Discussion
My previous Alpina B3- a 3.3 litre 6 cylinder is not ULEZ friendly, so the search began for a replacement. I considered the 650i, 750i sport, CLK 55, even a CL 500 W216, and then I saw that, if I avoided any sort of sensible thinking, a 5.4 litre V8 with a supercharger was possible.
I’m doing this as an exercise in driving an engine that happens to have some car parts attached to it. I don’t think the brakes will modulate nicely, I do think the air suspension will s
t itself at some point, but, even as an engine purchase rather than a car purchase, it’s an 805 build, which apparently means it’s galvanised all over. Even the glass and interior I believe. Mercedes really were making up for the early noughties.
First I need to pick it up and have the dark tint removed. It’s already back on standard 18” AMG wheels. Then there’s some preventative work to do and driving it some places. I’m prepared to be a bit shocked after a smaller Alpina with fresh updated suspension, but I’m sure it won’t be all bad.
It’s missing an even slightly interesting paint colour, which is a huge shame, but has:
Bi-xenon curve lights
Dynamic seats
Comand dvd
Extended range tank (80L)
Updated Battery, alternator
Parktronic
Folding mirrors
Sunroof (not the massively heavy panoramic)
200mph speedo
Petrol station picture to follow...
I’m doing this as an exercise in driving an engine that happens to have some car parts attached to it. I don’t think the brakes will modulate nicely, I do think the air suspension will s
t itself at some point, but, even as an engine purchase rather than a car purchase, it’s an 805 build, which apparently means it’s galvanised all over. Even the glass and interior I believe. Mercedes really were making up for the early noughties.First I need to pick it up and have the dark tint removed. It’s already back on standard 18” AMG wheels. Then there’s some preventative work to do and driving it some places. I’m prepared to be a bit shocked after a smaller Alpina with fresh updated suspension, but I’m sure it won’t be all bad.
It’s missing an even slightly interesting paint colour, which is a huge shame, but has:
Bi-xenon curve lights
Dynamic seats
Comand dvd
Extended range tank (80L)
Updated Battery, alternator
Parktronic
Folding mirrors
Sunroof (not the massively heavy panoramic)
200mph speedo
Petrol station picture to follow...
As the new keeper of the Alpina I'll try and keep that thread updated too.It’s here. The 0-100 in under 10 seconds london ULEZ taxi! First modification as always is tuning Radio 4. This loses approx 60 bhp from the M113 but adds about 3mpg. Tint has been removed. Number plates are being replaced...
And I’d never considered this, as a non Mercedes person, but that star pointing up at the end of the bonnet is a big part of the experience. I wanted to remove it, but it’s ok, a bit of a gunsight. Back on the inside, the interior trim in places is poor compared to The E46. It feels very solid, but the surfaces are a bit crap. Still, it’s a taxi, so that’s appropriate.
Acceleration- I haven’t tried, I didn’t buy it for that.
Erm, actually it’s quite immediate and brisk. Definite sense of jet plane taking off. I like it.
Reassuringly, 24mpg is completely possible- very similar to the B3 in my experience but with ballistic acceleration on tap at any point. You simply ring it up to the engine room and it comes.
The ride is lovely- composed, calm, a proper exec express. It’s on fully functioning (I’ve said it now) ABC air suspension, so it can waft a bit and tighten up too.
No issue modulating the brakes and smoothly coming to a stop. Maybe I don’t notice the problem but it’s fine to me.
The seats. Massage and dynamic bolsters are silly but fun and almost useful. I like them. I press the massage button a lot and I’ll set the “level” 2 dynamic bolsters when I get chance. Doubtless they’ll have gone permanently flaccid in a month.
It can run on plebeian petrol, no absolute necessity for the premium stuff, though I’m sure it helps. You always get to know a car when you do things like fill it up- the fuel filler door is like something from an old lada, properly flimsy, and set me wondering if this was a pre Mercedes composites attempt at engineering in lightness. I’m sure a 124 has a granite fuel filler door.
The sound. I haven’t really heard it much yet. W211s are a bit muted compared to the SL or G Wagen with this engine- the two others I’ve heard many times- it’s deffo a V8, I counted, and someone did whack a big metal box on top of the V, but it’s not exactly NASCAR. That’s probably going to prove helpful overall. I definitely didn’t want the sort of shout and start up drama of a C63 for example.
