RE: Mercedes-AMG E53 Estate: Driven

[Ares]

Mr E said:

This sort of thing is very much my bag.
Looks good in red too.

But, having checked down the back of the sofa, I’ll stick with the old N/A V8 thanks.

That'll be a very old V8 then.

[Owlwood]

With the extra bits of styling on it, it definitely has some presence. Quite a cool car. There is a white one of these in the car park at work, havent managed to figure out who owns it yet. Would like to have a proper nose around it.

[easytiger123]

Lots to like, but as with every other modern Merc I simply cannot stand the new style interior. I know the dreadful lights are an option but it's the blingy mishmash of horizontal screens, crappy looking air-vents and general look of the cabin that puts me right off. Maybe it will grow on me.

[Dan Trent]

easytiger123 said:

Lots to like, but as with every other modern Merc I simply cannot stand the new style interior. I know the dreadful lights are an option but it's the blingy mishmash of horizontal screens, crappy looking air-vents and general look of the cabin that puts me right off. Maybe it will grow on me.

I think it's one of those designs that looks quite fussy and over-styled in photos but functionally works rather better than it looks. I've had time with various versions of it in various modern Mercedes and grown to rather like it.

The newer ones with just a touchpad and no control wheel though ... maybe it's my age but they're a nightmare! Both the A35 and the GT 4-door I drove recently had that set-up and it was driving me mad. More so when the 'Hey Mercedes' in the A-Class kept answering back too. Wasn't pretty.

Dan

[WCZ]

didn't actually realize that this and the rs4 only have 440bhp, presumed they were 500+ these days

[Twoshoe]

Not quite sure why the RS4 is being brought up in this thread. The A4, of which the RS4 is the ultimate version is the equivalent of the Merc C-class, not E-class.

[donkmeister]

"Arguably the same can be said of AMGs, the traditionally yawning gap between 'civilian' Mercs and the heavy metal flagships is now filled by a new generation of AMG Performance models like the V6-powered '43 versions of the C- and E-Class"

Arguably indeed - the last E500 with the 4.7TT V8 had 408bhp vs the AMG E43's 401bhp. Before that, we had the 5.5 litre E500 with 388bhp. The '43 AMGs are of course more brash than "civilian" Mercs and at least have decent performance, noise etc to support the bodykit, but as above don't have better performance than ALL the civilian Mercs!

The E43 was just a replacement for the E500 in an era when even the slowest cars arrive fitted with brawny bodykits and 20" wheels. Indeed, the power gap between the outgoing E43 and E63 was bigger (170bhp) than the power gap between any contemporary E500 and E63 (110-119bhp).

I'm glad that with the E53 they are making the addition of hybrid technology to differentiate it as something that isn't just a cost/tax-efficient replacement for the E63.

I still want an E63 though

[numtumfutunch]

popeyewhite said:

numtumfutunch said:

Pretty sure that's the Snake Pass but not sure of the stone bridge pic. Goyt Valley?

Derbyshire Bridge, just off the Cat and Fiddle. It's the far end of the Goyt just after Goyt Clough. Shots in the locale of the C+F also included. Must have been very early morning to find it so quiet!

Got it, thanks!

Dan - not tempted to copy the famous McLaren F1 shot with the chapel about 10 mins away?

[donkmeister]

Dan Trent said:

The newer ones with just a touchpad and no control wheel though ... maybe it's my age but they're a nightmare! Both the A35 and the GT 4-door I drove recently had that set-up and it was driving me mad. More so when the 'Hey Mercedes' in the A-Class kept answering back too. Wasn't pretty.

I had a rental A-class recently for a trip and actually found the "Hey Mercedes" really useful. No faffing around to try and programme the satnav when keen to get away at 5am, just told it where I wanted to go and it did the rest.

The autoparking was a bit hit-and-miss though, it was like I'd asked a nervous middle-aged lady to park for me, and she was wearing the wrong glasses.

[Fast Bug]

Davey S2 said:

Very nice but crucially 9bhp down on the RS4 so no cigar in a game of Top Trumps.

RS4 would be up against the C63 surely? This would compete against the Audi S6 when it's launched

[Uncool]

I don't get it. I, like many, applauded the facelift C43 and E53 with their 'these don't look like fake' exhaust tips. So why go to all the effort of making them look like that but still not connecting them up directly to the exhaust system?

