GS Vs. E550 Vs. M45 Vs. 550i

Although all the faces here are familiar, the only one that’s a real rerun is the Infiniti M45. As faster horses go, it’s essentially the same steed we tested in a May 2005 comparison [“Spoilsport Sedans”] that involved variants of all the cars assembled here, as well as four others. You might wonder why the M45 made the cut for this smaller field when it’s no faster or newer than our 2005 test car. Here’s the answer: The M45 emerged at the top of the charts in that ’05 showdown, and it returns to defend its title against even tougher competition.

Once our elite little herd was rounded up, we piled in and headed for the green hills of southeast Ohio. With daytime temperatures and humidity cooking near the 100 mark, we rode ’em hard. When we got back to Rancho Hogback and tallied up the score cards, there were some surprises, including a near photo finish. Also, pursuant to Mr. Hall’s advice concerning faster horses, we discovered one big truth: None of these cars will stem the advance of middle age. But any one of them will make the going a lot more pleasurable, some more than others. Which is which? Read on. As for the younger women, etc., we leave those to you.

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luvmybmrluvmybmr - 10/18/2006 5:18:50 PM
0 Boost
M45 (1st)
550i (2nd)
MB (3rd)
Lexus (4th)


kart1kart1 - 10/19/2006 10:20:37 AM
+1 Boost
Posted weeks ago.


luvmybmrluvmybmr - 10/19/2006 10:52:44 AM
-1 Boost
but its still nice to see lexus last :)


kart1kart1 - 10/19/2006 12:18:23 PM
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Yeah and the BMW won???


luvmybmrluvmybmr - 10/19/2006 12:34:59 PM
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did better than the lexus didnt it?


luvmybmrluvmybmr - 10/19/2006 3:33:46 PM
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Will,
you cant accept the fact that infiniti was just a better overall car. and if you read the article you would see where they all lost their points.

but once again like i stated b4, 1st place or not.. it was still better then the lexus.

oh and btw these guys are pro's, something that most of us on this website cant claim, i believe u included.

and the worst part is that lexus did worse then MB... the car company u guys bash so much.. ha .. ha.. ha


BMW530iBMW530i - 10/19/2006 3:53:26 PM
+3 Boost
Luvmybmr,

Car and Driver is pretty sports biased. Naturally, cars like the E-Class or GS won't fare too well with their handling tests etc.

If they'd tested comfort instead, you can be sure that the E-Class and GS would have been in the top two spots. Generally, folks shopping for these two cars are less sports-minded than the guys going for the BMW or Infiniti.


I95SPEEDINGTICKETSI95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 10/19/2006 8:34:49 AM
+1 Boost
No wonder you guys think the 5-series is Ugly, That is the ugliest 5 I have ever seen; To think that was a 550. over here most 525s have the M-Sport BodyKit even 525ds

Example
http://www.bramleyweb.co.uk/carsales/details.asp?StockID=1535

On most Listings you can click on the Pictures to Enlarge them


S4cabriofoxS4cabriofox - 10/19/2006 11:45:17 PM
+2 Boost
"Performance hybrid. It's meant for power, not efficiency."

And yet, it's less powerful than both the MB and the BMW. The Infiniti is slightly less powerful (335hp < 339hp), but it's also a sportier car.


AmazingBimmerAmazingBimmer - 10/19/2006 10:24:30 AM
+2 Boost
wha tis with these less than intelligent reporters and idrive. I learned mine in less than a week (mastered). It is so easy.. I guess like all BMW owners, a brain helps here. How stupid are these people?


Designer1Designer1 - 10/19/2006 11:48:15 AM
-1 Boost
Its so funny, Lexus has ALWAYS been compared against bigger engines and they expect it to win? lol

People, let BMW/MB/Infiniti make the same engine size and hybrid (to he havier) and THEN compare the cars together. The GS450 is equated to have the power of a 4.5 V8 (found in the M45) BUT not the same performace it can't because the car is havier!!