As to this particular E55, it’s not immaculate but it is in very good condition. It has lots of bills from specialists for air filled things, oils, spark plugs and bits; lots of signs of consistent attention. Everything under the boot mat looks untouched and with the exception of some plastics, the interior is spiffing. Boring and black but smart and the leather in great condition. Sadly, the rear seat appears to have been sat in. A real tragedy. (Why is it that this seems so very important to sellers?!)
And I have to remember, when I was growing up, a 20 second 0-100 car was considered quick. I am immensely impressed that a 15 year old family car/taxi can ride so nicely and halve that 0-100 time. For less than the cost of some designo options on a new E63. It’s true that it’s capable of drinking fairly excitedly, but what a car. I’m looking forward to some adventures with it. They start with dropping off impressionable kids at cub camp. I’ll ask what they think.
And I’d never considered this, as a non Mercedes person, but that star pointing up at the end of the bonnet is a big part of the experience. I wanted to remove it, but it’s ok, a bit of a gunsight. Back on the inside, the interior trim in places is poor compared to The E46. It feels very solid, but the surfaces are a bit crap. Still, it’s a taxi, so that’s appropriate.
Acceleration- I haven’t tried, I didn’t buy it for that.
Erm, actually it’s quite immediate and brisk. Definite sense of jet plane taking off. I like it.
Reassuringly, 24mpg is completely possible- very similar to the B3 in my experience but with ballistic acceleration on tap at any point. You simply ring it up to the engine room and it comes.
The ride is lovely- composed, calm, a proper exec express. It’s on fully functioning (I’ve said it now) ABC air suspension, so it can waft a bit and tighten up too.
No issue modulating the brakes and smoothly coming to a stop. Maybe I don’t notice the problem but it’s fine to me.
The seats. Massage and dynamic bolsters are silly but fun and almost useful. I like them. I press the massage button a lot and I’ll set the “level” 2 dynamic bolsters when I get chance. Doubtless they’ll have gone permanently flaccid in a month.
It can run on plebeian petrol, no absolute necessity for the premium stuff, though I’m sure it helps. You always get to know a car when you do things like fill it up- the fuel filler door is like something from an old lada, properly flimsy, and set me wondering if this was a pre Mercedes composites attempt at engineering in lightness. I’m sure a 124 has a granite fuel filler door.
The sound. I haven’t really heard it much yet. W211s are a bit muted compared to the SL or G Wagen with this engine- the two others I’ve heard many times- it’s deffo a V8, I counted, and someone did whack a big metal box on top of the V, but it’s not exactly NASCAR. That’s probably going to prove helpful overall. I definitely didn’t want the sort of shout and start up drama of a C63 for example.
As to this particular E55, it’s not immaculate but it is in very good condition. It has lots of bills from specialists for air filled things, oils, spark plugs and bits; lots of signs of consistent attention. Everything under the boot mat looks untouched and with the exception of some plastics, the interior is spiffing. Boring and black but smart and the leather in great condition. Sadly, the rear seat appears to have been sat in. A real tragedy. (Why is it that this seems so very important to sellers?!)
And I have to remember, when I was growing up, a 20 second 0-100 car was considered quick. I am immensely impressed that a 15 year old family car/taxi can ride so nicely and halve that 0-100 time. For less than the cost of some designo options on a new E63. It’s true that it’s capable of drinking fairly excitedly, but what a car. I’m looking forward to some adventures with it. They start with dropping off impressionable kids at cub camp. I’ll ask what they think.
shalmaneser said:
Any pics?
I love the wheels on these cars. Supercharged 5.5 V8 isn't it? Looks very smart. Do they rust?
I’ll try to oblige beyond the terrible potato taken pic above. I love the wheels on these cars. Supercharged 5.5 V8 isn't it? Looks very smart. Do they rust?
It’s a 5.4 with a charger. Hopefully it won’t rust as it’s from the fully galvanised and maybe higher quality “805” build period.
I’m actually loving wafting in it, which is nice.
RelentlessForwardProgress said:
I’ll try to oblige beyond the terrible potato taken pic above.
It’s a 5.4 with a charger. Hopefully it won’t rust as it’s from the fully galvanised and maybe higher quality “805” build period.
I’m actually loving wafting in it, which is nice.
Very nice.It’s a 5.4 with a charger. Hopefully it won’t rust as it’s from the fully galvanised and maybe higher quality “805” build period.
