AMGLAB

The General Manager of a large So Florida Mercedes dealership told me last Sat. they are not taking deposits on E55s yet because: i) delays are expected and ii), note this, Mercedes has not finally decided wether the inital US version will have the supercharger or just be reworked to increase the horsepower to around 400hp! He said Mercedes has been going back and forth on this issue for many months. They decide one way one month and change their minds the next. Looks like second class treatment for North America again, just like the unavailability of the AMG Styling Package currently being produced on Europe.

KrispyK

Ack! Are you kidding me? How long will the car be delayed, and what is the expected release date?

JamE55

Guess different dealers different story. My guy already confirmed this one to be a supercharged 476hp and be available on netstar around march next year. Again different dealer different stories.

amg55

I believe you're getting bum info, AMGLAB.
Makes no sense to build the supercharged E55 for Europe, then cut back on the largest market outside Europe.
The E55 has already been developed, tested and preproduced as a supercharged model.
The only possible reason I can think of that anyone at MB would want to propogate that rumor would be to try to convince people to buy the SL55 or some other fear tactic.
If indeed MB follows thru as in other countries and jacks up the price of the E55 vs the 210E55, they'll lose buyers fast by adding only 50hp over the 210 for an additional $15,000.
I doubt that would be a wise marketing maneuver.
Just my .02

KrispyK

Is the new blown-E55 W211 AMG motor based upon the same 5.4L engine int he current W210 E55? If so, wouldn't it be cheaper for them, in the end, to just distribute the blown-E55 motor everywhere, instead of developing new internals for a non-blown-version with 50 more hp? I'm beginning to think cost-wise, it'd be more effective for them to just leave the blower in all versions worldwide ... anyway, that's my hope. I'd be sorely disappointed if our E55 were *only* 400 bhp.

E55 KEV

First of all no W211 E55 have been built for any market yet and if Mercedes can decide to put the non-blown engine in the 2004 W209 CLK55 without a backlash they can change their minds on the E55. However, I just hope not.

Who knows maybe marketing has stepped in and wants the blown engine exclusively in the 2003 SL55, CL55 and S55 only. These cars will be selling over $115k and the W211 E55 will be, say mid to upper $70k base price.

How wants to pay $40k premium for the same blown motor and same HP?

hmrdwn

AMGLAB--- Your dealer, sales rep, whatever, is dead wrong. USA gets the SC E55, without a doubt. There is no logic that could possibly justify giving North America a car that is less than the European version --- WE AREN'T TALKING ABOUT BMW HERE!

Gee, he could be right....NFW. Sure it's a discussion board, but this guy obviously has no idea that MB has already released pics and specs of the car. Must we indulge every idiotic rumor monger.

Kev -- Interesting logic ---- but maybe you forgot to look at last year's MB line up...S55, CL55, CLK55, E55 --- same engine, big price differences. Around $30k differernce between, CLK55 and CL/S55s. And the last S600, CL600, much more $$, barely better hp or performance.

Brian Yee

Hmm; I fear this could possibly be just the issue MBZ wishes to address. Ie, completely separate the 5.4 liter S/C cars from the lower tiered lines. From a marketing and exclusivity aspect, this makes sense. I would speculate that this would only increase the interest in the S, SL and CL classes, addressing the comment regarding the issue of "More $$$, barely better hp or performance"... It may be "put up(the $$$) or shut up" time for ultimate MBZ performance.

E55 KEV

hrmdwn, In the fickle car business, what happened last year happened last year and not necessarily what will happen next year. MBZ has done a few things lately that does not make sence. Like:

Putting a 1.8 liter in the 2003 C230 Coupe replacing the 2.3 and not renaming it C180.

A C240 with a a 2.6 engine, why not C260.

A S350 with a 3.7 engine, what is wrong with S370

Putting the 302HP gaz guzzler 5.0 engine in the W211 & W209 instead of the 4.3 from the C43 with 302HP. Everyone else is getting 300+HP from 4 liter engines.

Dropping the AMG parts from the E-Class Sport Package but putting the AMG parts on the W209 E500 at no extra cost.

