Has BMW's New 5 Series Finally Stolen The Crown From The E-Class?

I don't know which one I hate more...they are both not very emotional and have a stoic sense of German boring!

German boring can also be deemed as "all business, no frills"

so which $50-70K sedan would you buy?

asking a question gets deboosted? bizarre.

pennfootball: what sedan would YOU buy for $50-70k if not one of these?

Can't say I like the way either looks in that photo.

Interior design is close, but there's no comparison on the outside. The BMW blows away the E Class. I think it will be the best looking vehicle in this segment. Btw, I didn't know the E Class had a/the "crown" to begin with...

I didnt know it held the crown either

I think the BMW has harnessed the aggressiveness w/o the sharp boxy lines like the E-class. I only like the E-coupe i am not a fan of the sedan at all. also if you look at the L.E.D fog lights on the E-class it looks like they are out of place a little "AUDI-ish" to me. but the Eclass does hold weight in this category but i would have to take the 5 series because of its more cleaner and ghostly aggresive look it has.

I just hope they dont screw up the M5

With "crown" they're probably referring to the spectacular balance the E-Class usually has. The balance between luxury, sport, comfort, refinement, safety and such. Most reviews will tell you that the E-Class is a car that does everything right and nothing wrong, yet in a quiet sort of way. It's no secret that Audi or BMW offerings will be more dynamic, but they usually fall short in the comfort balance. As a man of 55 years, and, having owned a lot of German cars in the past, I feel I can make this comment and agree with most magazines regarding these traits.

Styling wise I find both cars very attractive, inside and out.

How does the E-class beat the A6 comfort wise? Must be the fake leather...

The 5 is definitely nicer than the E. The E's interior is just UGLYYYYY, and the rear end looks like its made to be a taxi, there's nothing attractive about it.

Really? Because here in Munich where I live they use a lot of BMW 5-Series and even 3-Series (and a couple of 7-Series) as taxis too.

What a stupid comment from you.

Wake me up when the news is on.

+1 Benz Front/BMW Front -1
+1 BMW Rear/Benz Rear -1
+1 BMW Interior/Benz Interior -1

BMW is better looking and more resolved. MB once had distinctive, clean design; now it's a jumble. Not a breakthrough, but the F10 design is one that will age well.

BMW is the winner here and by a significant margin..The new 5 series is possibly the best sedan in the market...We will wait for the M5 which might become the best car in the market period..

Both cars are great and both pretty much set the standard for this segment. The Bimmer has always been more focused on the driver (driving experience) whereas the Merc has always been the more balanced car (somebody already mentioned this). In that order of ideas, I'd stick to the Mercedes, while I acknowleadge that this is more of a subjective decision.

5-series hands down. here's why...

1. sportier looking. it looks like it could out-handle and out-accelerate the E while standing still

2. the 5-series character lines are cleaner. the E looks a little choppy, especially the rear quarter.

3. the 5 interior is also cleaner and more organic. once again, the E is looking cluttered.

and, without even driving them, we all know which one will be more fun to drive!

the E is great for a little older crowd while the 5 will remain the choice of a younger, more sporting group.

one more thing....those seats in the E are SAD. they look like something out of mid-80s mercedes.

"the E is great for a little older crowd while the 5 will remain the choice of a younger, more sporting group."

Hilarious.

pretty much across the board comparable BMW models average buyer is 10 years younger than a benz buyer. true for the S vs 7 and especially true for the E vs the 5.

not really hilarious, just factual. but if it gives you a good laugh, ok.

Just give me the new upcoming A6 already!

Is it just me or does the 5-series have kind of a sh*t eating grin on it's face? Like it knows it's better than that hard-edged E-Class...either way, I think the previous generation looked better up front (especially the M5).

The E's interior is simply awful looking in pictures. I know I have read several articles that say it's top notch, but in pictures it's disgraceful.

SHOWTIME: You are 100% right but you did not put this:
+1 BMW Profile/Benz Profile -1. Regarding the interior I have mixed feelings, I prefer the retractable display cause I have childrens and I consider that the location of the cupholders in the BMW is not the best place. The materials are the same but I prefer the design of the Bimmer and the Dynamics seats of the benz, Sadly I do not know if they still offering those. Regarding the Crown: Do you know what the taxi drivers said about the E: This is the most reliable car for this kind of task, Audi A6, BMW 5 series are good cars, but in this kind of task you need the the one that last longer, the most comfortable, the most reliable and in this case the Benz, (it is more expensive and do not turns as the other 2) but is the best. When You want a good car, not so small as a C or 3 series and so expensive as the S or 7, pay attention on what the taxi drivers say. In any country the Taxi drivers will pick the best car for the job, and they won't care as we about emotions or designs, they will pick the one that last longer and requires less attention. That's why they pick the E. I undertand that no body wants a taxi, then buy AMG accessories or and Of course if I you pick the 5 , that will be with sport package. Both cars are great, I am MB fan but this time I am almost sure the M5 will have my heart. the only thing that I do not like of the front is the hood, the rest is very nice..the car looks outstanding and I am sure the performance will be excellent...and finaly I can say, they'll have a lot of torque in the new M5..

