Car comparison

BMW 5 Series Touring (E61) 550i V8vsMercedes-Benz R-class (W251) R 500 V8

Compare specs, acceleration, fuel consumption, dimensions, practicality, and estimated running costs side by side.

New comparison

BMW 5 Series Touring (E61)

550i V8

367 hp4799 ccGasolineRWDAutomaticNaturally aspiratedWagon / estate2005-2007

Mercedes-Benz R-class (W251)

R 500 V8

388 hp5461 ccGasolineAWDAutomaticNaturally aspiratedWagon / estate2007-2009

Comparison overview

Use the estimates as comparison hints and verify exact figures before making decisions.

BMW 5 Series Touring (E61) 550i V8

Quickest 0-100 km/h
5.7 s
Fastest top speed
260 km/h
162 mph Unrestricted
250 km/h
155 mph Restricted
Lightest
1,755 kg
3,869 lb
Best power-to-weight
209 hp/t
156 kW/t
4.8 kg/hp
Lowest city consumption
16.6 L/100 km
14.2 mpg US
17.0 mpg UK
Lowest highway consumption
8.2 L/100 km
28.7 mpg US
34.4 mpg UK
Largest trunk
500 L
Best overall score
74/100
Best performance score
69/100
Best practicality score
84/100

Mercedes-Benz R-class (W251) R 500 V8

Most powerful
388 hp
289 kW
Highest torque
530 Nm
391 lb-ft
Best economy score
71/100

Specification comparison

Specification comparison
Model	BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	Mercedes-BenzR-class (W251)R 500 V8
Power	367hp274kW	388hp289kW
Torque	490Nm361lb-ft	530Nm391lb-ft
Curb weight	1,755kg3,869lb	2,145kg4,729lb
Gross weight	2,310kg5,093lb	2,880kg6,349lb
Top speed	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph Calculated	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph Calculated
To 99% top speed	57.7s99% target: 257 km/h / 160 mph Calculated	72.3s99% target: 257 km/h / 160 mph Calculated
0-100 km/h	5.7s	6.1s
0-200 km/h	17.8s Calculated	20.6s Calculated
0-60 mph	5.4s Calculated	5.8s Calculated
Fuel consumption	-	13.4L/100 km17.6mpg US21.1mpg UK
Fuel consumption city	16.6L/100 km14.2mpg US17.0mpg UK	18.8L/100 km12.5mpg US15.0mpg UK
Fuel consumption highway	8.2L/100 km28.7mpg US34.4mpg UK	10.2L/100 km23.1mpg US27.7mpg UK
Quarter mile	13.7s Calculated	14.1s Calculated
Power-to-weight	209hp/t156kW/t95hp/1000 lb Calculated	181hp/t135kW/t82hp/1000 lb Calculated
Torque-to-weight	279Nm/t187lb-ft/ton Calculated	247Nm/t165lb-ft/ton Calculated
Estimated range	-	597km371mi Calculated
Displacement	4,799cc293cu in	5,461cc333cu in
Length	4,843mm191in	4,938mm194in
Width	1,846mm73in	1,922mm76in
Height	1,491mm59in	1,661mm65in
Wheelbase	2,886mm114in	2,980mm117in
Front track	1,558mm61in	1,643mm65in
Rear track	1,582mm62in	1,636mm64in
Trunk volume	500L	324L
Max trunk volume	1,650L	2,001L
Doors	5	5
Seats	5	5
Fuel tank	70L	80L

Performance charts

Use the estimates as comparison hints and verify exact figures before making decisions.

Dyno simulation

Estimated stock-style power and torque curves by engine speed.

BMW 5 Series Touring (E61) 550i V8Mercedes-Benz R-class (W251) R 500 V8PowerTorque

Dyno simulation data table
Vehicle	Peak power RPM	Peak torque RPM	Max engine speed
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	6,300 rpm	3,400 rpm	6,550 rpm
Mercedes-BenzR-class (W251)R 500 V8	6,000 rpm	2,800-4,800 rpm	6,250 rpm

Acceleration curve

Estimated speed over time for selected vehicles.

Acceleration and drag-race table
Metric	BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	Mercedes-BenzR-class (W251)R 500 V8
	Acceleration checkpoints
0-60 mph 0-97 km/h	5.4 s	5.8 s
0-100 km/h 0-62 mph	5.7 s	6.1 s
0-200 km/h 0-124 mph	17.8 s	20.6 s
Top speed	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph Limited	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph Limited
	Drag race simulation
60 ft 18 m	2.5 s	2.4 s
330 ft 101 m	6.2 s	6.3 s
1/8 mile 201 m	9.1 s	9.3 s
1000 ft 305 m	11.6 s	11.9 s
1/4 mile 402 m	13.7 s	14.1 s
Trap speed 1/4 mile 402 m	177 km/h 110 mph	168 km/h 105 mph

Power comparison

Bar comparison chart for Power. Higher is better · hp / kW

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	367 hp 274 kW
Mercedes-BenzR-class (W251)R 500 V8	388 hp 289 kW

Mercedes-Benz R-class (W251) R 500 V8 has 21 hp more than BMW 5 Series Touring (E61) 550i V8.

