rgbyhkr

I've seen a few posts about the Advanced Mobile Media shown by MB in a recent auto show in Geneva but no one seems to know anything about when or in what regions it will be offered. Here's a link to the AMG website showing the Rear Seat Entertainment version for the E-Class:

http://www.mercedes-benz.com/amg/e/manu/enter.htm

Anyone in Europe heard of when this option may become available (for '04 models perhaps, and even then only on AMG versions, etc)? I figure the US will be SOL on something like this altogether or at least until after it has officially been released in Europe.

By the way, I just put down my deposit for an '04 E55 to be delivered when my current lease is up in late January of next year. I guess I'll be joining the club.

Jeff

Schiznick

Jeff,

I asked the same question when I was in Germany a month ago. They said a part of it was based off of demand in the US..... So tell your dealer that you want it!

As you will see many people on this board are from Atlanta. What dealer did you buy from? We had an ATL AMG get together a month or so ago and had 10 to 12 show.

You will love the E55, just broke through my 1000 miles.....

Schiz

rgbyhkr

I will be sure to mention to my dealer how interested I would be in a system like that. Actually, my salesperson was pretty impressed with it and asked if he could keep the copy of the printout I had from the AMG site. Perhaps that may get some buzz going there about it. For what it's worth (probably not much), I sent an e-mail to Mercedes AMG asking for more information and availability estimates, etc. I'm not hoping for much there, however.

As for my dealer, it is Atlanta Classic Cars. I've been pretty happy with them since leasing a C320 back in January of 2001. I'm also very happy that they'll be moving to the north side of town so I won't have to schlep into Decatur anymore.

Jeff

Schiznick

I saw the system while in Germany and it is very slick. Full controll of the DVD from the back seat or front. The install is very clean and it was built so that it could be retro into the DVD based system.

That will be the problem for those of us with the 03 cars..... with an 04 car you may be in luck.

I use Carriage House on the South side of town. They are great folks but not up on all that AMG is doing......

Schiz

rgbyhkr

So, from what you saw over there, it could be installed outside the factory after delivery? If that's the case, then hopefully the '04s can accomodate it if and when the system becomes available over here. Also, are the DVD controls in the rear on the screen or in the center armrest? I'm also guessing that the DVD drive doubles for use with NAV as well as movie playback. If so, no problem there as the displays have their own external inputs so you could use a separarte portable DVD player to do both at the same time. If you remember, were the inputs standard RCA jacks or mini-plug (look like headphone jacks) ones? Thanks for all of your feedback.

Jeff

Eurosport

demand from US?

DVD shouldn't belong in a car imo
unless only at show

what happened to the good old days when you just love to hear that engine running forget the radio

rgbyhkr

Those ended when they started making sport 4-door sedans. Given that they're meant to balance the desire for a sports car with the practical need for rear seats and real trunk room, innovations like rear seat entertainment help the practical side keep up with the desirous one. I'm hoping for a rear-seat microwave and kegerator next.

Jeff

Rennteam

Well, DVD doesn't belong in a sports car and the E55 isn't one.
Me, my wife and my 2 year old girl did now a 400 km trip from my home to Italy for a few days at Lake Garda.
Our little girl got bored (Austria and Italy have a speed limit) and we had to stop three times to make her feel good. With a DVD entertainment system in the rear compartment, she would have forgotten completely about the long ride (almost 5 hours) and she would have enjoyed some nice Tom&Jerry or Disney cartoons. To make it short: a DVD system is a great thing to have for the family if you do longer trips in your car.

I can read here sometimes that 22 year olds buy the E55 but hey, get a life...at that age I wouldn't even want to be seen near a E55. Buy a nice little sports car instead, you can drive the E-class when you're 40. I'm 38 and I bought the E55 because it is the perfect combination between a sports car and a family car.
But without family, I'd still drive my 996 Turbo.

rgbyhkr

I agree with you RC. I've been drooling over the new SL since it's introduction. When my wife asked "where will we put our son since there isn't a real backseat?", my response was "Him? The question is where will you sit?" She did think it was funny but in the end I agreed with her that we needed more than one car that could accomodate him and all his stuff (he's only 6 months old).

By the way RC, since you are in Germany, would you mind dropping by AMG and telling those folks to offer Advanced Mobile Media in the US asap? Thanks.

Jeff

RedBaron

Yes, I sold the 911, got married, and now have 3 kids. WOuld really like a DVD in the rear seat of the E55 for entertainment. We have one in our Expedition, and it is great on trips. And tell the AMG folks it needs to be retro-fittable to '03 models.



The next test is seeing if 3 kid seats fit in the back of an E55 !?!?!

Rennteam

I'll be at AMG pretty soon and I already have a list with questions. I put your question on the list too and I hope I get an answer. Til now I had contact to several people at AMG directly and they've been extremely nice and helpful.
Of course don't expect them to tell me company secrets like how much HP the MY 2006 E55 will have. But I guess the Advanced Mobile Media System shouldn't be a secrety anymore, so I'm sure I get an answer. The system can be already ordered in Germany on new cars as an option (only with COMAND) but it is funny that the official DC price list doesn't mention it.
As soon as I get an answer, I'll post it here. But without COMAND, the Advanced Mobile Media System won't work.
Unless AMG offers the possibility to retrofit an aftermarket DVD player to the E-class.