Are we talking about the "german crown", because if so they are pretty much the same. If we are talking about "the crown" for best overall luxury sport sedan, then neither one of these cars holds it to begin with.

Yea, let's argue semantics there PerformanceGuy....*sarcasm*. Your input is nothing more than subjective.

PerformanceGuy: overall "luxury sport sedan": Panamera Turbo S or CTS V?
Car and Driver say that for now till we see the new M5, (keep in mind that the are always biased) thrust in numbers; E63 is the best but I disagree I do belive that the Panamera Turbo is the King. A regular A6, BMW 5 or E are not Luxury Sport Sedans. The compare that is coming is AMG E63 Vs M5 Vs RS6 Vs Panamera Turbo Vs CTS V.....that will be very interesting.

What Crown did the E Class hold, the 5 series beats in comparison tests, and here in the US has outsold for quite some time now

Maybe you should stop reading "BMW and Driver" and read some magazines that don't focus on sport but overall practicality. Because here the E-Class regularly whoops the 5er. More interior space, comfort, bigger trunk and bigger payload capacity. These are things that actually matter to most people - not razor-sharp handling.

Oh, and in the German press the 5er usually never wins against the E-Class when tested from this standpoint.

lol I love unfounded ignorrant comments, I tell you what wears your comparisons to back that, do me a favor try doing something, do a little research before you respond, in fact just google comparisons between the 2, the e class is typically a back pack finisher either even the latest generation. The 5 series consistantly wins 1st or 2nd, and in most comparisons it loses 1st due to price. Im not saying the E class is a bad car(maybe reliability wise)but it really represents a traditional luxury car and it does well at that, but a class leader it certainly isnt, and if it ever was it hasnt been in years........

The 5er does look nice

BMW is looking so much better than korean-looking E class. Even BMW's interior is looking better.

JUGNU

Lets look at it from all angles:

Front:

BMW looks elegant, Mercedes looks aggressive.. how ironic. It's a draw from me.

Rear:

The E class has lost it back there.. Just the LED lighting of the 5 series destroys the E class. BMW wins this one.

Interior:

Who could have thought BMW would ever pull a nicer looking interior than Mercedes? It looks much, much better. BMW wins here.

Fuel Economy:

As the article states, the BMW has a better fuel economy. BMW wins.

Performance:

The BMW is 0.5 seconds faster to 60, and has a 20hp advantage. BMW wins here again.

Comfort:

I'm expecting the Merc to be better here, because if it isn't then the new E class is a total failure. MB wins here.

Overall:

BMW clearly.

The new E-Class looks pedestrian. I've felt that way since it came out. I think I am inclined to agree that for the first time, the 5-Series looks better all around.

wow...i like both companies but theyre both goin in the wrong direction. Always dreamed of having an m3 or c63, but then realized there just so simple, nothing different than the normal models, except for the power...If i wanted a generic car wit ridiculus power, id get the CTS-V coupe, atleast it looks sporty

i like both cars but i favor the benz more due to the fact that it has the sharp lines that make the care look more aggressive and that's what i like (the aggressive look). not taking nothing away from the bimmer but i prefer the outgoing 5 to this because of the sharp lines.

The BMW wins overwhelmingly inside and out. My jaw actually dropped as I scrolled down the article and saw BMW's interior first, then Merc's; the lighting could be part of it, but it felt like stepping from a mansion into a McMansion; I really would not have guessed it was a Merc without the logo on the steering wheel.

The 5er's exterior also looks unified and "complete"; the E, like nearly all Mercs today (except a few like the CL), is a disjointed mess of angles and disparate panels. With previous designs, I used to call them Mercedes "everything must curve" Benz; now everything is a harsh line! Why can't they strike a middle ground, something BMW and Audi have become quite good at now (or like they have on their own CL?!)

Even though I currently drive a Benz I actually like the new 5. I probably wouldnt purchase one but I do like it. I think the front end of the E is better. I don't like the rear of it at all. I think that BMW nailed the interior too. My question is how will the reliability be? I think that MB will upgrade its 3.5 engine and give us a bit more power too. I think that the E will be more comfortable and a more comfortable drive too.
T

This is a hard one. I'll have to wait until I see the 5 in person. Right now the E-class is my benchmark.

Both cars are winners and look great.

Since I haven't driven the new 5-Series I will not say which car I want.

Both cars look good. I have sat in the new E-class a few times and would agree that the interior is very nice. I do like the overall look of the coupe as well. Looking forward to sit in the new BMW when it comes out.