taurran

You can't compare aftermarket FI'd time bombs to a factory FI warranty beast.

03'55AMG

I think it will be a somewhat memorable car, but not to the extent of the Elenore or the Hammer. I just love all the records Mercedes is currently responsible for. Not to mention Mercedes made the first supercharged engine in 1921..

Records (pertaining to cars, not trucks, suvs, vans.):
highest torque per liter diesel engine- 2008 C class @ 172 ft lbs/liter
highest HP per liter diesel engine- 1993 E300 @ 44.8 hp/liter
first multi-valve diesel engine with 4 valves/cylinder- 1993 C class
first supercharged car in 1921
first turbocharged diesel car- 1978 300SD
first 7-speed automatic trans- 2003 7G tronic
first electro-hydraulic brakes- 2002 E class
First ESP/DSC/VSC- 1995 Merc CL class
first night vision assist- S class

220S

How about building the first gasoline powered automobile. That was a pretty good 'first.' Yeah, okay granted it wasn't Mercedes that did it (it was Karl Benz), but it kinda got the ball rolling......

Then there's all that safety stuff. Like first crumple zone design, front air bag use blah, blah, blah http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv0ZPyj7S6M

OK55

Never bothered with that before but, in the light of the above, methinks I'll take a little peek...!

OK55

Auto, Motor und Sport, Germany, volume 6/1968, on the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3: “We took delivery of one of the closely guarded first units, a vehicle not yet even fitted with the “6.3” designation. The lack of model badge seemed to cause confusion to many a Porsche 911 and 911 S driver, normally accustomed to being kings of the motorway and who now suddenly found themselves being left looking flat-footed by the distinguished and relatively harmless-looking Mercedes. Should any of them be reading this, we would wish to point out that they have no cause to return their vehicles to the factory on account of deficient performance.”

I can't be certain whether the e55k will attain similar classic status but I do know that the e55k does (stock for stock) blow away the 911 turbo of its day, the 996, on the autobahn. I believe it is also faster, on the autobahn, than the Ferrari 360 of its day. Stories abound on the internet of 'kills' of all kinds of traditional exotics who ‘should have no cause to return their vehicles to the factory on account of deficient performance’. I would therefore like to think some sort of 'legend' has developed around the e55k.

I do not for one minute suggest the e55k is as rare as a 300sel 6.3 but consider this. Fantasycars.com says 1839 300sel 6.3 cars were shipped to the US between 1968 and 1972. This would average roughly 460 per year. Figures quoted on mbworld give 7937 as the total sales, in the US, of the e55k between 2003 and 2006 - an annual average of 1984 or so. Given the increase by over 110% (according to the US Bureau of Transit Statistics) in the number of motor vehicles in the US between 1972 and 2006, the e55k is not really, in terms of rarity, quite as far behind the legendary 'tyre shredder' as some would think.

The e55 as a classic…perhaps we’re in with a shout?

Brgds

P.S. According to Wikipedia, 448,445 Toyota Camry cars were sold in 2006 alone.

tscales

In what way does the E55 blow away the 996TT on the autobahn? I own both and love my E55, but overall performance, including top speed, is clearly greater on the 996TT.

AgSilver

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ml#post4590151

sknight

That's a little biased, considering how many records Audi has for the entire era listed above, along with being acknowledged for such things as the only cars with AWD, ABS, locking differentials, fuel injection, computer controlled turbos, highest specific energy, land speed records, etc. All as early as 1980. They were also using composite body panels in the early 80s. Negative axis steering, virtual pivot steering, TORSEN differentials, ABS off, factory headers with turbo engines, external wastegates, oil cooling for pistons, etc. If applicable, two decades before Mercedes. The rest there is implementation, such as the transmission.

Mercedes also owns the record for being the last manufacturer to spec tape decks in their cars.

Records are great and all, but it doesn't have any bearing on the driving experience, considering everything on these cars fails prematurely.

OK55

I really don't want to derail this thread so please permit me to refer you to this thread: https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/40802-e55-vs-porsche-996-turbo-vs-360-modena.html. There the concensus seems to be as follows:
1. The superiority of the Ferrari 360 Modena and the Porsche 996 turbo over the e55k is not in doubt in the twisties and therefore the track.
2. In a straight line and from a standing start the Porsche 996 turbo is quicker up to circa 125 mph (owing largely to superior traction from its 4WD transmission system).
3. Above 125 mph or thereabouts in a straight line (i.e on the open autobahn) the e55k is more accelerative than the 996 turbo.

