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Fascinating that nobody every asked about MBC/E-ABC. This seems like one of the most compelling features of the car.
Comfort is to some degree subjective. I need to experience this. Is e-ABC on the W223 comparable to MBC on the W222?
Agreed. To be honest I don't have much experience with MBC, only ABC. I've driven some briefly but not enough to give you an accurate assessment. The road scan on E-ABC seems to work well and I love the curve mode. More noticeable than on MBC. Since E-ABC is based on Airmatic I feel it can't shake the level of disconnect you don't get with coilspring suspensions (which ABC and MBC is based on). I could also notice it more as the steering rack in my CL is hydraulic. Regardless, I love the active suspensions from Mercedes. There really aren't many alternates on the market.
On the W222 MBC is ABC with a camera that can anticipate the road ahead and react ahead of time. It is an active suspension system, one of the only available on the market. I had a 2012 S550 with airmatic and I currently have a 2007 CL600 with ABC. Cost aside, I prefer ABC. I found ride quality comparable (wheel size and tire selection will have a bigger impact on ride quality), but ABC provides an extra layer of connection to the road that air ride cars don't. There' still a layer of butter between the inputs and the driver, but I feel more in control in an ABC equipped car. Once I learned more about it I began to notice the lack of pitch, dive, and body roll when driving. It has an almost magic carpet effect (McLaren has a similar setup in the 720s and that's how journalists have described it). It also feels more composed at higher speeds. Most won't know or care. I've been with at a Mercedes dealer for five years and I have yet to have a customer inquire about ABC, MBC, or E-ABC. Shame because they are amazing systems.
No.
MBC is a steel spring suspension. ABC, Airmatic and E-ABC use air springs.
MBC indeed uses a camera to look ahead for the purpose of calculating suspension actuation of the hydraulic upper spring seat.
Woww … never realized that MBC does not come with air suspension!! Is that the reason I felt that MBC on the vehicle I tested is LESS comfortable when just cruising around under normal driving conditions than 4-Matic vehicles with Airmatic? Only time I felt MBC is better was when racing the car a little or taking curves aggressively ..
Woww … never realized that MBC does not come with air suspension!! Is that the reason I felt that MBC on the vehicle I tested is LESS comfortable when just cruising around under normal driving conditions than 4-Matic vehicles with Airmatic? Only time I felt MBC is better was when racing the car a little or taking curves aggressively ..
That would make sense. Also depends on the wheel and tire setup it was on. Runflat tires will kill ride quality. It helps to understand what you're actually buying with MBC. The marketing of MBC really emphasized the road scan feature as if that's what you were checking the option box for. What you're really paying for is the hardware of the ABC suspension. It limits pitch, dive, and body roll to the point where its almost completely gone (check out the 3:22 mark of the video below), it can be raised/lowered, it is self leveling, and it doesn't require sway bars. With nothing connecting the opposite wheels, bumps on one side of the car don't upset the other (something that I find very noticeable with Airmatic). Gives the car that "magic carpet ride" effect that McLaren seemed to coin with there similar style active suspension system.
Comfort is subjective (to a degree haha). I would definitely agree that Airmatic is softer, however not by too much in my opinion. I'm probably biased, but cost aside I prefer ABC/MBC in pretty much every driving condition whether it be around town, driving aggressively, or highway blasting. Love the idea of active suspension. If anyone has a beat on a pre-facelift W222 with MBC and 3D Burmester let me know!
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
I am a true believer in both ABC and MBC. MY 2013 S550 and my 2019 SL450 were ordered with ABC. MY 2015, 2018 & 2020 S Class sedans were ordered with MBC. Honestly, when paired with 18” wheels, which all my S Class sedans were ordered with or the 19’s on my SL, along with non-run flat tires, the ride quality is off the charts fantastic! I believe the ride quality was better than the Bentley Flying Spur I test drove. I’ve never driven a late model Rolls-Royce, but I’d be amazed if they had a better ride quality than my previous S Class sedans.
I ordered my 2022 S580 with E-ABC & 19’s, (18’s no longer available in the USA) put on non-run flats and the ride quality is horrible in comparison to the previous sedans. E-ABC, in my opinion, is not in the same league as the previous ABC & MBC suspension options and it is priced to the moon at $6,500.00. This should not have surprised me, as it seems so much of what MB has been doing lately, just doesn’t seem to be first rate anymore. It’s almost as if they just don’t care and that’s very sad indeed.
MBC and ABC is a hydraulic suspension, not a coil spring suspension. Arguably a hydraulic suspension is superior to an air suspension.
MBC and ABC are based on coilspring suspension. They use a hydraulic actuator that adjusts the height of the spring at each corner depending on what information is being fed to it from the ECU. If you check out that video I linked above it explains it all. MBC just adds the road scan function.
Fascinating stuff. I thought for sure a system like Magic Body Control would require the air struts.
How about general isolation and road noise? It seems like the air suspension should be better there.
Nope, an air system alone cannot react quickly enough in terms of changing air pressures to keep up with the demands of what ABC is trying to accomplish. If you haven't watched the ABC video I linked above you should. Really clarifies what the system is set up to do.
I feel road noise and isolation is superior with ABC. The system can "tune" out unwanted road frequencies. The biggest difference is over wide cracks in the road. The air suspension can send a jarring shock through the car whereas ABC seems to eat it right up. Like I said before, I believe Airmatic is softer (not by much) but ABC is superior in all other conditions.
