Differences between UK and US W220s
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 960
Likes: 2
From: Long Island, NY & SE England
A Mercedes obviously!
Differences between UK and US W220s
So I'm aware of a few things like the fact the US ones were not sold as short wheelbase and until the latter years it never came in anything less than the 4.3 V8. In the UK we had the S280, S320, S320 CDI too, the latter being the best seller after the S500 in blighty.
I was looking through a few used listings for recent W220s and noticed a few odd things that I don't recall from my father's '00 S500. His had the rear heated and ventilated seats but it seems from most of the US listings I've seen that most (if not all the ones I've seen) don't have three hot and three cold levels, in the back or the front. I seem to recall on his that the ventilation wasn't that noticeable until you put it on level 3.
Anything else?
I was looking through a few used listings for recent W220s and noticed a few odd things that I don't recall from my father's '00 S500. His had the rear heated and ventilated seats but it seems from most of the US listings I've seen that most (if not all the ones I've seen) don't have three hot and three cold levels, in the back or the front. I seem to recall on his that the ventilation wasn't that noticeable until you put it on level 3.
Anything else?
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 349
Likes: 0
S430 Sold :(
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 960
Likes: 2
From: Long Island, NY & SE England
A Mercedes obviously!
Was looking through some used listings and it seems that the Parktronic was an option on the US W220. Is this right? I'm pretty sure that this came as standard in the UK when you bought the LWB models.
Yes, I see you're right. Looking back I remember thinking it was weird the more useful heat seater had less settings than the seat cooler.
Yes, I see you're right. Looking back I remember thinking it was weird the more useful heat seater had less settings than the seat cooler.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,063
Likes: 27
From: Tampa, FL
2005 S500 4-Matic, 1978 450SL
COMANDs are of course different. The U.S. version does not allow for display of video, where European ones do. The frequency coverage and tuning intervals (raster) of the radios are different. You cannot use European nav discs in a U.S. model, and vice-versa.
The telephone systems are different, largely because of the different cellular frequencies used in Europe and the U.S., and also because the European cars' Bluetooth uses the SAP protocol (downloading data from the phone's SIM card and using internal car equipment for communication) and U.S. systems use the Handsfree Protocol (HFP), which downloads only the phone book, and relies on the cell phone handset itself for communication.
Pollution control equipment is different, with Euro engines developing slightly more horsepower for an engine of the same size, but emitting more pollutants.
And of course, Brits have their steering wheels on the wrong side because they drive on the wrong side of the road, and have boots and bonnets instead of trunks and hoods.
The telephone systems are different, largely because of the different cellular frequencies used in Europe and the U.S., and also because the European cars' Bluetooth uses the SAP protocol (downloading data from the phone's SIM card and using internal car equipment for communication) and U.S. systems use the Handsfree Protocol (HFP), which downloads only the phone book, and relies on the cell phone handset itself for communication.
Pollution control equipment is different, with Euro engines developing slightly more horsepower for an engine of the same size, but emitting more pollutants.
And of course, Brits have their steering wheels on the wrong side because they drive on the wrong side of the road, and have boots and bonnets instead of trunks and hoods.
Last edited by Skylaw; Dec 15, 2008 at 11:30 AM.
Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 121
Likes: 0
From: Oxford, England
S430, SL500
Sorry, but driving on the left is simply what logical people do
I'll give you the trunk thing, what the hell is boot supposed to mean, i get the trunk analogy much better from the days where cars literally had a trunk strapped to the back....
Trending Topics
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,063
Likes: 27
From: Tampa, FL
2005 S500 4-Matic, 1978 450SL
Hmmmm - I usually try not to mix reading and driving. 
Guess you're right about the the boot; but what of the bonnet? A ladies hat covering the engine?
Now, here's the really big question for the day - is this guy driving on the right, or on the left?
Guess you're right about the the boot; but what of the bonnet? A ladies hat covering the engine?
Now, here's the really big question for the day - is this guy driving on the right, or on the left?
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
8 Oddball Mercedes Ideas That Actually Made it to Production
Verdad Gallardo
Dubai Tuner Gives the Mercedes G-Class An Entirely New Look
Verdad Gallardo
Six Gift Ideas Your AMG Loving Dad or Grad Will Cherish
7 Craziest Things AMG Gas Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
New Electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe Unveiled: 10 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
