QuattroFun
April 25th, 2005, 18:35
Have started to think about a replacer for my gradually aging S4 and for this purpose took a spin in an E55 AMG Estate, which many of you have may or may not have driven a long time ago but me only now. Overall impressions/observations:
1) Still a bit sterile but much more satisfying as far as I can remember than the utterly unimpressive C32 AMG Estate, which I drove a few years back,
2) The engine is indeed impressive although it is not overly sporty - it may not result in any better straightline performance than the knock-out C32 AMG kompressor V6 but the sound is so much better and initial trust feels better and more satisfying as well. Hate to say it, but given that it is an auto and reasonable in that category it firmly overshadows our small-block S4 4.2 V8 in Tip form, which feesl sluggish - the C55 does not, I repeat does not, feel sluggish. Sure, the engine does not feel that generous higher up the rev curve like ours, but the low end grunt suits the car character well - i.e. pretty heavy car with an auto. Traction was decent (probably better than sedan) but the light still flashes - in the winter it is probably not good, though.
3) Not the last word in agility but really much better feeling in the more twisty stuff than the underwhelming C32 AMG, which really felt inert and dull. Some mags have complained about the ride - not too bad in my opinion but we Audi people are not usually too ride sensitive. Not overall quite as nice in the handling department as an S4 in my opinion, though - partly as still some problems in getting the power down - and of course no M3.
4) The cockpit is okay but the car still manages to feel a bit cheap given its high price class. I like the dials and seats are quite nice as well.
Conclusion: still on my short list for the next car but not too high up. Whilst a pretty nice and very gutsy car in estate form and especially the engine is lovely, it is very expensive and subjectively not any knock out win compared with my old S4 even disregarding price so I have to continue to scan also other candidates. Would like to stay in the smaller car (i.e. B) segment both for handling and price reasons so good candidates are in short supply.
1) Still a bit sterile but much more satisfying as far as I can remember than the utterly unimpressive C32 AMG Estate, which I drove a few years back,
2) The engine is indeed impressive although it is not overly sporty - it may not result in any better straightline performance than the knock-out C32 AMG kompressor V6 but the sound is so much better and initial trust feels better and more satisfying as well. Hate to say it, but given that it is an auto and reasonable in that category it firmly overshadows our small-block S4 4.2 V8 in Tip form, which feesl sluggish - the C55 does not, I repeat does not, feel sluggish. Sure, the engine does not feel that generous higher up the rev curve like ours, but the low end grunt suits the car character well - i.e. pretty heavy car with an auto. Traction was decent (probably better than sedan) but the light still flashes - in the winter it is probably not good, though.
3) Not the last word in agility but really much better feeling in the more twisty stuff than the underwhelming C32 AMG, which really felt inert and dull. Some mags have complained about the ride - not too bad in my opinion but we Audi people are not usually too ride sensitive. Not overall quite as nice in the handling department as an S4 in my opinion, though - partly as still some problems in getting the power down - and of course no M3.
4) The cockpit is okay but the car still manages to feel a bit cheap given its high price class. I like the dials and seats are quite nice as well.
Conclusion: still on my short list for the next car but not too high up. Whilst a pretty nice and very gutsy car in estate form and especially the engine is lovely, it is very expensive and subjectively not any knock out win compared with my old S4 even disregarding price so I have to continue to scan also other candidates. Would like to stay in the smaller car (i.e. B) segment both for handling and price reasons so good candidates are in short supply.