Review of The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E550

You know the old Janis Joplin tune, “Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?”  Well, it is no mystery why Joplin picks a Mercedes.  The German giant has been a leading luxury car company for years now, and the E-class model has been a consumer favorite since its introduction. 

For just under $65,000.00, ’09 E550 buyers obtain a monstrous 5.5L V-8 engine, capable of unleashing an enormous 382 horsepower.  Mercedes also offers a slightly less powerful E320 for a substantially cheaper price tag.  If the asphalt tattooing 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds* is to slow for you, Mercedes also offers an E63 AMG which boasts an even meaner 6.2L V-8 engine, and zero to sixty times that will have you rethinking the definition of a sports car. 

The elegant and aggressive shell of the E550 begs you to come over and whip a finger down the lines that rise above each headlamp and fling their way down the body to the rear tail lamps.  The front end boasts a beautiful chrome grill, and a slightly raised hood, making room for the 330 cubic inch engine.  Meanwhile, the grill and bodylines create a stance of tremendous power while maintaining a look of extreme sophistication. 

The ’09 E550 competes against the always popular, Lexus GS460, the Jaguar XP, and a handful of BMW’s; however, the traditional Benz’ cabin, and German idea of luxury, put the cabins of competitor’s cars to shame.  Automobile Magazine gave the E550 a stellar 8 of 10 on internal quietness levels, which becomes even more impressive when compared to the “premium midsize car average rating” of 6.8*. 

The cabin is spacious-so long as you are under six-and-a-half feel tall- and comes with a variety of options ranging from leather interior, to seat warmers, to a moon and sun roof, to a top of the line Bose sound system, to a rich mahogany steering wheel wrapped in hand stitched leather and a matching wooden dash trim.  Many of the featured controls are housed along side the driver’s armrest of the left seat panel for maximum convenience.  According to Automobile Magazine, the incredible detail of the dash and surrounding interior of the cabin have been awarded an outstanding 9 of 10 in both beauty and functionality*.  The Benz also offers keyless entry, steering sensitive bixenon headlights (which are aesthetically appealing and make driving at night a dream), a 6 CD changer, adaptive cruise control, dual zone climate control, both a sun and moon roof, and a hard drive capable of storing up to 4 GB’s of music files.  Cosmetics and interior aside, the superior road handling capabilities sets Benz’ apart from other luxury cars.

Rear wheel drive and a seven speed automatic transmission come standard in the E550; however, the E350, a five-speed 4Matic all-wheel-drive system is available upon request.  No matter how many wheels you decide the accelerator will trigger, they come standard in a sporty and classy 18’, 8-spoke pattern.  The new E550 includes a super stiff lowered suspension, which may help the fantastic cornering capabilities.

Still not convinced the new E550 will outperform some of its leading competitors on the road?  The Benz hits 0-60 in just over 5 ticks, leaving the next closest car in its class-the Lexus GS460-in the dust at 6.1 seconds.  From a complete stop, the Benz hits 100mph over two seconds before the Lexus.  Any car connoisseur would agree that quickness is not everything, hence the Benz’s unbelievable amount of torque.  In a 30-70mph passing scenario, the E550 again destroys the competition, hitting 70mph in just 5.5 seconds.  All 391lbs of foot torque are appreciated; and frankly, anything less would not be a Mercedes. 

The Benz is not only mechanically and cosmetically flawless inside and out, but is also backed by the notorious Mercedes history, as well as a fantastic warranty.  Future E550 buyers are certain to get what they pay for, as well as a few turned heads from fellow passer-byers.  The 2010 E550 is the centerpiece every garage longs for.

 

*Automobile Magazine (October Issue)