2000 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Review (continued)
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Walkaround

If the E55 were intended to be a flat-out hot rod, it would be a sleeper. Is radically understated an oxymoron? The E55's mostly ordinary looks conceal its performance. The only visible differences between this super E and a standard E are its subtle aerodynamically tuned lower body and valance panels, and those race-like low-profile tires, which aren't the least bit subtle. But they're still easy to miss, as the lightweight alloy wheels, a style AMG calls Monoblock, are boring. In our week with the E55, only two or three people complimented the car, and even they were unsure about what exactly had caught their eye. It just looks different," they said. Maybe it was the smoke wafting off the tires.

Oh, the car does have a small AMG badge or two. For those in the know, that says it all. (If you must know, AMG stands for Aufrecht, Melcher, Grossapach. It's far more important to know that AMG stands for performance.) Specifically, here's what that AMG badge says on the E55: The 5.5-liter engine is based on the new 5.0-liter V8 from the SL500, a sophisticated twin-plug, three-valve sohc design. The increase in displacement comes not from a simple overbore, but from an extended and balanced crankshaft that slightly increases the stroke. The object is smoothness; vibration is further silenced by hand selection of weight-matched sets of connecting rods and pistons. The hollow camshafts are replaced with modular cams that are even lighter, and shaped for horsepower. The valve size is unchanged, but the valve springs are stiffened. A new air filter system rams cooler air down a complex array of elongated tubes to the fuel-injection system. The intake system is quite complex, involving electronically controlled flaps that force the air to travel in varying quantities and speeds through spiraling passages, all in the pursuit of low- and mid-range power. Finally, an exhaust system was designed to complement the new power characteristics. When you look at the sticker price, think of the dynamometer time.

The result of all this engine research is 349 horsepower at 5500 rpm, and a whopping 391 pounds-feet of torque at 3000 rpm. The claimed 0-60 time is 5.4 seconds, with top speed electronically limited to 155 mph.

The transmission to handle this torque comes from the V12 Mercedes models. Naturally (these are Mercedes engineers at work, here) it repeatedly electronically psychoanalyzes you, based on input from your foot. Meaning it shifts either aggressively or leisurely, according to how you dealt with what's behind you, but not how you might want to deal with what's ahead of you. Computers don't have eyes. Not yet, but they're working on it.

AMG is gifted in its ability to find that elusive sweet spot combining superb road-holding with a comfortable ride. The E-Class double-wishbone front, and five-link rear suspension is modified with springs having a 35 percent higher rate than those on the E430. The E55's special Bilstein shocks have trick pistons which tame chassis roll and recognize the differences in bumps, and act accordingly. The stabilizer bars are changed from hollow to solid, and grow from 26 to 29 mm in front, 17 to 20 mm in back. When they say "racing improves the breed," they could be talking about the E55's front brakes.

Two-piston calipers are mated to huge 13.2-inch two-piece rotors which float on steel pins, reducing heat transfer to the hubs, bearings and suspension parts. The vented 11.8-inch rear discs come from the SL600 roadster. The rear wheels are a breathtaking nine inches wide, and the fronts merely eight. Low and fat Michelin 245/40ZR-18 tires are used in front, with 275/35ZR-18s in back."

Interior Features

Like the sheetmetal, the cabin is mostly basic E-class, but the changes are significant. The seats are by AMG; heated and high-bolstered, they fit extremely well, and are not nearly so rigid as those in the standard E-Class. Their leather comes in black, black and blue, or black and silver. For visual distinction, there 's black maple trim. The instrument faces are classic and classy in ivory.

The thick, leather-wrapped steering wheel is simply the best for feeling and maneuvering the car over the road. It can be made to fit perfectly, with power tilt and telescope functions. The leather padding on the dash is without sharp angles. The cruise-control lever is standard Mercedes, very easy to use because it's like a turn-signal stalk, which also makes it too easy to bump and set by accident. As with all Mercedes, operation of some of the switchgear is far from intuitive. Presumably, an owner will read his manual and figure it out. But that may not be a safe presumption. Like an expensive VCR that gets used as a clock (until the first time there's a power failure, after which it's used as a tiny blinking reminder that midnight rules), some owners may drive their $70,000 car for years without ever fully knowing how to operate, say, the climate control system.

It is a safe presumption that anyone with 70 grand to spend on a car will want all the trimming. So every available E-class option is included, except all-wheel drive, and the portable cell phone and CD changer. Among other things, the E55 sports a power sunroof, Bose sound system, high-intensity headlights with washers, security system with anti-start lockout, a tiny AC-fed cooler in the console, and an electric sunscreen in the backlight. Safety-wise, the standard Mercedes benefits include steel cabin reinforcement with front and rear crumple zones, front airbags (with passenger-side BabySmart sensors), front-door side airbags, and airbag curtains spanning the pillars. Fourteen inches tall and two inches thick, these curtains drop from the ceiling as head protection against window glass. Introduced in '99, Mercedes is first with this feature.