Quote:
Originally Posted by ctaylor738
I believe that the 3-valve/cylinder engine introduced in 1999 had less HP (302) than the 1996-98 4-valve (315)..
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You are comparing
peak horsepower, Chuck, where the engines are spinning at around 5500 RPM. If the engines drove the rear wheels through a continuously-variable transmission that permitted them to accelerate and always spin at those high RPMs, then as a practical matter, peak horsepower would completely characterize the performance of these engines. But of course the R129 has no CVT, and its engine operates over a broad range of RPMs; therefore, to more accurately characterize the power of these engines you have to consider a broader measure than peak horsepower: the engine power curve of horsepower vs. engine RPM. Comparing power curves the M113 engine (1999+) has a significant advantage over the M119 engine (1990-1998). In particular, the M113 makes more horsepower than the M119 at lower RPMs. This is why the 0-60 time is significantly lower for an M113-powered car and why an M113 has better throttle response while driving in-town.
Ken Rockwell is a guy who isn't particularly knowledgeable about Mercedes but has spent a lot of time making a website. He is responsible for spreading a considerable amount of disinformation about the R129, and this is a pity.