Does the constant interference from the ESP kill the fun in the E63? I have never owned an AMG, but from all the reviews and from what I read on here, ESP is cutting power all the time. Turning off the ESP seems dangerous, but leaving it on seems like it robs power and performance. I would love to get any opinions from owners on this before I go ahead and make my purchase.

 

The W212 E63 has 3 ESP settings.
ESP on, ESP sport, and ESP off.
ESP on will kick in immediately if it senses the car losing traction. ESP sport will allow a little tail slide before traction kicks in. ESP off is where the fun is, you can burn rubber for days with no problem, its a total monster with it off.

 

does it let you know it's off?
mine only says SPORT and when it's not on it says nothing.....

 

Each time you restart the car the ESP will automatically be turned on.

 

The button is called "sport off" and I generally run the car with it off. You get the full compliment of TQ in this mode and its definitely noticeable power wise from a dig and during rolling WOT's.

If you are a reasonable driver who knows how to modulate the throttle and have control in turns this mode is the best for the W212 E63. Never use this mode in the wet though.

 

So the answer is essentially yes then? I'm not trying to get the tail out from behind me in everyday driving, but if ESP cuts power when launching from a stoplight for example, well that would be dumb and annoying, not to mention disappointing. It seems that either you can drive the E63 with no electronic nannies, or you can't drive it at all the way it was meant to be driven with them on.

 

'electronic nannies'

LOL!!!! have not heard that one.....

 

That's funny, I think about 2 in 5 car reviews since the late 90's have included that phrase. I couldn't think of what else to call them lol

 

Thats not true...its not all or nothing....there is ESP Sport....

Turning off the ESP is not dangerous.....i have it off 90% of the time...if you are scared of turning it off, then I'm sure the car exceeds your skill with it on

Every modern performance car has ESP.....and your can turn it off.....If you "launch" from a light you use race start that gives you optimum RPM and traction....otherwise you just turn it off....

You need to drive the car and not come to conclusions from a post in a forum

 

if you are driving a lap on a track correctly, ESP Sport should not slow you down hardly at all. I will say that once you get to a certain level, then ESP off will allow you to pick up lap times.

When someone tells me leaving it on eats rear brakes, I say "not if you are doing it right".

Now what I have found on the W212 is that the Pre-Safe and BAS kicks in a lot easier than on my W211. I was consistently getting it kicking in under hard braking into turn 2 at Laguna Seca. I have only had it kick in once in my W211 and I can easily understand why, I was totally out of shape.

 

Mercedes just posted a vid about this.

Here ya go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQz4nUyjMXU&feature=player_embedded

 

LOL OK

I'd love to test drive an E63, but there are none in the area. As well, the biturbo E63 has yet to arrive at dealerships (if I'm not mistaken), so that would make it kind of hard.

 

Awesome vid, great find! That really explained a lot of what I wanted to know, but didn't know how to ask for.

 

+1, THANX FOR THE VIDEO, JESUS, i CAN'T wait FOR THAT DRIVING SCHOOL!!!

 

Thanks for the video. I find the car best in ESP Sport. I find fully on is too restrictive and fully off is a bit scary specially during hard cornering. I find the car very fun to drive with ESP Sport mode.