Has anyone else read the new Car and Driver?

[JetBlue]

They rated the S4 above the C55 and CTS-V. It was a pretty glowing article. There is also a killer shot on the contents page of them sliding the S4 off of the track. I did not get far enough in the article to find out what happened.
MO

[giago]

mmmmm...
well i like the audi very much, but I really love the C55, but it's a shame that they don't have a manual gearboxes.

[EugeneK]

they aired the comparison on c&d tv this past weekend.

[neoprufrok]

LINK Removed

Well, its a link to the MBworld.org forum that posted it anyways.

Having test driven both the S4 and C55 AMG this weekend here's my observations.

1) Engine: C55 power is undeniable. Much more brute force vs S4's more refined delivery. Torque is noticeably stronger also. Its better on teh mileage and also I think the exhuast sounds better - a little more muscle car like. I give the nod easily to the C55.

2) S4 handles better. Like most reviews have said, the S4 is easier to drive fast. The C55 requires more attention because its rear wheel drive so coming out of a turn requires feathering of the throttle if the ESP is turned off. The steering is not as direct nor quick as the audi also.

3) C55 interior is slightly better - they redesigned it for 2005 and its clearly a big step up. The DVD Navi on this car is just simply amazing. Include the 7.1 Harmon Kardon Surround Sound setup and seperate slots for the DVD and CD and the interior appointments put it ahead of the S4. The interior is also more inviting flowing look, while the S4 has the tailored banker look.

4) Ride/Interior Noise - Both have their strengths. I thought the C55 had a better freeway ride than the S4 and the S4 had a quieter ride than the C55.

5) Roominess - C55 seemed roomier.

6) Tranny - well this car is for my wife, and she wants an auto. For autos, the AMG is much better. The shifts are almost manual quick and the torque converter locks up almost immediately after you get going so the up/downshifts are immediate. Furthermore, the car holds the gear even at/near redline in a turn. If I was buying for myself however, its a close call. AMG's speedshift is so nice its hard to fault, except that ultimately, I like the control of a nice stick.

Does the C55 warrant a 10k premium over the S4? I think so. But I also think its a different car than the S4. S4 is more sport oriented first, luxury second while the AMG is the opposite. So long story short, it depends on what the buyer is looking for.

I thought the C&D comparo was good, but I thougth the two cars would be closer. It seemed like the biggest thing that set the 2 cars apart was the price, which I think is justified for the higher interior quality and the more powerful engine.

Just my 2 cents.
Rich

[S4arch]

I agree its a big mistake not to have a manual in the C55...IMO the 10k price difference could be spent on the S4 to do all kinds of mods (eg. navi, wheels, exhaust), this is more appealing to me than driving the MB stock.

[neoprufrok]

Originally posted by S4arch
I agree its a big mistake not to have a manual in the C55...IMO the 10k price difference could be spent on the S4 to do all kinds of mods (eg. navi, wheels, exhaust), this is more appealing to me than driving the MB stock.

I don't think its a big mistake at all. Just different cars for different types of consumers. MBZ has always been about luxury first then sport second. Its no different with the C55.

Plus, you could add all the other mods, but they're not covered by warranty. For you and me, that's fine, but for the average consumer, that's not.

[neoprufrok]

That video link got removed...

[JetBlue]

I would agree that the cars are aimed at different drivers. The MB is about big HP in a luxury package while Audi aims to split the difference between the more hardcore M3 and the C55. For my personal tastes the MB does not do it for me. I almost bought an E500 earlier this year, but ultimately wanted more sport than luxury.
MO

[vananron]

Not only is it 10K higher on the sticker, but at least here in CA all AMG's have a 10K markup on top of that. So it is actually 20K higher.

[neoprufrok]

Originally posted by vananron
Not only is it 10K higher on the sticker, but at least here in CA all AMG's have a 10K markup on top of that. So it is actually 20K higher.

That's not true at all. Most dealers are selling at MSRP and below. In fact, Mercedes has a policy that ifyou want to order a car, the dealer cannot charge more than MSRP. If he/she is, then a call to MBZ USA is warranted.

Lesson is, if you want the car, you can probably get one about 1k below MSRP right now.

[vananron]

I was going to buy my wife a C32 AMG, they said you can ONLY order them, and there is a 10k markup on all AMGs. Plus there is a waiting list of about a year. They only get 6 to 10 a year at the Sacramento dealership. They state if you do not pay the markup, someone will. While I was at the dealer someone paid a 20K markup for an S55.

[neoprufrok]

Originally posted by vananron
I was going to buy my wife a C32 AMG, they said you can ONLY order them, and there is a 10k markup on all AMGs. Plus there is a waiting list of about a year. They only get 6 to 10 a year at the Sacramento dealership. They state if you do not pay the markup, someone will. While I was at the dealer someone paid a 20K markup for an S55.

Well maybe that's the case up in Sacramento, but I know that down here around SF and the Peninsula, I've been told by more than a handful of salespeople that the C55 AMG is not marked up.

By the way, whoever told you that they can mark up a preordered Merc is wrong. They're just trying to get you to pay the markup. I talked to MBZ myself, and they say their policy is nothing above markup for preorders.

In fact, House of Imports in LA is selling them advertised (on the internet) at 1200 below MSRP. Thus, you can get them somwehere below MSRP - target as the year goes on probably will be at 1.5k or so below.

[JetBlue]

MB cannot control the market price of the cars. If a dealer chooses to make market adjustments there is nothing MBUSA can do.

MBUSA can try to influence, but ultimately it is up to the dealer. Otherwise it is considered price fixing.
MO

[neoprufrok]

Originally posted by JetBlue
MB cannot control the market price of the cars. If a dealer chooses to make market adjustments there is nothing MBUSA can do.

MBUSA can try to influence, but ultimately it is up to the dealer. Otherwise it is considered price fixing.
MO

They can't control the price of cars that the dealer has already bought from the factory. However, the cost of a car preordered is another thing altogether.

I've confirmed this multiple times with local dealers, so its not like I'm just making this up.

[Tinman]

I like both cars. I'm a mercedes-guy at heart! The C55 is a pretty amazing car, but the S4 (with it's 4wd and manual gearbox) edges it out. Although, I think the C55 looks more badass stock, but has less mods available!

L8