MBC and ABC are based on coilspring suspension. They use a hydraulic actuator that adjusts the height of the spring at each corner depending on what information is being fed to it from the ECU. If you check out that video I linked above it explains it all. MBC just adds the road scan function.
The point is when they say “coil spring suspension” they aren’t understanding the sophistication of the system, they’re equating it to a transitional gas shock setup and that’s not accurate.
If you have a loss of hydraulic pressure, the car will fall to the ground as it does with an airmatic car. The car is suspended hydraulically.
The point is when they say “coil spring suspension” they aren’t understanding the sophistication of the system, they’re equating it to a transitional gas shock setup and that’s not accurate.
If you have a loss of hydraulic pressure, the car will fall to the ground as it does with an airmatic car. The car is suspended hydraulically.
Correct. I think Mercedes did a poor job of showcasing it. Most customers, let alone us forum nerds, know about the system or how it actually functions.
The point is when they say “coil spring suspension” they aren’t understanding the sophistication of the system, they’re equating it to a transitional gas shock setup and that’s not accurate.
If you have a loss of hydraulic pressure, the car will fall to the ground as it does with an airmatic car. The car is suspended hydraulically.
The car is suspended with mechanical steel coil springs. With a hydraulic failure, the system will not function fully, but the vehicle will carry its weight on the steel coil springs.
The hydraulic upper spring mounts are in series with the coil springs. Wheel --> coil springs --> hydraulic upper mount --> body
8769537]The car is suspended with mechanical steel coil springs. With a hydraulic failure, the system will not function fully, but the vehicle will carry its weight on the steel coil springs.
The hydraulic upper spring mounts are in series with the coil springs. Wheel --> coil springs --> hydraulic upper mount --> body
"Shock" is a misnomer.
It won’t completely carry its weight with a hydraulic failure no, it will sink substantially.
Top picture is an ABC hydraulic failure, lower picture is normal.
In my commute I get to partake of a particular spot which present challenges to suspension. Driving straight on the road there is a spot where the road abruptly drops 6-8” for water to be able to move through the area during a monsoon storm. Car with Airmatic.... slow way down and set it to tippy-toes before driving through. Car with ABC (221 S-65) slow down to 20mph and roll through with some re-arranging of my lunch that sits on the passenger front seat. MBC car (222 S-65) drive straight through at 40mph with an audible noise as the suspension does it’s work with the car hardly noticing it. Yes; MBC is all that.
Most other vehicles drive through this at 5-10 mph, often doing so at an angle. Those that don’t slow down as much often leave scrapes and body parts on the road.
Here are three screen shots from the MBUSA website. The first is the ABC showing the air bladders. The second is the ABC with visible springs. Last is the MBC with a completely redesigned system. The springs are located differently in the strut and not visible.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by Quadrobenz
Here are three screen shots from the MBUSA website. The first is the ABC showing the air bladders. The second is the ABC with visible springs. Last is the MBC with a completely redesigned system. The springs are located differently in the strut and not visible.
I think one of the issues here are the abbreviations. I believe that ABC was used to describe Active Body Control, but somewhere along the line MB started calling their AirMatic system “Air Body Control,” and some just started calling that ABC, which I believe is incorrect. I’ll shout out to Wolfman, who has always been a good source when it comes to these optional suspensions. What say you Wolf?
MB's terminology is not helping. The MBC suspension was only used on the S class and the old ABC was only used on the R231 SL AMG's by 2021, if I recall correctly. The R232 SL dropped the old ABC suspension for something called AMG Ride Control, shown below. Apparently MB thought it was now OK to repurpose the ABC abbreviation for the improved version of the old Airmatic system.
I think one of the issues here are the abbreviations. I believe that ABC was used to describe Active Body Control, but somewhere along the line MB started calling their AirMatic system “Air Body Control,” and some just started calling that ABC, which I believe is incorrect. I’ll shout out to Wolfman, who has always been a good source when it comes to these optional suspensions. What say you Wolf?
It won’t completely carry its weight with a hydraulic failure no, it will sink substantially.
Top picture is an ABC hydraulic failure, lower picture is normal.
As post 29 shows, the hydraulic ram sits on top of / is supported by the spring. The hydraulic ram transmits all of the car's load to the spring which transmits all of the load to the wheel. The hydraulic ram extends and contracts to level the car. What is being illustrated here is what the car looks like when the hydraulic rams are fully contracted due to a loss of hydraulic pressure.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by Quadrobenz
MB's terminology is not helping. The MBC suspension was only used on the S class and the old ABC was only used on the R231 SL AMG's by 2021, if I recall correctly. The R232 SL dropped the old ABC suspension for something called AMG Ride Control, shown below. Apparently MB thought it was now OK to repurpose the ABC abbreviation for the improved version of the old Airmatic system.
Actually, ABC was standard on all R230 SL’s in the USA. Unfortunately, they made it optional on all non-AMG R231 SL’s in the USA.
As post 29 shows, the hydraulic ram sits on top of / is supported by the spring. The hydraulic ram transmits all of the car's load to the spring which transmits all of the load to the wheel. The hydraulic ram extends and contracts to level the car. What is being illustrated here is what the car looks like when the hydraulic rams are fully contracted due to a loss of hydraulic pressure.
When my neighbor's MBC failed on his W222, it didn't sag nearly as bad as the R230 shown above. My mom's SL600 had ABC failure a while back and was practically undrivable. The R230 used a different ABC system than the W222. It's more expensive to maintain, yet it rides quite a bit smoother imo than the MBC found in the W222.
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