I’m actually loving wafting in it, which is nice.
I can’t decide if I like W211 E55 or E63 more.....
500 miles in. The thing that really stands out about this car, and that I hadn’t read about in any tests, is the ability to switch personalities. Yes it can light up the rear tyres without trying, it can push you into your seat at any speed and revs, but it can also play the taxi really well, quiet, composed and supple over speed bumps and cracked UK roads. I love that dual ability. And I’m finding that the comfort Airmatic setting still provides fairly massive, and flat, cornering prowess. I’m coming from an E46 Alpina with updated anti roll bars and Eibach springs and an E91 with the sport suspension but this is in another league. I have limited comparisons so it may be crap compared to a jag XJR or an M5 but I doubt it. So far it loves corners more than I expected, is way more refined than I expected and gives just the accelerative hit I was expecting.
It’s booked into MB of Medway in a few weeks as it’s due a service and I want to have it checked over. There’s nothing that needs changing. That said, I’d like to integrate my phone, get a proper water pump on the intercooler if it’s not already uprated, and do some preventative stuff- put a guard on the supercharger so if the clutch spring lets go it doesn’t take out the engine, there’s a grommety thing on the gearbox that fluid can creep up into the loom which we’ll change, probably a fuel filter and change the SBC fluid. It’s had a gearbox flush and a couple of struts prior to my ownership.
At this point I have no need for performance upgrades. I can see how another 100bhp could come to feel almost necessary, but my driving is mostly either urban or on the kind of roads where i’ll lose my licence so there’s little value in making those changes for now.
Compared to the BMWs I know the Mercedes cockpit is a bit lost. It doesn’t have the strong design language of a BMW- those cabins and dashboards seem far better thought out to me, and the menu system is quite illogical compared to BMW. Having a clock the same size as the tachometer and as a main instrument is hilarious to me, but very Mercedes. I miss the BMW Amber/red illumination and switchgear design and quality... but... this is better screwed together than our E91, has no rattles or squeaks (well just the supercharger belt!), it’s quieter overall and it has its 516 lbft party trick.
<Paragraph for people who speak bicyclese> When I bought it, I was also looking at a new road bike. I’ve an 11 year old carbon de Rosa which weighs 6.2kg, and I had a look at a new Specialized Roubaix or Tarmac S-Works. For the cost of the AMG, I could have had SRAM e-tap and discs and got close to the de Rosa weight. Sure, a bike like that costs less to run than the AMG, but if I’d bought it, I wouldn’t have had anything to put it on the roof of to transport, would i? And in Mercedes terms, the old Affalterbach taxi cost about the same as designo leather on a new E63.
One purchase I have made with this new ULEZ taxi is a bigger direct debit to Cool Earth, a CO2 offsetting project. As someone who made a radio documentary about climate change 17 years ago- probably my only Radio 4 appearance but at least I made Pick of the Week talking in a communal toilet (“VaVa”) in Polynesia- and is under no illusions about how messed up the earth is due to our presence, I’m in a strange place with this car. I love it, love that it’s 5.4 litres, a V8 AND has a supercharger, and at the same time I know its only capable of burning fossil fuels quickly, very quickly. But, it will do about 4000 miles a year. Someone smarter than me will know, but if it’s chucking out 3-400g/km that’s 2.5 tonnes of CO2 a year, plus all the other noxious stuff, rubber that finds its way into the water system and whatever else. But I run or ride into London, use the underground, I don’t eat meat and I still want to enjoy a brilliant engine while I can. Even though I know it’s a problem. 17 years ago I was writing for Evo (a bit, you can tell I don’t write like a pro) about racing and car people, and for the magazine of the Royal Geographical Society about climate change. So I’ve always had a mixed up irrational thing going on with cars. If Cool Earth offset a bit of the AMG’s sinful output, it won’t be a bad thing. My reasoning is that I’d sooner do 4000 miles a year in this than 8 or 12,000 in a s
tbox white goods-mobile and reducing a flight or two a year kind of makes up for the beastly flatulent V8. I know it’s not a solution though. Don’t panic, I’m not sticking on bluemotion badges, but I am trying to fly less (transatlantic is a regular work commute). There you go, an environmentalist, leftie, vegan, communist lesbian trisexual minority science based quasi intellectual in an old AMG. Bet you didn’t expect all that in a thread about a taxi. I better go and rev its nuts off to recover my PH mojo!Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff