Or, How My Family, the Mercedes E and Me Survived Tropical Storm Irene

Weather is for sure an uncertainty. At summer’s end, and with our son about to start Kindergarten, I had planned a weekend in Portsmouth, New Hampshire for some quality family time before the school year began. Those of you unfamiliar with New Hampshire should note the ‘Live Free or Die’ state has but thirteen miles of coastline facing the Atlantic Ocean, and the small city of Portsmouth, described by some as “Boston in miniature” was to be our destination. Our companion for the trip would be a 2011 Mercedes-Benz E550 4MATIC sedan. When I planned this trip, and booked the Mercedes, I was not planning on Hurricane Irene.

As a card carrying member of Generation X, I grew up in an era where Mercedes-Benz automobiles were built like tanks, and were practically without peer when it came to build quality. I was thirteen years old when the first E-Class Mercedes started rolling off the line, and I can recall the articles I’d read, which had described the car as a masterwork of Mercedes-Benz engineering. In the 1990’s, the E-Class’ reputation was tarnished by so-so interior materials and reliability issues. With a long weekend that would take us from the Connecticut shore to the coast of Maine, this was a chance to see if Mercedes had restored the E-Class to its former glory.

In this cut-throat market, looks count, and the E550 acquits itself as one serious automobile, no doubt helped by its Steel Grey paint job and optional Sport Package, which adds 18″ AMG twin five-spoke alloys, M-B stamped brake calipers and LED daytime running lights. The E550 is a substantial car, and is arguably the most aggressively styled E-Class ever. Most importantly, it is unmistakably Mercedes from every angle. And as any proper Mercedes should, it oozes class. Once in Portsmouth, I was pleasantly surprised to find what a car-savvy city it was. Sitting at a cafe, well-worn Land Rover Defenders mingled with mint Jaguar E-Types and 1950’s Americana, yet in this odd mix of autos, people took notice of the Benz. Not a point and look sort of thing, but a look of respect I hadn’t seen people take to a Mercedes in some time.

Inside the E550, it is all things you would hope, and expect in a premium German luxury car: exceptional build quality, outstanding materials, and as on the exterior, a serious demeanor. A roomy, airy cabin, highlighted with beige and black leather and burl walnut trim made for a warm, welcoming place to spend a few hours. However, I was initially spooked at the optional Drive Dynamic multi-contour seat. Lean into a turn, and the seat bolsters activate to help hold you in place. It was strange at first, and you can disable it, but it never bothered me to the point I felt a need to. The option also includes a massage feature, but to be honest I was so comfortable I never felt a need to use it.

The COMAND system controls the navigation, audio, and other controls. While there is a bit of a learning curve, I’d argue it is much easier to use than BMW’s iDrive, but not on par with Lexus. But being in an unfamiliar area and leaning on the navigation all the time, the COMAND system became more familiar and easier to use. I appreciated the Real Time traffic data, but it seemed superfluous to keep telling me it was changing my route due to traffic conditions while I’m in the middle of nowhere. The Harmon Kardon audio system with Dolby Digital 5.1 and HD Radio were a welcome accompaniment on our trip, and the Sirius satellite radio kept us entertained.

Speaking of entertainment, under the hood lurks a 5.5L V-8, rated at 382hp, paired to a seven-speed automatic. Mercedes claims a 0-60mph time of 5.3 seconds, and I believe them. I’ve said it before, and I will say again the current crop of Mercedes V-8 engines are one of the sweetest sounding engines out there. Passing power is prodigious, and for a good stretch of the trip a guy in a late model Porsche 911 Turbo was the perfect interstate assault companion. And the E550 never even broke a sweat keeping up with him. The E-Class was built for this sort of travel-high-speed, eating up mile after mile of interstate. It would be hard to imagine a finer automobile to pilot for such a trip-the driver with plenty of power at his disposal, the passengers gliding along in quiet serenity.

As we went back and forth from downtown Portsmouth to Maine, we were transfixed on the Weather Channel, which had predicted Hurricane Irene would hit ground pretty close to our home in Connecticut. On what was to be our last night in New Hampshire, our cell phones were buzzing with emergency messages from our town. Our street was told to evacuate. We weren’t going anywhere. Which was fine by me-although I had no doubt in the E550’s all-wheel drive system, I had no interest in driving through Irene, even if she had been downgraded to a tropical storm. While New England got pummeled, Portsmouth was at the very edge of the storm. It rained heavy in the morning, but we were walking the streets in the afternoon.

The E-Class is available in a dizzying array of styles. Sedan. Wagon. Cabriolet. Coupe. Power? Pick from gas V-6 or V-8, and there is a diesel available. Rear or all-wheel drive. And of course, an AMG version. Our test car, an E550 4MATIC has a starting list price of $59,600USD. Our well-equipped car, including delivery costs, rang in at $72,145. Affordable? No. But this is a top-tier, no excuses luxury sport sedan. Sure, you might buy a Lexus or Infiniti for less, but the E-Class carries with it a weight, a presence, and a history neither brand can match. The current E-Class, especially in E550 form is proof that Mercedes-Benz has once again established themselves as the benchmark against which all other luxury sedans are judged against. A positively exceptional automobile, which is exactly how I first got to learn about Mercedes-Benz cars when I was a kid.

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