2005 BMW M5 vs. 2005 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG 500 Horse Power Club Comparison

The 500 Club
Ron Sessions

With the new M5, BMW joins an exclusive association of brands purveying fast cars boasting 500 or more horses under the hood. In these days of high fuel prices, gas-guzzler taxes, and Corporate Average Fuel Economy regulations, the list is longer than you might think. Welcome to the Golden Age of Horsepower.

• BMW M5: 500-horsepower, 5.0-liter V-10
• Bentley Continental GT: 552-horsepower, 6.0-liter twin-turbo W-12
• Dodge Viper SRT-10: 500-horsepower, 8.3-liter V-10
• Ferrari 575M Maranello: 508-horsepower, 5.8-liter V-12
• Ferrari 612 Scaglietti: 532-horsepower, 5.8-liter V-12
• Ford GT: 550-horsepower, 5.4-liter supercharged V-8
• Lamborghini Murcielago: 571-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-12
• Maybach 57 and 62: 543-horsepower, 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-12
• Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG: 604-horsepower, 6.0-liter twin-turbo V-12
• Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG: 604-horsepower, 6.0-liter twin-turbo V-12
• Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren: 617-horsepower, 5.4-liter supercharged V-8
• Porsche Carrera GT: 605-horsepower, 5.7-liter V-10
• Saleen S7: 575-horsepower, 7.0-liter V-8

...and soon, a Corvette Z06 with a 500-horsepower, 6.0-liter V-8