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I'm a little confused by the differences. Are there two options or three? And from what I understand the AMG Line is lowered while the Luxury Line is not but they might also have different dampers? And can a car be neither AMG or Luxury line? In which case it also has a different suspension setup? I know their are cosmetic differences between the AMG Line and the Luxury Line but what if neither is selected?
There are just 2 options, AMG (sport) line and Luxury, just as you described. However, you can order with air suspension in either version, which for the sport version gives you some control over ride height. This is how my E400S is configured and its a very smooth ride.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Yes, you have to choose one or the other: AMG or Luxury. I cannot rave enough about the Air Body Control. If one is big on ride comfort, it is invaluable, IMO.
On the MBUSA website both the Luxury Styling ($350) and the AMG Line Exterior ($500) are separate options. If neither is selected is it still considered a Sport (AMG line)? And only the Luxury Styling specifically says "comfort suspension with selective damping" which makes it sound like the other versions do not get selective damping. But that's not the case, right? All E450's, as I understand it, get some sort of adjustable damper for the suspension even without Air Body Control. Or am I mistaken about that?
AFAIK MB has 3 different suspensions available - standard, AMG/sport and luxury. MB has 2 different appearance styles available - AMG/sport and luxury.
On the MBUSA website both the Luxury Styling ($350) and the AMG Line Exterior ($500) are separate options. If neither is selected is it still considered a Sport (AMG line)? And only the Luxury Styling specifically says "comfort suspension with selective damping" which makes it sound like the other versions do not get selective damping. But that's not the case, right? All E450's, as I understand it, get some sort of adjustable damper for the suspension even without Air Body Control. Or am I mistaken about that?
I believe that suspension stiffness is not adjustable in either the luxury or sport (AMG body styling) versions of the E450S, they are just valved differently with a higher ride height and more compliant shocks in the luxury version. The dynamic select mode adjusts shift points and steering wheel response in both versions, but will only in addition adjust suspension if you have air suspension (air body control). The E63 AMG wagon does have adjustable shocks, but I think these are a modified version of the air body control system.
MBUSA gives part of the answer if you look closely under the performance features. However, it's not completely accurate. There are 4 suspensions. Standard self-leveling rear air suspension, comfort suspension, lowered suspension and AIR BODY CONTROL. However, at least in the USA, the E450 Wagon comes standard with the lowered suspension with selective damping control, and then optionally you can add the luxury package, which gives you the comfort suspension with selective damping system, or you can add AIR BODY CONTROL. The AMG Exterior package is just some exterior styling. I included a screenshot from the 2020 DOG listing the standard equipment.
MBUSA gives part of the answer if you look closely under the performance features. However, it's not completely accurate. There are 4 suspensions. Standard self-leveling rear air suspension, comfort suspension, lowered suspension and AIR BODY CONTROL. However, at least in the USA, the E450 Wagon comes standard with the lowered suspension with selective damping control, and then optionally you can add the luxury package, which gives you the comfort suspension with selective damping system, or you can add AIR BODY CONTROL. The AMG Exterior package is just some exterior styling. I included a screenshot from the 2020 DOG listing the standard equipment.
Does selective damping mean that the stiffness is selectable by the driver, or instead that damping is tuned to stiffen up and reduce body roll during higher speed cornering? The MB wording on this is vague as to what's actually implemented. As far as I know, driver adjustable suspension stiffness and ride height is only possible if you have air suspension on on both front and back (air body control), and not if you have spring/damper suspension. The non air body version of the wagon does have air suspension on the rear which maintains a constant ride height for different cargo loads, but its controllable like the air body control suspension.
Does selective damping mean that the stiffness is selectable by the driver, or instead that damping is tuned to stiffen up and reduce body roll during higher speed cornering? The MB wording on this is vague as to what's actually implemented. As far as I know, driver adjustable suspension stiffness and ride height is only possible if you have air suspension on on both front and back (air body control), and not if you have spring/damper suspension. The non air body version of the wagon does have air suspension on the rear which maintains a constant ride height for different cargo loads, but its controllable like the air body control suspension.
That's a good question, and it appears to be the latter. The term selective damping in the MB world means that the driver cannot adjust the damping, but instead the suspension automatically selects the level of damping depending on road surfaces, cornering forces etc. On the other hand, suspensions with adaptive adjustable damping allow the driver to select between Comfort, Sport and Sport+ and within each mode, the suspension adapts the damping based on road conditions etc. using the driver's selected mode as guidance.
Air suspensions can in addition also adjust the spring rates, whereas with steel adaptive suspensions the spring rates are fixed, and only the damping can be adjusted.
Here's some more info, although for the Cabriolet, but I'm pretty sure it applies to the sedan and wagon as well.
Im under the impression, that the comfort sport and sport+ does actually nothing to the suspension itself. I think if I recall, it might have something to do with traction control? But I do not feel any difference in the suspension under these settings. For the 2018 E300 sedan at least. It is misleading...
Im under the impression, that the comfort sport and sport+ does actually nothing to the suspension itself. I think if I recall, it might have something to do with traction control? But I do not feel any difference in the suspension under these settings. For the 2018 E300 sedan at least. It is misleading...
Well, the overall Comfort, Sport and Sport+ modes are just profiles. What they adjust specifically depends on model and equipment. Easiest way to find out is to bring up the Individual mode configuration where you can see each component that is affected by the drive mode. If the suspension doesn't show up in the Individual mode configuration, then it is not driver adjustable. There's also a setting in COMAND that when turned on, a confirmation screen comes up every time you change drive mode and it shows what each component is set to. Here's an example for the E53:
Last edited by superswiss; Jul 23, 2020 at 05:03 PM.
Well, the overall Comfort, Sport and Sport+ modes are just driving profiles. What they adjust specifically depends on model and equipment. Easiest way to find out is to bring up the Individual mode configuration where you can see each component that is affected by the drive mode. If the suspension doesn't show up in the Individual mode configuration, then it is not driver adjustable. There's also a setting in COMAND that when turned on, a confirmation screen comes up every time you change drive mode and it shows what each component is set to. Here's an example for the E53:
Exactly, so for my 2018 E300 Sedan it has no impact on the suspension. I believe only the ESP sign shows up... so the word "selective" damping is misleading, unless it is clearly expressed somewhere - which even if it did it is very hard to find somewhere written in plain English haha
Exactly, so for my 2018 E300 Sedan it has no impact on the suspension. I believe only the ESP sign shows up... so the word "selective" damping is misleading, unless it is clearly expressed somewhere - which even if it did it is very hard to find somewhere written in plain English haha
Yeah, it's sometimes hard to find exact information related to these systems, because MB/AMG have so many different suspensions and also renamed them over time. Here's an article I found for the CLS which seems to have the same selective damping system and it specifically says that the damping forces are automatically adjusted as opposed to driver adjusted.
This system also seems to go by the name AGILITY CONTROL suspension and here is a short description I found. In this one it calls it a passive selective damping system that automatically optimizes the ride characteristics. The common theme is that nowhere does it say that this system is driver adjustable.
Wow, bravo, you folks did an incredible job figuring this out and making it easier to understand. So now as I am looking at possible cars I will know what it means as far as the different suspension options and the ride height. I appreciate all of the info and the detective work on this one!
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