W211 E63 AMG seems slow?

[cbmdjAMG]

Hi people of the forum.
I hope your collective minds can help. I have just got a E63 estate and all is good. No trouble codes or anything. It just seems a bit slow to me. I used to own a Jaguar XFR 507bhp and it was brutal but that was FI and had some impressive torque. Is this like when you finally date that girl and realise she is not that great or can I have some things to try. I have driven it for about 2 hours straight and no overheating no problems at all. In fact I got 23MPG.
Thanks

 

[Muckypaps]

You need to put your pedal to the floor, or put it in sports mode, then drive it.
You won't see 23 MPG then.

 

[Will]

Obviously the 6.2 likes to be revved, and the E-class is a heavy car. It won’t have the low down shove of a forced induction engine, but once it starts to sing and you explore the depths of the rev range it should pick up its heels and shift.

I ran an E63 (212 shape) and an E55 (211) for the best part of a year simultaneously and both were great to drive.

My only caveat would be that if you’ve not got the space to wind it up you may not get to experience what the engine is capable of. Which is a shame around town/in traffic. By comparison the ‘55k is like a diesel on steroids (and I imagine similar to your Jag) - flies away off the line and a dab of the throttle at any speed sees it surge forwards on a wave of torque

Other than that - the obvious things to check is that the gearbox is not left in ‘C’, and if you’re in any doubt have the car checked over perhaps - fault codes and adaptations by a local specialist. A tank or two of V-power/super unleaded etc may help?

 

[cbmdjAMG]

Thanks Will. Another thing is the flappy paddles. Are they just for show? The XFR and m5's gearboxes are instant. This takes about 2 seconds to change up. Gearbox oil change ?

 

[Will]

Not sure on the 211, the changes on my 212 were okay but not DSG-type quick obviously. They’re still an old fashioned box in that sense, but 2 seconds seems excessive - wouldn’t have said mine was that slow.

What’s the mileage and service history like? Mine had only 13k and the ATF and filter were done before I got it (around 6k from memory)

 

[cbmdjAMG]

80k full Merc service. I had the engine oil changed at a specialist as soon as I got it. Paranoid about head bolts as it's a 56 reg but no issues. Thanks again Will you never know what you will be greeted with joining a forum these days.

 

[Will]

Have you any info of when the ATF was done?

If not I’d get it done soon

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Hi people of the forum.
I hope your collective minds can help. I have just got a E63 estate and all is good. No trouble codes or anything. It just seems a bit slow to me. I used to own a Jaguar XFR 507bhp and it was brutal but that was FI and had some impressive torque. Is this like when you finally date that girl and realise she is not that great or can I have some things to try. I have driven it for about 2 hours straight and no overheating no problems at all. In fact I got 23MPG.
Thanks

I owned a W211 E63 for a short while some years ago and I’ve also owned an XFR and it was brilliant, pound for pound possibly the best car I've owned, I always said the XFR was an unintended successor to the E55K - refined drive with a wallop of supercharged surge when you desire. Why Jaguar stopped making the car completely baffles me.

The big differences I found between the E63 & the XFR are quite fundamental -

1. The E63 is N/A and a very "toppy" engine that has to be revved to feel like it's getting going - the supercharged XFR goes through the revs right from 1200rpm and acts like a dog with two dicks near a bitch on heat whatever the speed.

2. The XFR uses the sublime 6 speed ZF, the E63 uses an early incarnation of the (at times) frighteningly slow 7G 'box.

3. The XFR uses an electrical diff (seen elsewhere on Ferrari) that switches between open and limited slip diff depending on the conditions - the E63 is open diff (iirc you could spec the LSD but not many did).

Ultimately, I think, it comes down to the fact you've got used to forced induction and there is no known cure..!

 

[merc85]

Ultimately, I think, it comes down to the fact you've got used to forced induction and there is no known cure..!

^^^

Sell it and get a Breathed on 55k lol

 

[Gbrowncls55]

Yes once you have had serious forced induction levels of torque everything n/a seems tame away from max revs.

 

[Edd1968]

Welcome to the forum.
All of the above (not that I own a V8 - yet) but you should also 'reset' the gearbox. You'll find threads on here or YouTube videos that show you how. Dead simple 5 minute job that you can do from the drivers seat!

 

[daveenty]

Comparing an XFR to the S211 is, as you're finding out, apples and oranges. Basically they put the power down totally differently, with the Jag being pretty brutal in comparison due to it's supercharged design.

I've always thought that the M156 engine was much better suited to the C Class than the bigger saloons/estates as, whilst a superb engine in it's own right, it does need revving highly to perform, which is not what the E (or S Class) are really about, whereas the Jaguar's lump develops a high output from early on in the rev range. The later M157 (5.5 twin turbo) may be a better option but, as pointed out above, the nearest in terms of power delivery would be the M113k, aka the 5.5 supercharged engine, an engine I still admire even though it's over 10 years since I had mine.

