This 2005 Mercedes-Benz S55 AMG Designo Graphite Edition is powered by a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 paired with a five-speed automatic transmission and is finished in designo Graphite paint (041U) over Exclusive Graphite/Anthracite (581) AMG Nappa leather. Equipment includes 18″ AMG double-spoke wheels, a sunroof, bi-xenon headlights, Keyless Go, COMAND with navigation, and heated and ventilated Drive Dynamic front seats with massaging functionality. The designo Graphite package includes extended leather (dash, doors and center console), brown Poplar wood trim and an Alcantara headliner. Modifications include upgraded Sony Apple Carplay sound system, Race IQ stage 2 ECU tune, MK-Ultra Electronics TCU tune, UPD 83mm fixed supercharger pulley, and a Bosch 010 intercooler pump. Regular Blackstone oil analyses and extensive maintenance has been performed on this example under present ownership and a breakdown of the specific work is viewable below. The seller acquired the car in 2019 and has since added approximately 32k of the 134k miles. This W220 S55 AMG is now offered with two keys, manufacturer’s literature, an extensive maintenance log, partial service records, the original COMAND unit (uninstalled), a VMI, Blackstone Engine Oil Analysis Reports, a clean Carfax report, and a clean Virginia title in the seller’s name.
The S55 AMG featured deeper front and rear valances and sill extensions when compared with the standard W220, and this example is finished in designo Graphite (041U) which underwent a 2-step correction prior to a ceramic coating application in September 2020. Equipment includes bi-xenon headlights with heated washers, a sunroof, door and trunk closing assist, an AMG Sport exhaust system with quad outlets, and auto-dimming side-view mirrors with integrated signal lighting. The front and rear bumpers have been repainted under current ownership to remediate rock chips and minor imperfections are highlighted with specificity in the gallery.
Silver 18″ AMG double-spoke wheels have been refinished and are mounted with Continental ExtremeContact tires. Braking is handled by AMG-branded multi-piston calipers over cross-drilled brake rotors at all four corners. The Active Body Control (ABC) suspension pump, dampener and accumulators were replaced in 2019. Front and rear brake pads and rotors were replaced in 2019 and 2021 respectively.
The heated and ventilated Drive Dynamic front seats feature massaging functionality and are upholstered in Anthracite AMG leather. Brown Poplar wood trim accents the cabin, and additional amenities include tri-zone automatic climate control, cruise control, Keyless Go, and a Bose sound system. The rear seat compartment features heated, ventilated and reclining seats; manual rear door window shades; electric rear window shade; and rear HVAC controls. The original COMAND head unit remains with the car uninstalled and has been replaced with a Sony touchscreen unit.
The multifunction steering wheel frames a 200-mph speedometer, an AMG-branded 7k-rpm tachometer, and gauges for coolant temperature and fuel level. All steering wheel functions work as designed with the replacement Sony sound system. The digital odometer indicates 134k miles, approximately 32k of which have been added under current ownership.
The supercharged 5.4-liter V8 was factory rated at 493 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque and this example has been upgraded with a Race IQ stage 2 ECU tune, a UPD 83mm fixed supercharger pulley, and a Bosch 010 intercooler pump. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission which has been upgraded with an MK-Ultra Electronics TCU tune w/ “Agility Mode”.
The Carfax report shows no accidents or other damage and lists history in California, Washington State and Virginia. The list of extensive maintenance and repairs is viewable in the gallery.
Paint meter readings and underbody photos are viewable in the gallery.
Startup & driving videos along with videos showing the soft-close door function and rear headrest/roller blind function are viewable below.
Open Transit:
Enclosed Transit:
The winning bidder will receive an email with the quote and option to proceed with shipping.
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36 Comments
So, here we are, just over two years later and we love the car more now than the day it was delivered. Had some front suspension issues that needed to be corrected (struts and control arms), but zero issues since. All-in-all it's been surprisingly affordable to own and an absolute joy to drive. We've added an additional 12,000 miles on the clock and have enjoyed every minute of it.
@cicbarkeep, no worries, my pleasure. You have a good one there. Enjoy! Keep in touch over at the MBWorld in the W220 S55 forum. There's a wealth of knowledge and good watchful technicians and DIYers over there (although @8899 has taken almost all of that off the table). Cheers, maw
@gsxr Thanks!! My wife and I are really pumped! A shout out to @maw1124 is due. I don't believe it either. I've seen your comments on other sites which heightened my appreciation of your endorsement here.
Wow, that was a lot of car for the money. Congrats, @CICBarkeep!! @8899, you going to get another 036 and come back to the 'Board? ;-)
Yes, that was fun! @CICBarkeep will contact you shortly.
Thanks to all. Very excited. Looking forward to hearing from Greg.
