Verdict
The BMW M5 is the driver’s pick: 3.5 sec to 100 km/h, 591 hp petrol power, a 194 hp motor and 67 km EV range from a 22.1 kWh battery. The Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class is RM662,088 dearer at RM1,850,888 versus RM1,188,800, but the money buys 5,469 mm length, a 3,396 mm wheelbase, powered reclining rear seats and rear entertainment. It is slower at 4.8 sec, yet far more rear-cabin focused.
M5
Pick the BMW M5 if you want the quicker, five-seat plug-in hybrid sedan, with 3.5-second acceleration and 67 km of EV running.
Maybach S-Class
Pick the Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class if the rear passengers matter most and you want the long wheelbase, powered rear chairs and air-suspended, rear-steered chassis.
Key differences
- Price: BMW M5 RM1,188,800; Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class RM1,850,888
- 0-100 km/h: BMW M5 3.5 seconds; Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class 4.8 seconds
- Battery capacity: BMW M5 22.1 kWh; Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class 1.0 kWh
- Length/wheelbase: BMW M5 5,096 mm/2,857 mm; Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class 5,469 mm/3,396 mm
- Seats/boot: BMW M5 5 seats/466 litres; Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class 4 seats/470 litres
- Road tax: BMW M5 RM8,408 yearly; Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class RM6,549 yearly
M5
- Much quicker 3.5-second 0-100 km/h time
- 67 km EV range with 7.4 kW Type 2 AC charging
- Five seats versus four in the Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class
- Shorter 2,857 mm wheelbase versus 3,396 mm
- Rear bench lacks the Maybach’s powered ottoman, leg rest and massage functions
- Higher annual road tax: RM8,408 versus RM6,549
Maybach S-Class
- Far longer 3,396 mm wheelbase versus 2,857 mm
- Power-adjustable rear seats with heating, ventilation, massage and one-touch recline
- Rear entertainment displays, 7-inch rear tablet and rear fridge
- Slower 4.8-second 0-100 km/h time versus 3.5 seconds
- Costs RM662,088 more than the BMW M5
- Four seats versus five in the BMW M5
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM 1,188,800✓ | RM 1,850,888 |
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Segment | Executive | Luxury |
| Assembly | CBU | CKD |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 32-valve DOHC with Twin Turbochargers, Direct Injection, Variable Valve Timing and Lift, plug-in hybrid assistance | 32-valve DOHC, Twin Turbocharged with Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing and Lift |
| Capacity | 4,395 cc | 3,982 cc |
| Horsepower | 591 hp✓ | 496 hp |
| Torque | 750 Nm✓ | 700 Nm |
| Cylinder Arrangement | V | V |
| Timing Type | Chain | Chain |
| Fuel | Petrol Plug-in Hybrid | Petrol Hybrid/REV |
| Bore | — | 83 mm |
| Compression Ratio | — | 10.5 |
| Number of Motors | 1 | 1 |
| Motor Horsepower | 194 hp✓ | 20 hp |
| Motor Torque | 280 Nm✓ | 200 Nm |
| Battery Type | Lithium-ion | Lithium-ion |
| Battery Capacity | 22.1 kWh✓ | 1.0 kWh |
| EV Range | 67 km | — |
| Charger Type (AC) | Type 2 | — |
| Charging Rate (AC) | 7.4 kW | — |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | M Steptronic | 9G-TRONIC |
| Gears | 8 | 9 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | — | Mercedes-Benz |
| Driveline | All Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 3.5 seconds✓ | 4.8 seconds |
| Rated Economy | — | 11.7 L/100 km |
| Top Speed | 250 km/h | 250 km/h |
| Co2 | — | 266 g/km |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 5,096 mm | 5,469 mm |
| Width | 1,970 mm | 1,921 mm |
| Height | 1,510 mm | 1,510 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,857 mm | 3,396 mm |
| Weight | 2,510 kg | 2,290 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 60 litres | 76 litres |
| Doors | 4 | 4 |
| Seats | 5 | 4 |
| Boot Space | 466 litres | 470 litres✓ |
| Front Tyre | 265/40R20 | 265/35R21 |
| Rear Tyre | 295/35R21 | 265/35R21 |
| Spare Tyre | N/A, Tyre Repair Kit | Tyre Repair Kit |
| Factory Tyres | Hankook S1 evo Z | Pirelli P-Zero MO-S |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Germany (CBU) | Malaysia (CKD) |
| Chassis | Unibody | Unibody |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbones | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-Link with Air Suspension |
| Front Wheels | 20" M Alloys | 21" Multi-spoke 2-tone Forged Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 21" M Alloys | 21" Multi-spoke 2-tone Forged Alloy |
| Front Brakes | Ventilated and Cross Drilled Disc | Ventilated and Cross Drilled Disc |
| Rear Brakes | Ventilated and Cross Drilled Disc | Ventilated Disc |
| Steering | Rack & Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Chassis Notes | M Adaptive Suspension | Adaptive Dampers, 48-volt Active Roll Stabilisation, Rear-wheel Steering (4.5 Degrees) |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver & Front Passenger, Side Airbags, Curtain Airbags and Driver's Knee Airbag | Driver and Passenger, Driver Knee, Rear Passengers, Front and Rear Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Rear Left Cushion |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for Rear Doors | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 5 Three-point | 4 Three-point with Illumination, Rear Belt Bags and Rear Feeder |
