Everybody says the 63 has better handling and braking than the 55, why?

 

well for one, the E63 does not have SBC on it. So therefore when braking you actually get feedback etc on the E63.

 

Yes, that's one more thing I don't get why Mercedes put, just like the stupid Airmatic, just makes things harder.

PS. I feel sorry for the new M5, electronic steering bahaha good luck getting feedback on that.

 

Steering ratio is different. E63 is more precise (not as numb or as vague) and feels more weighted. Not sure what the actual skid pad g rates are, but that can be looked up (on Motor Trend or Edmunds, they both did tests on the 55 and 63.)

When I drove the 55 my 63 felt more nimble and turn-in was better. But that could have been the different tires they each had. But steering was much better.

The 63's brakes are 6 pot whereas the 55s are 8. Not sure which has the larger rotors, but I believe they both have aluminum hats (2 piece); I know the 63 does. And yeah, SBC was gone by 2007.

 

My 2006 E55 has no SBC. I guess I am lucky?

 

hmmm. Cant be.....can it? The change did not come until for model year 07..right?

 

That's weird. They stopped SBC on the 2007 models

What's your production date?

 

Their 63 and buy a 55 of any ilk.

 

I must be wrong then, however, I can't do any of the SBC described functions with my car, the SBC braking in traffic, the SBC-H mode by pressing when stopped to hold the brakes... etc... hrm

 

let me put on pants and go look

 

Maybe your thinking of the wrong features. SBC doesnt have a hold function. What do you mean by braking in traffic?

 

08/05

I was reading someone's post about features they loved about SBC a while ago and they mentioned there was a mode you could engage that when you lifted off gas any speed under 40 the car would start to brake automatically.

**** I am looking like an idiot in this thread, brb let me find said posts.

 

E55 skipad 82g
E63 skidpad 84g

E55 60-0 119 feet
E63 60-0 115 feet

E55 slalom speed 64 mph
E63 slalom speed 66 mph

So the specs show a little better, but that should be expected with a newer model. But the E55 is by far the torque monster (and at lower rpms.) The E63 is more civilized and with a 7-speed.

I think the E55 is more fun on the street with all that available torque down low. The E63 is more like the M5 with the free spinning NA motor. You just have to have the rpms up to get the power out of it. The 6.2 is an incredibly smooth and great sounding motor with better throttle control (as any NA motor usually has) but the E55 has it beat for pure Neanderthal grunt.

 

So I found what I was reading....

Here you all go. This is a write up on the SBC features. I forgot about dry brakes. I think US spec cars had this feature disabled. My car is canadian spec that is why I have it

SBC STOP
The system offers several additional functions besides a new braking behavior, due to its electronic brain: In stop-and-go traffic the vehicle brakes automatically, when the foot is lifted off the accelerator pedal (“Traffic Jam Assist”). It can be engaged under 10 MPH, using the the cruise control lever and switches off automatically at higher speeds. It remains active under 40 MPH. When engaged the instrument cluster indicates “SBC S”. One can also activate it on downhill slopes via cruise control, so the car won’t speed over the set limit. It was deleted starting with MY 2005.

SBC SOFT STOP
is not yet released, though few people are aware of it since Mercedes advertises it already. It might be released lateron. In city traffic soft-stop supposedly allows soft, jerkless stopping. Not sure if it’s needed since SBC brakes can be modulated well, with good feel.

SBC HOLD
A “drive-away assistant” prevents the vehicle from rolling backwards or forward when starting on a hill or steep incline. A firm push onto the brake pedal, and the car remains stopped, even when taking the foot off the brake pedal, until the driver accelerates and the vehicle begins to roll. When set, the instrument cluster indicates SBC HOLD. I like using this function and miss it when switching back to other cars. As far as I know it was first introduced in the spring of 2003 in the 04 E-class Estate and lateron in the 2004 SLs.

DRY BRAKE
And finally there is the dry brake function. It is always activated when the windshield wipers run. The system then knows, that it rains and, with short brake pulses unnoticed by the driver, keeps the brake discs always dry and fully functional.

Cars with SBC
Mercedes SL roadster (R230)
Mercedes E-Class sedan (W211) and Estate (S211) until mid 2006
Mercedes E-Class 4matic sedan (W211) and 4matic Estate (S211) until mid 2006
Mercedes SLR (C199)
Maybach 57 and 62 (W240)
Mercedes CLS coupe (C219) until mid 2006


I can't seem to get the SBC to do any of the features listed above, although I read the one feature was removed in 2005.

So I guess I have it and didn't know it.

 

should have put up the 0-60 just for good measures

 

my 2005 has sbc but i can not get the features to work either. I heard that the 2003 models can but later models can not.

 

SBC-H also does not work on my car

 

You car has SBC, it just doesn't have the features you mentioned. Mine doesn't either.

 

I would be interested to see the differences between a standard E63 and the P30 option.

50% stiffer and LSD.

The stiffer makes for more creeks in the panoramic roof

 

shhitty, all the lack of reliability, none of the joys. Lose / Lose

 

lol....so true.

 

dont e55 and cls55 share the same platform? Why does the cls55 feel stiffer than the e55?

 

good info in this thread here.

 

I'd also like to see some numbers from the P30. Pretty strange there's so little details on this package considering the price point it was at when new. I know what MB put in the generic info they released, but it would be cool to know more about the true details of the changes (how they accomplished making the suspension stiffer, any specifics on changes in DSC programming, etc).

 

Front 35% stiffer in rebound and 35-45% stiffer in compression
Rear 45-60% stiffer in rebound and compression.

Depends on mode.

I was given no more detail from AMG