The 5-Series and the E-Class are the cars that define the mid-size executive saloon segment, the ones every competitors aspires to beat – and, at the same time, they are themselves the deadliest of foes, vying for top honors, for there can be only one winner.

Think Ayrton Senna vs Alain Prost, Real Madrid vs Barcelona, LA Lakers vs Boston Celtics (the Magic Johnson and Larry Bird era), Ferrari vs Lamborghini… you get the drift.

Since BMW has just launched an all-new 5er, it’s only natural then to compare it to the Mercedes. Not on the road, of course, but visually, and even though it’s a bit two-dimensional (pun intended), it’s far from superficial.

That’s because buyers of lesser cars can easily be swayed into a showroom due to better finance or what-have-you, but premium products sell themselves not only on heritage and prestige, but design, too. They also tend to go for the latest and greatest, and if you exclude the died-in-the-wool loyalists, won’t hesitate to switch sides.

In the past, things used to be much more simple. If you valued comfort and were a bit conservative, you’d go for the Merc whereas if driving thrills and sporty looks were on the top of your list, the Bimmer was a no-brainer. In the past few years there’s been a shift, though, with Stuttgart getting much more daring and Munich playing it safe, especially compared to the seismic changes brought not that long ago by one certain Chris Bangle.

Designed from the ground up as it might be, the 2017 5-Series doesn’t move the game on. It’s more composed than the 7-Series, yes, but one will struggle to find anything actually new apart from the large rear lights. One could point out that, hey, the E-Class looks more or less the same to the S- and C-Class, and he/she would be correct, if not for the fact that Mercedes-Benz has moved on compared to the previous-gen models, whereas BMW’s advance is glacial at best.

The Merc’s bodywork is more curvy and the tapering rear end quite distinctive, whereas the 5-Series is more (dare we say it?) upright. Choosing the right trim is much more important on the Merc, though, as you’ll want that three-pointed star integrated in the grille or else you lose lots of sportiness. The BMW, in contrast, does not appear to be so trim or color sensitive.

One area where the two deadly rivals have stayed true to tradition is the cabin. The features are, more or less, the same, with touch-this and voice-control that, but the execution couldn’t be different. The E-Class puts an emphasis on luxury and comfort, while the 5-Series has the center console gives priority to the driver, something underlined by the angle of the center console. For what it’s worth, the Merc’s instruments are a bit plain, but its infotainment controller and surrounding switchgear seem more upper class than the business-as-usual of the BMW’s.

The two practically mirror each other in the engine line up, with turbocharged 2.0-liter four- and 3.0-liter six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, as well as a plug-in hybrid. Even the upcoming sport variants, namely the M5 and the E 63 AMG, will be pretty evenly matched on specs, with at least 600 HP and all-wheel drive to help channel that immense power to the tarmac.

Bottom line: Compared to their predecessors, the Bimmer is a very careful update in terms of design, while Merc went the extra mile and did something more daring. Both have also retained the brand’s DNA, but this can be a double-edged sword, especially for the 5-Series, as the rest of the competition is getting bolder and bolder. Witness the Volvo S90 or the Lexus GS, for example; doing something fresh has worked miracles for the sales of the Swedes and the Japanese. Makes you wonder if that Bangle fella was right after all, doesn’t it.

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