybe you're wrong and everyone else was right. Which is more likely, that one anonymous hater on the internet is wrong and every other source is correct? Or vice versa? I'm gonna go with the former.

Go buy what you want. I'll buy what I want.
— JRobUSC (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 4:49:46 PM | | Votes: 6

MrBratwurst-

"750 is likely even harder cause it's a more powerful, faster car."

There is nothing hard about this car at all. I have spent some quality time behing the wheel of the new 750i and Li. The cars are brilliant. quiet, refind, powerful. If you don't like the ride just change the setting.

Go drive one and see for yourself.

— theoptimisticpessimist (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 5:17:59 PM | | Votes: 6

— JRobUSC:

| First, get down off your soapbox -- don't portend to tell
| me what I want and don't want in a car.

Are you all right? Do you really think that I care what you want?
BTW, I never did what you suggested so i just can't the point if this attack.

| I want sporty. I like sporty. Even in a luxury car. Who are you to sit
| there and tell me otherwise?

You suffer from some sort of delusion others are interested in your will.

| As for the rest of what you said, I guess Car & Driver lied when THEY
| said the interior of the 750Li was quieter than the S (when reviewing
| the S550 - "It’s quiet back there, too, though not as quiet inside as
| the BMW, whose hushed interior rivals Lexus LS sedans").

Well, I downloaded THEIR OWN RESULT SHEETS where they filled in "true 70 sound level" fields with numbers. And, oh, those for the BMW were higher than those for the Merc. Which complies with what Edmunds found.

Kinda makes them look like idiots, doesn't it?

Source:
http://www.caranddriver.com/content/download/149304/2058972/version/1/file/MercedesBenzS550Comparo2009.pdf
http://www.caranddriver.com/content/download/149305/2058975/version/1/file/BMW750LiComparo2009.pdf

| I guess all the other magazines also lied when they said you could
| adjust the firmness of the ride with the adaptive drive.

You can adjust firmness. You can't change suspension setup and characteristics (unless you have air spring).

| I guess when I [...]

I'm not interested in your opinion, it just isn't a credible source of information for me. Examples of those that are:
- direct measurements
- scientific, peer reviewed research
- laws of physics

| Or maybe you're wrong and everyone else was right. Which is more
| likely, that one anonymous hater on the internet

You have a problem again. I quote sources. You don't. Thus you're calling me "one anonymous hater" in order to diminish veracity of what I post.
— MrBratwurst (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 6:04:57 PM | | Votes: -4

Bratwurst, you are hilarious.

Why would I think you cared what I wanted or thought? Maybe because your initial reply above was to me, a reply you felt necessary to provide to a question that was asked to SOMEONE ELSE. I asked for the source of a very positive quote on the 750Li and you took it upon yourself to provide me a link to a non-positive one I didn't ask for, especially when I wasn't talking to you in the first place. A quote that talked about the 750Li being too sporty. So yes, you apparently did care. Which is why I said I like sporty. And I do.

Then I said I could make the car more or less sporty to my liking by adjusting the ride. You said I couldn't. Twice. Now you just agreed I can.

And I did quote a source, I quoted the C&D article that flat out said the BMW was quieter inside.

Anything else you want to be wrong about? Feel free, I have all day.
— JRobUSC (View Profile)

Posted on 4/5/2009 9:07:21 AM | | Votes: 4

Hey JRobUSC! It was in the LA Times.
— America (View Profile)

Posted on 4/8/2009 10:40:24 PM | | Votes: 2

ordinarily I'd ignore you since you're a troll, but just to dissuade any non-trolls from paying you any credence they actually stipulated in the review why they chose the vehicles they did -- because the S550 won the last comparison test it was in (which included the LS) and the 7-Series was new. In other words, they were testing the new 7-Series against the best of what was out before. The transitive property applies -- if the S550 beat the LS and the 750Li beat the S550, then the 750Li would beat the LS.
— JRobUSC (View Profile)

Posted on 4/3/2009 8:39:50 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6

No doubt the new 7-series is a nice vehicle. I am sure that at $90,000 it will be a good seller for BMW.
— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/3/2009 9:21:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

to compete with "luxury", the LS needs to increase its interior quality; yes, the LS is nice for a $65,000 car, but the interior is still a step behind the $90,000 cars. the rest of the interior needs to be as good as the mark levinson stereo.
— quizz (View Profile)

Posted on 4/3/2009 10:02:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

A fully loaded LS tops out at over $114,000. The BMW 750Li fully loaded is under $100,000. You would have to try very hard to get into an LS at $65,000. The Ls also came out in 2006, so the BMW should have some improvements over both the Lexus and Mercedes. Read some of the comments by "Top gear" and others. Not all the reviews are glowing for the BMW.
— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/3/2009 10:53:02 PM | | Votes: 0

A LS460 does NOT top out at 115k, a LS 600hl does.

A LS600hl does not compete with a 750 or S550, rather the 760 and S600.

S600 = 147k BASE
OLD 760LI was 125k BASE
LS600HL + ALL OPTIONS = 118k.

You can figure out what the S600 + 760li fully loaded will cost.
— kablaam (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 2:33:00 AM | | Votes: 6

There is no 760 for 2009 (I know you realize that). This post discusses the new 7-series, which is what I am comparing.
— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 5:07:06 AM | | Votes: -6

Then don't cherry pick a top-line LS model with the base-level 7 series.

