2000 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG

Once I bought my dream 911, I decided to get a ‘winter beater’. Most people would get something 4WD and lifted. Naturally, I got a RWD AMG V8 with 350 horses.

I’m used to driving small, light sports cars. Cars where you have to ring out every last drop of power by revving through the gears. That is certainly a lot of fun on the right road, but in normal driving conditions, the AMG was a much better vehicle.

The 996 is like a delicate scalpel, whereas the E55 is a sledgehammer. Beating the pavement into submission. It’s a plush luxo-barge with all the trimmings. But that v8 burble won’t let you forget it’s sporting credentials. Turn off traction control and you can burn rubber by the twitch of your right foot.

To my surprise, the twenty year old speakers weren’t blown. In fact the Bose sound system in the E55 was the best I’ve ever had in a car. It sounded as good as you’d get in a new Benz. On top of that, the W210 had amazing interior build quality. Even after 204,000 miles it looked brand new inside.