davidegai

II have been driving a lot of SL 55's from the very beginning of their delivery, that here in Switzerland commenced last November, since a bunch of Porsche driving friends of mine ordered one.

I was therefore able to notice the changes from the so called "zero series", which are the very first few cars rolling out of the assembly lines, and latter production models.

I noticed that until January the exhaust noise of the car was so high to the point of being unbearable. Id did not sound like a car, rather like a low flying helicopter or an off shore boat at full throttle.

When a friend of mine entered my garage with possibly the first SL 55 delivered in Switzerland, it set the house alarms off! My current car was a 2001 Porsche 996 Turbo, which is not a silence champ.

Then suddenly, from the beginning of February, production SL 55s started sounding more civilized (or tamed?) having a somewhat louder, lower, even throatier noise than the regular SL 500, but that was totally acceptable by neighbours.

It was then that I decided to sell my Porsche, an order an SL 55.

Did anybody in this Forum have similar experiences, namely did anyone notice that early production cars that were much noisier that those coming at a later date?

MBMWAUDI

Maybe something to do with the changes made?
Im not sure but i read somewhere that they changed the BHP of latter cars?

Someone else cud give us some more reliable info

GMW

Oh man!

Please don't tell me that the SL55 exhaust is now as quiet as a CL500s. Don't get me wrong, the CL500 exhaust note is sexy enough for THAT car. Being more of a luxury coupe cruiser and all. However, for the SL55 the exhaust note has to be LOUD! at least under full acceleration.

From the countless car magazines I've read and people I've talked to it is loud with comparisons to the devil gargling methonal and even one journalist mentioning it could be mounted in a room as a music entertainment piece all by itself. but now I am wondering whether all those cars were pre February 2002 as you have mentioned! Damn I really hope it still sounds like an offshore powerboat a not very very loud one.

Can anyone confirm on davidegai's discovery?

_______________________________________________
SL55 Silver/Anthracite (anticipation really is a terrible thing)

davidegai

That the first cars produced ware extremely loud is a fact. It is also a fact that cars currently produced are much quieter.

However the sound still maintains the throaty sports car character that separates it from that of the SL 500.

It has just become bearable for those pedestrians that are not interested in cars, and for those like us that would like to drive a sports car every day, and who have thus far chosen a Porsche over a Ferrari, and are turning to the SL 55

blueSL

Is it something to do with Swiss drive-by noise regulations? They are the toughest in the world and I know that Porsche, for example, have different gerabox ratios so that the engine noise is reduced at the engine speed.

davidegai

This used to be true. Swiss cars are now specd like European Union models. This has triggered a large cross border trading, with immediate deliveries and falling prices.

MB Switzerland, in order to defend itself, is offering 3 years warranty and free tune up for the first 100K kilometers, which is better than the meager 2 years EU warranty.

JFawwaz

if you really want a loud exhaust, im sure brabus or carlsson can do some work for you

Richard

The SL55 exhaust note (current) is excellent, its a powerfull bass burbling noise - I certainly hope the SL500 is much quieter otherwise SL500 drivers will be complaining.

Ive only heard it for a about 20 minutes though. I have no idea if the early cars are louder, we (UK) have only had SL55's for about 8 weeks.

davidegai

The only ones I heard with the umberable noise were produced for the early German market, that is they were on the street in February. Some were reviewed by magaziones ( I believe Sport Auto mentioned the roar). Then, starting in March, they were much quieter without loosing the characteristic tone.

pocholin

Listen to it your self, here is a review on Speed about this car, they talk about the exhaust tone being sweet

pocholin

oops, the full review from Andretti is not working yet, I haven't been able to upload the file.

2fast4u

I'm from Italy and I've a black SL55 since june, probably I'm the first in my Country.
Concerning the exaust sound I find it excellent
I was driving open air in a tunnel (3 km) at 180 kmh when I decide to kick down.
It was like having 4 Ducati's engine 998 behind !!!!!!!!!!!!!
2 guys with Yamaha R1 and Honda Fireblade some meter ahead turn the helmet to understand what happen.
Fantastic

The roof close reduce the exaust sound at 30%.

Bye

GMW

2fast4u,

Your post makes the rest of us restless to hear our own vehicles in action. Can you post some sound files or pics of your SL55?

I am yet to hear the SL55 exhausts in person and the anticipation is killing me!

How do you find the acceleration of your SL55? and the handling? and the braking?


GMW

____________________________________
SL55 Brilliant Silver/ Anthracite (Sept 02 prod)

2fast4u

For the pic I've some picture of my car on my pc, how can I do to insert in a message (like attachment) ?

Nothing yet for the "sound", but when me and my RS4 friends test the car near Lugano we feel in a SUPERBIKE race !!!!

For the details this is my story (shortly).

I had a wonderfull Subaru Impreza (280cv) in 1997 but someone take it.

In 1999 I've bought a Audi S8 (great car on a highway, not so good when You decide to drive fast in a mountain street).

When my first baby born (october 2000) I've sold the Audi S8 in february 2001 to take a ...
..... Porsche 996 turbo 2001 (crazy man) and, of course, a Toyota RAV 5 door for my wife.

