Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2014 BMW 7 SERIES VS 2014 Mercedes S-Class Near Scottsdale, AZ

Both the 7 Series and the S-Class have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

The 7 Series’ corrosion warranty is 8 years and unlimited miles longer than the S-Class’ (12/unlimited vs. 4/50,000).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 7 Series for 4 years and 50,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mercedes doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the S-Class.

There are over 12 percent more BMW dealers than there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the 7 Series’ warranty.

As tested in Car and Driver the Alpina B7 is faster than the S550:

On the EPA test cycle the ActiveHybrid 7 gets better fuel mileage than the S550 RWD Auto (22 city/30 hwy vs. 17 city/25 hwy).

On the EPA test cycle the Alpina B7 xDrive gets better fuel mileage than the S63 4MATIC (16 city/24 hwy vs. 15 city/23 hwy).

Regenerative brakes improve the 7 Series’ fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The S-Class doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The 7 Series’ standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the S63 are solid, not vented.

The 7 Series stops much shorter than the S-Class:

The Alpina B7’s 245/35R21 front and 285/30R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the S-Class’ optional 40 series front and 35 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Alpina B7 has standard 21-inch wheels. The S-Class’ largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The 7 Series offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The S-Class doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the 7 Series is .4 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than on the S-Class.

The 740i handles at .91 G’s, while the S550 pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The 740i executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the S550 (25.8 seconds @ .73 average G’s vs. 26.5 seconds @ .7 average G’s).

The BMW 7 Series may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 400 pounds less than the Mercedes S-Class.

The 7 Series SWB is 6.7 inches shorter than the S-Class, making the 7 Series easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces. The 7 Series LWB is 1.2 inches shorter than the S-Class.

The 7 Series offers an optional heads-up display which projects speed and other key instrumentation readouts onto the windshield, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The S-Class doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the 7 Series and the S-Class have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the 7 Series is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The S-Class prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The 7 Series has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The S-Class doesn’t offer headlight washers.