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What is interesting to me is it looks like they have tried to slow the E55 down by giving it a lower rear gear ratio than the SL55 and the SL600. Also note that the SL600 does not have AMG speedshift. I wonder if it can be installed after purchase. I have read somewhere that in the real driving world, the SL600, because of its high torque, is really the fastest of all, followed by the E55...
Well, of course the SL600 doesn't have the AMG Speedshift, simply because it is no AMG Mercedes.
As far as I know, it can't be retrofitted.
The SL600 has another "problem" (although it is slightly faster from 0-250 kph than the SL55): it isn't certified for speeds over 250 kph. So as interesting the engine is and as easy modifications for more power are (a simple ECU software update gains more than 50 HP), it isn't safe for speeds over 250 kph. For the US market, this might not be a real problem though.
The SL600 also feels less sporty, the steering is different, the whole drive feel is different, it can't be compared to the more sporty setup on the SL55. There is also no performance package available for the SL600.
The E55 vs. SL55 story is a very complicated one. There are a lot of rumors why the E55 has slightly less power and a longer gear ratio than the SL55 but it seems that AMG simply didn't want a much cheaper model to be superior to their top class model (by that time!), the SL55. Now that the SL65 is around the corner, I think the E55 vs. SL55 competition isn't that important anymore. As far as I heard, the longer gear ratio on the E55 is explained with noise level at certain speeds because it is a limousine. The truth might be somewhere else: with the same gear ratio as the SL55, the E55 would definetely be much faster than the SL55.
I also heard a lot of stories about why the E55 has less power than the SL55 (starting with the exhaust system, etc.) but the truth is: my E55 is substantially OVER the claimed power figure and now don't ask me where I know that from...
So I actually think that power output on the E55 and SL55 is practically the same but although the E55 has at least 100 kg less weight than the SL55, due to the shorter gear ratio on the SL55, performance is practically the same. I recently outran a SL55 up to around 230 kph by aprox. only a third of a car length, so there isn't much difference.
The new CL65 AMG is a bit of disappointment to me, it needs almost 1 second longer from 0-125 mph (200 kph) than the Porsche GT2. Maybe the 125-188 mph performance is much better but this remains to be seen. Fact is: I expected something around 12 seconds from 0-125 mph and I'm really not too happy about the CL65 performance.
Maybe the rumor that the x65 engines are down-tuned is true, rumors indicate a possible power of minimum 650 HP.
The fact that the torque is electronically limited to 1000 Nm (from possible 1200 Nm) might be an indication that the power rumor is true.
