"Top Gear "comments on E55
11-22-2002, 08:15 PM
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"Top Gear "comments on E55
The folowing are the "Top Gear" comments and verdict on the E55. It is not the whole article but everything said about the E55.
It removes some anxiety about my E55 order in the system.
" Ride-wise the E55 is more Jaguar than Audi, even with the semi-active 'Airmatic' adjustable suspension on its firmest setting. This suspension ensures that there's little or no dive under braking and that the body keeps more or less level through the bends.
It's surefooted too. We find some smaller, clearer roads at lower altitiude and the E55 fills me with the confidence to power out of corners that I'm already taking quickly. Not that this is any real indication of the cars' relative talents, but no-one else can keep up with me in the Merc. It has so much speed and so much of it is usable. And when you want to overtake something, either on normal roads or the motorway, you don't have to do much more than think about it and.....you're gone.
Coupled to this wonderful engine is a superb transmission. It's another automatic with a manual override, but this one works well, allowing much greater control of which ratios you choose to be in. Plus and minus buttons on the steering wheel work the system quickly and smoothly.
When grip starts to run out the E55's traction control system doesn't jump in abruptly like the BMW's. It eases itself in, letting you do some of the driving and correcting. The information from the lightish steering could be better, but there's a good seat-of-the-pants feel from the rest of the chassis. Ventilated and cross drilled disc brakes (from the range topping SL55 AMG, incidentally) are just superb in their stopping abilities, thanks to the mind numbingly complex electronic systems that includes 'Softstop' intended to make braking in stop-start traffic smoother and a wet weather system that dabs the brakes lightly at regular intervals so the film of water on the discs gets wiped off.
I like the interior too. Its airier than the BMW and reminds me of the bigger S Class. AMG sports seats, sports wheel and new instrument dials with red needles distinguish it from the lesser E's. If you can live with the slightly fishy looking front end then the E55 is quite a looker.
The M5 makes you feel the continent is your backyard. But if it is a supreme being, it now has to share its higher level of existence with another, the sublime E55. For how long depends on when an M version of the upcoming all new 5 series makes an appearance, preferably with one of those SMG gearboxes as found on the M3.
If I've learnt anything from the trip its never to make any assumptions. Never assume your hotel is booked, never assume you can find the perfect road, never assume it is dry and probably loads of other "nevers".
I've also learnt that the E55 is my pick of this crop, even on such brief acquaintance. The BMW is still wonderful, there's nothing really wrong with it apart from the low speed susceptibility to shunting. This, though, is where the Mercedes has yet another base covered. It's utterly civilized, as well as quite extraordinarily swift......"
I will do the other piece later.
It removes some anxiety about my E55 order in the system.
" Ride-wise the E55 is more Jaguar than Audi, even with the semi-active 'Airmatic' adjustable suspension on its firmest setting. This suspension ensures that there's little or no dive under braking and that the body keeps more or less level through the bends.
It's surefooted too. We find some smaller, clearer roads at lower altitiude and the E55 fills me with the confidence to power out of corners that I'm already taking quickly. Not that this is any real indication of the cars' relative talents, but no-one else can keep up with me in the Merc. It has so much speed and so much of it is usable. And when you want to overtake something, either on normal roads or the motorway, you don't have to do much more than think about it and.....you're gone.
Coupled to this wonderful engine is a superb transmission. It's another automatic with a manual override, but this one works well, allowing much greater control of which ratios you choose to be in. Plus and minus buttons on the steering wheel work the system quickly and smoothly.
When grip starts to run out the E55's traction control system doesn't jump in abruptly like the BMW's. It eases itself in, letting you do some of the driving and correcting. The information from the lightish steering could be better, but there's a good seat-of-the-pants feel from the rest of the chassis. Ventilated and cross drilled disc brakes (from the range topping SL55 AMG, incidentally) are just superb in their stopping abilities, thanks to the mind numbingly complex electronic systems that includes 'Softstop' intended to make braking in stop-start traffic smoother and a wet weather system that dabs the brakes lightly at regular intervals so the film of water on the discs gets wiped off.
I like the interior too. Its airier than the BMW and reminds me of the bigger S Class. AMG sports seats, sports wheel and new instrument dials with red needles distinguish it from the lesser E's. If you can live with the slightly fishy looking front end then the E55 is quite a looker.
The M5 makes you feel the continent is your backyard. But if it is a supreme being, it now has to share its higher level of existence with another, the sublime E55. For how long depends on when an M version of the upcoming all new 5 series makes an appearance, preferably with one of those SMG gearboxes as found on the M3.
If I've learnt anything from the trip its never to make any assumptions. Never assume your hotel is booked, never assume you can find the perfect road, never assume it is dry and probably loads of other "nevers".
I've also learnt that the E55 is my pick of this crop, even on such brief acquaintance. The BMW is still wonderful, there's nothing really wrong with it apart from the low speed susceptibility to shunting. This, though, is where the Mercedes has yet another base covered. It's utterly civilized, as well as quite extraordinarily swift......"
I will do the other piece later.