With its drag coefficient of just 0.33 the 996 turbo is drag limited to 189 mph. Derestricted, the SL55k and E55k (with superior drag coefficients of 0.29 & 0.28 respectively) are capable of well beyond this.

Brgds

sknight

So which ones in that thread drove them on the Autobahn?

OK55

According to Evo Magazine: 'A derestricted SL55 with essentially the same 5.4-litre supercharged V8 made monkeys of a bunch of supercars at a Nardo test organised by Auto Motor und Sport magazine, topping out at 202mph.'

With a higher power-to-weight ratio and less weight the e55k should top out in the same range with marginally less power.

Brgds

sknight

On the Autobahn?

OK55

Generic figure of speech...what I meant was an open stretch of reasonably straight multi-lane roadway without speed limits. Increasingly utopian, of course.

In reality, most of us are happy with just the legend, and never derestrict our cars. Nor do we do anything anywhere near the basic 155 mph limit...!

Brgds

sknight

Yeah, because I see that referred to here, as if people think the Autobahn is free of curves, speed limits, traffic, rough, unmaintained surfaces, morons that pass at 40mph in the left land, directly in front of speeding cars rather than waiting, and general caution at higher speeds. Most cars, even those capable of doing over 150, will never, ever be able to attain those speeds on the autobahn, no matter how long the uncontrolled stretch was due to the above reasons (outside of speed). In short, the autobahn is way different than a track.

taurran

Nice post (as with your other posts).


My first encounter with an E55 happened back in 2006, when I was rolling around in my freshly turbo'd 350z, which was making about 412whp with the stock motor and bolt on turbo. I happened to roll up on a guy in a white E55 and I had heard of their rep. I let him hear the turbo a bit to get his attention, and we rounded a corner side by side to an open stretch of straightaway for about 1/2 mile. As if on queue, we both floored it from about 25 and by the time we hit 110 we were nearing a 4-way ahead, we broke and stopped. By the end of that run, I had about 1/2 fender on him, and it was very even. I gave him a thumbs up and kept on my way. I was amazed a 4000lb~ with luxury heated leather seats, air ride suspension, and an automatic tranny kept up with my 3100lb Z with me power/speed shifting through a solid 6 speed manual. I think from that point on I was in love with w211 E55, and gave them much respect when I happened to see them.

Now, I don't endorse street racing, but I used to do stupid sh*t that could have put me in jail when I was younger. I've graduated to an AMG and put the Z aside in "toy" status. The E55 fits me quite nicely now since I've matured to appreciate luxury, but also love having a little punch when I need to. Now if a kid in a toy car revs on me, I just laugh and roll by at the speed limit.

OK55

AgSilver:
I see you have the legendary 300sel6.3...
Brgds

OK55

AgSilver:
Just seen your excellent post on the other thread and thought it might help here: 'The E55 may well go the way of the 1968-1972 W109 6.3. These were, by far, the most advanced and fastest sedans of the day. The 1968-1969 109's were the most powerful and are capable of 1/4 mile times in the 12's. I should know. As the 109's aged and filtered into the used car market at greatly reduced prices many of the owners could not afford the maintenance expenses. The 109's maintenance costs were considered to be 6.3 times the cost of any other Benz. Eventually the vast majority ended up in backyards on cinder blocks and overgrown with weeds or in the graveyards of the rusted automobiles. Today a properly restored W109 brings big money, especially in Europe. I suspect the E55 awaits a similar fate in the not too distant future.'

AgSilver

Genau!

AgSilver

If all the others had to go . . . this is the keeper. It is the ultimate of elegance and grunt and its like shall never to pass this way again.

MBH motorsports

Happily unmarried for 6 years. lol. I never new that about tje lugs. Maybe when i got wheels for the C they had new lugs that worked with the DR

e55 baller

doubt it will be a "classic" but it ruled the streets as a sedan for a long time and kinda still does when comparing sedan to sedan ONLY and ONLY in a straight line.

03'55AMG

It still will if you pay the cool 18 Gs to have it reborn by renntech