The biggest power difference is between BMW 5 Series Touring (E61) 550i V8 and Mercedes-Benz R-class (W251) R 500 V8: 21 hp (16 kW).

Torque comparison

Bar comparison chart for Torque. Higher is better · Nm / lb-ft

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	490 Nm 361 lb-ft
Mercedes-BenzR-class (W251)R 500 V8	530 Nm 391 lb-ft

Curb weight comparison

Bar comparison chart for Curb weight. Lower is better · kg / lb

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	1,755 kg 3,869 lb
Mercedes-BenzR-class (W251)R 500 V8	2,145 kg 4,729 lb

Top speed without limiter comparison

Bar comparison chart for Top speed without limiter. Higher is better · km/h / mph

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph
Mercedes-BenzR-class (W251)R 500 V8	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph

0-100 km/h comparison

Bar comparison chart for 0-100 km/h. Lower is better · seconds

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	5.7 s
Mercedes-BenzR-class (W251)R 500 V8	6.1 s

Although Mercedes-Benz R-class (W251) R 500 V8 has more power, BMW 5 Series Touring (E61) 550i V8 is quicker from 0-100 km/h.

The biggest 0-100 km/h difference is between BMW 5 Series Touring (E61) 550i V8 and Mercedes-Benz R-class (W251) R 500 V8: 0.4 s.

Power-to-weight comparison

Bar comparison chart for Power-to-weight. Higher is better · hp/t / kW/t

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	209 hp/t 156 kW/t 4.8 kg/hp
Mercedes-BenzR-class (W251)R 500 V8	181 hp/t 135 kW/t 5.5 kg/hp

Performance spider chart

Radar chart comparing normalized performance and fuel-consumption scores.

Chart data table
Vehicle	Power	Acceleration	Top speed
BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8	367 hp 274 kW	5.7 s	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph
Mercedes-BenzR-class (W251)R 500 V8	388 hp 289 kW	6.1 s	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph

Most attractive quadrant

Scatter chart with performance score on the X axis and practicality score on the Y axis.

Vehicle

Performance score

Practicality score

BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8

Power	367 hp 274 kW
0-100 km/h	5.7 s
Top speed Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph

Doors/seats	5 doors 5 seats
Trunk	500 L 17.7 cu ft
Length	4,843 mm 190.7 in
Height	1,491 mm 58.7 in

Mercedes-BenzR-class (W251)R 500 V8

Power	388 hp 289 kW
0-100 km/h	6.1 s
Top speed Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph

Doors/seats	5 doors 5 seats
Trunk	324 L 11.4 cu ft
Length	4,938 mm 194.4 in
Height	1,661 mm 65.4 in

Detailed score breakdown

Vehicle

BMW5 Series Touring (E61)550i V8

Mercedes-BenzR-class (W251)R 500 V8

Power

367 hp

274 kW

388 hp

289 kW

Torque

490 Nm

361 lb-ft

530 Nm

391 lb-ft

Acceleration

5.7 s

6.1 s

Top speed

Unrestricted

260 km/h162 mph

Restricted

250 km/h155 mph

Unrestricted

260 km/h162 mph

Restricted

250 km/h155 mph

Lightness

1,755 kg

3,869 lb

2,145 kg

4,729 lb

Fuel consumption

13.4 L/100 km

17.6 mpg US

21.1 mpg UK

Practicality

Doors/seats	5 doors 5 seats
Trunk	500 L 17.7 cu ft
Length	4,843 mm 190.7 in
Height	1,491 mm 58.7 in

Doors/seats	5 doors 5 seats
Trunk	324 L 11.4 cu ft
Length	4,938 mm 194.4 in
Height	1,661 mm 65.4 in

Range score

597 km

371 mi

Trunk score

500 L

17.7 cu ft

324 L

11.4 cu ft

Power-to-weight score

209 hp/t

156 kW/t

4.8 kg/hp

181 hp/t

135 kW/t

5.5 kg/hp

Overall

Fixed score

Fuel cost and annual usage

Estimate running costs from combined consumption, your annual distance, and the fuel price in your local currency.

Average annual distanceDistance unitFuel price in your local currencyPrice unit

Enter the fuel price in your local currency, for example €/L, $/gal, £/L or any other local currency.

LC = Local Currency

Fuel cost and annual usage
Vehicle	Mercedes-Benz R-class (W251) R 500 V8
Consumption	13.4 L/100 km17.6 mpg US21.1 mpg UK
Cost / 100 km	23.45 LC100 km
Cost / 100 mi	37.74 LC100 mi
Annual fuel used	2,010 L531 US gal442 UK gal
Annual fuel cost	3,518 LC/year