driving impressions between w220 and w221
04-11-2007, 10:35 AM
#3
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^ Wow, an amazing car collection... You've got the best sedan, best jeep, and probaaaabbbblllyyyy one of the best sport coupes. 
No, really though, great cars.
Tee_Tz.
No, really though, great cars.Tee_Tz.
04-12-2007, 01:40 AM
#5
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McLaren 570S, G12 BMW 750Li, GLE63s AMG Coupe
ok im can compare the w220 s500 5.0L V8 24V with the W221 5.5LV8 32V
Quality....back to the good old days....materials and fit are excellent. I was slightly underwhelmed by the w220 although it was more than satisfactory.
Design....i always liked my benzes to have that "hauteur" which i think only comes when a big car looks big....i have the LWB s500 and i think it has a good deal of road presence....i felt the w220 tried to be too nice and as a result lost that artisocratic aloofness that the w140 and its predecessors had.
Performance...no comparison...the new w221 s500 sprints 0-100km/h in 5.4....so there is practically no other v8 sedan that is going to keep up with you....and ive had it on the illegal side of 200km/h....it pulls like a herd of rhinos!!!
Handling....its definately been refined and worked on. The air suspension has been improved and the handling/ride balance is a good compromise....it does the shrinking act better then the w220.....drive it throught the twisties and the car feels smaller and smaller....my personal test for a well sorted chassis.
technology.....well the w221 has set the benchmark for everyone to follow....as did the w140 when it was released....i think merc fell a bit short with the w220.
Hope this adds constructively.
Quality....back to the good old days....materials and fit are excellent. I was slightly underwhelmed by the w220 although it was more than satisfactory.
Design....i always liked my benzes to have that "hauteur" which i think only comes when a big car looks big....i have the LWB s500 and i think it has a good deal of road presence....i felt the w220 tried to be too nice and as a result lost that artisocratic aloofness that the w140 and its predecessors had.
Performance...no comparison...the new w221 s500 sprints 0-100km/h in 5.4....so there is practically no other v8 sedan that is going to keep up with you....and ive had it on the illegal side of 200km/h....it pulls like a herd of rhinos!!!
Handling....its definately been refined and worked on. The air suspension has been improved and the handling/ride balance is a good compromise....it does the shrinking act better then the w220.....drive it throught the twisties and the car feels smaller and smaller....my personal test for a well sorted chassis.
technology.....well the w221 has set the benchmark for everyone to follow....as did the w140 when it was released....i think merc fell a bit short with the w220.
Hope this adds constructively.
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04-16-2007, 12:05 AM
#9
MBWorld Fanatic!
I find that the W220 dash is too low and the seats don't go all the way down like past MB's. The W221, the dash is nice and substantial again and the window sills are up high go give you more of a sense of security. As a big Benz should.
05-13-2007, 08:38 AM
#10
The difference in the two are so staggering that I often wonder if Suzuki or Kia was building the W220 behind the scenes. The W221 will be the benchmark for at least 10 years. Daimler is the king of luxury now. Now if the quality issues don't crop up again, we certainly have a home-run with the latest S and CL vehicles. Dr. Z seems to have the right medicine for MB.
Last edited by trumpet1; 05-13-2007 at 09:29 PM.
05-13-2007, 09:36 AM
#11
Super Member
Well...let's see. I own a 2004 S500 and have had the pleasure of driving a 2007 S550 with 12K miles. The W221 is spot on...if you like big fast and quiet automobiles, the W221 has few peers (maybe Bentley or Rolls...maybe?).
The W221 is the car that MB tried to get to with the W220 but didn't make it. Not to say that the W220 is bad...it's just that the W221 does EVERYTHING so much better. Over time, there may be a few minor flaws that will reveal themselves with the W221 but they will probably be minor.
The S500 we have is primarily for my wife and she loves it. She's not sold on the styling of the W221 (I think it's gorgeous)and is happy with what she has...for us married guys thats a good thing.
In the future...maybe a year or two....there will probably be a S550 in our garage. It's the next logical step.
The W221 is the car that MB tried to get to with the W220 but didn't make it. Not to say that the W220 is bad...it's just that the W221 does EVERYTHING so much better. Over time, there may be a few minor flaws that will reveal themselves with the W221 but they will probably be minor.
