Finally somebody got this right and invited all the forced induction V8 luxury sedan big boys to play. Every super sedan here is a twin turbocharged V8 except for the Jaguar XFR-S with its supercharged 5.0 liter V8. This comparison is practically perfect if not for the Panamera Turbo being chosen instead of the Panamera Turbo S. Despite being the most expensive car in the comparison the Panamera Turbo is over matched and the slowest car out of the five. Road and Track did not choose the standard E63 AMG 4Matic or the standard M5 but the highest performance versions of each so it should follow that the same be done with the Panamera.

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You will not see any complaining here as somebody finally managed to get these five together and do some proper testing. Let's start by pointing how the cars differ. The only dual clutch transmission cars in the comparison are the BMW M5 and the Porsche Panamera. The M5 routes its power to the rear wheels just like the Jaguar. The Panamera is the only all wheel drive and dual clutch car. The Audi RS7 and Mercedes E63 AMG S 4Matic both feature all wheel drive but route the power through a more conventional automatic gearbox. The Mercedes 7-speed features an MCT wet clutch packs in place of the torque converter whereas the Jaguar and Audi 8-speed automatics still have torque converters. Read that over a few times if you need to.

Here is what the cars weigh in order from lightest to heaviest with front to rear weight distribution percentage from front to rear following. How accurate these figures are is anyone's guess as the Jaguar XFR-S and BMW M5 are both stated as exactly 4300 pounds which is rather unlikely to say the least:

1. 2014 BMW M5 Competition Package - 4300 lb, 51/49%
1. 2014 Jaguar XFR-S - 4300 lb, 51/49%
3. 2014 Audi RS7 - 4420 lb, 55/45%
4. 2014 Porsche Panamera Turbo - 4440, 52/48%
5. 2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4Matic - 4640, 51/49%

Despite the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S having the highest cur weight, significantly so, it maintains a respectable 51 to 49 percent weight distribution front to rear. The Audi RS7 on the other hand is the most nose heavy of the bunch and Audi still needs work in this area. It would be nice to get more accurate weight measurements going at least the to 1/10 value but we will take what we can get.

The Mercedes 4Matic all wheel drive system adds considerable weight putting the car at roughly 340 pounds heavier than the M5. That said, it puts the power down well as the 3.2 second 0-60 sprint shows which is matched only by the RS7. This is a traction limited stat but that is also why so many cars are going to all wheel drive as power and torque numbers spiral out of control. Here are the cars ordered by their 1/4 mile trap speeds which this network feels is the best representation of straight line potential and prowess:

1. 2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4Matic - 123.1
2. 2014 BMW M5 F10 M5 Competition Package - 122.3
3. 2014 Audi RS7 - 120.3
4. 2014 Jaguar XFR-S - 118.3
5. Porsche Panamera Turbo - 114.4

What is interesting to note is the the E63 AMG S is the fastest car in this test. Why did MotorTrend get a higher trap speed for the F10 M5 Competition Package than the E63 AMG S than Road and Track? That is a good question and it may be due to different cars and different results. The cars are so fast and close to each other that fuel or even the break in can change the results. In this test, the E63 AMG S is the straightline champ both in elapsed time and trap speed. That is with the heaviest curb weight so it should be clear who is truly putting out the most power and torque stock.

The objective numbers are what they are and you can see the full results below. The subjective qualities are where it gets interesting as the Jaguar is rated as having the best steering feel. It is followed by the F10 M5 which it is important to note that BMW addressed criticism about the M5's steering feel with the Competition Package. The RS7, E63, and Panamera Turbo all get lackluster ratings.

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Once all the subjective numbers were added up the M5 finished in first place followed by the E63 in second. The RS7 gets the third place nod with the Jaguar XFR-S interestingly coming in front of the Panamera Turbo which finishes in last place. The M5 wins because it is the most fun to drive. It gets your heart pumping and palms sweating. The E63, RS7, and Panamera Turbo may be great from a stop and getting a good 0-60 time but they are not quite as exciting. Regardless, there is a $100,000+ luxury sedan here to accommodate almost any taste.

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