Der Führerwagen zwei - mit Kompressor

[drscrote]

So three months have passed up here in Blighty, and it's time to move on from the Mazda 6 I picked up at the auctions when we landed.

And here it is - 2003 E55 W211 wagon. 5.4 litre V8. Supercharged. 7 seats (for spousal acceptance). Full main dealer service history, 68000 miles. I look on it as my personal bid to kick start the Euro with a petrol and tyres fiscal stimulus package.

Fastest car I've ever driven. It's had a tune and derestrict but otherwise stock - est 500bhp+. Looks mint with the charcoal grey mags.

0-100 in 4.5 sec ish. Stock ones low twelves. Great brakes, 8 pot fronts, 2 pairs of pads per massive front caliper. Fly by wire brakes - pedal isn't connected directly to the brakes but via a servo. Feedback on the pedal comes via the computer too. This system has been dropped now - lots of criticisms for lack of feel. Seems ok to me so far though, drives like any other car.

5 speed auto. 7 speed fitted to other E class wouldn't work on the AMG as too many torques.

Shreds tyres with the traction control off. Sounds amazing. V8 burble and banshee supercharger howl.

Just hope nothing breaks - fanciful perhaps with a ten year old performance car but fingers crossed.

Fuel consumption is astronomic too - 25mpg is best I can get on the motorway, 10mpg round town is standard.

Needs cleaning - pics were taken on one of the rare non rainy days so far - it's been a shit spring.

Plan is if this thing doesn't bankrupt me to bring it back on return in a couple of years.

Funny place here. Petrol is pricey. Roads are twisty. Police give no fark for most speeding. The "hoon" word doesn't exist.

The private plates belong to the previous owner - they will be changed to a 53 plate soon.

ps has a banging stereo too

[Ben.]

needs more carwash.

other than that, fuck yeah!

[gianttomato]

Awesome! I spent a while looking for one of these and gave up.

How is the new gig?

[DrNick]

Very nice!!!

S

[lickmyleftone]

Needs cleaning = UNDERSTATEMENT.

Fark me, was it driven through a desert recently?

These things sound tits and go very well stock.

I had an extended *cough* spirited drive at up to and including highway speeds *cough* a few years ago against a sedan version when I had my GTR.

I kept windows down so I could enjoy the wicked whistle and growl as this thing hit the gas.

It must have been speed limited though because it wouldn't go past 100kmh.

Side by side as quick as the GTR but the sound. Ohh the sound.

* times 2.5 *

[ALLMTR]

Looks nice

You're not a fan of the F' ghey plates

[drscrote]

F'ghey - good one, hadn't seen that.

Plates belong to the previous owner - they sort of spell his name if you squint. When I get the rego paperwork through I can change it back to the originals.

This one goes well past 100kph!

I was waiting to clean it till today - it's fathers day here and I knew I was getting some car cleaning bits so had to hang on.

GT - new job fairly different to Oz - much less hands on clinical stuff, much more office & management. Think I prefer Oz setup so far but will give things here a fair go for another year or two. Also can't face moving countries again anytime soon it was shite coming over here. Our shipping has only just arrived (3 months!!) but good to have the big stezza and the coffee machine back on deck.

Off to polish my bonnet now.

[theblacktexta]

Having the sedan version I wholeheartedly approve of this

[peal]

oh yes!

[Fraud]

fucking awesome. How much is something like this in that part of the world out of curiosity?

[drscrote]

Real price just over 10K pounds, so approx $16K Oz, with no stamp duty etc either. The ones on carsales.com.au range from $60 to $100K depending on level of dreaming.

Oh, and the wagons are impossible to find in Oz, as GT will testify. There's only ever one or two for sale at a time here at once, and the 7 seat option is rarer still.

But it's not the purchase price that will kill me, it's the fuel / servicing / repairs. Most folks here drive tiny euro city cars with turbo diesels, see 60mpg and grumble about fuel prices. This thing sticks out like the proverbials amongst a sea of Clio's, Fiesta's, Toyota Aygo and miniature Citroens etc.

