3.2L 6 cylinder engine vs 1.8L 4 cylinder engine (2005) vs 2.5L 6 cylinder engine (2006)

 

or a 2.5L 6 cylinder engine...

 

thanks. I thought about that afterward

 

Kleeman C55 S8 has a top speed of 187. The Kleeman mods include ECU reprogramming to remove the speed limiter, and redline in 5th gets you 188.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article....rticle_id=8787

 

To the best of my knowledge, engine RPM at a given MPH is a function of gearing, and nothing else. I'm open to learning something different though...

Regards,

e harmon

 

3.07 gears vs. 3.27 gears... I am at 130 at the top of 4th

 

without the limiter the C32 can run 179mph. The C55 will top 180mph. I've hit 160mph on a downhill.

 

i have seen 155 in mine, and man it still wanted to go

 

From the looks of the picture, he is maxed out...were you in 5th or 4th gear? Is that the top speed of the c230?

 

Top Speed of the C230 is limited at 130 mph.

Theoretically, on the automatic transmission model, if there was no limiter and you took it up to 6000 rpms, the car will do 25 mph per 1000 rpms for a total of 150 mph.

However, I wouldn't recommend this since at such high rpms, the car loses its ability to lubricate itself properly.

 

Interesting thread here. There have been so many reasons given through the years as to why a Mercedes is more stable at speed compared to other cars even BMWs and Audis.

My guess is that it has something to do with their long wheel travel compared to most other cars. Mercedes' cars have always seems to "sit down" on their suspension as speeds increase. The W140 S-Class and R129 SL in particular seemed to do this even though they never had any type of selective damping unless you had the "600" version of those cars. From the first time I drove a W126 300SE years ago I was blown away by how stable a Benz is when flying down the road. A Benz more than any other car seems to be less fazed when it comes dips and undulations in the road. Its almost like a magic carpet, but it still maintains a higher degree of control than some "softer" riding cars like an old school Cadillac or Lincoln or a modern day Lexus would in the same situation. A car like a LS430 might ride smoother, but it keels over like an old battleship when asked to do anything other than go straight. The control simply isn't there in a Lexus, Jaguar, Cadillac, Acura or Lincoln. Only, Audi, BMW and Infiniti compare but they don't have the same ride.

There is no doubt some pretty advanced engineering within every Benz's suspension, but some moreso than others. The only downside to all this unerring straight-line prowess is that a Benz doesn't corner like a BMW and the turn in isn't as sharp. I mean how many times have you read about how a Benz, particularly the AMG versions stick to the road at speed and remain unflustered no matter what the speed or road is like while traveling in a straight line...their stability is unmatched. Its like MB always goes for keeping the car as upright and as level as possible no matter what - it doesn't mean better handling, but a sense of control that no other car can match. Only other German cars get close, particularly BMWs which are more agile, but aren't quite as stable in a straight line. All German cars to a degree share the same ride/handling tendencies, but there are differences.

Ever notice how a Benz tackles rail-road crossings and just generally laughs at most types of speedbumps? These traits are baked in on purpose because a Benz is a heart a workhorse vehicle. I've seen a Benz's wheels pump furiously over really nasty road imperfections while the body/ride remains unflustered. Amazing.

The only Mercedes that sacraficed some of this prowess noticeably was the W210 E-Class. It was a mess at high-speed in my experience, nothing like the W124 before it and nothing like the current W211. The best in this regard were the W124, W126, W140, R129 those cars would track straight as an arrow no matter what they felt like they sat in the road instead of on it. Today's Benzes vary, but still have the same characteristics maybe just not as vividly as some from a generation or two ago. The current SL seems to be the best of today's group, haven't driven the W221.

M

 

Totally agree with Germancar1. As an W210 E320 owner (with the 17x8 wheels) I have to say, it wasn't exactly the best performer handling wise at high speeds. The steering was too light, making you less confident. Aerodynamics wise, i think it could've been improved as well. However, at low speeds, it was very proficient, with a bit of body lean.

I think the steering is the biggest issue personally. That's what gives me the confidence at high speeds.

However, in terms of comfort, I like the BMW suspensions better. Let's compare the 2005 325i sedan with Sport with the 2005 C230 Kompressor Sport Sedan. Driving over the potholes on some streets, while it's noticeable in both cars, the C230's ride becomes intrusive. The BMW 325i Sport's ride basically lets you know you've gone over the hole, but doesn't make it intrusive.