I've sell the Toyota for the beuatifull ML400cdi (a real dragster if You compare the type of car) overtuned.

Change Porsche 996 turbo (only 2 months after buying) for a Audi RS4 with 420 cv and video entertainement, brakes, and something else (a 25.000 € tuning).

To much noise from exhaust (Remus) and now (june 2002) I've a SL55 amg.

What about the car?

Wonderfull, never believe that Mercedes could built a real sports car similar to Porsche, Ferrari, BMW.

I've test it with my RS4 friends in Switzerland and there's no story.

Beautifull brakes and steering, perhaps a manual gear will be more emotional then automatic but what a confort in city and highway !!!!!!!!!!

Good idea the Distronic but it's necessary an upgrade for a perfect use.

Handling and accelerations is, IMO, better than RS4 and 996 turbo the only problem is the fuel "consumtion" really strong (no more than 15/20 liter for 100 km in normal drive.

Let me know how post the picture and I'll do.
Bye

2fast4u

another picture with 2 RS4

ps. I've take of the identification model cause i don't like to be notice

2fast4u

I know that this is out of the forum theme but if aomeone want to see a overtuned ML, plese check http://www.movit.de/rahmen/mercedes.htm
and search on the "find your mercedes" menu the W163 ML class.
The dark blue ML with 22'' OZ wheel, shown is mine.

Sorry for the demonstrations bt I'm very proud of this car probabli more then SL55 becouse IMO it's normal for a SL to be wonderfull, not for a ML !!!!

Cheers

pocholin

2fast4u, nice car! and nice story about the exhaust tone on your SL55. Very interesting website you also posted here.

GMW

2fast4u, nice collection! A de-badged SL55 is interesting but I probably won't de-badge till there are so many that I need to de-badge. Though this probably will never happen considering the cost of the car.

That ML400CDI looks very nice and must be a monster when accelerating! I'm guessing that from 60-80km/h when you kick down, the ML400CDI would out accelerate a ML500! This is based on my experience driving a ML270 CDI and ML320. There were certain speeds that the ML270 CDI could accelerate from and it felt faster than the ML320.


GMW

2fast4u

You are right GMW.
I've take ML400cdi after having test BMW X5 4.4 , ML500 and ML55amg.

Of course ML55 is faster (not ML500 cause my Ml400 is chipped) but I was worry about fuel consumption.

Also it's beautiful the torque of that engine (560 NM) instead of 440 and 510 of ML500 and ML55, and ML400with a supercharge engine it's more easier make a tuning.

The only bad things of that car is the hazard position and doorglasses button not on the door.

Bye

blueSL

You worry about fuel consumption??? Compared to the 14mpg you're getting from the SL55, the ML55 would be quite economical.

Committed as I am to Mercedes, I don't think the ML is one of their best efforts and if I needed a car like that, I'd be looking at the new Range Rover (now owned by Ford and a product overseen by ex-BMW guy Reitzle) or wait for the Porsche Cayenne which is said to be much better in the metal than in pictures.

2fast4u

Of course SL consumptions is higher then ML's one but with the "truck" I do 30.000 Km per year instead of SL (no more then 7.500 km per year).

This is a great difference for me and believe me in normal use (and for a ML the normal use is egual a total use) You don't need 347 HP but probably 560 NM.

I'm agree with You about the "MB effort about ML", but BMW X5 engine is not at the same level of MB one (especially in diesel were You can't compare X5 3.0 D with my ML), nothing to say about style, but this is personal opinion.

I stop my Porsche adventure with the 996 turbo and I don't like (in picture view) the new Cayenne (especially rear view, IMO quite similar to a wash-machine).

The new Range Rover is impressive in appearance but they have a lot of problem especially with the electronic suspension (my dealer has 4 car "sitting down" waiting for a solution).

Probably I forgot writing in my previous post that I've choose ML for the engine first (after having tested a S400cdi) and then for the use that I do with this car (It's impossible moving in 3 in a SL).

Please remind that I've change 6 cars in the last 18 month (S8 - 996 turbo - RS4 - Rav 4 - ML400 - SL55) if my wife discover that I'm interested in Cayenne or X5 I'm dead


Bye

blueSL

With that history, I would be dead already

Bilal

the reason being for such a loud exhaust is that the safety car has that one, so they fitted it to the first few SL's, and then found out it was too loud 10MM exhaust, on each pipe!!! and then changed it to a lower amount. BlueSl, could you just measure the width of one of your Sl's exhaust pipes please, that would back my theory? Thanks.

1115

in the december issue of top gear...or jan i forgot.....but its the on with a huge test with the pagani zonda, 575m, lambo murcielago sl55amg ect........ and the sl was 3rd fastest on the track lap behind the pagani and lambo......how ever there was a e55 amg test with the usual suspects (m5 rs6 ect....) and in both articles they loved the noise of the 5.5 litre s/c merc v8. jeremy clarkson said it sounded like a NASCAR.....and reading what all u folks are saying ....that enging must sound Awesome!

a cool sl55 clip....sounds mad!

http://home.arcor.de/vaneo/SL55AMG_gegen_AudiRS4.zip

pocholin

nice clip, thanks!