It's amusing to me that you don't consider the E Class a competitor of the GS, the guys I know who purchase these cars constantly noodle between all cars in the this segment except the GS until recently. Also, if you want to contrast this GS with a 5 Series you really ought to do so with the 535 to have similarly configured cars.
I absolutely consider the E350 its competitor, but have not driven the current model or its predecessor so cannot draw any valid comparison except the fact that I think the M-B looked the best, until this GS came along. Mike will be driving an E 350 later this summer, so that'll give us a ballpark idea of that model's capabilities - not sure if there are dynamic differences with the Coupe.
I can see why some people find the grille too aggressive, and I thought the spindle grille looked hokey in pictures, but walking around and looking at it from every angle, I found I at least liked them all, and loved many of them, including this one, which I haven't yet added to the gallery (issues...)... this used to be the worst angle on the previous GS, and now i think it's amazing.
and because I drove that lower-spec 528i, I also don't see it as a fair straight up comparison, but I can at least vouch for interiors and the dynamic differences between those two unequal models...
and yeah, I didn't hate the Acura beak either, but I never thought it looked good.
and this should be required reading for everyone:
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1206_six_cylinder_midsize_luxury_sedans/viewall.html
beating BMW and Audi at their own game by a magazine notoriously slandered for BMW bias...
What is your opinion of the GS interior vs. the 528? I looked at a 528 with the comfort seat upgrade and the M Sport appearance package and thought the interior was very good just a tad austere but the seats were amazing. Both innards are good but I like the 528 for style reasons.
Equipped this way, the 528 is much more expensive than the GS. Even the base GS is $10,000 cheaper than the base 528 and when you add a few things to a BMW, the price goes through the roof. To top it off, you still get a four banger. Yesterday a 528 pulled up at a stop sign while I was crossing the street; definitely sounded like a four banger. Go up to a proper six cylinder and you are looking at least a $20,000 premium for the BMW. That is a 40% addition for the BWM logo on the hood. No thanks.
BMW had to choose four bangers or diesels to conform to the CAFE rules on the bulk of its cars sold here, and it took the four banger route. The risk of cheapening their brand obviously didn't seem that much to take for them. In my opinion, the 528i is bloated, overweight and isolated, designed to appeal to the Hello Kitty set that gobbles them up like candy. For the Hello Kitty types, it doesn't matter what the car looks like, drives like or the price tag on the window; in fact, the higher the better. It's all about brand and I am sure the Shanghai housewives who are the majority of the buyers of the Ultimate Driving Machine love their cars while at the same time making BMW loads of money.
Watch for the Hello Kitty package, factory direct. There are already plenty of aftermarket ones.
You are incorrect on the pricing...and what does "Hello Kitty" mean?
The BMW site was down, as it often us, so here are the prices:
Base GS350, 305 hp $51,900 Base 528i, 240hp 4-banger $52,700
GS350 AWD 305 hp, $54,900 535i X-drive, 300 hp, $67,670 manual
It is very difficult to work out exact prices on these two vehicles as the BMW charges extra for many features that are standard on the Lexus but it would be safe to say that 535i automatic is at least $15,000 more than the GS350 when similarly equipped if not more. However, the BMW site is not functioning at the moment, which is often the case with it.
Is the BMW worth the extra money? In my opinion it is not, since the car is a bloated housewifemobile now, designed to sell in droves in China, which in it fact does. Thus, from a business standpoint, BMW has made the right decision. In order to get a real driver's car you need to step up to the M products which are loads more money and making money is what the business is all about.
However, I don't see the new 5 series as a driver's car in any of its models. It is bloated and disconnected from the road. At least that is what my test drive made me feel about it. It simply does not compare to my 1996 528i which was a beautiful car to drive. That is when I actually go to drive it and it was not in the shop being fixed.
If you want to know what "Hello Kitty" is, come to Vancouver and go to Shanghai. She figures predominantly on many German cars in both locations.