It's a classic wagon showdown between a 2019 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Wagon and a BMW M3 Touring. One looks like a regular family car that even Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) might upgrade to under the right circumstances. The other might as well be used by a funeral home, because it looks like a modern Eastern European hearse. Can you guess which one's which?
Setting all National Lampoon's Vacation and Balkan dark humor aside, let's meet our wagon or estate contestants.
First, we have the mighty BMW M3 Touring, which comes in matte purple. It's being driven by Mat Watson from the "carwow" YouTube channel. The M3 Touring is proudly armed with the iconic 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six engine that delivers 503 hp or 510 ps and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque.
It's all-wheel drive, of course, has an 8-speed automatic transmission system, and weighs 4,111 lbs. or 1,865 kg. Now for the kicker, this model costs almost 88,000 GBP or British pounds, equivalent to nearly $111,000.
The M3 Touring is believed to have no hope of hitting the US market, but the 2025 BMW M5 Touring is confirmed for the United States via the company's Head of Design, Domagoj Dukec. The sports station wagon (G99) will be accompanied by the M5 sedan (G90). The M5 sedan will hit the market first. If you've seen the Touring test model roaming around the streets of California, now you know precisely why.
They will both come equipped with the powertrain from the XM. With the 2025 BMW M5 going into production in July, customers should greet their new ride sometime in the fall or autumn, whichever you prefer.
Photo: carwow
Returning to our side of the road, we're saying hello to the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Wagon. This hearse-looking beast packs a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that can produce 603 hp (612 ps) with 627 lb-ft or 850 Nm of torque. The spec sheet says it should hit 60 mph in 3.4 seconds.
It's also AWD, has a 9-speed automatic transmission system, and weighs 4,277 lbs. or 1,940 kg. The price for this wagon is equivalent to $102,076, but there's a catch. This model is from 2019, whereas a 2023 model will run you upwards of $121,100.
Now, let's finally see how they fared against each other. During the first attempt, the BMW bested the AMG. The Mercedes drivers blamed it on a delay, but is that really true?
Interestingly enough, the E63 wagon also lost in the second race. However, they went for a third and fourth race, where the tables turned in favor of the Mercedes. It turns out the mechanical delay was true, and Mat Watson had to give the 2019 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Wagon the Prize of the Day.
The AMG crossed the 1/4-mile finish line in 11.4 seconds, while the BMW M3 Touring did it in 11.6 seconds. A few 1/2-mile roll races followed, and the Mercedes won each one. In fact, the only event the BMW won was the brake test, which still makes the Mercedes the undisputed king of the tarmac.
Codrin just loves American classics, from the 1940s and ‘50s, all the way to the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s. In his perfect world, we'll still see Hudsons and Road Runners roaming the streets for years to come (even in EV form, if that's what it takes to keep the aesthetic alive). Full profile
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