Still, I've just got into an AMG-Line C Class and that's a lovely enough place to be. One of these E53s in 3 years or so would be fantastic. Really as much can you might need day-to-day.

[Itsallicanafford]

Yes, yes the hugely fast and expensive Mercedes is very nice...

Now, how about an update on your MX-5?

[anonymous-user]

Pat on the back to whoever (Sim?) took the pics for this feature!

and welcome back Dan :-)

[Mr E]

Ares said:

Mr E said:

This sort of thing is very much my bag.
Looks good in red too.

But, having checked down the back of the sofa, I’ll stick with the old N/A V8 thanks.

That'll be a very old V8 then.

It’s nicely run in.

[Ares]

Uncool said:

I don't get it. I, like many, applauded the facelift C43 and E53 with their 'these don't look like fake' exhaust tips. So why go to all the effort of making them look like that but still not connecting them up directly to the exhaust system?

Ares said:

I'd not be so bothered about the fake pipes. Mine has double twin pipes, and they look awesome....however, they get stted up so easily, and with 10,000 miles needed special treatments to keep them shiny.

It might be again the grain, but for a performance orientated car to have that solution keeps the aesthetics optimum. Like it or not, no-one likes dirty pipes

[popeyewhite]

Mr E said:

Ares said:

Mr E said:

This sort of thing is very much my bag.
Looks good in red too.

But, having checked down the back of the sofa, I’ll stick with the old N/A V8 thanks.

That'll be a very old V8 then.

It’s nicely run in.

And sounds lovely, and although slightly down on power is actually a nicer motor than the 5.5 twin turbo.

[Dan Trent]

donkmeister said:

Arguably indeed - the last E500 with the 4.7TT V8 had 408bhp vs the AMG E43's 401bhp. Before that, we had the 5.5 litre E500 with 388bhp. The '43 AMGs are of course more brash than "civilian" Mercs and at least have decent performance, noise etc to support the bodykit, but as above don't have better performance than ALL the civilian Mercs!

The E43 was just a replacement for the E500 in an era when even the slowest cars arrive fitted with brawny bodykits and 20" wheels. Indeed, the power gap between the outgoing E43 and E63 was bigger (170bhp) than the power gap between any contemporary E500 and E63 (110-119bhp).

Fair points indeed but - whisper it - that was quite a long time ago now! I have very fond memories of that 388ps naturally aspirated 5.5-litre E500 too, that engine with the 7G-Tronic gearbox introduced at the same time was a really, really nice combination and a really satisfying intersection between wafty, big-engined Mercedes comfort and decent handling. Enjoyed a very brisk four-up lap of the 'ring in a saloon once on a 'diversion' to Frankfurt and it held up well, though the brakes were a bit smouldery by the time we got back to the car park! I'd very happily run one of those. In fact, you may well have inspired a trip into the classifieds off the back of that post......

I'll pass on the compliments about the pics too but, full disclosure, these ones are Mercedes UK press shots. I did a set when I had it just a couple of weeks back but the snowy backdrops just didn't seem appropriate, given it's now looking all sunny and spring-like.

Dan

[Dan Trent]

Itsallicanafford said:

Yes, yes the hugely fast and expensive Mercedes is very nice...

Now, how about an update on your MX-5?

Haha, let's go easy on Mr Cackett in the first instance. I'll raise that one in due course. But since you ask it's running sweetly since I put a new and non-squealy alternator belt at the weekend.

[Onehp]

Uncool said:

I don't get it. I, like many, applauded the facelift C43 and E53 with their 'these don't look like fake' exhaust tips. So why go to all the effort of making them look like that but still not connecting them up directly to the exhaust system?

The only real 'exhaust tips' are round endings of a pipe. All others 'tips' are fake, made for looks only. Having them seperate keeps them cleaner (ref Ares), keep them in place (connected exhausts extend as they warm and can sit crooked) and therefore allows for less dead space around the fake tips. So it looks better, which is the main and, really, only point of all 'exhaust tips'. And perhaps lastly, they don't heat up as much, saving the odd kid or golfer in shorts some burnt skin...

Edited by Onehp on Monday 25th February 13:29

[Dog Star]

You can do this car on a budget - mine looks (exhaust tips aside) almost identical, but (oh the shame) has a 2 litre diesel coupled to a 9 speed box. I'm basking in the warm wind of your contempt....