2005-2006 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG Wagon
While AMG made a version of the 210-series E-Class wagon for select markets around the world, it was not imported to the U.S. This undoubtedly disappointed potential customers until the 211 successor model arrived in 2005.
Still called the E55, the new S211 body style AMG model was much sleeker, a trait not lost in translation to the wagon body style. Externally, the E55 wagon still maintained a “sleeper” posture, thanks to the discreetly tasteful AMG body kit with bolder front and rear fascias, a black mesh front grille and 18-inch wheels with silver-painted brake calipers visible between the spokes. The “E55 AMG” and “V8 Kompressor” badges were of course giveaways to the unknowing, but some owners preferred to have the badges deleted.
“Kompressor” meant a belt-driven supercharger, AMG’s preferred power booster in this period. The hand-built 5.5-liter V8 shared the 3-valve-per-cylinder configuration used on Mercedes passenger car engines at the time. The results of AMG’s tuning were staggering: 469 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque compared to 302 hp and 339 lb-ft for the standard E500 model. The transmission was a five-speed torque-converter automatic with selectable manual shifting.
Company estimates for the 0-60 mph time was a preliminary 4.6 seconds, compared to 4.5 with the sedan. However, Car & Driver recorded 0 to 60 in 4.1 seconds; the quarter-mile in 12.5 seconds at 114 mph; and 0-150 mph in 24 seconds. The 155-mph top track speed was electronically limited.
The E55 wagon, though heavier than the sedan version, outperformed it slightly in acceleration and on the skidpad, results the magazine attributed to the extra mass shifting weight distribution rearward – 49:51, compared to 53:47 for the sedan.
The E55 Wagon rode on staggered 245/40ZR18 front and 265/35ZR18 rear tires. The makes used 8-piston calipers in front and 4-piston in the rear.
Other impressive numbers also linked to the back end: 24.4 cu. ft. of space behind the second row, and 69 cu. ft. with second and optional rear-facing third rows folded. The 2005 E55 Wagon had an MSRP of $82,600 plus $720 destination/delivery charge. Key options included the third-row seat (which was deleted in the 2007 AMG E-Wagon for technical packaging reasons), bi-xenon lighting package and the Premium Package with navigation.
Mercedes-Benz USA imported just 126 E55 Wagons for 2005-2006 model years, which were special-order models and not advertised.