What goes around comes around.

Learn this at your earliest convenience, it's long been one of my life mottos and has come full circle again to pinch me in the backside. No sooner had I published musings about an E320CDI's comparable amounts of torque and I was handed the shiny key to a brand-new E500. Perhaps someone at the Rola Motor Mall is actually reading my reviews... and has a sense of humour.

In my defence, the E500 in question was one of the new "face–lifted" models and thanks to its new generation engine now pumps out even more torques than those I mentioned in said E320CDI review. The new V8 now has four valves per cylinder again totalling many, many valves, and power output is up from 302 to 385 horsepower. Oh joy. Yet again the Stuttgart understatement brigade has gotten their badges wrong as this is actually a 5.5 litre unit (no relation to any AMG siblings). Mercedes–Benz correctly names the car an E550 in the United States, but nowhere else, not even in the fatherland.

Besides the new engine, this also gave me an opportunity to report about the alleged 2300 changes made to the internally–known W211 model range. Most striking are (what I perceive to be) a parrot beak reincarnation of the radiator grill, new wheel designs and more aerodynamic exterior mirrors, different rear light clusters with joined reverse and indicator lights, and a longer chrome strip on the bootlid. 5 down, 2295 or–so upgrades to go.

The main driving lights now feature horizontal slats in the indicator section and came with active cornering trickery on this model. When turning into a dark side street at night, the car illuminates most of the intended path you have chosen. This is a very practical and innovative feature, but also proved a great party trick with family and friends. The front bumper has also been redesigned with each fog–light and accompanying cooling duct receiving a bit of chrome treatment.

My test vehicle wore a Tealite Blue coat of paint and revealed a two–tone grey interior which I (and many a passenger) found very pleasing to the eye, creating a light and airy atmosphere. Thanks to someone having ticked the Avantgarde option, the instrument cluster also had a light background and the cabin was tastefully decorated with dark grey wood inserts. The new key (as mentioned) is really quite shiny and summons a reasonably subdued V8 into life. Another alteration is the introduction of the 7G–Tronic automatic gearbox with 7 forward and 2 (much–debated) reverse gears. Its operation is a familiar exercise via the gearlever with manual gear change option and due to its successful marriage to that brute of an engine it always wafts you along with minimal fuss and barely perceivable cog changes. CEY20120 had covered a whopping 400km at handover, so I treated her reasonably gently for the 100km duration of my test.

Not that I found an undying need to burn rubber in the E500, through town it would hum along at now more than 1500rpm and respond to slight accelerator changes with no more than one gear change and a wallop of pulling power. Wider throttle openings resulted in additional gear action and a very determined shove from the super–responsive engine. Sometimes the car would hesitate a second or two before changing down and leaping forward, but the transition is beautifully bridged by masses of torque. The desired momentum is more than a match for turbo–diesels and hot hatches, as a properly run–in E500 should furiously scream past 100km/h in under 6 seconds and only calm down around 250km/h at the hands of its electronic speed–limiter nanny. Perhaps scream is the wrong term, as the big Merc is quite muffled and only stretches its vocal cords in the most refined manner. As with its diesel sibling, the E500 gave the impression of a supersonic cruiser rather than some missile–laden fighter jet.

As is customary for luxury cars with 3–pointed crosshairs on the bonnet, the ride and handling is more focused towards comfort than tyre–shredding hooliganism and a journey on a dual carriageway or highway will seem like a homecoming. My blue companion settled into such a serene and effortless cruise that I had to concentrate really hard not to keep driving and end up in, say, Bloemfontein. Any driver input is immediately and precisely translated into a gracefully controlled movement, even full use of any of the two pedals. High–speed acceleration is absurdly impressive and might just initiate a monologue as to our ridiculously low national speed limit, while braking (now without Sensotronic Brake Control) is up to the highest standards. The pedal feel and movement take a while to get used to, but the fade–free brake system is surely confidence–inspiring for any driver.

My initial impression of the upgraded suspension wasn‘t exactly great, until I realised that this E–Class had been fitted with Airmatic suspension. In its standard setting this clever system makes the E500 one of the most comfortable saloons you could travel in, perhaps even too comfortable as the car glides along in a sponge–like fashion, soaking up uneven surfaces and drenching some feedback to the driver.

The second setting proved to be the best solution in my opinion, as the last (and hardest) setting alters the car‘s suspension characteristics to those of a wooden plank. Maybe I‘m exaggerating slightly, but the final Airmatic setting makes the E500‘s ride too hard and very un–Mercedes–like. One of my passengers picked this up as well, but we did agree that this athletic setting would please sporting drivers and retired go–cart racers. Yet again I have to correct myself; for having said that this Merc is a soft and comfortable cruiser. With the Airmatic button on lunatic mode, the E500 becomes a very nimble and naughty sports sedan.

And so I end the E500‘s report much like that of the pre–face–lifted E320 CDI. The many upgrades have freshened up an already capable and luxurious sedan, and the addition of the new V8 power–plant has also given this E–Class a more sporty edge; albeit with fuel consumption suffering a bit. It was a sad day when I had to return the shiny key and matching car that fulfils all my wants and needs, except perhaps affordability.

For

• Elegant and luxurious
• Bags of power
• Safety and comfort features

Against

• Price
• Urban cycle consumption