2011 Mercedes-Benz E550 Cabriolet First Drive

Driving a convertible like the 2011 Mercedes-Benz E550 Cabriolet with the top down and the windows up doesn't feel right. Too much glass, not enough air.

But "windows up" is what the folks at Mercedes suggested, better to experience the car's new AirCap system, they tell us. So we follow their advice as we wind our way into the hills of Mallorca, a small island in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Spain.

After all, the AirCap system is the signature feature on the 2011 E-Class Cabriolet. It consists mainly of a deployable airfoil that rises from the top of the windshield to redirect airflow over the cabin. Sure enough, it does just that, allowing us to hold a normal conversation all the way to the postcard village of Galilea. There we stop and get out to admire the local color and take a few pictures, and that's when we notice a problem.

We've been driving around with our fly open (well, metaphorically speaking, anyway). Sitting there with the AirCap spoiler deployed and the windows up, our 2011 Mercedes-Benz E550 Cabriolet looks ridiculous. We didn't notice it from behind the wheel, but now we realize that the gestures of the Spanish locals probably weren't as complimentary as we originally thought. Then again, our hair looks great.

You Can't Have It Both Ways
So yes, there is a price to be paid for a convertible that doesn't always feel like one. To test the 2011 Mercedes-Benz E550 Cabriolet's innovative air management system, we drop all four windows and sure enough, wind shear in the cabin bumps up a notch. It's not terrible, mind you, as the AirCap system still works; it's just not quite as calm as it was before.

Along with the windshield mechanism, AirCap also includes a small windscreen between the rear seats. It's much less noticeable as it rises and falls, depending on whether the system detects backseat passengers.

In fact, four-passenger comfort has been one of the prime objectives of the AirCap system, Mercedes-Benz tells us. A short ride in the backseat confirms that this car is indeed more comfortable than your average four-place drop top, provided the tight seating conditions don't bother you.

AirScarf doesn't reduce turbulence; it just makes the air that does hit you more comfortable.

Front passengers get coddled even further by another unique comfort system called AirScarf. First introduced in the SLK roadster, AirScarf is a system that blows warm air on your neck through vents mounted in the headrests. So instead of trying to reduce turbulence, the AirScarf system just makes the air that does hit you a little more soothing.

No Hardtop Necessary
Mercedes stuck with a standard soft top for the E-Class cabriolet, even though many of its competitors have switched to retractable hardtops. Mercedes engineers told us they preferred the soft top in this application due to easier packaging, reduced weight and their desire to keep a standard hardtop coupe in the lineup. All good points, we think.

A switch on the center console controls both the mechanism for the top and the AirCap device, while the AirScarf has separate controls on the dash. Considerable work has been done to insulate the soft-shell roof to reduce noise when it's closed. We find out firsthand when rain forces us to stop and make the swap. It takes about 20 seconds and the seals are so secure that the car feels like a coupe once we're under way again.

The finishing on the inside of the roof is about as well executed as you're ever going to see, with no visible mechanisms and precision stitching from front to back. There's no noticeable wind howl and even the rearward visibility isn't bad. As in any convertible, trunk space is compromised, but Mercedes did manage to carve out 13.8 cubic feet of cargo space when the top is up.

Feels Like the Coupe; Drives Like It, Too
Nearly every convertible ever made displays some degree of chassis wobble — that's what happens when you cut away nearly half of the structure. To combat this, Mercedes added reinforcement tubes to the A-pillars along with what it calls "plug-in" B-pillars and several additional reinforcement plates to the door sills and floorboards.

It works quite well, as our 2011 Mercedes-Benz E550 reveals only the slightest shakes over larger bumps in the road. We would venture to guess that most drivers wouldn't even detect the ride quality difference between the coupe and cabriolet. Much of this has to do with the fact that apart from the structural reinforcements, there are few differences between the two models.

Like the coupe, the convertible rides on a rear-wheel-drive chassis that stretches 108.7 inches between the wheels. It borrows parts from both the C-Class and E-Class models, so it doesn't fit into any precisely defined platform category.

Coupe Speed, Convertible Attitude
Our E550 cabriolet uses the same 5.5-liter V8 as the E550 coupe as well. With 382 horsepower and a seven-speed automatic transmission, the combination makes this a very fast convertible. It's capable of sprinting from zero to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds, says Mercedes. We put the top down again and go through the gears a few times just to listen, and it is indeed good to the ears.

Of course, the V8 might not be worth the extra money, because the standard E350 gets a pretty impressive 268-hp V6 and the same transmission. Its performance is adequate, not thrilling, but mileage should be considerably better and the purchase cost will be lower.

Mercedes wouldn't give up pricing details for the U.S. version of the E-Class cabriolet, but said to expect roughly the same coupe-to-convertible price premium as the CLK this car replaces. In other words, figure about $60K to start when the car goes on sale in May.

Leisure Class
As quick as the 2011 Mercedes-Benz E550 Cabriolet may be, it's not a sporty car. It feels far more comfortable at half throttle with the radio on and an elbow on the window sill. The steering is nicely weighted and the suspension well damped, yet neither encourages aggressive driving.

Maybe it's the E's size or the fact that it tips the scales at just over 2 tons (4,057 pounds) that make it feel so leisurely. Either way, this attitude doesn't feel like a liability from behind the wheel. Besides, this car isn't really a BMW 3 Series competitor. It's much closer to the Audi A5/S5 in terms of its mission, price and performance.

Then again, the Audi doesn't have the fancy AirCap system. Whether that's a drawback depends on what you value more — looking good on the outside or feeling good on the inside.

Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.