DE Steve

I recently took an E500 without the E3 sport package for a test drive. Excluding tire size and cosmetic changes are there any other changes included in the sport package (such as suspension)? Is there a noticeable change to the steering, handling, or the ride quality with the sport package?

Super Em

E3= Cosmetic package. Nothing more

gobenz

E3: Sport Package details $1,375.00

· Bi-Xenon Headlamps, Headlamp Washers
· Black Birds Eye Maple Trim, Blue Tinted Glass
· LED Brake Lights, Sculpted Side Skirts,
· Front Bumper, Rear Apron,
· 17" Sport Wheels with 245/45 R 17 tires

benggolf

In Canada, specifying Sports Package (CDN$2,500) to the E500 adds:

1) Four 17" 5-spoke alloy wheels (8.0J x 17) w/ 245/45 WR 17 high performance tires.
2) Sculpted lower body work w/ slight;y different front bumper fascia.
3) Blue-tinited glass.
4) Black grille with 5 chromed ribs and chromed surround.
5) Bi-xenon low & high beam headlights.
6) Headed headlamp washers.
7) All-LED brake lamps.
8) Ivory-color gauge faces, backlit soft blue at night, with matte chrome instrment cluster surround.
9) Chomed gearshift surround.
10) Black birdseye maple wood interior trim with polished chrome outlining.

Something noteworthy here is that the 5-spoke alloys are narrower than the standard split spoke on the E500 which are 8.5J x 17. Wonder what is the reason for this. Any ideas?

Andrew

I think that this may be because the 'standard' twin spoke wheels in North America are a special option in every other country of Europe and Asia, where the Elegance and Avantgarde specs are the variants (rather than normal and sport pkg.). On the Elegance package (equivalent to non-sport N. America) there are standard 10-spoke alloy wheels (not available in N. America) and on Avantgarde cars, the wheels are the same as those on the North American cars with the sports package. Anyway, getting back to the point, since these wheels were designed to be an option on all cars in the majority of the market, they were made larger (hence more desirable and option-list-worthy), they were designed to be an even more sporty alternative to the 5-spoke alloys on the sports and Avantgarde models.

I hope this made sense, I am a little out of it tonight, so if anyone understands what I am saying, please try to clarify it for others hehe

UncAl

Andrew, thanks for explaining that! I was confused too!

Andrew

anytime