BMW M8 vs Mercedes-Benz Eqe300

What's the difference?

With dramatic looks, a luxurious spec, and impeccable quality, the BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe remains supremely well controlled as it delivers eye-widening performance and amazing dynamics. But there’s an ‘edge’ to the experience you need to be ready for. If I was determined to head for the Aussie ‘fast lane’ in a BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe I’d opt for the M850i and pocket a lazy $71K (enough for a cheeky M235i Gran Coupe to add to your collection).

The Mercedes-AMG EQE53 SUV has some serious tech inside and will fit the family in style. If you're after the AMG experience, you may be a little disappointed as this model leans heavily towards plush rather than sports-SUV. And it does plush extremely well but it begs the question whether the AMG factor is worth the extra cash.

Want to start a vigorous car enthusiast discussion (more a verbal punch-up)? Simply ask whether a four-door car can be a coupe.

Traditionally, the answer is no, but over time numerous automotive brands have applied that description to cars with more than two doors, including SUVs!

So, here we are. A four-door ‘Gran Coupe’, and the M8 Competition version retains the smoothly tapering turret and frameless side glass that help give selected BMW four-door models the same swoopy, coupe look.

At close to 4.9m long, a fraction over 1.9m wide, and under 1.4m high, the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe has a firmly planted, low-slung, wide-track stance. Always a subjective call, but I for one, think it looks stunning, especially in our test car’s ‘Frozen Brilliant White’ matt paint finish.

In an era of comically oversized BMW grilles, things are relatively under control here, with a bright black finish applied to that ‘kidney grille’, as well as the huge front bumper air intakes, front splitter, front fender vents, exterior mirrors, window surrounds, 20-inch rims, lip spoiler on the boot, rear valance panel (incorporating a functional diffuser), and quad exhaust tips. The roof’s black, too, but that’s because it’s made of carbon-fibre.

Overall the M8 Competition Gran Coupe is a compelling combination of strong, confident character lines along the bonnet and lower flanks, with tightly wrapped curves following the high hip line, and more organically irregular, yet distinctly BMW shapes in the head- and tail-lights. 

The interior is a beautifully balanced design with a broad centre console sweeping up to the middle of the dash and wrapping around to focus on the driver, in typical BMW fashion.

 The multi-adjustable sports front seats are immaculate, with high-end quilting in the centre section matching a similar treatment in the doors. The dark grey (full) leather trim is offset by carbon and brushed metal trim elements for a cool, calm and focused feel.

Crack the bonnet open and a spectacular ‘BMW M Power’ carbon cover dressing the top of the engine is guaranteed to impress friends and family.

We affectionately nicknamed our test EQE53 model the Blue Tic Tac because of its… well, similarity to the mint.

While not uncommon in the EV market, the EQEs pillowy design doesn't exactly scream 'big personality'. However, it does feature some cool features like the massive 22-inch alloy wheels, red brake calipers and the AMG badging at the rear. But that's all that separates it from its non-AMG siblings.

Head inside and it features all of the plush comforts and styling you’d expect from a Merc with some of the best ambient lighting in the business and a sunroof that manages to make the cabin feel airy despite all the black trims. 

Some of those trims, like the synthetic grey panels scattered liberally throughout the cabin, are found in all EQE models and don't reflect the grade level. A trim with better tactility and style would be a point of difference.

The dashboard features three screens in a ginormous panel, which surprisingly doesn’t catch the light but does show fingerprints and every spec of dust on it. Which might annoy you as it's 100 per cent the drawcard for the interior and when it's dirty, it's very obvious.

Although I'm not in love with some design choices, it's still a lovely cabin to spend time in.

Of the M8 Competition Gran Coupe’s 4867mm overall length, 2827 of it sits between the front and rear axles, which is a pretty healthy wheelbase for a car this size (and 200mm more than the 8 Series two-door coupe).

Space up front is generous, and one upside of a four-door, rather than two-door coupe, is you’re not struggling quite so much for space to get in and out when parked next to other cars.

Once inside, there’s plenty of storage up front, with a large lidded box/armrest between the front seats, twin cupholders in the centre console, as well as another covered area for wireless phone charging and extra bits and pieces in front of that. Long door pockets provide space for bottles, and the glove box is a decent size. There’s 12V power as well as USB sockets for media connection, with charging outlets in support.

