What's the difference between "E" and "S" mode on a 2011 E550?
Ideas?
S mode is more eager to kick down to the lowest gear on acceleration
I'd like to leave it in "S" so when I want to pass it happens quicker, but I don't want the reduced fuel economy over long drives like that.
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I read elsewhere that the "S" mode learns from your driving patterns? Is this true? If so, does the same "learning" apply to "E" or is "E" separate or does "E" not learn at all?
lol
I feel like a 5 year old asking "why" to everything.
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When in manual mode and using paddles, it also has different characteristics in E and S. First of all, the revs hold longer in S. if you smash the pedal in 2nd youll see the gear needle move back down slowly (not shifting, of course) and if you do the same in E, it will fall faster.
S allows 10% wheel slip from ESP when cornering and "drifting" a bit; use 3rd gear in S and hit the same corner you normally just go through on E. Youll see a difference. Just feel it out and youll have no more questions. It teaches you the more you use it and play.
In my bluetec, due to the torque, E and S start in 1st. S is better for touchy freeway brake-gas-brake-gas scenarios, and E actually is faster in a straight line. Ive timed it many times. If yours starts in 2nd, then you might have to put it in manual, and start in 1st to see that result; or possibly just hold pedal to the floor for "kickdown" from start....
I'd like to leave it in "S" so when I want to pass it happens quicker, but I don't want the reduced fuel economy over long drives like that.




I'd like to leave it in "S" so when I want to pass it happens quicker, but I don't want the reduced fuel economy over long drives like that.
Mine is a 2010 model and I don't know if there is any difference with the modes compared to the 2011 model other than the E-mode in my car is called C-mode for "Comfort".
I have not seen any difference at all in gas mileage between C and S modes. Also the highest gear comes on very early at around 50-55 mph speed.
For gas mileage improvement there is one thing that effects it 10 - 15 % that you can experience with. I know you will not like this and not be using it but you can experience with it, i.e. A/C.
On highway with A/C on as you will in FL at steady speed on flat road like you have set the Heating/cooling system to recirculation and then turn the A/C off. You can drive it blowing cool air for a couple of minutes even when the compressor is off but you will see how your gas mileage reading jumps higher quite a bit. Of course after the coil heats up again it will start blowing not-so-cool air but there is plenty of time to experience with this before it happens.
What this all means is you can improve your gas mileage by raising the cabin temperature setting, i.e. run the compressor less. But, of course, in FL there may not be much coming from this.
It also helps a lot if you drive after sun is down and is not heating the car interior but then you have the trip to a car wash in order...
Last edited by Arrie; Jun 27, 2015 at 10:25 AM.








Don't really understand your post other than the WOT operation that cuts the compressor out with fast acceleration, i.e. giving it a lot of pedal.
Compressor runs as needed by the temperature setting for the cabin.


