£50k Budget - Which super saloon?

[irfan1712]

I've Been pondering over this for a while - £45/50k budget for something with four doors and lots of power, excitement, drama, noise.

Not concerned with fuel/insurance/tax because generally their all not far off each other in the real world when driven on a daily basis.

Current considerations are:

-W212 Facelift E63 or E63s (5.5 biT)
-LCI F10 M5 Competition
-LCI M6 Gran Coupe Competition
-W205 C63s
-X5m

Currently leaning towards the M6 Gran Coupe purely for the exclusivity, I'm test driving one this weekend. Not many about to choose from though! Cant help think they sound a bit naff too which applies to the M5 and X5m. E63/63s is probably number 2 on the list.

any thoughts or experiences on the above & any other contenders to look at?

[Tyre Smoke]

So you've basically limited yourself to BMW or Mercedes?

Have I deciphered correctly?

Ruled out Audi, Maserati, Porsche, anything else?

[Haltamer]

Giulia quadrifoglio? A very quick search reveals very lightly used ones around / on the 50K mark, And it certainly ticks the boxes.

[joeshaw123]

Can't help but notice X5M in there... Not a supersaloon in anyone's books that surely. Rule that out straight away!

My personal choice would be a Giulia Quadrifoglio and is what I'll be upgrading to from my e92 M3 as soon as I can afford!

Haltamer said:

Giulia quadrifoglio? A very quick search reveals very lightly used ones around / on the 50K mark, And it certainly ticks the boxes.

This chap knows

[Agent XXX]

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

[Krikkit]

I'd have a Quattroporte I think, or possibly an S65.

[smithyithy]

Saw a lightly used Lexus GS-F for sale recently, for half RRP! Have you heard those things with an aftermarket exhaust?

[Haltamer]

irfan1712 said:

Currently leaning towards the M6 Gran Coupe purely for the exclusivity, I'm test driving one this weekend.

Oh, and at peril of inciting a riot, I'd opine that BMW wouldn't convey much exclusivity (Where are the worms?) Certainly doesn't stand out among the crowd, unlike a nice Giulia...

[phil1979]

Aston Rapide?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[S9JTO]

Quadrifoglio or E63s hands down

[phil1979]

Pimped-out CLS63?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[irfan1712]

haha yes, my list does seem to be Mercedes or BMW bias. Ive had a C63 previously but never owned an M car.

The X5m was added in because its an M5 engine X5, I've not driven one but its quite hard to overlook!

Had a stint in a Rapide and honestly wasn't blown away by its performance (all things relative, for a V12). The Alfa I haven't dismissed and was looking at quite extensively lastnight but theres something about it that doesn't do it for either. Infact il sit on the fence with this and look for a test drive in one which could change my mind for sure.

The CLS... pimpy, but lovely!

[clockworks]

I'd be looking at a Panamera, just to be different. Maserati if I was feeling really brave (and had some spare cash for when it went wrong or needed consumables).

[Shiv_P]

Try a previous shape S8. Super comfortable and super fast

[ReaperCushions]

Do not buy anything without at least test driving the Giulia!!!

[Davey S2]

Shiv_P said:

Try a previous shape S8. Super comfortable and super fast

Not very exciting though is it?

[irfan1712]

clockworks said:

I'd be looking at a Panamera, just to be different. Maserati if I was feeling really brave (and had some spare cash for when it went wrong or needed consumables).

Theres already one on my drive! in 4.0 V8 Diesel flavour.

I find the interior of the Alfa a bit of a let down compared to german rivals. (And just going back to the comment RE the M6GC not being exclusive, to be fair M cars generally aren't, but I cant remember the last time I saw one on the roads near my neck of the woods!)

[RobM77]

I've got two answers to this.

1) C63.

2) Sorry for being predictable, but having driven a few super saloons I find that they hide the performance from the driver quite a lot, and much of what's on offer is either the same or worse than a more humble model (same: interior, space etc; worse: road noise, running costs). This especially applies on the UK's speed limited roads with traffic etc. Doing 50mph down a B road in an M3 is nicer than in a 335i, but it's not as different as many make out.

Super Saloons aren't bad cars, and if money was no object then I'd have one in an instant, but given a limited total expenditure on cars I'd do what I've done for years: buy a practical saloon with a more humble engine, plus a more fun car for use on track, holidays, Fridays etc. Admittedly I've gone a bit extreme at either end of this (with a budget just below yours I've bought a 320d ED and a Formula Renault!), but closer matched choices work well too: for £50k you could buy quite a nice 5 series and a Z4M, SLK55, SL55, Cayman, 997 etc. In the past I've compared an E46 330ci and M3 back to back, a later 135i and E90 M3 close to back to back and an A4 and RS4 again quite close to back to back and the differences weren't really great enough to deny myself a Cayman to own the super saloon over the normal saloon. Depreciation works better too; why pay for a massive hit per mile when you're sat with the cruise control set to 80mph on the M1? In fact that's more pleasant in a well specced C320 than a 63 due to the lack of tyre noise.

The downside of this approach is that often you can end up not driving the nicer car as much as you'd like, and opportunities to enjoy driving often come when you're in the 'wrong' car. This should inform your choices of two cars; for example I'd never buy something I actually didn't like driving for a daily driver.

Edited by RobM77 on Wednesday 10th October 16:43

[Trevor555]

smithyithy said:

Saw a lightly used Lexus GS-F for sale recently, for half RRP! Have you heard those things with an aftermarket exhaust?

+1 from me.

Very rare cars if you want a bit of exclusivity, and very reliable.

[ZX10R NIN]

If you want to be different & have something you won't have seen regularly, then these might work:

CLS63s Shooting Brake:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Maserati Quattroporte (last of the N/A Version)

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

VXR8 GTS (these are a very good steer)

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Lexus GS-F (lovely N/A V8 which you have to give revs to enjoy but no less worthy of consideration, think of it as a newer version of the Quattroprte)

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Audi RS7

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Jaguar XJR Supersport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Leftfield option, for me would be the Grand Cherokee SRT:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...