Regarding kids and the E55: the E55 is a huge car, we were suprised how much space it provides. Even the trunk space is huge but unfortunately it isn't easy to fit bulky stuff in it.
Our ML55 provides less passenger space (front and rear) but has a larger trunk area and it is perfect for bulky stuff like scooters, strollers, etc. I hope the next M-class will be a little bit larger.

hmrdwn

Redbaron,
Three car seats fit in the back of my E320 wagon (have had two rear facing with one front facing, including base, and now have three front facing. I hope that I can get them in the new E55 as well, though I worry about impressions on the soft leather. Hopefully number one son will be out of seat soon.

The built in DVD player would be a big help. Saw the one in the Infiniti FX45, no reason MB can't have similar product. But Mercedes has always been behind in electronic tech -

It's like thy have their head buried in the sand on intrinsic appointments. CD player was an option in my 2001 CLK55, but it did have a tape player standard...wooooo.

- hmrdwn

rgbyhkr

RedBaron,

My wife and I only have one so far but I certainly understand where you're coming from. She has a Durango and she thinks it's not big enough for our one child! As for 3 car seats, couldn't you get a bench with a restraint bar that comes down from above like they have on amusement park rides?

RC,

I appreciate the help on this. God bless the internet. Hopefully, MB will soon realize how well AMM colud sell in the US market and begin offering it over here. Sure, you could do an aftermarket install but with so many leased vehicles, a factory option makes much more sense. Also, have you heard anything about the Universal Handy Interface? I'm hoping this will be availbale in the US on '04 models so I have options other than the crappy Motorola V60.

Jeff

rgbyhkr

So, after sending an e-mail to AMG, I got a response today from MBUSA (AMG Germany passed it over to MBUSA to respond to me). Here was my initial request:

"> I have an E55 on order and am looking forward to receiving this
> wonderfully built driving machine. While looking through the AMG
> site, I noticed some information about the AMG Advanced Mobile
> Media solutions offered on E and S models. I was interested in
> finding out more information about this system such as when it
> may become available and additional specifications about what the
> system includes. My dealer did not know anything about it and
> MBUSA had not heard of it either. I attempted to find this
> information from a web search, but the only information available
> was from the recent Geneva auto show, which was very similar to
> what is on the AMG site. Any additional information would be
> helpful. Thank you in advance."

Here's the "response" I received:

"> Thank you for your internet inquiry.
>
> Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC will offer its new car buyers an integrated SIRIUS
> system on most model year 2004 vehicles.
>
> Beginning in the fall, customers will be able to visit any authorized
> Mercedes-Benz dealership and choose from a variety of multi-year packages for
> SIRIUS.
>
> If we can be of any further assistance, please feel free to e-mail us again
or
> call us at
> 1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372).
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Jan Barone
> Consumer Promotions
> Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC"

Are they kidding? That's not even close to what i was asking about and there was no mention of AMM. I responded kindly that I think they were confused and included a link to the AMM page on the AMG website. I don't expect much back given what they sent thusfar but hey, you never know.

Jeff

hmrdwn

...they must have the interns answering the mail again...

Rennteam

Jeff, why don't you just relax and wait until end of June.
I get the answer you're seeking, I promise.

rgbyhkr

RC,

I do sincerely appreciate all the help. I posted this because I'm always amazed when a response like that comes back from a company. They obviously did not really read my submission and had a canned Sirius response ready and pulled the trigger on it a little early.

I'd much rather them say "sorry, we don't know anything about that". I guess it's the salesman in me that hates these kind of responses. Of course, the absolute worst is being at a store and asking a question about a product being sold and the salesperson's response is to read something completely unrelated off of the tag on the item right in front of you as if you hadn't already checked there.

By the way, if they tell you they're looking for somene in the US market who will be getting an '04 E55 and is willing to special order the AMM sight unseen as part of their testing, I'm their guy!

Jeff

mbprince

RC,

Could you also find out when and if the beefed up version of the 7G will make it into the E55. It seems that in '04, Nav and Voice Command will finally be in the E series but the tranny question is still a mystery.

Thanks

Rennteam

The 7G doesn't make it into the E55 for MY 2004, I know that for sure. However AMG won't tell me if it makes into the E55 for MY 2005 or later on. As far as I know, no car company likes to talk about future projects. Good for them, bad for us customers.

mbprince

RC,

thanks for the 7G info. I don't know if I want to wait till '05 for an E55 with the 7G. I am curious as to your opinion on this .......... does an E55 with 469+ horsepower need or benefit from having 7 forward gears?

Thanks again, mp

mbprince

RENNTEAM, since you are in Germany, I think you can understand this article better than me .............

----------

01.05.2003 7-Gang-Automatik ab Herbst 03 !

Im Herbst 2003 feiert die neue Mercedes 7-Gangautomatik Weltpremiere. Vorerst wird sie in fünf Achtzylinder Modellen der E-, S-, CL- und SL-Klasse angeboten, da sie für 700 NM ausgelegt ist. Eine spätere Version soll dagegen 1200 NM aushalten. Dann wird sie auch in den V12 Modellen & im Maybach angeboten.
Ab Mai 2004 wird es die 7 Gangautomatik auch im brandneuen SLK (R171) geben.

------------

it seems to say in May 2004 a 1200NM version of the 7G should be available for the high power V8s !!! mp

Rennteam

It actually says that the high torque version will be available for the V12 and the Maybach. The supercharged V8 aren't mentioned.

If this helps: today I heard the rumor that AMG introduces the new 7-speed auto tranny with the "new" engine generation (4valve supercharged V8) due around 2005.
Actually I really don't know if the high torque engines need a 7-speed auto but a few years ago, people probably weren't even thinking about 5-speed auto trannies.

mbprince

Renn,
thanks for the translation and info. I agree, with the power of the E55 does one really need 7 forward gears? mp