LS460 vs 750

There will be a F01 760, tt v12 which will compete against your 6 figure LS600.

Fact is, traditionally MB will be more expensive then BMW which will be more expensive then Lexus. Audi is all over the place.
— kablaam (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 6:38:35 AM | | Votes: 4

david999, our local dealer hasn't had a new 750Li or 750i for less than 100k, so you are either a liar or you are ignorant. Either way, not cool.

"The BMW 750Li fully loaded is under $100,000." david999
— America (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 7:25:47 PM | | Votes: 2

One has to be a true Internet tool to bid which car is more pricey, right, kablaam and America?

If you buy shit paper, do you also overpay it because it feels, erm, prestigious?
— MrBratwurst (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 8:18:54 PM | | Votes: -1

America,
Check the BMW USA website before commenting you dope.
— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/5/2009 12:45:00 AM | | Votes: 1

All I did was correct an error. Please read before you comment on my comment, which was commenting on david's comment!. I never said one was better then the other, especially due to price. Coincidence may have it, I, and many others believe MB>BMW>Lexus when it comes to flagship luxury, not including the F01 model, since I have never had the privilege to drive it,yet.

Boob.
— kablaam (View Profile)

Posted on 4/5/2009 6:37:48 AM | | Votes: 2

david999: no other explanation, you're just an ass who hasn't the most basic grasp of logic. let us know when you can compose a coherent argument.
— enthusiastx11 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/7/2009 8:18:27 PM | | Votes: 3

you should take your own advice david: check the bmw website. a well-optioned 7 flies right over $100k. and fully optioned, the 7 is the same price as an LS600 at around $116,000. the new 760 will be far more than that.
— enthusiastx11 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/7/2009 8:29:16 PM | | Votes: 3

david999: my mistake. i just built a fully loaded 750li on bmwusa.com. it came out to $119,300. but well optioned, you can pick one up for just over a $100,000.
— enthusiastx11 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/7/2009 8:36:19 PM | | Votes: 3

Oh I get it david999, you are that impersonator that is trying to make lexus fanantics look even more stupid. Mission Accomplished.

FYI, mine came out like this on BMWUSA:

Total MSRP as Built: $116,420
— America (View Profile)

Posted on 4/8/2009 10:52:17 PM | | Votes: 2

I got that Car and driver in the mail last night. The BMW did win but it was far from a landslide.
If you look at the numbers the Mercedes is just as fast, just as comfortable and similarly priced. Performance figures between the two cars only differ by 0.1 secs in 0-60 and the quarter mile even though the BMW has turbos and more power. Same thing with braking. The Bimmers brakes are much bigger yet stopping distanaces were virtually the same.
Considering the Mercedes is about two years old now i'd say its holding up very well.
I admit I do like the look of the BMW (even though I think the grills are a little too large), the power and the new interior. I still think Mercedes is the standard that all luxury cars are judged by.
I'm also sure that when the updated S550 debuts in a few months the results of this comparo will switch.
Have a good night guys.

T
— TauronB2G (View Profile)

Posted on 4/3/2009 10:02:43 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

when the next S-class comes out I agree with you. What's coming out in a couple of months is just a facelift, I don't think it's going to reverse anything. Besides, by the end of the year the 7-Series gets all-wheel drive and an eight speed transmission, which will do more to change the car than anything Mercedes is doing with their facelift.
— JRobUSC (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 11:48:17 AM | | Votes: 2

Given a choice, i would take the Benz.
— hyundaifansdotcom (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 12:10:18 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

All hail the new king!
— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 3:07:40 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

MSRP means nothing if they continue to offer class leading incentives, lease deals and discounts. .9% financing, they make the first two payments and free maintenance. People are buying b/c its cheaper, not better.

If you talk to any Benz dealer, you can get 40k of list of a S 65!!!
— BarackBush (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 9:25:29 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

"MSRP means nothing if they continue to offer class leading incentives, lease deals and discounts. .9% financing, they make the first two payments and free maintenance. People are buying b/c its cheaper, not better."

That's pretty unlikely, seeing as how the ONLY thing the new 7-Series has out of everything you just said is the free maintenance.
— JRobUSC (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 10:05:27 AM | | Votes: 5

A very important point on noise levels in cars: the fact is that the same BMW and same MB can have vastly different noise levels even at the same speed...the reason is tires.

Different tire compounds can produce very different noises on various surfaces. Grippy, soft compund tyes that give great grip produce a loud rumble on some surfaces. That is why it is always tough to say which car is the quietest unless you driver them on the same tires, same road, same time. And even then, you get into areas such as what noises the human ear picks up and which ones it tunes out.
— BozzorTheGreat (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 7:39:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

The new 7 series looks way better than the doomed bangle butted previous generation. The interior wasn't the problem though. However since I've never owned a 7er before, which means I haven't been able to live with it in a day to day basis, the only sedans comparable would be the S and the LS. As for bargain pricing the BMW is for sure the better priced. However, the S has always been noticeably quieter, which what a luxury barge is all about. My choice would still be the S. But the 7 is definitely up there on my top list.

THUMBS UP TO THE 750LI AND BMW!!
— Agent63 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/4/2009 8:53:15 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

they're both fabulous cars. very impressive performance out of the 7-series though. net/net: if you value handling/performance, buy the 7. value supreme luxury/prestige more, buy the S.
— enthusiastx11 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/7/2009 8:24:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

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2009 BMW 750Li vs. Mercedes Benz S550

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