I never got on with my Jag when I had it, not sure why really, probably a combination of things, but the engine was absolutely superb in it and pretty nippy.

 

[Smart320]

Not an expert but while I loved the fast and smooth response from the engine in the V8 Supercharged XJR that I owned about 20 years ago I actually prefer the N/a V8 in my SLK . It just feels and sounds so much more brutal and this is despite the fact that I have not had it revving over 6000 revs yet ( bottled it! ) I know the jag was a saloon so a bit apples and pears comparing it with the SLK but the sound of the V8 rather than the Supercharger is what I like!
Oh and I did have a V8 LandRover Discovery ( the first model with twin carburettors ) but that was not quite in the same league for sound, even if the dealer could get it running on all 8 cylinders at the same time .

 

[rockits]

I discounted the na 63 engined cars when I looking each time due to the way the power is delivered. As others have said much more mid to top end power that to me doesn't suit the car or modern roads.

The XJL SuperSport I have is very similar to the E55K delivery. The do drive very different though. The E55K is a bit heavier all round in how it steers, brakes and handles. Not a bad thing just different.

The XJL is artificially light all round IMHO. Again not a bad thing as so easy to drive but different.

IMHO that E55K powertrain is an old time classic. In its time it was amazing and even now the appeal hasn't really lessened much dispute newer heavy competition.

The same could be said for the JLR 5.0 V8 SC unit.....great power train. You can't beat a decent SC unit.

 

[rockits]

I think it depends on the car on balance. The Maserati/Ferrari F136 4.2 V8 is an epic sounding engine. One of the best sounding IMHO. However being a high revving na V8 with the sound it gives you WANT to rev it round as it gets better the more it revs. Such a rewarding unit to rev as so free and easy to rev and loves it and wants to. It wouldn't suit being SC at all.

Maserati have used that F136 na V8 in the 4200, Gransport, Quattroporte and Granturismo for many years in both 4.2 and 4.7 forms.

Has to be on your bucket list to drive all these 3 powerplants before we ebb towards electrified boredom and silence.

 

[C36fan]

I think it depends on the car on balance. The Maserati/Ferrari F136 4.2 V8 is an epic sounding engine. One of the best sounding IMHO. However being a high revving na V8 with the sound it gives you WANT to rev it round as it gets better the more it revs. Such a rewarding unit to rev as so free and easy to rev and loves it and wants to. It wouldn't suit being SC at all.

Maserati have used that F136 na V8 in the 4200, Gransport, Quattroporte and Granturismo for many years in both 4.2 and 4.7 forms.

Has to be on your bucket list to drive all these 3 powerplants before we ebb towards electrified boredom and silence.

the m156 sound so much better supercharged!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I discounted the na 63 engined cars when I looking each time due to the way the power is delivered. As others have said much more mid to top end power that to me doesn't suit the car or modern roads.

I thought similar until I drove a car with the M156 NA 6.2 engine - I thought I liked low down grunt more than top end go. Once I had a go in a car with the M156 I changed my mind.

———

The car I drive most has an M156 engine, and as it’s a W164 ML then you would expect it to miss forced induction most, but it doesn’t. The driving experience doesn’t suffer whether accelerating hard from standstill, a roll, or towing around 2 tonnes of gubbins.

I’m not trying to convert anyone - I love my supercharged and twin turbocharged cars just as much - i’m just suggesting for those unsure, don’t assume driving a car with the M156 N/A 6.2 is devoid of low down urge like it is driving a car with rotary engine. Take steers from the interweb but try it for yourself.

 

[Will]

As above, but I would add that IMHO you really just need to drive these cars properly to get the most out of them. As in, warm them up and give them some beans!

Stick your foot down as far as it goes and see how quick it gets to 100mph (off the public road of course)

These are 500bhp+ cars, they’re certainly not slow

The ‘55k surprises people with the low down torque but that doesn’t translate to a faster car. Perhaps more usable around town/in gear acceleration etc but if you’re going for it it makes little difference.

And yep, the M156 sounds sublime. Not Italian exotica obviously but probably the best sounding V8 Mercedes have made?

I think I prefer the ‘55k setup in the 211 but that’s probably because I think the car suits the whole old-school 5-speed box and torque/bruiser/cruiser type thing whereas the 6.2 is a shift forwards towards the whole dynamic/modern AMGs we see today.

I had no regrets with mine

 

[Alex225]

Basically Rev it up and that’s when you get all the torque and power.

Any forced induction car will deliver torque differently. Hence people feel diesels are quicker than they are.

For a big engine it’s not a big lazy V8. That 6.2 needs revving up.

 

[Neiltodd]

Thanks Will. Another thing is the flappy paddles. Are they just for show? The XFR and m5's gearboxes are instant. This takes about 2 seconds to change up. Gearbox oil change ?

It should be almost instantaneous with the paddles.