Bentley’s new saloon takes on the biggest, baddest Merc S-Class.
Let’s get one thing straight – neither of these is the best car in the world. It’s been a long time since the luxury saloon was the highest point on the automotive landscape, the pinnacle to which we all aspired. Now it’s a cul de sac off the SUV highway. And the cars themselves have suffered as a result.
Let’s use Maybach to illustrate the point. A proud luxury brand before WW2, Mercedes brought it back in 2002 as a standalone brand, poured millions into the development of two limousines and predicted global sales of 2,000 cars per year. In fact only around 3,000 were sold in total before Merc pulled the plug ten years later. Now, Maybach is little more than a badge applied to the fanciest Merc S-Class.
How does the newest AMG SUV stack up against the best of the steroidal best?
A few weeks back I drove the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S. However, that was just a First Drive—meaning I drove AMG’s new top-shelf performance SUV around Los Angeles for a day, gave you my opinions about the vehicle and how it drives, and then speculated about its performance.
Lots of guesswork, one could say, even if some of it was fairly educated. Fast-forward half a month, and the MotorTrend test team was able to put the new GLE 63 S through its instrumented paces. The result? High and mighty.
Weren’t they just? It’s been almost two decades since Mercedes decided it wanted to bring Maybach, erm, bach. Founded in 1909 as a manufacturer of aircraft engines, Maybach didn’t start doing cars until the Twenties. Production lasted until the outbreak of World War 2, when the company kept itself busy building engines for tanks, and wasn’t restarted afterwards for… reasons. So of course everyone outside Stuttgart forgot it ever existed.
It’s lonely at the top of the huge-horsepower food chain. Think about the segment the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 competes in: over 600 horsepower, top-shelf, 3-row SUVs: There’s no other vehicle in it. BMW does not make an X7M, Audi does not build an RS Q7. The Porsche Cayenne Turbo has but two rows. Cullinan? Bentayga? Urus? 2-row, 2-row, only 2 rows. Cadillac doesn’t make an Escalade-V, nor does Lincoln sell a Navigator with over 600 horsepower, though Hennessey makes and sells the 600-hp Navigator HPE600. The Tesla Model X P100D is the closest competitor both in terms of power and price, but I’ve driven both SUVs and philosophically they are worlds apart. The GLS 63 stands apart from this crowd.
Once upon a time, BMW M and Mercedes-AMG fought their biggest battles with sedans and coupes. But as with any war, new theaters open, and today’s fight is in the crossover space, with M and AMG fielding high-performance versions of nearly every CUV in their respective parent company’s stable.
But while the theater has changed, war… war never changes. The E63 and M5 sedans continue to battle for supremacy as their crossover counterparts, the redesigned Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S and BMW X5 M, prepare to enter the fray. Each of these crossovers pack twin-turbocharged, 600-plus-horsepower V8 engines, advanced suspension technologies, and enough tech to keep a fighter jet in the air. Like we said, war never changes.
Welcome back to Fabulous Auto Club, and this post is the largest comparison (and also longest title) in our blog to date! We’re comparing ten different compact luxury sedans which are for family comfort with prices ranging from $35000 to $50000 CAD.
Pricing
Mercedes C-Class – $46100
BMW 3 Series – $49000
Audi A4 – $39800
Genesis G70 – $42000
Infiniti Q50 – $43995
Jaguar XE – $49900
Volvo S60 – $42400
Lexus ES – $45000
Acura TLX – $37490
Alfa Romeo Giulia – $49345
Prices are subject to change.
Styling
The C-Class, 3 Series, TLX, XE, and A4 all look somewhat boring, but a new 3 Series is coming for the 2020 model year. The sportiest is the Genesis G70 because of its position and the side vent that makes it feel like a racing car. The Giulia is very similar, just like what you would expect from an Alfa Romeo. The Q50 looks like a baby Q70 and can appear outdated. The best looking car by far here is the Volvo S60 for only $42400! The Lexus ES literally looks sharp because of its edges, not to mention the oversized grill.
Performance
The performance of compact/midsize sedans range from 240 to 500 horsepower, which is a big range due to the fact that you can upgrade to AMG, Quadrifoglio, F Sport, Polestar and many others. I have to note that the A4 only has 188 horsepower, and that’s just another example of an under-powered Audi. Most of them are powered by an inline-4 with the optional V6.
Interior Comfort
To make sure everyone in your family/group of friends has comfort, luxury sedans are equipped with leather seats (heated and cooled), wood trims, and advanced climate control. The C-Class and G70 specifically stand out by looking in the interior. The Jaguar XE has failed to provide optimal interior quality unlike other rivals in this segment.
Welcome back to Fabulous Auto Club, and today we’re comparing the Volvo XC90 and Mercedes GLE. They are premium 7-seat SUVs to carry everyone in your family while arriving to a place in style.
Price
The XC90 starts at $59750 CAD ($45058 USD) while the GLE starts at $64000 CAD ($48263 USD). That may not seem like a lot, but once you equip them with all the options, they can go to $80000!
Engines
Both come with a 2.0L inline-4 (a bit under-powered in my opinion). However, you can upgrade to an inline-6 or a V6, depending on which model you get. The GLE is turbocharged with 255 horsepower, while the XC90 is turbocharged and supercharged with 316 horsepower. That’s a really big difference! Acceleration for the XC90 is 6.6 seconds with the T6 trim and the GLE’s 0-60 time is 7.1 seconds on the GLE450.
Exterior
The XC90’s exterior looks very elegant, and its design is much improved compared to the last generation. They’re using Volvo’s new design philosophy for the exterior. I would prefer the R-Design trim; it makes the XC90 look somewhat sportier. The GLE hasn’t really changed since it came out in 1998 as the M-Class. But even with almost the same body structure, Mercedes has made it look modern for it to keep up with its rivals.
Interior
The XC90 and GLE are extremely practical since you can fold down the third row seats for a large cargo area, or carry six to seven people. The interiors are luxurious, as they are available with a panoramic sunroof and extended climate control for the second row and third row seats. The Mercedes comes with leather seats and wood trims as standard, however you have to pay extra for leather in the Volvo.
Verdict
I think that the XC90 wins this comparison due to its price and power. It’s a much more exciting car to drive and you can save more on fuel with the turbocharged and supercharged engine. Volvo is also a very premium brand with long-lasting cars.
For more information, watch the videos from Doug DeMuro about the XC90 and GLE.
