Eisenmann "Sport" exhaust for E50 / E55 AMG W210

[Bullit]

First of all I'd like to say hello. Despite being new to this forum and the inofficial "AMG owners club", I read in this and other MB / AMG forums for a long time - like all of us. ;-) Recently, I joined the club and got myself a 1997 E50 AMG with 200'000k on the clock.



The reason I decided to get the car is simple: The car looked gorgeous for its age, from the outside and the inside, as well. It was obviously treated carefully and with respect. I simply couldn't believe the good conditions such an old car coulb be in, as well as how much grunt the E50 AMG has even compared to much newer cars.



The only thing I didn't quite like, especially when you compare the E50 to newer AMG-models, was the somewhat understated sound, which obviously seems to bother a lot of E50 and E55 (W210) customers, concerning to various forums and threads one can find on the net.



After a long period of time I spent researching the net for the perfect aftermarket exhaust solution for me I found the Eisenmann "Sport" with the 2x 90x70mm exhaust tips.



There are a few things I want to point out about the Eisenmann "Sport", which I think make it stand out on the market. First of all, the exhaust tips are just a hint bigger than the standard ones, so that they make for an almost OEM look - except for the discreet Eisenmann writing. Furthermore, if the install is done properly and the rear bumper is cut, the tips and the whole muffler fit the rear end perfectly and nicely, so that you really can not spot the aftermarket exhaust at first glance. A nice feature if you ask me!



If you add the discreet sound - more to this topic in a minute - the Eisenmann "Sport" with the 90x70mm tips is the perfect exhaust for those who want a bit more sound in combination with an (almost) standard look. Needless to say that the service from Eisenmann and quality of the product are brilliant and what you expect from a premium quality German aftermarket enterprise.



What exceeded my expectations was the quality of the sound engineering. Since the "Sport" does not come with a German certificate, I was sceptical about the exhaust maybe being too loud for the authorities and the overall appearence car, since I didn't want to ruin the standard and clean look of the car. My intention was to just highlight the natural V8 sound a bit more.



And this is exactly what the Eisenmann "Sport" did. Overall, it sounds a few octaves lower, more sonorous, bulkier than standard, and it definately "burbles" more. At a cold start as well as at a warmed up engine the exhaust bellows into life and then falls back into a low-pitched hum, which is a bit louder than standard, but still silent enough so that your neighbours still want to talk to you.



The best thing about the "Sport" is that there is absolutely no drone at all and it ist absolutely quiet under constant speeds (cruise control) - no matter what speed you are driving. Which means the Eisenmann "Sport" does not affect the cars perfect all-day- and long-range-driveability at all.


Under light pressure the exhaust sounds a bit lower-pitched and more sonorous than standard, expecially inside the car, but never gets annoying. Passengers who didn't know that I changed the exhaust did actually not realize that there is a new exhaust on the car - good!


Where the Eisenmann shines, is under half and 3/4 throttle, where it produces an absolutely beautiful, metallic but smooth and mellow V8-Rumble, that reminds me of old American road cruisers (NOT the extreme muscle cars). It's not just the beautiful pitched sound, but the fact that it's not extremely loud and embarassing that makes the exhaust special. With the windows closed, all you can hear is a slight hum, with the windows down you can hear the sound as described.


Under full throttle the sound boosts to a still pretty soft, but clarion hammering with the rhythm of the current AMG 63-models, but not as hard as they are, not as low-pitched as the supercharged AMG 55-models and not as brutally thudding as for example a Porsche Cayenne Turbo.



From my point of view, the sound fits the car perfectly: Beautiful, V8-ish, louder and more sonorous than standard, but somewhat understeated and not to extreem as well - just like a real AMG should sound like. ;-)



I hope my experiences with the exhaust help you to better decide on wether getting an Eisenmann "Sport" or not. As soon as the weather gets better, I will be able to shoot some pics and vids.