Mercedes-Benz has long been a synonym for automotive luxury. Known for top-of-the-line luxury vehicles, the Stuttgart-based marque has been one of the pioneers in automotive technology. But while the brand has always focused on great consumer luxury cars, its dedicated performance division AMG has catered to the more performance-oriented buyer. Together, AMG and Mercedes-Benz produced some of Germany's fastest and most exciting cars.
For the past several decades, BMW has been going head-to-head with Mercedes-Benz both in luxury and performance. The automakers from Munich have given the Silver Arrows a run for their money, and both brands have focused on performance and luxury. Similar to Mercedes’ AMG division, BMW’s ‘M’ division churns out higher trim, more powerful models. The ‘M’ was initially for BMW’s racing division, standing for motorsport, and BMW M are now known by the public for producing the fastest BMW variants.
With all of that performance and power within 150 miles of each other, let’s take a look at the fastest Mercedes-Benz AMG cars, and five of the fastest BMW M cars that can confidently lock heads with them.
10 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E
Mercedes-AMG has given the world their most powerful regular-production car ever in the 2023 GT 63S E Performance, and at 831 horsepower, it comes second only to the limited-edition AMG One, which churns out 1063 horses. The car's electrified powertrain has one sole objective- to maximize performance, and it does that with flying colors.
It takes the AMG GT 63S E just 2.9 seconds to reach the 60 mph mark from naught, and with a top speed of 196 mph, the GT 63S E is a blisteringly fast car, which can gap unsuspecting muscle cars on the freeway without so much as a second thought. Powered by a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 that produces 630 hp, the GT 63S also houses a 150 kWh motor which ramps total horsepower to 830 hp.
9 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series Coupe
The Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series was built for one reason, and one reason only: to conquer the Nurburgring's Nordschleife's production car lap record. And powered by a 4.0L twin-turbo V8, the Black Series was successful in its mission—it beat the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ's record by a whole second, at a massively impressive time of 6:43.62.
Able to hit the 60mph mark in a mere 2.9 seconds, the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series boasts extremely capable and superb handling, which played a major role in its lap record. With a whopping 720 horsepower paired with 590 lb-ft of torque, this production car by Mercedes-AMG is one of the fastest cars that bore the Silver Arrows.
8 2014 Mercedes-AMG SLS Black Series
One of the coolest Mercedes cars ever, the 2014 Mercedes-AMG SLS Black Series is an iconic car, etched into automotive history and the minds and hearts of enthusiasts for its gullwing doors and incredibly loud naturally-aspirated V8 power unit. The engine produced 622 horsepower and 468 lb-ft of torque, managing to go from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds.
Made in the image of the Mercedes-AMG SLS GT3 race car, the SLS Black Series only ever had fewer than 200 units reach American shores, and was the most exclusive and expensive Mercedes of its time. It boasts of a top speed of 196 mph and beat both the McLaren MP4-12C and the Ferrari 458 Italia on the skid pad, the figure eight, and full ABS stops as well.
7 2017 Mercedes-AMG CLS 63 S 4MATIC
One of the most thrilling cars bearing four doors, the 2017 Mercedes-AMG CLS 63 S embodied a German luxury sedan of the highest level quite aptly. It had superb handling, a remarkable ride quality, and luxurious and plush interiors, all paired with performance that blew your mind.
The CLS 63 S 4Matic's 5.5L unleaded V8 engine churned out 550 horses and 530 lb-ft of torque, which helped it speedometer reach 60 mph within 3.2 seconds, and with a top speed of 186 mph, it remains one of the fastest AMG cars that came out of Stuttgart.
6 2021 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S
Even though it was based on the Mercedes E-Class, the AMG E63 S was a more powerful version of the AMG E63. The four-door machine housed a fire-breathing 603-hp twin-turbo V8 underneath, which, with its 627 lb-ft of torque, could challenge even the most exotic cars.
The powerful twin-turbo is capable of being subtle, unassuming, and monstrous when needed, with lightning-fast gear changes which propel the car from 0 to 60 in just 2.8 seconds, setting fire to the quarter-mile strip in just 10.9 seconds, while the 4.0L power unit takes the car to 192 mph.
5 2021 BMW M3 Competition xDrive Sedan
BMW showed their commitment to 'saving the manuals' with the BMW M3, but the competition variant still came only with an automatic transmission. The M3 Competition is easily BMW's most iconic driver's car, with 503 horsepower and a stiff-riding chassis that takes you as close as possible to a proper race car experience.
Able to go from 0-60 in 3.0 seconds, the BMW M3 Competition xDrive sedan tops out at 180 mph, and it goes blisteringly fast while remaining a perfectly capable and well-mannered driver's car when handled at lower RPMs. It almost makes you forget the god-awful grille BMW introduced and is still stubborn about. Almost.
4 2016 BMW M4 GTS
Hopped up on a 3.0L twin-turbo six-cylinder engine that featured port-water injection to go faster, the 2016 BMW M4 GTS could rush to the 60mph mark in a mere 3.4 seconds and had an electronically-limited top speed of 190 mph.
While it did have the basic shell of an M4, BMW M replaced several parts to convert the car into a beast on the track, which then made it retail at a price twice that of a basic M4. With 493 horsepower and 433 lb-ft of torque, the double kidney grille of the BMW M4 GTS in your side mirror is not something you'll ever see for long.
3
2021 BMW M5 Competition
A rocket with four doors, the BMW M5 Competition is certainly not for the weak-footed. While even the base M5 is a remarkably fast and powerful car, the Competition variant is the one that is blisteringly fast, its 617 horses being 17 more than that of the standard M5.
Its all-wheel-drive system and 8-speed automatic transmission mated to the 617-hp V8 engine propelled the car to the 60mph mark in a blistering 2.8 seconds, and the M5 Competition also crossed the quarter-mile mark in 10.9 seconds.
2 2022 BMW M8 Competition
The 2022 BMW M8 Competition is the fastest production car to come out of the Munich assembly line, being absurdly quick to the 60 mph mark in a mere 2.5 seconds. BMW has unleashed its ultimate driving ethos in the M8 Competition, and its 617-hp twin-turbocharged V8 engine runs on an all-wheel-drive system biased to the rear.
The car's track-focused capabilities ensure a forgiving ride on the roads for the uninitiated, but the M8 Competition is, by all means, a proper track car, and the tremendous grip the chassis offers can only truly be appreciated as you hit the apex and rev up this monstrosity towards the exit.
1 2022 BMW M5 CS
The most powerful production BMW car ever, the 2022 BMW M5 CS's thunderously effective V8 power unit churns out 627 horsepower with 553 lb-ft of torque, and tops out at an electronically-limited 190 mph, as the Germans choose to cap their cars either at 155 or 190 mph.
Capable of going from naught to 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds, the BMW M5 CS all but shoots you back into the seat as you accelerate, and it's all thanks to the whopping 230 lbs of weight BMW M shed on the M5 by going the way of carbon fiber.
Inarguably, the German giants have given it their all when it comes to making the fastest possible production cars while never once forsaking luxury, and there is no doubt that over the years, both BMW M and Mercedes-AMG have succeeded in their missions quite massively and impressively.