W220: why we love it
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
BMW i8
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 769
Likes: 5
From: New York
Mercedes S55 AMG
JWD - I know exactly what you mean. This has happened with me a few times in my 01 S55:
I'll be driving around some friends, or parents, often older - so I will drive normally and very carefully. You know, low RPM's and not really accelerating much sometimes for the entire day they are with me. They always comment on how smooth it is, and quiet.
But when I drop them off and am alone...that soft S class becomes a volcano! I stomp on it and I am refreshed at how alive it truly is in contrast to the soft, casual driving that i have to be subjected to when people are in the car. I love the sometimes sudden jerk when the torque kicks in! Ha, I wish I could drive like a maniac all day! But then again, I wouldn't have that contrast.
I'll be driving around some friends, or parents, often older - so I will drive normally and very carefully. You know, low RPM's and not really accelerating much sometimes for the entire day they are with me. They always comment on how smooth it is, and quiet.
But when I drop them off and am alone...that soft S class becomes a volcano! I stomp on it and I am refreshed at how alive it truly is in contrast to the soft, casual driving that i have to be subjected to when people are in the car. I love the sometimes sudden jerk when the torque kicks in! Ha, I wish I could drive like a maniac all day! But then again, I wouldn't have that contrast.
Last edited by rondocap; Mar 3, 2010 at 04:37 PM. Reason: a
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Freeport, Florida
2001 W220 S500
I also love the car, maybe a bit too much.
Mine is a 2001 S55 and has around 50k miles on the clock.
We took the car all over the world (Italy, Monaco, France, Dubai) since it was always at one of our 'holiday' homes.
We sold our house in Dubai (right on time) and it would have been a wise decision to sell the car there, shipping it back to The Netherlands would be quite expensive, not to mention all the taxes I would have to pay to get it on NL plates.
And after all it's almost 10 years old.
But when I visited our house in Dubai for the last time and saw my S standing there I had a change of mind.
I entered the car, started it and came to live instantly with a big growl and automatically wiping once to get the dust from the windshield, almost saying "You left me for too long in this dusty garage!".
That was it.... I had to keep the car, arranged the shipping and almost a year later it was on NL plates.
And the funny thing is... I started using this car as a winter car because my DD '07 BMW M5 really is a handful in wet/snowy conditions and everyone asks if this is a my NEW car, in NL you can see how old a car is based on the plates so people think it's a '09 and they really believe it since it still looks brand new after 10 years.
Why this long story you might ask... well, I drove my M5 again today
.
It was nice and sunny and man... that car is FAST, the sound is also 10 times better than the S55 (V10) and I can take corners at speeds twice of what I'm doing with the S.
BUT.... when I parked the car in front of my house today I was all stressed out, I had been a lot in city traffic and everyone seemed to be slow as hell today.
With the M5 it's almost like walking your pet lion on a leash on a farm full of nice little sheep.
An itchy little toe is enough to let the car jump on the back of the car in front of you.
The S is so much more sophisticated, it's very fast but you can also drive it around almost without thinking, the seamless shifts, the smooth power band , the comfy seats, the soft close doors, etc.
The whole package is what makes the W220 special, and I love it!
I just had to tell this to you guys (and gals?), I think you'll understand
.
Mine is a 2001 S55 and has around 50k miles on the clock.
We took the car all over the world (Italy, Monaco, France, Dubai) since it was always at one of our 'holiday' homes.
We sold our house in Dubai (right on time) and it would have been a wise decision to sell the car there, shipping it back to The Netherlands would be quite expensive, not to mention all the taxes I would have to pay to get it on NL plates.
And after all it's almost 10 years old.
But when I visited our house in Dubai for the last time and saw my S standing there I had a change of mind.
I entered the car, started it and came to live instantly with a big growl and automatically wiping once to get the dust from the windshield, almost saying "You left me for too long in this dusty garage!".
That was it.... I had to keep the car, arranged the shipping and almost a year later it was on NL plates.
And the funny thing is... I started using this car as a winter car because my DD '07 BMW M5 really is a handful in wet/snowy conditions and everyone asks if this is a my NEW car, in NL you can see how old a car is based on the plates so people think it's a '09 and they really believe it since it still looks brand new after 10 years.
Why this long story you might ask... well, I drove my M5 again today
.It was nice and sunny and man... that car is FAST, the sound is also 10 times better than the S55 (V10) and I can take corners at speeds twice of what I'm doing with the S.
BUT.... when I parked the car in front of my house today I was all stressed out, I had been a lot in city traffic and everyone seemed to be slow as hell today.
With the M5 it's almost like walking your pet lion on a leash on a farm full of nice little sheep.
An itchy little toe is enough to let the car jump on the back of the car in front of you.
The S is so much more sophisticated, it's very fast but you can also drive it around almost without thinking, the seamless shifts, the smooth power band , the comfy seats, the soft close doors, etc.
The whole package is what makes the W220 special, and I love it!
I just had to tell this to you guys (and gals?), I think you'll understand
.
