How would you rate dry road handling of 4matic?
Thread Starter
Almost a Member!
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Maryland
ML500
How would you rate dry road handling of 4matic?
Since ABC is not available with 4matic, for those of you with 4matic, how is your car's dry road handling with abrupt lane changes, on winding country roads, in the urban jungle, etc.? Is there a lot of nose dive with aggressive braking?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,271
Likes: 1
From: CA
2010 CL65
Interesting question....
But would think no. of guys who have had a chance to do back-to-back drives of S550 4Matic vs S550 w/ABC on varied local roads (not just a few blocks around dealer) will be rather small....
Another important variable to carefully consider is tires...IIRC, S550 4Matics are delivered w/all-season (some joke "no season") tires....and S550 w/AMG-look and ABC often have ContiSC2 summ perf tires....even in dry conditions and temps <45F, my understanding is grip of tires can vary signif vs temps....w/important implics for braking/handling....
Does ESP, BrakeAssist, etc operate faster/smarter when networked vs a more "digital" suspension set-up like ABC, as opposed to Airmatic?
It's an interesting debate for guys in places like NYC/Chicago, esp those whose commutes tend to be on relatively flat, decently-plowed urban/suburban pavement and whose home driveway is relatively flat....the relative value of proper winter tires/wheels vs AWD (often w/all-season tires
).....
Does (considered overall for 12mos/yr) an S550 w/ABC (and outfitted w/proper winter tires/wheels for those 5mos/yr of <45F weather) actually brake/handle better, more safely vs an S550 4Matic (which prob still needs winter tires/wheels 5mos/yr for optimal perf/safety), w/its prob less confidence-inspiring handling during the 7mos/yr of semi-decent Eastern weather???....
But would think no. of guys who have had a chance to do back-to-back drives of S550 4Matic vs S550 w/ABC on varied local roads (not just a few blocks around dealer) will be rather small....
Another important variable to carefully consider is tires...IIRC, S550 4Matics are delivered w/all-season (some joke "no season") tires....and S550 w/AMG-look and ABC often have ContiSC2 summ perf tires....even in dry conditions and temps <45F, my understanding is grip of tires can vary signif vs temps....w/important implics for braking/handling....
Does ESP, BrakeAssist, etc operate faster/smarter when networked vs a more "digital" suspension set-up like ABC, as opposed to Airmatic?
It's an interesting debate for guys in places like NYC/Chicago, esp those whose commutes tend to be on relatively flat, decently-plowed urban/suburban pavement and whose home driveway is relatively flat....the relative value of proper winter tires/wheels vs AWD (often w/all-season tires
).....Does (considered overall for 12mos/yr) an S550 w/ABC (and outfitted w/proper winter tires/wheels for those 5mos/yr of <45F weather) actually brake/handle better, more safely vs an S550 4Matic (which prob still needs winter tires/wheels 5mos/yr for optimal perf/safety), w/its prob less confidence-inspiring handling during the 7mos/yr of semi-decent Eastern weather???....
