Original Owner 2002 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG with 53k Miles
For December 15, 2023, our used car find is this 2002 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG with 53k miles and a single California owner. It’s offered by a private seller on Craigslist in Los Angeles for $19,500 or best offer.
Here’s what makes this one special.
Introduction
Mercedes-Benz has a long history with legendary tuner AMG dating back to the 1960s. That’s when the AMG founders Hans-Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher married a sedate 300 SEL sedan with a huge 6.8-liter V8 to create a shockingly capable race car known as the Red Pig. In the 1980s, they produced the famous AMG Hammer using a similar formula. The 178-mph saloon was the world’s fastest sedan at the time.
Cut to 1999. Mercedes buys a controlling stake in the Affalterbach-based company, and they launch their first AMG model produced entirely in-house: the E55 AMG. Like the original Red Pig and Hammer, it takes a humble platform — in this case, the bland but capable W210-generation E-Class — and transforms it with a big naturally aspirated V8 and other go-fast upgrades. The result is a 349-horsepower Q-ship that Barry Winfield from Car and Driver called “a real everyday supercar” in his review at the time.
Mercedes made a few minor tweaks to the W210-generation E55 through its short production run (1999-2002), including a facelift for 2000 that revised its front and rear styling and updated the interior. About 4,000 units were sold in the U.S. (12,000 worldwide) before it was replaced (in 2003) by the even more outrageous W211-generation E55, which added supercharging, upping output to 469 ponies.
Though its successor offers better performance by almost any measure, we prefer the original W210-based E55. It’s a far more subtle machine that lacks some of the needless complexity of later models, such as their finicky air suspensions and Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) systems.
The Listing
This particular E55 is exactly what you hope for: a clean, one-owner example with low miles and a long history of dealer service. It’s also a lifelong SoCal car, so it shouldn’t have any rust issues that can plague W210-era specimens.
In the seller’s own words:
Very Low Miles. Original Owner. Recently Serviced.
The 2002 model year E 55 was a rare version of the W210 E 55 AMG, of which only 997 units were produced in 2001. It has a 5.5-liter V8 that produces 354 hp (359 PS; 264 kW) and 391 lb⋅ft (530 N⋅m) of torque. Various road tests revealed ranges of 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) times in 4.8-5.3 seconds and quarter-mile times in 13.3–13.5 seconds at around 105–107 mph (169–172 km/h).
This E55 comes in Charcoal Grey Metalliac, AMG exclusive “Condor” leather, black birdseye maple interior wood trim, AMG monoblock staggered 18-inch wheels and tires, AMG sport suspension, AMG brakes, AMG/Avantgarde front and rear body aprons with “dynamic” side skirts, AMG body shell modification, HID xenon headlights, Avantgarde fog lamps, heated multicontour AMG sport seats with power and memory, multifunction computer, automatic climate control system, Bose premium sound system, power tilt and telescoping leather-covered AMG multifunction sport steering wheel, power glass sunroof, power rear sun shade, and blue glass.
We actually scoped this one out as a potential long-term test car, and our scout found it to be represented fairly with a few caveats. Specifically, numerous small dings in the bodywork are apparent in person, along with a minor dent in the upper right-hand corner of the rear quarter panel. The seller also disclosed some deferred maintenance, including valve cover and rear main seal leaks, older tires (2015 date code), and transmission fluid badly in need of a change.
Considering all that, the $19,500 ask for this one feels a touch on the high side. Comparable examples have sold on Bring a Trailer for more but typically without the aforementioned needs. We negotiated our way all the way up to $16,500, but alas, that was not enough to convince the seller to let it go.
Find it on Craigslist HERE while you still can, especially if you’re prepared to offer closer to the full asking price.
Details & Specs
- 2002 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG (W210)
- 52,967 miles
- 5.4-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine (M113)
- 349 horsepower
- 391 lb-ft of torque
- five-speed automatic transmission
- rear-wheel drive
- 3,768 pounds
- Tectite Gray exterior
- Charcoal leather interior
- WDBJF74J92B439671
Additional Photos
