Air Marshall Eldritch

Sorry if this has been covered already...

I was looking at the specs for HP and Torque on the MB website, but couldn't understand what they were measuring in. Does anyone know what the plain english figures are?

E55 KEV

I believe the E320 will have the same 221hp and the E500 will have 302bhp.

I am a little disappointed in the HP ratings from MBZ. They should have upgraded the 4.3 from 275 to at least 300hp and 5.0 to 320 or more instead of putting in the 5.0 with only 302hp. Everyone else is getter bigger HP from smaller V8's:

Audi 4.2 310hp
BMW 4.5 325hp
Cadillac 4.6 300hp
Infiniti 4.5 340hp
Jaguar 4.2 300hp
Lexus 4.3 300hp

The MBZ 3.2 liter horsepower is also pathetic with Acura giving 260hp from 3.2 and Jaguar giving 240 in a 3.0, not to mention the 3.2 from BMW with 333hp normally aspirated.

So a E500 with only 302 HP does not excite me. Mercedes what's up with that?

bankerscot

In reality in the USA all of these cars are adequate re power but macho attitudes prevail at these prices and status.I have driven most of these cars and all feel good with power more than enough to make anyone feel that they are driving a great vehicle.The Lexus is rated at 290 HP but while the E500 is slighty more powerful when is anybody about to go drag racing in these cars,even with k40 radar/laser jammer built in which I have.I guess I am getting old and boring with this attitude!!!

Beltfed

Seriously, my oldman's S500 is damn fast for a battleship and with an E500 having the same power along with being lighter.....its going to be very entertaining.

Not going to be mind blowing like an E55, but sufficient enough for most over crowded suburbs....where you can't drive fast half the time anyway.

I'm definitely one to complain if a car is lacking power, but I just don't think the E500 will suffer from it.

E55 KEV

bankerscot, the GS430 is rated at 300 while the LS430 is 290.

Others:

We all know that 302 is enough HP, however, this is where technology, engineering and product development come in. A car with 150 hp is fast enought but no one is paying $60k for 150hp. HP is not whether we need it or not but rather a question of who is putting the dollars into research & technology or who is just sitting on their laurels. Slapping that 5.0 engine into the W211 is not moving forward, IMHO. Especially since it will probably move the car into Gas Guzzler Taxes. Mercedes should impress me with upgrading the 4.3 to 302HP like in the C43 or bore it out to 4.5 and 320+hp. Putting the 5.0 in the W211 is using off-the-shelf parts and saving MBZ money.

The Euros pay a tax based on engine displacement. Ask them would they rather have a 4.3 with 302hp or a 5.0 with 302.

Air Marshall Eldritch

Wow, I wouldn't have guessed numbers that low. Maybe the torque is over 300lbs?

You are right, with the Acura putting out 260, and with the weight differential, that is really sad.

Then again, the 275hp I have now is more than enough for me.

Then again, again, it's always nice to know you have it if you need it, especially when the ford focus wants to race you at the light (true story).

Beltfed

It is, the torque is 339lbs.....

E55 Kev

I definitely would have liked to have seen at least a 20hp jump myself. I'm actually surprised they kept everything the same, with the introduction of the new SL and upcoming revised 03 Sclass....you would think that MB would have worked on some revised power figures.

akmal31

just thought i'd reply to one msg left earlier. the E320 gets 3hp more and 0-60 is now 7.4 secs than the previous 7.8 .

but another thing is that mercedes cars when you drive do tend to have more accelaration power than stated. e.g. the bmw M3 has a 0-60 time which is well better than the C32 AMG's but when they were tested together the C32 AMG beat the bmw M3 for accelaration. i dunno

anywayz......... I am currently the owner of a 2001 E280 and i am disspointed that mercedes is not going to be offering it anymore
. i love the car.......0-60 time stated is something like 8.9 secs but ive managed to get abt 7 and a half secs on it.

now i am waiting till march when the E320 CDI comes out and the S class gets a facelift. then i will decide which one to get, the S320 CDI or the E320 CDI. reccomendations welcome.

thanks anyway, c ya

Blue Benz

So many times i've stated my dissapointment.
Other car companies are moving ahead with advanced technology and all MB does is stick a bigger engine in the W211 thats been around for 4 years. And the engine before that was an even better engine putting out 315 hp instead of 302 and 347 lb. of torque compared to 339. MB is being to conservative at this point. They need to really do something with the new direct injection engines that are coming out.

Have you noticed that just about every rebutable car maker has an advanced variable cam timing system on both the intake and exhaust cams? MB still has timing on either only the intake or exhaust, can't remember which. But they should have used the technology a while ago.

You look at MB's 3.2L V-6 and compare it acuras cl type-s and the cl type-s has 45 more HP! And the new engine in the 7-series, putting out around 320 HP while the S500's engine which is .7L bigger is putting out less HP at 302.

dcc

art (and esteemed board members),

tried to send -- and somehow lost -- a reply, the gist of which was; given mb's adoption of japanese mfg. principles, and its acquisition of chrysler, engineering is now subordinate to profit at mb. trend won't reverse itself until engineering/demand curves intersect. and they will -- sooner rather than later. think mb knows this and is intentionally treading water at the moment. engineering focus will intesify as total company operations begin to show profits nearer projections than in recent past. on that assumption, an upside note; daimler chrysler announced a profit on day-to-day chrysler operations during the most recent quarter. i think that means more $ for engineering the next decade's cars is coming soon.

as for bmw, they have to emphasize "bmw power". it's all they've got at the moment. the design side -- think new 5/7 series -- has gone postal.

dcc
northville, mi
99 E320, 90k mi
(3 yr anniversary today)

bankerscot

It is very sad that mb is relying on its reputation and apart from styling is relying on old technology and charging mucho $ for extras that other car manufacturers have as standard.Knowing that that new engines are going to be introduced and new navigation is coming in 3/4 months after introduction what is the incentive to order an e211 right now.I am hving second thoughts about this and if I go to another car I will not be changing back to Mercedes for at least another 5/6 years if at all.Is this good for brand loyalty????

dcc

amen, bankerscot. decided to keep my 99 another 2 years and see what mb powertrain dept. has done/plans for the then nearterm. heard they're presently under orders to keep $ down. think current offerings of supposedly "new/improved" powertrain technology reflect this unfortunate fact. that having been said, i don't think anything else on the road has, does, or will ever drive/handle like an mb. add safety to the comfort/fun factor and it's still among the best luxury car values on the market.

dcc
northville, mi
99 E320. 90k mi
(every turn of the key is thrilling)