motor

Cornutu · 01-29-2004, 01:28 AM

Mercedes seems to have a weird policy for their performance times. If you look on the website, they rate the e55 AMg with a 0-60mph of 4.5. Car magazine pulled off 4.2. While this is not that odd I also noticed that the SL 55 amg is rated at 4.5 while the sl600 is rated at 4.5 as well. The problem is the SL600 has about 60 more pounds of torque. What is going on with their performance times. Something is not right here. Is Mercedes under rating their cars? What is going on?

Additionally, 4.2 0-60 and a 12 second 1/4 mile is ridiculous for a 4 door luxury sedan. For 70k U.S. that is amazing. While I realize it doesn't corner like a Vette that is still disgusting performance for a car of that type. I'm sold! I think?

mrzonda · 01-29-2004, 02:28 AM

They probably underrate it for insurance reasons. People can insure it for cheaper if the insurance companies think its slower.

beckscc · 01-29-2004, 05:02 AM

I just saw the real e55 amg, the car looks really nice.

jeroen40 · 01-29-2004, 05:39 AM

yeah it's a pretty nice car, but it's wax to big and heavy..
not my kind of transportation

Evo · 01-29-2004, 08:49 AM

It's most probebly for insurance reasons..

I was in an SL55 onces.. with the garage owner driving it.. and it sure pulls hard..
The E55 looks good.. but would buy BMW M5 over it even if the M5 is slower. it's well balanced and a driver car.. and it's a manual..

If only AMG made a manual gear box option..

scubywrxr · 01-29-2004, 02:37 PM

lotsa power but no rear LSD means cannot put it down on the road without traction control and ESP.. results in bizarre handling characteristics with mercs air suspension :roll:

HeilSvenska · 01-30-2004, 01:43 AM

I personaly prefer the Audi RS6 than the E55. It's subtle understatement in form of an avant

yg60m · 01-30-2004, 02:03 AM

They probably underrate it for insurance reasons. People can insure it for cheaper if the insurance companies think its slower.

I think, (and it's the lournalist opinion too) that the reason is more to take care of customers who bought an SL55 or SL600. They have almost the same price so ... same perfs. They actually attribute a power of 476 bhp for the E55 and 500 bhp for the other (and more expensive) cars which share the same engine, the SL 55 starts its life with 476 bhp too but rise to 500 bhp when the E55 was launched, in fact the difference seems really "academic" and it's certainly the same for all.
ps : I like the E55 Estate.

McLarenF1God · 01-30-2004, 02:28 AM

Originally Posted by mrzonda

They probably underrate it for insurance reasons. People can insure it for cheaper if the insurance companies think its slower.

Wow thanks for that information I never knew about that but it does make plenty of sense. If I ever have the money to buy a car of this nature I will look into that under rating.

ninopan · 01-31-2004, 01:26 PM

I don t think mercedes would underrate the perfs for insurance reasons. A E55 AMG is very expensive, some people say too expensive compared to an Audi RS6 or a BMW M5. so i don t think merc cares about how much you pay for your insurance. If they want people to spend less money, they should just lower their price tags...

ninopan · 01-31-2004, 01:33 PM

About the sl600, it sure has more torque, but it is also heavier. two cylinders are heavy, just compare a 6 cylinder with a V8.... this may be why it is as fast as the sl55 on a 0-60. i don t have the 1/4 mile times or the 1000 m standing still times, but the sl600 could be quicker on a longer distance due to its torque...

Vansquish · 01-31-2004, 01:33 PM

Mercedes seems to have a weird policy for their performance times. If you look on the website, they rate the e55 AMg with a 0-60mph of 4.5. Car magazine pulled off 4.2. While this is not that odd I also noticed that the SL 55 amg is rated at 4.5 while the sl600 is rated at 4.5 as well. The problem is the SL600 has about 60 more pounds of torque. What is going on with their performance times. Something is not right here. Is Mercedes under rating their cars? What is going on?

There are several German auto manufacturers that make a habit out of underrating their performance times (there are actually some manufacturers from other countries that do it too, it's just that Germany has the relevent examples). Not only does this comply to insurance regulations in some cases, but it also has the effect of making all the owners feel a bit of happiness over the fact that their cars will beat the factory-published times, so in essence it is also a method of advertisement.

If you look at the weights of the two cars in question...i.e. the SL600 vs. the SL55, even though they might be rated at the same power output (or very nearly the same), the SL600 weighs a heck of a lot more. The engine is not a lightweight beast, so I think it's somewhat doubtful that the extra 60lb-ft of torque wouldn't be enough to overcome the extra mass.

Vansquish · 01-31-2004, 01:34 PM

haha..nice ninopan, same post, same time

Cornutu · 01-31-2004, 05:46 PM

So why make the two different engines and models?

Vansquish · 01-31-2004, 05:56 PM

Suspension tuning is different in the different vehicles, and certain customers want to be able to say that their car has a V12 under the bonnet rather than a V8. Either way, they're both force-fed and heavy, I'd have an M5 any day of the week.