BMW M6 vs Mercedes-Benz CL500. Opposites

BMW M6. Price: 161,000 euros. On sale: since 2005;
Mercedes-Benz CL500. Price: from 131,000 euros. On sale: since 2006

BMW M6 vs Mercedes-Benz CL500
© Photo: 5 Koleso

Mercedes-Benz CL 500 and BMW M6: heirs to the debate over the philosophy of German speed! However, our story will not feature autobahns or the Nürburgring. There will be Nevsky Prospekt and the "Nevskoye Koltso" circuit in its declining era. The Gulf of Finland will gleam with steel, and slanting rain will sting us with December cold.

They are at the start, and they are very fast in their domains. But today they are somewhat uneasy about the conditions into which chance has thrown them. Organizing a head-to-head meeting of the German flagship coupes kept being postponed until it began to seem absurd: after all, it was already December. However, the natural cataclysms at the end of 2006 helped us and left the asphalt as asphalt. And the fact that the Nevskoye Koltso track exists remained a fact without weather interference.

Around zero. In the Neva delta, as always, there is wind. Today it is such that it makes raindrops fly almost horizontally at the moment they break against German steel. The BMW M6 and Mercedes-Benz CL 500, standing side by side, strangely enough, seem to the idle observer to be much closer competitors than they actually are. The BMW is slightly more compact, but that is not noticeable. What makes these cars antipodes, albeit from the same planet, is their technical content.

The BMW M6 is a phenomenal five-liter V10 with specific output exceeding one. Its 507 hp is achieved when all 10 throttle butterflies are fully open and the crankshaft rotates at 7750 rpm. Even the peak torque of this technological monster is pushed beyond 6000 rpm. The SMG transmission is an ultra-fast automated manual with a rigid clutch. The operation of this gearbox in active modes suggests that one of the passengers is busy firing a pump-action shotgun. Moreover, the M6's wheelbase is 17.5 centimeters shorter.

The Mercedes-Benz CL 500 has 388 hp culturally extracted from the same five liters. Here we are talking about a V8. The peak power of this engine is reached at a quite humane 6000 rpm, and the torque is even greater than that of its opponent. And it reigns in the rev range where the M6 is only parking: 2800-4800. With such a shelf of hefty torque of 530 Nm, the Mercedes has seven working gears of a traditional automatic. It turns out that this car can start intense acceleration at any moment, and from any position, despite a handicap of 200 kg.

BMW M6 vs Mercedes-Benz CL500
© Photo: 5 Koleso

Inside, the Mercedes is luxury, space, and most of the comfort options typical of government sedans. The steering wheel of decent diameter with wood trim was definitely not designed with the expectation that the driver of this car would engage in any active maneuvers. The CL is a full-fledged four-seat cruiser. In the back, it is comfortable and cozy. Light and spacious: you can even open the rear windows. The large coupe from Mercedes is ready to meet any universal human needs of its occupants, and it communicates with them in Russian. "Delay time for interior lighting shutdown." That was a quote from the display: one of many adjustable parameters. How about that?

BMW M6 vs Mercedes-Benz CL500
© Photo: 5 Koleso

The BMW M6 is not quite a four-seater. If you happen to travel on the rear bench of this racing car, be prepared for the fact that the lucky person in the front seat, returning it to its normal position, will press your knees to your ears and your feet to the floor. All the functionality and ergonomics here are up front. The pedal box, steering wheel, front seats: all of this is superbly adapted for a person of any build to drive the car in ideal conditions. Although minor ergonomic wishes remain: a more serious M5-style driver's seat would have been welcome.

In cold rainy weather, the grip of ultra-high-performance tires, hardened to the state of plastic, is low. Low-profile tires with a stiff sidewall, due to insufficient asphalt grip, practically do not experience slip angles before breaking into a slide. The M6, having such a hand, simply becomes ferocious. In the mode of maximum engine output, moderately fast shifts, and the stability system in "sport" mode, the car demands serious skills from the driver. No joke: in the current circumstances, it is impossible to floor the gas even in third gear. The rear of the car needs to be held even at high speeds, and all its breakaways must be corrected quickly and flawlessly.

I did not tempt fate by trying to exceed critical slip angles: bringing things to a spin or loss of control, in plain human terms. The guardrails of the Nevskoye Koltso, you know, are installed right at the edge of the asphalt. However, it does not seem that the driver electronics fully insure this car against loss of stability in such an unfavorable road scenario. And it is not a museum rarity in our latitudes. The 400 hp mode and gentle shifts are the setup in which you can get such pleasure from driving the M6 on cold asphalt that it does not too clearly threaten disaster. Unless, of course, you drive the M6 in between training sessions in formula cars.

The Mercedes accelerates smoothly and powerfully, and its transmission shifts are almost imperceptible. Meanwhile, its dynamics remain serious, and in the current weather conditions it is hardly inferior to its opponent's performance. The CL 500 is softer not only in suspension: in its entire being. Responses to the gas, reactions to steering, weight transfer from side to side during maneuvers: all of this is smoothed enough not to disturb the breakfast eaten by a passenger. The Mercedes is composed and comfortable. At the same time, it is excellently balanced, and driving it along a long arc is pleasant: light movements of the accelerator are enough to get both understeer and oversteer. "Losing" the car is practically impossible: the safety electronics allow you to feel slight slides and control them personally, but it cuts off any hints of loss of stability. The only thing it is powerless against is a serious excess of speed.

The Mercedes, in any conditions, will not demand anything from its owner except paying the bills for its upkeep. It will do everything possible so that, while behind this wheel, the driver does not have to think once again about what is under the wheels. The Mercedes CL is beautiful, comfortable, luxurious. And, of course, fast.

BMW M6 vs Mercedes-Benz CL500
© Photo: 5 Koleso

The BMW M6 will require from its owner driving skills and education to simply keep the car on the road. And it will provide him with all the necessary tools of the highest class.

A brilliant engine, fast transmission, sharp steering, powerful brakes, and an incomparable chassis. The M6 is a unique car. Soon it will become a legend, and it is not too inclined to compromise. Not many cars can compare with it on a mountain serpentine or a race track. In Russia, there is neither. In our conditions of straight roads intersecting at right angles and slush half the time, it, alas, will not be able to demonstrate even a third of its capabilities. All that will remain are the jolts of the SMG and the exciting explosions of throttle blips on downshifts. A happy Russian life with the M6 will require very great love for this car, while the CL, on the contrary, will itself begin to adore its owner with all its might.

MERCEDES-BENZ CL500

Driving

Excellent active chassis, superb stability systems. Comfort and handling.

Interior

Luxury and convenience. Sufficient space in the rear row of seats.

Comfort

Top-level comfort is provided by the active chassis, smooth gearbox operation, quiet engine, climate control, driver assistance systems, active seats...

Safety

The highest level of safety: passive and active.

Price

Justified.

BMW M6

Driving

This car was created by the best engineers and drivers in Europe for the enjoyment of driving.

Interior

High-quality functional interior around the front row. A driver's seat with M5 capabilities would have been useful here.

Comfort

So-so. This is not what you buy an M6 for.

Safety

Fully equipped with systems. But much depends on the driver's sober assessment of their skills.

Price

High.