The E55 AMG is the fastest production car Mercedes-Benz ever has built. But it isn't a racy two-seater, as might be expected. Rather, it's the world's fastest sedan.
The supercharged, 469-horsepower E55 AMG hits 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and reaches 100 mph in 9.9 seconds. It's virtually as fast as the 500-horsepower Dodge Viper sports car--a two-seater that's less comfortable and refined.
The E55 AMG is a good example of Mercedes engineering prowess. It's a "supersedan'' version of the roomy, sleek new mid-size Mercedes E-Class four-door model and continues the legacy of Mercedes four-door "supercars,'' which stretches to 1968.
The E55 AMG is modified by the automaker's AMG high-performance unit.
The E55 AMG doesn't have a bunch of wings, scoops or stripes to call attention to itself, as do many high performance autos. Rather, it has a purposeful design. Features that differentiate the E55 AMG from other E-Class models include its sculpted side skirts, front bumper and rear apron. The front apron integrates a larger air intake and black mesh grille.
Discreet badging and four chromed exhaust outlets help tell you that the E55 AMG really means business. So do the 18-inch AMG polished alloy wheels and low-profile tires that give the car a hunkered-down look.
The E55 AMG has awesome acceleration from its hand-built supercharged ("kompressor'') engine, which provides such a massive amount of torque (516 pound-feet) that it feels as if the car almost has a jet engine. Fuel economy is only an estimated 14 mpg in the city and 21 on highways.
The special SpeedShift five-speed automatic transmission can be left in the regular "drive'' mode or manually shifted by pressing Grand Prix race-car-style gearshift buttons on the steering wheel--or by the gear lever by nudging the shift lever sideways.
An instrument cluster display tells a driver which transmission mode is active and which gear is selected. The car does fine in "drive'' mode for virtually all driving.
The rear-drive E55 AMG is a fairly big, heavy car. It's also complex. For instance, a new computer-controlled Airmatic DC (dual control) suspension allows a driver to select from several suspension-damping settings, from maximum comfort to sporty.
The suspension provides nearly the handling of a sports car and a smooth ride, despite huge wheels and tires that normally would cause the ride to be uncomfortable.
Sensors monitor road conditions, driving style and cornering forces to ensure the system always chooses the best air spring and shock absorber settings. The only drawback is that the high-performance tires create road noise to be noticeable at highway speeds, if the impressive Harman Kardon digital surround sound system is switched off.
The E55 AMG body is automatically lowered at higher speeds for better stability, making the car seem even more glued to the road. It then returns to normal height when speeds fall below 45 mph.
The electro-hydraulic electronic braking system has huge brake rotors for short emergency stops. The system is designed to provide faster, more sure-footed response, especially in emergencies. It even varies braking pressure at individual wheels through high speed curves. But it often makes it difficult to brake smoothly unless a driver carefully modulates the brakes.
Steering is accurate, but provides only moderate road feedback for a fast car.
The interior is luxurious in an understated manner. It's also sporty--with such things as rich leather upholstery, wood, chrome and brushed metal accents. Four 6-footers comfortably fit. Controls are fairly large, and a four-zone climate control system allows separate temperature control for the front seats and rear outboard seating areas. It's a powerful system, with strategically placed vents.
But gauge numbers are small, and putting a clock in the instrument cluster with the speedometer and tachometer seems odd--especially when it hogs so much instrument panel space.
Electronic vertical bar graphs for the fuel and engine coolant temperature gauges don't go with the car's sporty personality, but are said to provide more accurate readings than conventional gauges.
Does one really need an "audio off'' message displayed on the speedometer face when the sound system is turned off? And it's easy for a driver to confuse the rear, door-mounted power window switches for the front ones because they're very close together.
Outside mirrors are too small, but the inside rearview mirror is very large. The comfortable front power AMG sport seats securely hold occupants and have individually inflated air cushions that provide infinitely variable lumbar and lateral support and include individually adjustable thigh support.
An option allows the seats to cool, heat and even massage--and adjust support in response to driving conditions.
The E55 AMG can be ordered with a Panorama sunroof with twice the glass area of the standard power sunroof. An optional, automatic solar-powered interior ventilation system is available with the Panorama roof and operates in strong sunlight to keep interior heat levels down.
There's also optional Keyless Go, which lets a driver open and start the car without reaching for a key. The optional Distronic cruise control can automatically maintain a preset following distance from a vehicle ahead of the E55 AMG.
The big trunk has a low, wide opening. Its lid should have hydraulic hinges, considering the car's price. But at least the manual hinges are shielded to prevent damage to cargo.
Among many safety features are a stability control system that incorporates traction control, side curtain air bags for head protection in a collision and a rollover sensor. The sensor can signal the central control module to deploy the side air bags and safety belt tensioners if it detects that type of accident.
Many auto industry observers thought "supersedans'' such as the Mercedes 300SEL would never be built after the 1960s because of new U.S. federal laws that stifled high-performance cars. But here we have the E55 AMG, which is one of the most impressive cars in Mercedes history.
MERCEDES-BENZ E55 AMG
Price:
$77,000.
Likes:
Fastest Mercedes ever. Amazing power. Adroit handling. Smooth. Roomy. Classy.
Dislikes:
Nonlinear brake modulation. Tire noise. Small gauge numbers.
