Michael, my impression of the stock 500E is that it's actually quite soft. Are you talking about a 500E with upgraded tire/wheels?

Also, my understanding of the self-leveling rear suspensio on the 500E is that it's designed strictly for compensating heavy load, similar to the one on the 560SL and not so much as an active suspension?

In general, I find the E55 easier to push fast especially since it has all the electronic enhancements like ESP.