| Blind Spot Info System | ✓ | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available for outer two rear passenger seats | Available for Rear Seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | Yes | Yes, with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection (up to 130 km/h) and Evasive Steering Assist (up to 108 km/h) |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Safety Notes | — | Pre-Safe, Pre-Safe Impulse Side, Driver Attention Monitor with Eye Tracking |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | LED Projector with Auto High Beam | Adaptive LED Projector with Matrix High Beam (Digital Light with Projection Function) |
| Taillamps | Full LED | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats | Power Adjustable Front Seats with Memory, Heating and Massage Functions; Pillow Headrests; Passenger Seat Adjustment from Rear Seats |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-folding | Power Adjustable Rear Seats with Memory, Heating, Ventilation, Massage and One-touch Recline Functions; Heated Headrests; Powered Ottoman with Massage Function; Powered Leg Rest for Left Passenger |
| Front Air-con | Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control with Air Balance Perfume System and Ioniser |
| Rear Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Sunroof | — | Panoramic, Front Tilt with Sunshade Gesture Opening and Closing |
| Power Sockets | 1 Front, 2 USB-C Front, 1 Wireless Charger, 2 USB-C Rear | 4 Front USB-C, 4 Rear USB-C |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights & Ambient Lighting | Map Lights and Active Ambient Lights (64 Colours) |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Rear | 2 Heated and Cooled Front, 2 Heated and Cooled Rear |
| Sun Shade | Rear Window Shades | Double Sun Visors, Powered Rear Windscreen and Rear Door Window Sunshades |
| Audio | 14.9" BMW Curved Display Live Cockpit Professional, 18-speaker Bowers & Wilkins Sound System | 12.8" OLED Touchscreen Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Augmented Reality Navigation; 11.6" Rear Entertainment Displays; 7" Rear Android Tablet; 15-speaker Burmester 3D Surround Sound System (710 Watts) |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-pinch | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button Start | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation with Proximity Lock/Unlock | Keyless Operation with Pop-out Door Handles |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control | Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, Stop and Go and Speed Limit Assist |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Electric Steering Adjustment | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Powered Boot with Contactless Opening | Powered with Contactless Operation |
| Parking Sensor Front | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 6 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes, 360-degree View Monitor | Yes, with 360-degree Camera |
| Auto Parking | Yes | Yes, Parallel and Perpendicular |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Navigation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Head-up Display | — | ✓ |
| Power Door | Yes | Soft Close for All Doors; Power-assisted Rear Doors with Gesture-operated One-touch Closing |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Full LCD Monitor | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Convenience Notes | — | Front and Rear MBUX Interior Assistant, Fingerprint Scanner, Front and Rear Qi Wireless Chargers, Rear Wireless Headsets, Folding Rear Tables, Rear Fridge |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Warranty Mileage Extended | Unlimited | — |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 2 years | 2 years |
| Warranty Extended | 5 years✓ | 2 years |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM 8,408 | RM 6,549✓ |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
M5 vs Maybach S-Class FAQ
Is the BMW M5 or Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class better?
The BMW M5 is better to drive, thanks to its 3.5-second 0-100 km/h time and plug-in hybrid range. The Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class is better to be driven in, with a much longer wheelbase and richer rear-seat equipment.
What is the price difference?
The Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class costs RM1,850,888, which is RM662,088 more than the RM1,188,800 BMW M5.
Which one is faster?
The BMW M5 is faster. It does 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds, while the Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class takes 4.8 seconds. Both have a 250 km/h top speed.