My co workers E55 also feels flatter around the corners mostly due to less inherent mass and a nicely tuned suspension but once again the M5 is always faster around the track, 1/5 seconds faster around Button Willow and 2 seconds faster around the ring. Another example where feel does not translate to better performance.

When I traded my C36 in for the M5 I was also thinking to myself that my new M5 was not much quicker than my old C36 let alone the E34 M5 I sold in 1995.

I think your points are relevant but only point the fact that the E55 and CLK55 have a lighter more nimble feel but thats about it. My kids 69 302 Zapper Z28 feels like it will waste my M5 on a straightline. We had the cars on the track in Bremerton and my M5 pulls away quite handily.

Amazing cars...

Two nights ago, one of my friends that has a new M5 (with 5k miles on it), and I went for a ride in my car and then we swapped back to his car for a comparison (no we didn't race, since my car isn't broken in).

Here were his two main comments (which I noticed too):

1.) The CLK55 feels like it accelerates quite a bit harder than his M5 in roll-on full throttle situations, and one standing start that I did (but I backed off at 5,000 RPM).

2.) The CLK55 corners much flatter than his M5.

3.) The CLK55 has more torque and instantaneous acceleration off the line and in roll-on situations.

My sentiments were exactly the same, as I thought both of these points were quite obvious. I have about 800 miles on my car now.