I took delivery of an 08 E-550 4-matic several weeks ago and then took a 1500 mi. road trip from CO to AZ. The car had the P2 and Sport packages. This is a terrific car and can command almost any open road driving situation by virtue of its handling and power. Much of my driving was on two lane roads where traffic, when it’s present, often travels at 80+. I observed the recommended break-in procedure during the first 1000 mi. Even without grabbing a lower gear when passing, the torque is evident with the car attaining 100+ very rapidly. The ergonomics and seats were quite good. The adaptive headlights are effective and the cruise control with its speed shown on the speedo and ease of use is the best I’ve seen.

The 245-40-18 tires are Conti Pro Contacts. Sources do not rate these highly but I think I’ll stick with them for the first 20K. I carried 36 psi all around. The Sirius and the Nav worked seamlessly. I have not entered street addresses yet but towns could be entered while driving and gave mileage and ETA. Magnification via the soft keys gave street names and detail sufficient to find most locations. Zooming out still gave highway numbers and a moving map that made route checking easy. The dealer said the V 2007.1 was the latest Nav software?

MPG as shown by the computer was 22.2 for 1,700 mi. but may increase with a few more miles and less back road driving. While quite comfortable for freeway driving this car is built for much more and the autobahn heritage is fully evident when pushed towards limits.

Dislikes are few but include the multi spoke wheel design which is time consuming to detail but look good when clean. Peripheral vision over my left shoulder seemed more difficult than the previous 01 E-430 but is alleviated with an autobahn mirror which I use in all my cars and can save the day when making quick decisions in high speed traffic. The console is not roomy unless the cup holders are removed. The Keyless Go is terrific. Put the key in your pocket/purse at the beginning of the day and lay it on the dresser at the end of the day – and drive 700 miles in between including lunch, gas stops and trunk openings.

Prior to taking delivery I asked the shop detailer to wash only. I then applied a coat of Klasse All In One with a PC 7424 which is a mild cleaner and a polymer sealant. Claying was not necessary. I then applied two coats of Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket and two coats of Wheel Wax on the wheels. When I returned from the trip I noticed I had a great deal of road tar on the driver side. I put some Menzerna High Gloss Acrylic Shield detailer, which I use after washing, and applied some to a wax pad – the tar came off without any effort.

The 12 V adapter near the rear seat heater controls works well for my V1 as I run the straight black power cord from the dash, down the right side of the Nav and then under the fabric to the back. This allows the front 12 V to be used for other uses or kept closed. The straight vs. coiled black cord is hardly visible over the black dash.

This car is quiet, tight and powerful. I used the normal suspension setting on freeways and Sport 1 or 2 on secondary roads. It is difficult to differentiate between S 1 and 2 but both are stiffer than the normal setting. This car is perfect for driving in the west with its higher elevations and long stretches of desert and mountain roads.

 

The latest S Class MB with AWD is now equipped with the 7 G transmission. Previously only the rear wheel drive has the 7 G. The AWD had the old 5 speed.

Is the same improvement present in your 2008 AWD E550?

 

No, the 08 E 4-matic does not have the 7 speed. The only consolation is that the 5 speed is well proven but the 7 speed sounds great not to mention a little better fuel mileage and a .1 second acceleration increase. It is perturbing that MB does not give one the same fundamental drive train choices on the E as those on the S-class.

 

The 7 speed isn't used on AWD cars because due to the extra AWD stuff under the car it doesn't fit. (The 5 speed is the smoother tranny in cold weather.)