500E v CLS63

[bpsorrel]

A really good review of the '91 500E (sounds great!) and in Autocar's opinion, it's direct descendant, the CLS63 AMG

Autocar review - Mercedes 500E & CLS 63 AMG - YouTube

 

[d w124]

Old new`s,Talbir`s 500e with him behind the wheel

 

[MD5]

It does sound lovely, and although a bit tame by today's standards, the M119 is a great engine. I don't know why they didn't feature an up to date E class, rather than the CLS though?

Grouped in with that clip was one from the french film, Taxi, no doubt shown here countless times before, but here it is again. Bits of it remind me of a few Le Mans trips, but the last few seconds upset my vertigo!

Peugeot 406 vs Mercedes-Benz 500E in 'Taxi' - YouTube

 

[bolide]

The CLS was the only car available for the shoot. I drove the camera car - unsurprisingly, a W124 Estate. It was filmed at Longcross, aka Quinetix, near Chertsey

The opening shot is at the top of the inclines. From memory they are 1 in 6, 1 in 5 and 1 in 4. You can see them here:

Mike Duff told me they shot a Porsche Cayenne Turbo "getting air" at the top of one of the ramps. After one rather enthusiastic attempt they got quite a few feet of air but the Cayenne suspension broke on landing...

Longcross is used for vehicle testing & filming and also for sprints & rallies. I've done sprints there in my 2002 on "The Snake", an evil roller-coaster on old concrete surrounded by trees. All round the outside is a big banked oval - you see that in lots of videos

Nick Froome