Okay, maybe not the most appropriate review since the Porsche Panamera was thrown in there with the “big boys”, but our buddy Jason at Automobile Mag puts up a good show and a funny, but still informative review.
Let’s have a look.
“The BMW 760Li, the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG, and the Porsche Panamera Turbo each enter the saloon with at least 500 horses of firepower tucked away beneath a façade of formality. They look benign enough, but when the dust starts flying, there are few steeds that can match their speed. They may all hail from Germany, but there’s something distinctly Wild West about these three sedans. And so we took them to Palm Springs, their natural habitat, for a gunslinging showdown.
The idea that a luxury sedan should be able to dice with a sports car is a relatively new one. Acceleration is relatively easy to achieve – just add more engine – but getting a big, cushy, heavy car to dance through the corners like a light sports car isn’t. And the very essence of a sports car – the lovely sounds, the tight body control, the connected steering – is exactly the opposite of a luxury sedan. Or so you’d think.
Thanks to computer-controlled suspensions, brilliant engineering, and colossal powertrains, these three Germans break all the rules. They’re do-everything machines – large, gilded cruisers with first-class interiors and all the latest techno-gizmos, and yet they can pull off sports car moves with almost no penalty to comfort. On the surface, the BMW, the Mercedes, and the Porsche are very similar: They cost the same. They’re all similarly powerful – and have so much brute force at their disposal that they start out in second gear unless you request otherwise. And yet, in the details, they couldn’t be more different.
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BMW 760LI
THE GOOD
You could describe the BMW 760Li as angelic. If ever there was a divine luxury sedan, this would be it.It may not be the most visually stunning car in the world, but nothing about the 7-series’ design will offend you, either. In fact, the 7-series seems as though it were designed to be the least offensive car on the planet. That’s really no surprise: BMW certainly knew where it stood as far as the last 7-series was concerned – its design and user interface generated almost ceaseless commentary. And although its creators denied any and all wrongdoing, they obviously listened very closely, because they addressed every complaint. In stark contrast to its predecessor, the new 7-series is subtle and understated in every way. Except, of course, for its exceptional performance.
With a curb weight of more than 5000 pounds, the 760Li is no lightweight, but a number of factors conspire to hide that mass. First among them is the absolutely ludicrous thrust provided by the 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-12 under the hood. At peak, 535 horses trample the pavement, but far more impressive than what this engine does at its pinnacle is what it can sustain: 550 lb-ft of torque available from 1500 rpm all the way to 5000 rpm. That means warp-speed acceleration is easily available with a twitch of a right toe; no big downshifts needed, no big revs required. And no notice given – the V-12 is barely audible from either inside or outside the car.
Author: Horatiu B.
Source: http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/01/21/autom ... omparison/