Mercedes S55 AMG
The uber barge is back - Robert Farago lunges towards the horizon in great comfort
Find an open stretch of highway, floor the Mercedes S55 and you’ll soon know what it means to kompress the time/space continuum. There’s a small pause and a gentle jerking sensation - as the five-speed gearbox kicks down and the supercharger spools up. And then the AMG-fettled saloon launches itself at the horizon with a single, seamless blast of forward thrust. Any doubt that the massive S55 can obliterate time with acceleration dissipates the moment you watch the speedo arc gracefully past 140 miles per hour - and keep on going...
I guess that’s what happens when the Munich Mob stuffs 493 horses and 516ft.-lbs. of torque under the hood of an S-Class. Even in these horsepower mad times, when a stock pickup truck can out-drag a 60’s Ferrari, that’s a lot of grunt. It’s enough shove to put Mercedes’ 5.5-litre V8-powered leviathan on a par with a Porsche 911. (Both sprint from 0 to 60 in 4.6 seconds.) No wonder the technician who builds the S55’s supercharged powerplant signs his name on the engine; Guido Nordheim wants you to know who owns your adrenal glands.
Down Boy!
Of course, anything that powerful requires a good-sized leash. No surprise then that AMG gives the uber-S uber-brakes: perforated 14.2” discs with 8-piston calipers at the front, and 13” rear discs with 4-piston calipers at the rear. The set-up is so savage that a healthy shove on the left pedal activates Mercedes’ PRE-SAFE system, tightening the seat belts. Although the device was designed to protect occupants during a crash, it also stops passengers from ripping through the belts and flying out of the window during emergency stops.
PRE-SAFE exemplifies Mercedes’ current engineering philosophy: if it moves, computerize it. While I admire the technological prowess required, I’m not sure anyone really needs a sports seat with “intelligent” self-inflating side bolsters and a fly-by-wire four-way butt massager. More importantly for the brand, it’s clear that the electronic fripperies account for many of the S-Class’ lamentable reliability problems. But hey, the digital genie is out of the CPU, and there’s no denying the efficacy of some of Merc’s driver-oriented gizmology.
Case in point: Active Body Control (ABC). Not to put too fine a point on it, ABC senses body movement and strangles it at birth. The PRE-ALPHABETIZED electro-hydraulic doohickey makes a 4300lbs. sports saloon handle like a 3000lbs. sports saloon. In other words, as long as you drive the car with the finesse of a waiter carrying a tray full of drinks running through a crowded restaurant, the 55 provides perfectly flat, sure-footed cornering, at monumental speeds. Start sawing away at the wheel mid-corner and it’s an entirely different story. The safety acronyms will try to write you a happy ending, but you may not live to tell the tale...
Lie Back
Of course, all this assumes that you’ll drive the Mercedes S55 AMG like you stole it. Such spirited motoring is rewarding, but not strictly necessary. Although the gearbox offers a Sports setting and Speedshift (a button-activated, wheel-mounted cog swapper that’s 35% faster than the gas pedal), most S55 drivers will probably spend at least 65% of their time in Comfort mode, wafting from place to place in climate-controlled serenity; pressing button after button after button in an endless search for lost and/or undiscovered sybaritic pleasures.
In the US, the S-Class is only sold in long wheelbase form. One wonders how a shorter and lighter S55 would handle - until you jump in the back, nestle into Nappa leather, stretch your legs, hit the recline button and drive past a family of five crammed into a Ford Focus. In fact, the S55 is so lux that anyone looking at purchasing a Maybach should consider opting for an S55 and using the money saved to buy three more 55’s for their friends. If image matters, the 55 is certainly the sexier, svelter of the two.
Understated?
Did I say svelte? I meant to say subtle. Or invisible. While the 55’s badges alert the cognoscenti that something wicked this way comes, the AMG-specific lower bodywork is about as eye-catching as a pair of designer socks. If it weren’t for the natty five-spoke wheels, and the existence of the VW Phaeton W12, the S55 AMG would be the stealth wealth on steroids luxo-barge of the century.