Personally I don't like the idea of the GS450 I think its a waste of money to spend on that car with almost no trunk. But for someone who wants power and some fuel economy then the GS450 is the one. But for once I wish the Lexus comparison is done fair with having the same type of car with the same engine sizes, then let's see where it will rank.
This test is truly meaningless, E550 = 5.5 V8, 550i = 5.8 V8 and M45 = 4.5 V8, and all three are lighter than the GS450, nothing matches.


luvmybmrluvmybmr - 10/19/2006 12:51:25 PM
+1 Boost
correction

bmw 550i = 4.8L v8, not a 5.8 :)


BMW530iBMW530i - 10/19/2006 2:19:02 PM
+2 Boost
Yeah, it is unfair to compare the GS450h to these but let's get one thing straight:

The GS450h has the early acceleration advantage because of its electric motors. It has the power right there, available at the push of a button.

In the 5, M and E, you need to step on the pedal and the power buildup isn't as quick as in an electric motor. Fuel needs to be injected, the pistons rotate up and down and slowly power is built up. Not the case with the GS450h.

So yeah, unfair, but again, the GS450h should lead the acceleration race for the first few seconds I imagine.


RefuGRefuG - 10/19/2006 2:23:25 PM
+2 Boost
Couple weeks ago there was comparisson between E320, GS300 and 528i. I thought this was unfair comparisson because BMW was only 2.8L, other two were 3.0 & 3.2, but Lexus fans didnt agree wit me, so I dont agree wit you Designer1.


G


1970toyotamarc1970toyotamarc - 10/19/2006 4:00:04 PM
+2 Boost
"the 450h is in a class by itself"

Very good point.

Which is why comparsion tests (esp by biased mags like C&D) are so worthless.

The 450h has completely different goals from these other cars. Clean emissions, better fuel economy (even 3-4 mpg is a big percentage improvement in this class of cars)+performance and luxury. None of these other vehicles have that complete package.


RefuGRefuG - 10/20/2006 9:45:19 AM
+1 Boost
Wilco

This is what Designer1 posted, so thats why Im defending my previous post, no offense to you.

"Its so funny, Lexus has ALWAYS been compared against bigger engines and they expect it to win?"


G


kart1kart1 - 10/19/2006 3:44:11 PM
+1 Boost
When Edmunds.com tested the GS430 they put it above the Acura RL and The Infinit M45 sport in the three car comparo.

Check it out:

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpcontainers/do/vdp/articleId=104808/pageNumber=2


1970toyotamarc1970toyotamarc - 10/19/2006 4:04:05 PM
+1 Boost
nice link, hadnt read that one before. Seems like Edmunds' biggest complaint was the lack of VDIM shutoff, which of course has been added for 2007.


BMW4me4everBMW4me4ever - 10/19/2006 4:18:00 PM
+1 Boost
I am so lost by some of the comments on here. Lexus has only one model in this class of car. Unfortunately it is their hybrid. Even when lexus brings out the GS460, it still wont compete jin the sports sedan segment. It may finish 3rd instead of 4th. The reason why it lost was due to the fact of poor handling. This was a sports sedan competition.

As far as the BMW 550 goes, it lost purely due to price. I am still trying to figure out why BMW hard loaded the 550. They should have had it with the sports package, premium sound, navigation , cold weather package, & auto which would have come in with a price of $66,620 vs the $70k plus car with active cruise control ..... As the performance and handling stats show, BMW is the one to beat .......


lexusis350lexusis350 - 10/19/2006 5:51:45 PM
+1 Boost
I wouldn't put too much thought into this article. If you want true results, you should have a person who has never driven any of the cars. This was most likely written/reviewed by a person who doesn't like Lexus. I've driven all of these except for the M45 and let me tell you, Lexus wouldn't have been last.


BMW530iBMW530i - 10/19/2006 8:09:44 PM
-2 Boost
Yeah, with a screen name like "Lexus IS350", we can tell which car you will be putting in first place...


kart1kart1 - 10/19/2006 9:31:21 PM
+2 Boost
And with a name like "BMW 530i" I wonder which one you would put on top ;).