At first glance you’d swear the rear seat was designed as a two-seater only, but when push (literally) comes to shove a centre passenger can squeeze in, legs straddling the rear console.

In terms of legroom, at 183cm (6’0”) I could sit behind the driver’s seat set for my position with knee room to spare, but headroom is another matter, with my noggin making solid contact with the soft Alcantara headlining. It’s the price you pay for this car’s racy profile.

There’s a neatly trimmed storage box and two cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest, plus door pockets with enough room for small bottles. The rear console houses dual climate controls, twin USB power sockets, and a small oddments tray, as well as buttons for the optional rear seat heating fitted to our test car ($900).

The 440-litre boot is a bit like the car itself - long and wide, but not very high. The rear seat split-folds 40/20/40 if you need more space, and the boot lid is automatic with a hands free function. But don’t bother looking for a spare of any description, a tyre repair kit is your only option.

The cabin of the EQE53 offers plenty of head- and legroom for its occupants. Using the armrests is also a civilised affair as there's not fighting for elbow positions!

Access to both rows is (annoyingly) more complicated than it needs to be because of the sidesteps - which are, quite frankly, useless on a car like the EQE. They hit your shins/calves when you're not using them and using them feels silly.

All seats offer a tremendous amount of comfort but the fronts benefit from heat and ventilation functions that keep you relaxed year-round. They extend everywhere you need them to to get into the best seating position.

Storage is excellent throughout the car and in the front there's an extra-deep middle console (it swallows most of my arm), a large centre console that features retractable cupholders and a big shelf underneath for bulky items, like a handbag, or as my mum joked, Saturday night’s takeout and a bottle of wine!

Each door pocket gets a dedicated bottle holder and the rear also gets two retractable cupholders and a pair of map pockets.

The boot has 520L of capacity available which is a good size for the class and the wide boot aperture and level loading space make it easy to slide things in and out. You miss out on underfloor storage in the EQE53 model but the back seat has a 40/20/40 split to open up storage options.

The technology looks daunting but is very user-friendly once you spend some time with it. The main multimedia system is responsive and you can access the menus from the steering wheel controls as well as the touchscreen.

The system has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and satellite navigation, all of which are easy to use. Charging is good with eight USB-C ports (six up front!) and a wireless charging pad.

Despite having four co-pilots this week, the additional screen in front of the passenger remained mostly unused and ended up being more of a novelty.

The real bugbear has been the air-conditioning system. Despite having a pre-climate function, it takes ages for the car to cool down and my eight-year old struggled in the rear the most. The rear vents just don't seem to pump much out, even on the top speed setting.

Once the system has cooled the cabin, though, it's like a fridge. But until it does... you really notice the 30+ degree days!

The EQE SUV is available in three grade levels and the EQE53 model on test for this review here is the creme de la creme, tucking in under AMG badging, and all that implies. Sitting at $191,900, before option packs or on-road costs, positions the top model in between its high-performing electric rivals, the Audi SQ8 e-tron at $173,090 MSRP and the BMW iX M60 at $228,400 MSRP.

Our test model has the optional 'AMG Dynamic Plus Package', which adds $5691.40 to the price tag but includes a bunch of features AMG-lovers will appreciate. Items like an 'AMG Sound Experience' which gives you three motor soundscapes to choose from, a track pace function, improved motor outputs and a boosted top speed of up to 240km/h.

In terms of technology, the not-so-standard fare includes a seriously cool-looking multimedia display consisting of a 3D Burmester surround sound system and three digital screens covering the width of the dash.

The tech is rounded out by wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, four-zone climate control, eight USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad and digital radio.

The top model also gets some luxuries like heated and ventilated front seats featuring a three-position memory function, electrically extendable under-thigh support and a 'kinetic' function (think light stretching rather than massage).

The upholstery and trims are a good mix of black Nappa leather on the seats and doors (partial), as well as synthetic suede-like materials on accent panels throughout the car.

Practical items include a hands-free powered tailgate, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry/start, pre-entry climate, dusk-sensing headlights and a park assist function to help in tricky car spots.

Overall, the EQE53 is fairly well packaged but does miss out on a few luxury extras in the second row, which is noticeable because its rivals cover this area a little better.

The M8 Competition is powered by an all-alloy, 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, featuring direct-injection, as well as the latest version of BMW’s ‘Valvetronic’ variable valve timing and ‘Double-VANOS’ variable camshaft control, to produce 460kW (625hp) at 6000rpm, and 750Nm from 1800-5800rpm.

Designated ‘S63’, the engine’s two twin-scroll turbos are located, along with a cross-bank exhaust manifold, in the engine’s (90-degree) ‘hot vee.’ 

The idea is consistent transmission of exhaust energy to the turbos for improved response, with the reversal of usual practice completed by inlet manifolds positioned on the engine’s outer edges.

Drive goes to all four wheels via an eight-speed ‘M Steptronic’ (torque converter) auto transmission with ‘Drivelogic’, and dedicated oil cooling, as well as BMW’s ‘xDrive’ all-wheel drive system.

The xDrive set-up is built around a central transfer case housing an electronically-controlled, variable multi-plate clutch, with front to rear drive distribution set to a default 40:60 split.

The system monitors multiple inputs including, wheel speed (and slip), acceleration and steering angle, and is able to vary the ratio up to 100 per cent rear thanks to the ‘Active M Differential.’ 

The EQE53 is an AWD and has dual electric motors - one at the front and one at the rear.

Without the optioned AMG Dynamic Plus Package, the motors produce up to 460kW and 950Nm but with the package those outputs jump up to a staggering 505kW and 1000Nm!

That means the 3.7-second 0-100km/h sprint time also improves to 3.5-seconds. Suffice it to say, it's enough to blow your hair back and considering we have no roads in Australia you can really let this thing loose on, it's more than enough power for anyone.

Claimed fuel economy for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 10.4L/100km, the M8 Competition emitting 239g/km of CO2 in the process.

Despite the standard auto stop/start function, over a week-long combination of city, suburban, and freeway running we recorded a (dash-indicated) average of 15.6L/100km.

Pretty thirsty, but not outrageous when you consider this car’s performance potential, and the fact that (purely for research purposes) we exploited it regularly.

Recommended fuel is 98 RON premium unleaded, and you’ll need 68 litres of it to fill the tank. That equates to a range of 654km in line with the factory claim, and 436km using our real-world number as a guide.

Non-AMG EQE models see decent driving ranges over the 500km mark, but the EQE53 has an official range of up to 485km which again positions it in the middle of its rivals. So, not bad, but a larger range would be welcome as the EQE53 is a comfortable road-tripper!

The EQE53 has a a claimed consumption figure range of 23.0 to 25.6kWh and a lithium-ion battery with a large 90.56kWh capacity.

After a week of open-roading, city-driving and not being shy in using its power, my average has been around 25.5kWh, which is solid for an electric performance SUV.

The EQE53 has a Type 2 CCS charging port which means you can hook it up to the faster DC chargers and it accepts up to 170kW on this type of system meaning it goes from 10-80 per cent in as little as 32 minutes. On an 11kW AC system, expect it to hit 100 per cent after 14.5 hours. 

There’s something teutonically symmetrical about the way the M8 Competition Gran Coupe delivers its prodigious thrust.

Peak torque of no less than 750Nm is available from just 1800rpm, remaining on full song across a broad plateau all the way to 5800rpm. Just 200revs later (6000rpm) peak power of 460kW (625hp!) takes over to finish the job, with the rev ceiling sitting just over 7000rpm.

That’s enough to slingshot this 1885kg bruiser from 0-100km/h in 3.2 seconds, which is supercar fast. And the engine and exhaust noise produced by the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 during such rapid acceleration is suitably brutal, courtesy of electronically-controlled flaps in the system opening up. 

On a more civilised drive you can reduce the exhaust noise via an ‘M Sound Control’ button on the centre console.

The eight-speed auto is fast and positive, especially in manual mode, which dials up the fun via wheel-mounted paddles. And when it’s time to direct this car’s forward momentum into lateral movement BMW has brought in the engineering heavy artillery.

Despite its frameless door body structure the M8 Competition Gran Coupe feels solid as a rock thanks in no small part to its ‘Carbon Core’ construction, using four primary components - carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP), aluminum, high-strength steel, and magnesium.

Then the ‘Adaptive M Suspension Professional’ (with active anti-roll stabilisation), the tricky xDrive continuously variable AWD system, and active M Sport diff combine to keep everything under control.

Suspension is a double wishbone front, five-link rear arrangement, with all key components in alloy to minimise unsprung weight. In concert with the electronic wizardry on-board, it helps keep the M8 buttoned down with only modest body roll in enthusiastic cornering, as the rear-biased AWD system seamlessly distributes drive to the axle and wheels that can make best use of it.

The price you’ll pay for the track-ready tune is in compromised ride comfort. Even in the ‘Comfort’ setting, the M8 Competition is firm, and feels corrugations and imperfections to a surprising degree.

An alignment of the BMW 8 Series planets left me with the keys to this car and the M850i Gran Coupe (also using the Carbon Core body) at the same time, and the difference between their softest settings is appreciable.

Also be aware that at 12.2m the M8 Gran Coupe’s turning circle is substantial, and it’s just as well all that camera, sensor and self-parking tech is available to help you guide this ship into port.

The M8’s electrically-assisted, variable-ratio steering features an ‘M’ specific calibration to deliver satisfying precision and good road feel. But in similar fashion to the ride a noticeable amount of unwelcome feedback comes through to the wheel.

The fat Pirelli P Zero rubber (275/35 fr / 285/35 rr) grips hard, and the monster brakes (ventilated all around, with 395mm rotors and six-piston calipers up front) wash off speed without fuss or fade.

But overall, you’ll have to live with a less refined drive when you sign on for the M8 Competition. Straight away it feels faster but lacks the M850i’s lighter touch. No matter which drive or suspension mode you select, responses are more aggressive and physical.

To fully explore and enjoy the M8 Competition’s abilities it feels like the race circuit is its most appropriate habitat. On the open road, the M850i is all the Gran Coupe you’re going to need.

I really wanted the AMG EQE to be crazy-fun like its petrol-powered cousins but while it has the specs to support that wish, it never feels wild.

That's not necessarily a bad thing, just unexpected for an AMG model. The 53 is still one cool customer and its composure on the road is wonderful but it's a model that a grandparent could get into and not feel overwhelmed by. Power is smoothly delivered and when you need to take off, it responds eagerly .

Steering is firm and responsive but it’s the rear axle steering that makes the EQE53 feel nimble in the city or a tight car park despite its bulky size. It corners well, without much roll and you can tackle a winding road at speed with confidence.

The ride comfort is very good with minimal outside noises finding their way inside and the suspension is plush without feeling like you’re floating on top of the road.

The visibility is mostly good but the wide A-pillar is annoyingly in the way for my driving position and I have to duck my head around it to see clearly on roundabouts.

The 360-camera system is top notch but the camera angle turns when you move the steering wheel, which takes some time to get used to. Otherwise, the EQE53 is an easy one to park.

The EQE53 hasn’t been assessed by ANCAP yet but its siblings achieved a maximum five-star safety rating in 2023.

The top model enjoys a long list of safety features, including 10 airbags which is outstanding for a family SUV.

Other systems include blind-spot monitoring, an SOS call button, driver monitoring, safe exit warning, rear occupant alert, rear collision warning, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, an intelligent seatbelt warning, adaptive cruise control (with stop/go), park assist, a 360-degree view camera system as well as front and rear parking sensors.

There are two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top tether anchor points across the second row but two seats will fit best.

None of the safety systems intrude on daily driving either, which is great.

BMW offers a three year/unlimited km warranty, which is at least a couple of years off the mainstream market pace, and lagging other premium players like Mercedes-Benz and Genesis, both sitting at five years/unlimited km.

Roadside assistance is included for the duration of the warranty period, and the standard ‘Concierge Service’ provides everything from flight information, to global weather updates, and restaurant recommendations, from a real human.

Technically, service is ‘condition based’ with the car telling you when it’s time to hit the workshop, but you can use every 12 months/15,000km as a guide.

BMW Australia offers ‘Service Inclusive’ packages that require customers to pre-pay for servicing, allowing the cost to be covered off in finance or leasing packages and reducing the need for concern about paying for maintenance further down the track.

BMW says there are different packages available, from three to 10 years, or between 40,000 and 200,000km.

The EQE SUV is offered with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is not unusual for its grade level but it has a longer-than-usual battery warranty of up to 10-years or 250,000km.

You can pre-purchase a three-, four- or five-year servicing program. The three-year program costs a flat $2240, while the four-year program costs $3525 and the five-year option costs $4085.

All pricing is pretty competitive for the class but servicing intervals are odd at every 12-months or 25,000km as it's typical to see intervals on EVs at 24 months.