It sometimes seems the S-Class has been around a hundred years; the current shape predates the new 7-Series, A8 and manned space flight (well, almost). And yet, for full-sized power, comfort and class, the S is still the one to beat. And the S55 AMG is still The Daddy. Although Mercedes will launch the new S55 after the revised S-Class ’06 debut, it’s hard to believe the company could improve on what AMG has wrought upon unsuspecting tarmac. After driving the 55, it’s even harder to wait and see.
Robert Farago
www.thetruthaboutcars.com
article said:
Although Mercedes will launch the new S55 after the revised S-Class ’06 debut
Hang on, I'm pretty sure you can buy a current version of this car (S55 Kompressor, 490+bhp etc). I think I read somewhere about a northern based PHer owning one.
Agree on it being a stonking car though.
DAZ
>> Edited by dazren on Thursday 8th July 09:50
S72AMG eh? that'll be a right weapon.
Hardly a stealth car though, Ihose wheels and stance give the game away far too easily, but then again I do know my cars. The original Uber Merc limo the 300SEL 6.3 was the real sleeper, also the later 450sel 6.9, though it was a smidge slower.
dazren said:
[quote=article]Although Mercedes will launch the new S55 after the revised S-Class ’06 debut[quote]
Hang on, I'm pretty sure you can buy a current version of this car (S55 Kompressor, 490+bhp etc). I think I read somewhere about a northern based PHer owning one.
Agree on it being a stonking car though.
DAZ
>> Edited by dazren on Wednesday 7th July 18:37
I think he`s talking about the next model S class in 55 form
Mmmm I like it.
My bandwidth may all be used up but here is some links of the acceleration 0-100, bad launch on a greasy road with the traction control on, it is quicker on a good dry surface with the traction off it will break 0-100 in 10 seconds.
www.geocities.com/mrjumjum/0-100mphBadLaunch.wmv
www.geocities.com/mrjumjum/0-100mphworselaunch_0002.wmv
I have actually got it past some quite surprising cars at Oulton Park, including Evo 7, Older Porkies, Chimp, TVR 350c
, M3 etc and all on hot laps. 
It'll leave most porkers well behind in a straight line some ferraris, It's quicker than the new Bentley Conti (no need to pay for the S65) and I've left an Aston Martin Vanquish several car lenghs behind 70-150mph.
The suspension does an amazing job of controlling roll and it has surprising grip, although weight transfer does catch up through a series of tight twisties.
Steering is alright, some feel and reasonably nicely weighted, not the sharpest turn in but not bad given the size of the car, slow in fast out suits it best.
You can get the tail out with the traction control on in the dry with out much trouble, it's easier in the wet, but traction control on or off its very forgiving and easy to catch. Pushing it on wet twisty roads I use the tiptronic manual override on the gear box to avoid unexpected kickdowns when accelerating , as that is when you are most likely to lose traction and get a big leery tail slide without trying even with the traction control on. I've also switched to slightly wider 275's instead of 265's on the back.
Under the skin the SL, CL and S are almost the same sharing the same engine, gear box and suspension, with the chassis just being in different lengths.
The SL55 weighs in at
Weight ready for driving * kg 1955
The S55
Weight ready for driving * kg 1985
S55 is only 30 kg more
than the SL, it doesn't have quite as good a tyre set up, but the big S saloon is surprisingly close in terms of performance to its 2dr cab sibling. The S65 is a limited edition 2000 ? The S55 will contine.
I drove the CL600 and CL55
The 12 cylinder engine weighs a lot more 200 KG +, its more torquey lower down and has a smaller rev range. The two cars had different suspension setting , CL600 slightly softer but even given this the extra weight of the 12 cylinder makes its self felt. The V12 is silent at all speeds, the V8 Kompressor is quiet crusing but growls under load the rev range is much wider making it a bit more fun for sport driving.
The new S65 weighs
Weight ready for driving * kg 2220 (235 KG MORE than the s55)
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