Agree with your assessment of both cars, but disagree with your comment on MB & BMW's quality. It's plain to see that BMW uses much better quality materials as compared to current MBs - you can see exposed screwheads around parts of the centre console in the current S-class. The quality of plastics used in the interior of the E-class and the new C-class is not as good as the 5er or 3er. MB used to make cars that felt more solid than BMW, now it's the other way round.