EKaru

by the way guys I'm new to the board... Traded my 03' C32 on an 05' C55... Black/Black Command, Premium, Lighting pkg, Hands free communication kit...

3rd - Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG
Highs: Understated good looks, abundant power, best Benz manumatic we've encountered.
Lows: Fork-lift steering effort at freeway speeds, harsh ride on lumpy pavement, still needs a manual-gearbox option.
Verdict: An outlaw in a Hugo Boss suit.

2nd - Cadillac CTS-V
Highs: Muscle-car throttle response, sure-footed in agility events, roomy up front.
Lows: Reluctant shifting, noisy at wide-open throttle, relaxed-fit bucket seats, hard-to-love styling.
Verdict: A linebacker among running backs: longer on muscle than on grace.

1st - Audi S4 Quattro
Highs: V-8 audio, V-8 flexibility, world class shifting, unswervingly user-friendly, all day comfort.
Lows: Quirky exterior styling details, heft-to-size ratio needs work, snug back seat, no nav system for $50k price.
Verdict: Just your humble little everyday Olymic gold medalist.

CynCarvin32

Hey EKaru,

Welcome back to the states bud. Glad to see you on the board again. Hope I was right in telling you to go back the the W203 AMG. This article does not sound like it supports my theory.

Might I trouble you to scan a copy and post it for us (or e-mail it to me). I need to see this and the newstand is too far away!

CynCarvin32

vraa

Gr. I do now like. Where is the M3?

Nickerz

I swear, it seems that C&D (and others) will NEVER let go of the fact that AMG's don't have a manual gearbox option. GET OVER IT!

Nick

FIXEDupW209

Once bmw switches over to smg only i would love to hear what they have to say. SMG is manual and it does have a clutch but we all know the differences so it will be interesting to see what they have to say about it.

ajoe

This is the same mag that rated the RS6 over the E55 and the S4 over the M3 even though the Audi performance numbers weren't even close re the E55. I've owned both the RS6 and E55 and the E55 is a far superior car in almost every category. They usually let their "subjective" ratings compensate for the lower performance ratings of the audi's.

EKaru

What's up bro..?? Actually I don't have the magazine and just copied the above from an Audiworld S4 forum. What I find odd is how C&D could like the CLK55 so much, which finished 1st against the 6-series bimmer and Maserati and complain about the C55. The C55 placing behind the CTS-V is unacceptable. I test drove the caddy and thought it was all about a big motor and that's it..
Eric....

Colin

I was a bit disappointed to see the final order, but the C55 comes off fairly well for those who examine the numbers. Even with the subjectiveness of the test, the 3 are essentially dead even.
The numbers as percentages of total points:
S4: 204/235 = 86.8%
CTS-V: 201/235 = 85.5%
C55: 200/235 = 85.1%

rbaker

Shows how subjective the magazine guys really are. They are human too... Funny though, since the C55 just beat the S4 in R&T.

Also, are these guys wimps or what, saying it has "Folk-Lift" steering? It's just about right on effort, but still low on feedback. Ratio is pretty close to spot on as well, if a little numb on center. Oh well... none of the cars have steering as precise as my e36 M3.

Fikse

what did the C55 run in the 1/4 mile vs the rest?

Colin

0-60
S4: 5.1
CTS-V: 4.8
C55: 4.7

1/4 Mile
S4: 13.7@102
CTS-V: 13.2@109
C55: 13.3@108

Vader13

Check this artical about manual trannies going in all cars of the future.

http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosins...a01-271661.htm

SiLvaC32

how come C55 only got a 6 for brake feeL? do you guys think the brakes don't feel as good?

theitalianjob

No M3?

EKaru

If BMW made an E46 M3 sedan, then it would have been in the comparison...
Eric...

FrankW

once again the C&D guys prove to everyone that they are dumbasses w/ their high/low/verdict comments. LOL

personally I much rather watch/read TopGear at least they don't change their testing ground every time.

also, I don't get if even the German mags are saying that the S4 rides harsher how can the US mags say that it rides better than the C AMG. I'm sure you'll have see that video where they tested C32, M3, and the S4.

cntlaw

If he does not like the 'high' C55 price , he should not omit the fact that the C55 is still US 25000 cheaper than the CLK. The cheapest AMG we ever can get.

He does not like harsh ride on bumpy pavement ? I hate that even more when I ride it on rubblish roads in H.K. So what, you tell me which supercar feels more comfortable than a Toyota Camry.

"Fork-lift" steering at high speed, that might be true, but how much that would affect the safety and controls; may be he did not have a chance to adopt the steering feel and behavior. To me , the steering feel is just felt like a MB steering, you would not want to buy a MB and feel like driving a BMW.

I think the guys tested drive the C55 just did not want to agree with everyone that the C55 is the no. 1 super mid sedan ever built in human history. However, his observations may be valid but would these "cons" mean that we should go for a 40% cheaper S4 - so long as we can tolerate the S4's tiny back seats and it's relatively ugly Audi look.

Anyhow, the report may be 'convincing' if for someone who is not sure whether he should get a Subaru or a S4. For someone who can be considering a E55 / C55 , the S4 will not have a chance.

I know nothing about the S4, so I may be wrong.

cnt

MK899

cnt,

Those guys don't know wtf their talking about . I get to drive fork-lifts all the time, and they don't feel anything like a C32/55, at any speed.

Just happen to have this photo laying around

MK899

Oh...wait, maybe they're comparing it to an AMG tuned fork-lift .

FrankW

AMG forklift

04E500

Is there a waiting list for the Forklift? I won't pay a dime over MSRP!

Hey Eric, its Doug. How does the phone work? Does it use the V60? Thats all I really care about.

I wonder if they bothered to turn the stereo on? The HK in the C55 is night and day better than the Audi.

The performance speaks for itself. The chances I would run through the twisties against a better driver in an Audi S4 are slim to none.

CynCarvin32

While you are correct about never running into a S4 with a good driver, its not always about a contest. If th S4 is more fun to drive it would be the better car for that set of twisties. Then again few people see a twisty road and think its time to do battle.

I have a daily driver C230k and the stereo is ok. Boomy bass (sounds cheap comp. to the W211 HK), everything in the car vibrates with the stereo (trunk release button is extremely loud and there is no solution to date), and the rear deck needs a layer of dynamat to calm down.

That being said the C32 is a great car and I realy think the C55 is a cut better. Things like stereos and such are not why we drive these cars. The SL55 has worse stereo than a C240 but its still a great car!

04E500

The HK in the C55 sounds on par with our former E500's HK, at any rate it is far superior to the Blose in the Audi and I doubt the caddys' is as good.

My butt dyno chose the C55 over the S4, I thought it was a nicer driving car but thats just my subjective opinion.

I always feel like I have to prove myself to everyone on the road so if I saw an S4 innocently weaving through some twisties I would chase him down like a scared rabbit.

rguy

scared rabbit

ultraseven

In C and D comparisons, a manual tranny is almost a key to winning a comparo. Since no car has a left pedal in that particular comparison, the Benz came in first