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Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG supercar runs in high-performance mode
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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HOCKENHEIM, Germany -- On the long back-side straightaway at Hockenheim, Germany's 2.7-mile Formula One race track near Heidelberg, the only speed limit in force for our test laps in the ultimate performance sedan from Mercedes-Benz comes from an electronic governor in the supercharged AMG engine, which holds the speedometer's needle below the mark of 155 mph, and a rapidly approaching hairpin curve, the Club Corner.
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Our car -- the elite new E55 AMG sedan -- stocks a hand-built powerhouse of an engine worth 469 hp with an incredible 516 lb-ft of torque so it's capable of running quite comfortably at what amounts to twice the legal speed limit on American freeways.
But it also packs a dazzling collection of computer-based electronic controls plus handling hardware honed from competition in international touring car races, including humongous disc brake rotors that are fully vented and perforated, then activated by electro-hydraulic means.
We cite the brakes specifically because in our 150-mph approach to the Club Corner those brakes must arrest the inertial mass of more than two tons of slick automotive metal in the scant length of a football field in order for us to steer this supercar through the double-apex line of a too-tight corner manageable only at speeds below 30 mph.
Then, safely tracking out of the curve, we punch the throttle again as shoulders pin against the Drive-Dynamic bolstered bucket seat and those growling deep engine notes spew from four-ply exhaust pipes.
This is too good: Only the first of many laps taken around the convoluted course at Hockenheim convinces us that this car rises to the top of the class for 2004.
The new E55 AMG amounts to a remarkable V8-powered supercar cast in limited numbers and designed for those who lust after awesome automotive performance in a supreme machine cloaked in the sedate disguise of a family vehicle.
Mercedes makes such a supercar only rarely.
In 1968, the 300SEL 6.3 full-size luxury sedan contained a 6.3-liter V8 to move it from zero to 60 in under seven seconds, while ten years later the 450SEL 6.9 used a larger version of this V8 to haul the big car to 60 mph in less than eight seconds, and in 1992, the E500 sedan got the 5.0-liter V8 from a roadster SL500, earning sub-six-second zero-to-60 times.
Then in 1998 a compact-size C Class sedan, following special powertrain and bodyworks modifications by specialty tuner AMG, forged the high-performance C43. It was followed by the first E55 AMG cast off the previous generational version of the E Class sedan.
Today, the Mercedes line includes an AMG performance-tuned special edition in virtually every class of an extensive line of cars.
A new design for the Mercedes mid-size staple sedan, E320 and E500, rolled out as 2003 editions.
Now, with the E Class structure serving as a blank canvass for the latest collaboration between Mercedes and AMG, the performance gurus at AMG's facility in Affalterbach, Germany, build the new E55 using a balanced and tuned V8 with supercharger added plus unique exterior body parts, an AMG-designed low-restriction exhaust system and performance-geared brake and suspension hardware.
A visit to the AMG engine plant reveals that one skilled engine technician assembles the E55 engine in only two hours.
The V8, displacing 5.5-liters, has a belt-driven screw-type supercharger added to generate that over-the-top horsepower.
Supercharging kicks into action instantly above the 2700-rpm mark and it's so smoothly integrated that the driver will never detect the operation -- only so much pedal power to play.
Transmission for the E55 is a high-capacity automatic with five forward gears and SpeedShift programming to make high-speed gear transitions. It will operate in full automatic mode, or one-tap clutch-less TouchShift mode using the shift lever or -- for ultimate control -- a manual mode with hands-on shifting by the driver from finger switches pegged on the back of the steering wheel.
There's even a winter mode for start-ups on icy roads and a comfort shift program to make the shift points earlier and at lower rpm levels.
And the E55 carries on-board devices to stabilize forward movement and tire traction, smart brakes and an air suspension system teamed with adaptive damping controls, plus multiple air bags to cushion the human cargo.
Designers also added an electronic brain that can out-think a driver and make intelligent decisions regarding car movement and its safe operation.
The system employs microprocessors that connect to on-board sensors measuring the vehicle's forward and lateral motion, tire rotation, passenger load, even conditions of a roadbed and traffic. These miniature computers filter all data, then set into play various equipment based on need or demand.
Sensors in the suspension system determine vehicular payload, speed and road conditions, and they can adjust dampers on shock absorbers to smooth out or firm up the ride quality. Still other devices measure wheel speed and lateral acceleration and can brake an individual wheel to correct potential skidding or spinning of the car.
The Airmatic air suspension employs an electrically-powered compressor to charge the wheel struts with compressed air, and adaptive changes are instantly accomplished to match driving mode and road conditions.
Also, the driver can choose from three different damping settings of the suspension to vary the ride quality from smooth to downright firm for sport maneuvers.
Even the optional adaptive Distronic Cruise Control is smart: It draws on Doppler radar to measure the distance to a car ahead in the coupe's path, then adjusts the throttle or applies brakes to maintain a pre-set distance between the two vehicles.
A dash-mounted navigation system integrates a guidance system with Global Positioning Satellite reckoning and hands-free telephone and audio controls. The driver can interact with this intelligent system and use it to control the audio, dial phone numbers or figure out where to go.
The performance-geared cabin features a cockpit with twin seats separated by a console and trimmings in leather.
Optional Drive-Dynamic front buckets contain backrest side cushion bladders that will inflate or deflate automatically in response to vehicle motion to keep your body nicely positioned in the seat during hard-wrought maneuvers in cornering.
All of this high-tech gear for a supercar comes at a price, of course, as Mercedes establishes the MSRP for E55 AMG at $76,000.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E55 AMG Specs |
| Description: |
Mid-size performance sedan
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| Model Options: |
Mid-size performance sedan
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| Wheelbase: |
112.4 inches
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| Overall Length: |
190.9 inches
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| Engine Size: |
SOHC 5.5-L V8 SC
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| Transmission: |
Auto/5 SpeedShift/TouchShift
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| Drive: |
Rear
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc
SBC/ABS/BA/EBP/ASR/ESP
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| Airbags: |
2 (front) + 4 (side)
+ 4 (side curtain)
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| Gas Mileage: |
14/21 mpg
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| Price: |
E55 AMG: $ 76,000 |
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