What's the world coming to?

[Glen]

A little depressing:
"In fact, for around $30,000, you can get into a powerful, speedy family-hauler that out-accelerates an early '90s 310-horsepower BMW M5 and 315-horse Mercedes-Benz 500E."

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests...vs_2012_volkswagen_passat_vr6_sel_comparison/

Times have changed but I wouldn't trade my E500 for any of these new sedans!

 

[gsxr]

Only took them 20 years to just barely equal the .036 performance... and I agree, no way I'd trade mine for any of those three cages.

 

[gerryvz]

There's no contest between the design, build quality, materials, etc. between a Hyundai or a Mazda and the 036. Speed is just one aspect of it. Yes, there are dozens of cars nowadays out there that can easily take an 036.

I say, if one REALLY wants to go fast, just hop on a .......... GSXR !!

 

[szvook]

Those cars are fugly as hell and are not worth a conversation...let alone be referenced in the same sentence with the 036 and M5's. I think one of my HRE wheel's looks more expensive then those shite for cars.

 

[Glen]

Only took them 20 years to just barely equal the .036 performance... and I agree, no way I'd trade mine for any of those three cages.

But buyers of these new sedans will point out that their cars cost 1/2 to 1/3 what our cars originally sold for. And get 30+ MPG. I'm just sayin'...

 

[195910]

Is this guy high or something ?! Comparing a young classic high performance MB with some microwave ovens with wheels !

As for the performance, I raced two of those 3.5L 6-Speed Camry (called something else over here), and in both cases I was 4-5 cars length in front, didn't take it seriously though

That 3.5L toyo engine is a joke; guys were beating 07-09 mustangs GT, 50,000km later they are losing two car lengths....Cheap consumables.

 

[gsxr]

But buyers of these new sedans will point out that their cars cost 1/2 to 1/3 what our cars originally sold for. And get 30+ MPG. I'm just sayin'...

True. But will they still be intact (let alone be able to equal their as-new performance) after 20 years and 200kmi on the clock? Should be interesting to see around, oh, 2030...

 

[JordiC]

That article is worthless jargon. Comparing today's sports sedan to a 500E is like comparing a current sports car to a Porsche 930. It can't be done and I despise magazines that attempt it. There will never be anything like those 2 cars, or many others of the era, ever again. They can compare those 3 cars among themselves and keep 20 year old models out of the equation.

 

[bing]

As I always say, these tin cans do not age well as ours.

 

[gsxr]

I'd be willing to put my 20-year-old, 170kmi 500E up against any of the three new tin cans, and let the car mags flog it. I'd be curious what they'd say... probably whine about the interior looking out of date and lack of a built-in nav system, lol.

 

[szvook]

Further more, the 1/4 times listed for 036 are too high...much like the writer. Why are we even wasting our time, we are talking about cars build on an assembly with robots going majority of the work - that alone makes me laugh. I'll be more than happy to run into one of these "036 killers" on the road, or better yet the track. But even comparing the speed results is a joke...a Porsche hand build Mercedes just has so much more to offer.

 

[195910]

probably whine about the interior looking out of date and lack of a built-in nav system, lol.

Don't forget the number of cup holders and the IPOD interface.

I wouldn't want any of these clowns near a 500E let alone testing one.

 

[michel]

How mutch quicker is 5.7/5.8 to 60 mile compared with 6.1 to 100 km/u

When i had the 500 engine without KAT's it was 5.9 to 100 km/u

Lets see if they ever reach 20 years and how manu Bhp there is left in these tupperware engines

 

[Jimbo]

You know, in ten years or so, the electric cars will out accelerate most everything that today offers, and be able to call home for you to turn on the lites and coffee maker...so comparisions like this between the old vs. the new are really silly.

The writers of these magazines are there to tout and sell the new cars. Any auto writer would be out of a job if they wrote stories on how well the old cars perform and were built vs. the new stuff; tho they prolly know it if they are worth their salt as car enthusiasts.