BMW 840I vs Mercedes-Benz SL63

What's the difference?

Phwoar. Mate!

Or should I say, M-eight-fifty-I. That’s right. This is the all-new, 2020 BMW M850i Gran Coupe, the first ever example of its kind. It’s a big, long, luxury, sporty, coupey thing. And it’s gorgeous.

The BMW 8 Series 2020 range includes this new Gran Coupe body style, and also the Coupe and Convertible models. This particular model, the M850i xDrive Gran Coupe, is essentially BMW’s answer to, say, the Audi RS7. Or one of the many Porsche Panamera variants. Or the Mercedes-Benz CLS or Mercedes-AMG GT 4 door Coupe. 

Like those cars it has svelte looks, striking dimensions and a sledgehammer engine under its long, shapely bonnet. This is first ever 8 Series Gran Coupe, as it essentially stands in place of the existing, now defunct, 6 Series Gran Coupe. But it’s bolder, bigger and more brutal - just take note: this isn’t a full-scale ‘M8’ Gran Coupe. It has more of a luxury speed cruiser angle to it, arguably like a Mercedes-AMG CLS 53, not the full-fat AMG 63.

The question is, then, should you buy it over one of its established rivals?

Let’s figure it out together, shall we?

An SL sports car has been part of the Mercedes-Benz line-up since the early 1950s, and when I think of this model I see that golden years of Hollywood star (with the great hairstyle) Yul Brynner, in the late 1950s cruising the French Riviera in his 300SL roadster. Or Sophia Loren regularly posing with her 300SL Gullwing coupe around the same time.

Over seven iterations and more than seven decades it has stood for performance, glamour and exclusivity. And after a two-year hiatus the Mercedes-AMG SL63 roadster has made a comeback to the Australian market.