The S500 we have is primarily for my wife and she loves it. She's not sold on the styling of the W221 (I think it's gorgeous)and is happy with what she has...for us married guys thats a good thing.
In the future...maybe a year or two....there will probably be a S550 in our garage. It's the next logical step.
05-16-2007, 12:52 PM
#12
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I just found the 221 to be an upgrade in every single way. The 220 was a great car, very solid, very classy, very soft, etc...just the 221 does everything so much better. The 550 engine is pretty sweet for a base model. All in all, its an amazing car, I'm sure the AMG is a dream.
05-17-2007, 02:50 AM
#13
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2013 650i Coupe, 2010 IS250 AWD, 1999 S500
ok im can compare the w220 s500 5.0L V8 24V with the W221 5.5LV8 32V
Quality....back to the good old days....materials and fit are excellent. I was slightly underwhelmed by the w220 although it was more than satisfactory.
Design....i always liked my benzes to have that "hauteur" which i think only comes when a big car looks big....i have the LWB s500 and i think it has a good deal of road presence....i felt the w220 tried to be too nice and as a result lost that artisocratic aloofness that the w140 and its predecessors had.
Performance...no comparison...the new w221 s500 sprints 0-100km/h in 5.4....so there is practically no other v8 sedan that is going to keep up with you....and ive had it on the illegal side of 200km/h....it pulls like a herd of rhinos!!!
Handling....its definately been refined and worked on. The air suspension has been improved and the handling/ride balance is a good compromise....it does the shrinking act better then the w220.....drive it throught the twisties and the car feels smaller and smaller....my personal test for a well sorted chassis.
technology.....well the w221 has set the benchmark for everyone to follow....as did the w140 when it was released....i think merc fell a bit short with the w220.
Hope this adds constructively.
Quality....back to the good old days....materials and fit are excellent. I was slightly underwhelmed by the w220 although it was more than satisfactory.
Design....i always liked my benzes to have that "hauteur" which i think only comes when a big car looks big....i have the LWB s500 and i think it has a good deal of road presence....i felt the w220 tried to be too nice and as a result lost that artisocratic aloofness that the w140 and its predecessors had.
Performance...no comparison...the new w221 s500 sprints 0-100km/h in 5.4....so there is practically no other v8 sedan that is going to keep up with you....and ive had it on the illegal side of 200km/h....it pulls like a herd of rhinos!!!
Handling....its definately been refined and worked on. The air suspension has been improved and the handling/ride balance is a good compromise....it does the shrinking act better then the w220.....drive it throught the twisties and the car feels smaller and smaller....my personal test for a well sorted chassis.
technology.....well the w221 has set the benchmark for everyone to follow....as did the w140 when it was released....i think merc fell a bit short with the w220.
Hope this adds constructively.
M
05-17-2007, 02:10 PM
#14
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I got to drive a 220 for a bit this weekend, the first time in a 220 in a long time. And I have to say, the 221 really is a major leap forward in every dimension.
And the more I live with it (it's been about 6 weeks now), the more it reminds me of the 126. My parents had a 126 when I was in high school and I have tens of thousands of miles behind the wheel of that car. And so in many ways the 126 formed my opinion of what a Mercedes should feel like. And the 221 has all those same characteristics in spades.
The one notable difference is that the 221 with ABC is also a great handling car, positively tossable, which is more than can be said about the 126.
This new S550 is definitely alongside my old E36 M3 and the 996 GT3 as the three best cars I've ever owned. I don't think the 220 would quite live up to that standard.
And the more I live with it (it's been about 6 weeks now), the more it reminds me of the 126. My parents had a 126 when I was in high school and I have tens of thousands of miles behind the wheel of that car. And so in many ways the 126 formed my opinion of what a Mercedes should feel like. And the 221 has all those same characteristics in spades.
The one notable difference is that the 221 with ABC is also a great handling car, positively tossable, which is more than can be said about the 126.
This new S550 is definitely alongside my old E36 M3 and the 996 GT3 as the three best cars I've ever owned. I don't think the 220 would quite live up to that standard.