Considering a E-Class Coupe with 4 freaking doors ala Saturn.

Copying BMW with Harman Kardon sound systems and heated steering wheels.

Someone call Daimler and tell them to get those damn Chrysler execs out of the boardroom ASAP.

hmrdwn

Yes, yes. Good points Brian and Kev. But I think that this horse is already at the gate. Remembering back to early this year, there was much speculation regarding the SL55 just before its intro. And most of it was widely off base.

I simply think that anyone who has posted twice, who comes in with a new rumor, based on what a single dealer/salesman says, is most likely incorrect and this whole line of thought is a distraction.

Yet I know this is a "discussion" forum and all comments are welcome, so forgive my frustration with this line of seemingly worthless discussion. If you find it enjoyable, so be it.

KrispyK

How many E55 do you guys think will make it to the US in a given year? How many have generally come in in the past?

E55 KEV

Motor Trend reported 550 for 2002. 1999 thru 2002 there were about 500 each year. I think the number will increase to about 700 year for the US - but that is truly a guess.

KrispyK

Oh man, that makes me glad I got on the list early and am #2 at my dealer. I have a friend who put down a deposit for a CL55 in August '00 at a large dealership ... and still hasn't gotten one. Seeing as how they were supposed to bring in 500 CL55s a year, I figure E55 availability will be similarly short.

E55 KEV

Hopefully he will get the 03 CL55 with the supercharged engine. He will be happy for the wait.

e6tme

I don't think that MBUSA will bring us a weak version of the E55... There is currently too much competition and impending competition (Audi RS6, new M5) for MB to screw around...

Though I would immediately cancel my order if it did happen!

Anyway, I was at MB of Seattle where they had at least 4 new W211 (320s and 500s) in stock. Guess they aren't selling nearly as quickly as they are in the East (boston).

I am really looking forward to the E55 coming out... MBUSA don't disappoint us!!

FrankW

The dealer i got my C32 from is already taking order for the new E55 with "kompressor". It will have the kompressor that makes 474hps, but the price will be around 90k with tax.

I think dealers in LA/SD, CA are more competent because people here love Mercedes-Benz, especially Chinese folks like my self.

jl88

I wouldn't be surprised if the base price is in the low 80's. Add in a few options and tax and you'll be in the 90k range. I'm not gonna spend 90k for a ****E CLASS*****. bah!

So my mission is now obtaining an SL500 heh.. something I can get right now If i bug enough people...

Tezta

90K NO WAY!, thats too much for an E regardless of the performance. Ill go with JL and get an SL500 for 90K.

FrankW

that's why my sales ordered the E500 sport instead. He is going to mod the hell out of that E500 with AMG stuff though

Tezta

Your sales manager? Does he know the costs of an AMG body kit?

FrankW

i can ask him to find out. Or you can just wait for the Sema show. his car is gonna be prepared by D2Technik and be show at the Sema thingy.

Blocktrader

Well, I have a deposit with a large South FL dealership for one. I would suspect we are talking about the same place. They likely don't want to take further orders, and are using the fact that MBZ COULD make changes, to deter further inquiries. When I ordered my E500 on AUG 24 there was already a long line for the E55 according to my salesman. They had a couple of pre-orders before mine, and that was before MBZ even announced the car. I would try an out of area dealer at this point. South Florida seems to be one of the worst places to try and order special cars. You litteraly have to have a deposit in before the manufacturer even comes up with the concept.

Richard

The German Mercedes website, www.ebay.de shows the E55 on the E class price list ...

It shows it as 350kw/476ps - i.e with the supercharged engine

(www.mercedes.de, click on pkw on left, then on E class, then on limosine, then preise, then you can download the pdf pricelist

R

bcapp

I followed the link Richard and it shows the price of the E55 with the 476 hp at $75,500 Euro which, I think, roughly equates with the dollar these days! Not bad!

Richard

Remember that german base cars come with very few options [everything is optional] - in USA you tend to get lots of options as standard, so the base price will be higher.

Even in UK, we are forced to pay for certain things on high end models (usually COMAND, CD, alarm system etc)

As a SL55 owner, those E55's will be damn good value !

Cheers
R