BMW530iBMW530i - 10/20/2006 8:24:44 AM
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LOL :p

Trust me Kart, just because I have a BMW name doesn't mean I would pick the BMW as the winner. I like BMW, but I am not one of those blind fanboys.

On the other hand, your buddy LexusIS350 has shown ZERO APPRECIATION for other brands. To him, Lexus is God. ;)


lexusis350lexusis350 - 10/22/2006 4:01:04 PM
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I have respect for plenty of other brands. It just so happens that I don't see any reason to respect German brands. I respect Cadillacs, I don't like them, but they aren't too bad. But the majority of the car brands that I respect aren't luxury brands. In fact, the car brand that I think is the greatest engine maker in the world is Honda. All of my respect goes to Honda. Don't get me wrong, I like Lexus a lot too, but Honda is really good at what they do. So BMW530i, you're a (as you would say) troll who doesn't know anything about cars and just likes whatever daddy will buy for him.


S4cabriofoxS4cabriofox - 10/19/2006 11:49:04 PM
+1 Boost
"The MB blows everyone else away in this race, but the BMW barely edged out the GS."

It may appear this way because the Mercedes was in the 4's, but that's an optical illusion. I don't think 0.4 second discrepancy between the Mercedes and BMW is much bigger than 0.3 between BMW and Lexus! So, if you were to say the Mercedes blew the BMW away, the BMW blew the Lexus away too, or vice versa.

But seriously-- 4.8, for a non-AMG E-Class? Madness! E63 who?


S4cabriofoxS4cabriofox - 10/19/2006 11:47:22 PM
+1 Boost
Wow, Lexus drivers can be so defensive!

It's pretty hilarious.

Will especially, Lexuses are good cars, but they're not excusable for their downfalls, and neither are the other brands!


2JZSoarer2JZSoarer - 10/20/2006 1:12:27 AM
+1 Boost
I'm sick of seeing these dumb car magazines testing the GS450h against other lighter,V8 cars.Just to make the others look faster and better handling!Why don't they just wait till the more powerful and lighter GS460 comes out!!


BMW530iBMW530i - 10/20/2006 9:57:00 AM
+1 Boost
I'm sick of seeing these dumb car magazines testing the GS450h against other lighter,V8 cars just to make the others look faster and better handling...
===========================================

So IN YOUR MESSED-UP OPINION, this is why Car and Driver included the Lexus? To make it look bad?

You just lost even more credibility with this ridiculous claim...


luvmybmrluvmybmr - 10/20/2006 11:26:43 AM
+2 Boost
bmw530i,
the reason the lexus is tested against the v8's is because thats what lexus claims. that its a v8 disguised as a v6.


luvmybmrluvmybmr - 10/20/2006 11:53:34 AM
+2 Boost
^^ correction to that bmw530i, i didnt notice that you were quoting someone else, so you can disregard the above post


BMW530iBMW530i - 10/20/2006 3:03:25 PM
+1 Boost
;)


2JZSoarer2JZSoarer - 10/20/2006 10:05:00 PM
+1 Boost
MDalle you may be right about the V6 reving up quicker but the GS450h has more weight than those other cars!
The GS450h has the gasoline engine,two electric motors and a very large HV battery.The aluminum V8 in those other cars are very simular in weight to the V6 alone of the GS450h..I'm not making excuses for the GS450h being a bit slower than those other vehicle but it's not in the same class weight wise..


2JZSoarer2JZSoarer - 10/20/2006 10:24:07 PM
+1 Boost
Here is the curb weight of these vehicles:
3,814lbs BWM 550i,
3,885lbs MB E550,
4,005lbs Infiniti M45,
4,134lbs Lexus GS450h-Most weight due to the hybrid system.



2JZSoarer2JZSoarer - 10/20/2006 10:31:57 PM
+1 Boost
My mistake the GS has one electric motor!
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