Normally, accelerating down an on-ramp, I check my mirrors and glance over my shoulder to see what's coming before merging into traffic. Mesmerized by the rush of speed after prodding the accelerator, I suddenly realized Rich Hubbert's tweaked E55 demands an entirely different approach. Dip your right foot and you need to look far ahead-I guarantee nothing will hit you from behind-lest you run over any of the mere mortals clogging your chosen path with their pedestrian vehicles. Makes me wonder if someone needs to develop a 12-step program for horsepower addiction and the god-like attitude that comes with truly big numbers. I might need help.
"I consider myself a car guy," said Hubbert. "If I had all the money back I've spent on cars (the list includes pretty much every dream car ever), I'd be a very wealthy man. I have a partner in business who asks, 'Are you crazy? Why do you spend all this money on cars?' Either you get it or you don't get it. I just love cars; it's in my blood. I've had a lot of cars, especially Mercedes. The last one was a SL55.
"I pretty much know the cars now, how they feel and handle," Hubbert continued, "That's why I didn't hesitate to take [my new E55] straight from the dealer [to Auto Addictions in Allentown, Penn.] for this Carlsson upgrade." The plan was to take delivery of his new car with nearly 20% more power than even mighty AMG deemed enough.
Detuned slightly from the king-of-the-hill SL55's 493 bhp, the hand-built 5.5-liter AMG V8, with its signed supercharger, still puts out a stout 463 bhp and around 515 lb-ft of torque in E55 trim. With Carlsson's Performance Kit, the numbers jump to 560 bhp and 580 lb-ft of torque, enough power to make the 2-ton sedan startlingly quick. It's the kind of power that makes you want to work the phrase "alarming alacrity" into the conversation somehow. For better flow into the engine, Auto Addictions installed Carlsson low-restriction air filters and airbox covers. Carlsson twin-tip rear mufflers add a slightly menacing tone to the exhaust while improving flow out of the engine. At $10,300, the kit's one other downside requires the ECU to be shipped to Carlsson in Germany for reprogramming. The 7- to 10-day wait is worth every minute. Consider the money well spent, too.
Like Carlsson's corporate philosophy, Hubbert wanted his car unique but understated. "When I ordered the car, the inclination was to order the black or silver. I really went out on a limb with the [Everest Green Metallic], but I'm glad I did it," he said. Auto Addictions stripped the car of every identifying marker save two small Carlsson emblems. The visual key to the car, the polished 19-in. forged Carlsson 116 UL wheels, look even more dramatic thanks to the C-Tronic Electronic Lowering kit. This plug-and-play unit allows the Airmatic suspension to drop another 30mm from the lowest AMG setting. Weighing just 19 lb a piece, the 8.5-in. front wheels (slightly more for the 10 in. rears) keep unsprung weight to a minimum, though with grippy Michelin PS2 rubber (245/35-19 fronts and 275/30-19 rears) the E55 acquits itself with aplomb through the twisties, it will never be characterized as having go-cart-like handling.
Despite having put only 1,300 miles on one of the few Carlsson-modified E55s in the country, Hubbert was true to his car-guy calling and gladly arranged for a total stranger (i.e., me) to drive his car. Refraining from smoky burnouts and lurid slides, and resisting the temptation to melt the 275/30-19 PS2s down to the cords took all of the self-control I could muster. Triple-digit speeds seemed unreasonable in the neighborhood around Auto Addictions but came up surprisingly quickly when we ventured onto the freeway. I'd wager even after adding the rest of your golf foursome-there's plenty of luxurious room after all-wouldn't slow this rig more than a couple of ticks. And the legendary Mercedes bank-vault solidity remains-though any more power might begin to test the chassis' limits.
Auto Addictions' manager Matthew Rhoads drew the unlucky straw when it came time to make the hour drive and deliver the E55. "I was giddy every time I stepped on the accelerator, grinning ear-to-ear. The power is surreal," he said. "You don't expect such a large saloon to push you back in your seat; it's an amazing machine."