$16,750 bid placed by @CICBarkeep
$16,500 bid placed by @Chiaromonte
$16,250 bid placed by @CICBarkeep
$16,000 bid placed by @Chiaromonte
$15,750 bid placed by @CICBarkeep
$15,500 bid placed by @Chiaromonte
$15,250 bid placed by @CICBarkeep
$15,000 bid placed by @styleandgrace
$14,500 bid placed by @CICBarkeep
$14,250 bid placed by @styleandgrace
$13,500 bid placed by @CICBarkeep
$13,250 bid placed by @faizabri2006
$13,000 bid placed by @Jmatt07
$12,750 bid placed by @CICBarkeep
I don't believe this, when I see same year M3 cars with similar miles going for double. As an owner of both, that makes no sense to me. maw
$12,500 bid placed by @faizabri2006
$12,250 bid placed by @CICBarkeep
I just received a PM with this question: "Any leaks or weeping from valve cover gaskets?" There are no leaks or weeping from the top, back or bottom of the engine.
Ok, we're down to about 4.5 hours left for the auction of this S55 AMG. I'll be monitoring this space for any last-day/last-minute questions. Just to highlight how rare this S55 is...not only is it a Designo Graphite Edition, but it us FULLY loaded. In fact, I think the only options this S55 didn't get was the 19" two-piece rims and the 4-place seating package. Otherwise, it has Key-Less Go, Distronic, rear door window shades, rear HVAC, and rear seats that are heat/cool/recline.
$12,000 bid placed by @faizabri2006
$11,000 bid placed by @StealsWheels
@Chiaromonte Yes. The front brake pads and rotors were replaced in August 2020 (112,153 miles) by WB Motors along with the thermostat, engine mounts, transmission mount and front and rear flex discs. I highly suggest that you review the repair/maintenance log posted in the auction description above which details all work performed on this S55 under my ownership. Thank you for your interest!
Hello, did you ever replace the front rotors?
@Melville You are correct. I removed those badges in the fall of 2020 to facilitate the paint correction work which I described in a comment below. While I have seen OE replacement badges on eBay for approximately $70.00 each, I never felt it was important to apply new badges.
I believe these S55s should have a V8 Kompressor badge on the fenders. Am I mistaken or have they been removed?
A close-up photo of the paint has been added to the gallery.
Here is an interesting article from the Mercedes-Benz archives detailing all of the features of the facelift W220: https://mercedes-benz-publicarchive.com/marsClassic/en/instance/ko/220-series-S-Class-Saloons-2002---2005.xhtml?oid=4957 Of note, it says this: "Designo couture was the name given to an exclusive package of optional accessories that included the finest-quality Napa and nubuck leathers, anthracite-coloured poplar or mahogany wood trims as well as a roof lining of fine Alcantara." MB offered three different Designo packages: Graphite, Silver and Espresso.
$9,000 bid placed by @Cstu93
$7,750 bid placed by @Jmatt07
Let's talk about the paint! As mentioned in the auction description, this S55 underwent a 2-step paint correction in the fall of 2020 using Sonax Cutmax correcting compound followed by Sonax Perfect Finish polish. Then a Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light ceramic coating was applied followed by two applications of Gtechniq EXO v4. After every maintenance wash I applied a coating of P&S Bead Maker. The ceramic coating is holding up well two years later. Photo #31 illustrates the paint-protection-film applied to the front edge of the hood (clear bra). PPF is also applied to both side-view mirrors, the door handle cavities and the leading edge of all four door edges. Sadly, photo #78 illustrates a tiny little paint scrape that happened not long after I had the rear bumper removed and repainted....unfortunate to say the least. Overall, the condition the paint is phenomenal and it is a very RARE and interesting color that varies from green metallic to a gray depending on the ambient lighting situation. For example, see photo #215 in the gallery above.
@Chiaromonte Its 4:50pm EST - The time you see is correlative to the device you're using to view the page, FYI. So if you're on the east coast viewing this page, you'll see 4:50pm. Thank you.
@maw1124 You are correct in that "removing" the tune is relatively straightforward. It would require (1) Remove the 83mm fixed-supercharger pulley and replace it with the OEM 90mm clutched pulley, (2) remove the supercharger belt and replace it with the OEM belt (which only had 16,500 miles on it when it was removed), (3) Re-install the stock ECU file (RaceIQ will do this for you for a fee of $30.00), and (4) remove the Mk-Ultra Electronics TCU from the car's computer/CAN box and replace it with the stock TCU. Photo #161 in the auction gallery above contains further details on this. And I will gladly email the stock ECU file to the new owner. Another comment regarding the tune on this S55....it is a very "mild" tune in that the 83mm fixed-supercharger pulley is only slightly smaller than stock at 90mm. In fact, UPD no longer offers an 83mm pulley as I assume that most folks seeking to tune their m113k are looking for a more aggressive tune which means a much smaller SC pulley.
Ends 4:50PM EST or PST? Please advise.
