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The Beauties and the Best

The Audi A6 3.0, the BMW 530i and the Mercedes Benz E240. Sriram Narayanan examines the finer points of luxury

CARSPOTTING While the Merc E is a familiar sight, the quiet-looking Audi might even be overlooked. There's no mistaking the Beemer though...

Frankly, this may turn out to be a very pointless exercise. Because, whatever may be the verdict out of this comparo, you may just end up buying the marque you swear by. You won't care if the BMW drives like a little sports car if you believe that cars bearing the three-pointed star are THE best. You won't care for the refinement and technology that a Merc comes armed with, if you are a stickler for the subtlety and understatement of an Audi. You get the picture, right? Still, these three Germans have been rivals since the automobile came into mainstream use. And they are proud of their rivalry.

In our market though, there hasn't been much to trouble choosing the Merc E-class. But what do you know, you have a choice now - the choice to pick from three of the best, here in our country, now.

Design and looks

Actually, it's a bit tough considering all three are at the pinnacle of saloon technology; offering you the ideal balance between performance, practicality, comfort and safety. But they each have an underlying, distinctive character of their own. And that's what they cash in on. For instance, the Merc E-class has this conservative, yet evolutionary design. Its regal, sublime lines make no bones about its relaxed, traditional bearing. The Audi A6's lithe, athletic and well-proportioned. If the Merc E reminds you of triple-pleated trousers, then the A6 are flat-front, cross pocketed ones. The most contemporary styling cue in the Audi family is that cracker of a grille. You see, Audi has always followed this minimalist design theme, and the new grille definitely adds some much needed drama to things. The BMW 5-series is the best topic in debate forums. Since the time this Bavarian company hired Chris Bangle to sketch the lines, it has been raising many a brow. It's evident. Those flame-surface headlamps and the queer shut-lines in the boot all point to something that may not be to conventional tastes. But you got to hand it over to the BMW. You won't mistake it for anything else.

The Merc's interiors throw up the usual mix of simplicity and opulence. Liberal doses of wood and leather complement the four-spoke steering and three-pod instrument binnacle. The centre-console has an antique radio look to it and the cabin insulates you from most of the din outside. However, the Merc has this big clutter of buttons in it, not to mention the steering-mounted controls.

The Audi unfortunately gets the bottom spot in the interiors department. Quality is top-drawer and layout of the controls is immaculate. But considering the rivals it has to contend with, its grey buttons, grey switches, grey dials and grey steering wheel, make it lose out to them. The Multi Media Interface (MMI) cuts out on the clutter of buttons on the centre console though. You see, these cars pack in so much technology... And that's the reason you have a horde of switches in the Merc. Audi's MMI packs in the controls in a screen-based interface that lets you access all the controls by scrolling down a few menus on the screen. But the one that takes the cake is BMW's i-Drive. While the MMI has a dozen or so buttons and a rotary-knob, the i-Drive has a single rotary-knob communicating to the screen. It does clear the cabin of switch-clutter, but you will need some time to master the apparatus. Once you do, it's a breeze.

More so, the i-Drive renders the interiors of this BMW, the best place to be in. The cabin's sporty, modern and craftsmanship and quality seem one up on the Benz. And the Beemer has a perfectly legible instrument console. Minimalist, astute and dare we say, the best.

Performance equations

Now, the Merc has the smallest engine of the trio - 2600cc in place of Audi's and BMW's three litres. So obviously, it comes out last in the performance score. Displacement apart, the Merc is a full 100 kg heavier than its rivals and so it takes a whole 10.8 seconds to reach a 100 kph. The Audi does it in 9.41 and the BMW beats them both with 8.71 seconds. Want more? The BMW shoots to 180 kph in 27.08 seconds. The Audi takes 32.28. Compared to these figures, the Merc's 38.08 seconds seem like ages. Besides, the Merc runs out of breath at 224 kph and the Audi goes all the way up, to 240 kph. The BMW goes 5 kph faster.

However, as the saying goes, it's not about how much. It's all about how well. What the figures don't tell you is that the front-wheel driven Audi doesn't pull away as cleanly as the Beemer or even the Merc. Up to 160 kph, the Audi and the BMW are snapping at each others' heels. But as the needles approach 170, the 5-series just seems to take off. While the BMW beats the Audi to the 180 kph run by just five seconds, the run to 200 sees the Beemer getting the better of the A6 by 11 seconds! Now how is that for top-end performance?

Still, the E-class wins hands down in the refinement front. Shut the doors, and you shut the world out, and apart from extremely low-speeds, the Merc offers exceptional ride quality and is immune to large craters and rough patches. The A6 rides well too. In fact, as well as the Merc, but loses out in the sound-deadening quotient. The 5-series takes the maximum beating on ride-quality front. The Beemer rides on run-flat tyres that have a hard-layer of rubber inside. Read - harder ride. And its performance-tuned suspension system makes occupants aware of the surface they are riding over. This, needless to say, gives this saloon above-average handling prowess. The A6 is pretty nimble too, but its front-wheel-drive setup sees it lag behind the Beemer. You could spend a few thousands of rupees more and opt for the four-wheel-drive Quattro option for your A6. The Audi has the most effective brakes though, stopping from 80 kph in just 21 metres.

The ultimate machine

Okay then, Judgement time. If you are looking at a safe, practical bet and are going to primarily house yourself at the backseat, then go for the Merc. Safe and practical because the Merc E is manufactured here and with DaimlerChrysler being around for 10 years, they have a well-established set-up here, ensuring you have a smooth supply of after-sales service and spares. So, basically the fight's between the Audi and the BMW. They are both more expensive than the Merc and are extremely driver-centric. The Audi will appeal to those of you who seek a discreet, subtle and tastefully-styled car that doesn't shout its presence. In fact, its discreetness and subtlety are rather eye-catching. And in Quattro form, it can match up to the BMW in the handling department.

But if you love to drive, then it has to be the BMW 5-series. Superb driving dynamics, unbeatable performance and still delivering an overall fuel-efficiency of 9.1 kpl compared to the Audi's 9.05 kpl and the Merc's 9 kpl. The 5-series is the most expensive of the lot. But then, at this level, you want the best, don't you?

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