Supercharged V8
Mercedes-Benz performance brand AMG has become a serious volume player over the years – for the performance end of the market, that is – and it was cars like the E55 which helped get it there.
Under the bonnet is a 5.4 litre 24-valve supercharged V8, claiming 305kW (409hp) and a torque figure of 700Nm. That was more than enough to give it serious performance.
Meanwhile you still had the typical Benz luxuries, albeit set up in a chassis that handled a little more firmly than a stock E-class for the time.
Our feature on an early E36 notes: “AMG originally built its reputation around modifying Mercedes engines (getting prodigious horsepower out of them) and customising cars with wider wheels and body kits. Their popularity led to an official venture with Daimler-Benz AG to market AMG-improved models in 1993, and eventually AMG was bought by Daimler-Benz in 1998.”
This example claims to be in very good shape with 178,000km on the odo. It’s located in Brisbane and is priced at $30,000.