@8899 and all, the satellite antennae are also black on ‘06 models, same as shown here, no change. In fact, it’s widely believed that ‘06 models are end of production ‘05 cars, which partly explains why the Siemens “optical loop” COMAND systems were ‘05 and ‘06 only. Separately, IIRC your engine and transmission mods were done recently and are completely reversible. Pop in the stock TCU, revert to a stock supercharger pulley and change the belt and tune — and down the road you go. The way these can be tuned and reverted back so easily is a huge plus IMO, especially because mild tunes barely tap into the car’s potential. maw
@Ramrattan All of the Blackstone Laboratory reports are contained in the gallery as photos #208 to #214. In the approximately 30k+ miles I have owned this S55, I have changed the oil seven times. The oil change, and sample for Blackstone, performed at 112k miles (August 2020) resulted in a destroyed container when it arrived at Blackstone. Regardless, you should be able to ascertain that this M113k engine is in top condition!
Please can you share the Blackstone results?
In case you are wondering, the tire date codes are 4520 (front) and 4020 (rear).
$7,500 bid placed by @Map19335
@Gamma500 You are correct. As far as I know, ABC hose R&R is normally a REPAIR that is carried out when ABC-related faults exist despite regular and correct ABC MAINTENANCE. The root cause of most, if not all, ABC issues has to do with the lack of periodic changes of the ABC fluid (Pentosin) and filter changes.
Nice example..did not see ABC hose R&R on extensive work sheets...?
@Chillmaster68 The COMAND system is capable of handling satellite radio and I can not think of any reason why it would not work again if you chose to re-install the COMAND. And yes, the 2005 model year W220s had the big satellite "egg" on top of the trunk. In 2006 the "egg" got smaller and I believe were painted the same color as the body. Regardless, with the new Sony H/U you can stream SiriusXM either via Bluetooth or via the CarPlay functionality.
It had rhe satellite egg on top of the trunk. Did the satellite radio work before you removed the original radio.
I've known this seller for years due to common ownership of 500Es and this car since he's owned it by virtue of my having owned one since '09. So I helped him shop cars and then walk through what to do with this one. And he has done it ALL, and stayed away from the "not to dos" -- exhaust mods, lowering kits and the like. This is the best S55 I've seen on the market in some time (Seller is fastidious like that), and since mine has higher miles and gives me no real trouble, I'm obviously not worried about the miles. Beautiful car, rare color, up to snuff -- if you're looking for one of these this may be one of your last chances to get a good one (mine won't be on the block any time soon), unless you want to pay through the nose for a museum piece. GLWA! maw
@mercedesmike I forgot to mention that when the Sony H/U was installed, I had some after-market audio/video equipment removed that a previous owner had installed. Please see photo #163. I never really figured out what those plugs were used for, but anyway I had Enfig remove that equipment along with a Dension Gateway system that was installed (came with the car) when I purchased it. I also want to mention that all factory wires are intact and the stock radio (COMAND) can be put back in with very little trouble.
As you will see in my maintenance/repair log, immediately following my acquisition of this S55 (September 2019) I had some extensive maintenance performed including some very important PREVENTATIVE maintenance to the Active Body Control (ABC) suspension system. This suspension system is phenomenal at minimizing body roll but is also known to be problematic if not well maintained. The car's VMI (contained in the gallery) also indicates that there was some ABC work performed at 79,280 miles at a dealership. The takeaway here is that the ABC system on this S55 has been well-maintained and should be trouble-free for many more miles.
@Mr_Casanova Look under the "Quick Facts" section. Shows Mclean, Virginia as the location.
I appreciate all the info and the pictures but there is one thing that I still haven’t understood or I am too blind to find it on the info text. What city / state is the car located ? Trying to figure out how to bring it to FL in case I win the bid.
$7,000 bid placed by @Mr_Casanova
@mercedesmike The install was carried out by Christian at Enfig Car Stereo in Carlstadt, NJ. There is no alternator related grounding whine and all steering wheel functions work as designed. The Sony H/U has Bluetooth connectivity for audio and phone use, but in order to get the full Apple CarPlay functionality you will need to have a wired connection with your phone. Also, we chose not to connect the Sony to the existing radio antenna located in the trunk and instead used a windshield mounted antenna which can be seen in photo #114. The Sony H/U is a MAJOR improvement to the overall ride/driving experience. It also puts out more power to the OEM Bose speakers which improves overall sound quality. Feel free to contact Christian if you have any specific installation-related questions.
Can you tell us more about the radio install? Who did it, any alternator whine as is typical with RCA to MOST modules, steering wheel controls still work?
Be sure to click-on/expand the maintenance and repair log posted above in the description section of the listing (located directly below the large photo of the M113k engine). The maintenance and repair log details all of the work that has been done to this S55 under my ownership.
$4,000 bid placed by @Ramrattan
Welcome to the auction of my 2005 S55 AMG Designo Graphite Edition! I'm happy to answer any questions you may have, either post them in the comments or hit the "Message Seller" button above. In the meantime, I will be offering additional information regarding this S55 over the next several days.