2010 BMW 7 Series vs 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class November 2009 AUTORIVALS.NET
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BMW completely redid its flagship model, the 7 Series, in 2009 and battles the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in the luxury department. Chris Bangle is gone as BMW's chief designer and so goes his 'butt' with him. The Mercedes has been refreshed but not completely overhauled yet. Still, it remains one of the benchmarks in the primo luxury sedan segment.
2010 BMW 7 Series vs 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
A Mercedes grille will always look better than a BMW's. This is a prime example. The BMW's grille is oversized like a fat kid's flared nostrils. The headlights aren't as nice as the S-Class either which employs LED's to give it a high class look. The Merc's floating LED's on the bottom side air intakes are an especially nice touch.
The S-Class looks beautiful all around and throws in some sportiness into its design. If it were a little smaller, lighter, and performance oriented, it could easily pass off as a sports sedan. The BMW however has a the twin kidney grille pushed forward giving it an unfortunate look. The rest of the design isn't bad but isn't spectacular either.
BMW's always keep their lines straight and clean. For instance, the rear door's straight line looks better than the S-Class's curved line over the rear fender. Aside from that, the BMW is moderately plain while the S-Class adds fender flares to give it a more aggressive demeanor.
Finally. The 'Bangle Butt' is gone that made so much controversy on the last generation. The new 'butt' is better but kept moderate as to prevent the same backlash back in 2002. The taillights vary from the usual LED bulb variety and look nice with an uncluttered design. Only the bottom reflectors look out of place.

The taillights were revised and are now a one-piece design. Ironically, the Benz has a resemblance to the old 'Bangle Butt' with a trunk lid that's not flush with the rear silhouette. The two level design isn't nearly as bad as the old 7 series though and the S-Class actually pulls off the look. Everything else is nicely integrated. The only caveat is the Benz's front fenders which can look off at this angle. The extruded curve would've looked better if it were sharp-cornered to match the rest of the car.
 
SPECIFICATIONS
PRICE: $80,300 - $137,425
ENGINE: 4.4L V8 - 6.0L V12 Twin-Turbocharged
HORSEPOWER: 400 - 535 hp
TORQUE: 450 - 550 lb-ft
SIZE (L x W x H): 199.8-205.3 x 74.9 x 58.3 in.
WEIGHT: 4564 - 4640 lbs
0-60 MPH: 4.3 - 5.0 sec (est)
1/4 MILE: 12.5 -13.5 sec (est)
TOP SPEED: 150 - 155 mph
FUEL (CITY/HWY): 12-16 / 20-24 mpg (est)
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SPECIFICATIONS
PRICE: $91,600 - $149,700
ENGINE: 5.5L V8 - 5.5L V12
HORSEPOWER: 382 - 518 hp
TORQUE: 391 - 612 lb-ft
SIZE (L x W x H): 206.5 x 73.7 x 58.0 in.
WEIGHT: 4455 - 4950 lbs
0-60 MPH: 4.2 - 5.4 sec (est)
1/4 MILE: 12.5 - 14.0 sec (est)
TOP SPEED: 155 mph
FUEL (CITY/HWY): 11-14 / 17-21 mpg
RECAP RECAP

PROS
+Classy interior
+Better looking 'butt'

Cons
-Huge nostril grill
-A bit too dull overall

PROS
+Handsome, sporty design
+Engaging front fascia
+Pulls off the two-level trunk well

Cons
-Oddly designed navigation housing
Video Source: YouTube via Inside Line
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