[GTREA]

How much is something like this in that part of the world out of curiosity?

You'll cry when you find out

EDIT: Beaten

[irsa76]

You can find the them under $60k now:
affordable w211 E55
The W210 E55 which is N/A, but still moves OK, can be had for under $20k for the very early, 1998, models if you're brave. Wagons are almost impossible to find as they were special order only, not that the sedans were dealer stock either!

[dougmo]

lack of traction may be related to the triangle tyres on it?

[theblacktexta]

Real price just over 10K pounds, so approx $16K Oz, with no stamp duty etc either.

Shit like this makes me want to move to the UK just for the cars.

[<---cop]

I'll give you $16K for yours blackie and off you go

[Monk]

Damn, that's pretty bloody awesome.

Needs a set of BBS LMs though...

[-Matt-]

Install the pulley kit for added fasts, around $1000 AUS

[drscrote]

Have washed the beast to appease the PF cleanliness gods. Now that it's clean I can see that the wheels aren't just charcoal, but have a black feathered in spray job on the hub & spokes out to the rim. Noice.

The Triangle tyre is one of 4 no brand cheapo tyres, a different one on each corner, that must be punished.

In terms of power ups, I think I have plenty to be getting on with for now. The DMS website quotes 541bhp+ for a chip only, up from 476 stock. Thats 403 kW. Fark!!

Others have swapped in an intake snorkel from an SL for a less restrictive route. It's thought that Mercedes detuned the E55 so as not to embarrass the sportier models, hence the big upgrade with a tune.

Also takes a road bike in the back without any dismantling. Kids love the rear facing seat in the boot, as well as the usual jamming smarties and crisps into all the nooks and crannies that all parents have to tolerate.

[takai]

This thing sticks out like the proverbials amongst a sea of Clio's, Fiesta's, Toyota Aygo and miniature Citroens etc.

Just to make you feel worse, i had one of these, a C63 Wagon and an M5 wagon absolutely fly past me at >100km/h differential speed on the Autobahn between Erfurt and Koblenz the other day. The noise was immense.

[sv_i]

I agree with the speeding thing... I can remember Maserati's and Bentley's flying past me near the Firth of Forth bridge.

Very Jealous Dr Scrote, very jealous.

[stockymcstock]

yeah it's nice, but it's no '77 datsun

[itsnotagsr]

Take off the badge for extra sleeper points!

[wagoner]

A mate here in town has a CL600 AMG, can't give it away

[GTREA]

Is it still clean?

Bet its not

[aaron_hogan]

Kids love the rear facing seat in the boot, as well as the usual jamming smarties and crisps into all the nooks and crannies that all parents have to tolerate.

You know how I know you're a pom...

Tom, excellent choice. Aint no G-wagen but damn that is a nice bit of gear.

[Norminator]

holy shit... i thought we were making a decent contribution with our little wrx estate, but your estate is 11ty times more sick! fucking awesome!

Funny place here. Petrol is pricey. Roads are twisty. Police give no fark for most speeding. The "hoon" word doesn't exist.

+1 for interesting roads, and police that actually do their job. but "shit spring" just doesn't do this year justice.

[drscrote]

Cheers guys. Very pleased with it so far.

Still clean.

Spring has indeed been shite. Wettest April since records began etc. I picked the car up north of Manchester, was planning to zip home over Snake Pass for a giggle. Ended up coming down the motorway at 40 mph on double wipers it was hammering down.

[dogsballs]

sweet!!!

[drscrote]

Been to Santa Pod today.

Best run 12.6 @ 110mph.

My first ever crack at the strip. Great fun, did 5 runs. Smoked a couple of Corvettes. Still had the kid seats and pram on board. And the Triangle tyres!

Off to pub now for a celebratory warm ale, will have some pics for later.