As popular as Mercedes’ AMG cars are, there has never been a manual in the performance brand’s history. However, Alex Bridges decided the big, powerful V8 in his W210 E55 AMG would work better with a manual transmission, so he added one himself, and his entire process, from idea to reality, was documented by European auto parts company FCP Euro’s Nathan Brown.
Interestingly enough, Bridges wasn’t really a huge Mercedes fan. Moving to the E55 from an E36 3-Series, he was actually more of a BMW fan. Apparently, his decision to go with an E55 as a replacement for his E36 came almost as an accident.
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Driving his turbocharged, A/C-less E36 convertible in the Texas heat didn’t make for an enjoyable experience, and after seeing a W210 E55 on the highway, Bridges knew he wanted the comfortable-yet-brutal cruiser as his next daily driver. Surely enough, after reaching out to a knowledgeable friend to help him with his search, he picked up the car, but contrary to what he expected, he initially found it to be just adequate.
That’s when his idea to manual swap it was born.
Upon further research, he discovered from some forum posts that a manual swap was not only possible, but actually quite doable for a DIYer such as himself. What he found was that all that’s needed to manual swap an E55, or any other similar Mercedes with the M112/M113 engine, is a manual Chrysler Crossfire to use for parts. Thanks to the Daimler-Chrysler merger of the early 2000’s, the Crossfire is essentially a Mercedes SLK underneath, meaning they would share a transmission.
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Also, because of the W210’s basic electronics, the manual swap apparently doesn’t require much reprogramming. Later models with the updated ECU could even allow for the car to know it’s a manual, meaning it won’t display any errors, which, if you have emissions testing or inspections to consider, is a necessity.
The automatic transmission made the 5.4-liter V8, which puts out 349 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque, feel less powerful than it really is. As a result, Bridges likely figured that swapping in the manual would make it feel more spritely. Combined with a deleted rear muffler, resonator, and secondary catalytic converter, his E55 has an even louder tone to add to the experience of shifting his own gears.
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When it comes to aesthetics, the most prominent changes include O.Z. Racing Opera wheels, wider Kenda KR20A tires, and a slight lowering from the removal of the factory spring pads. In addition, it features DEPO LED taillights, W211 AMG exhaust tips, and a lightly customized front bumper. The interior is also pretty much stock, retaining the car’s original wood and leather appointments. The only noticeable trait of this car’s manual transmission is a factory Mercedes shift knob and boot from a manual C-Class.
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Bridges wants E55 AMG owners to know that this conversion is possible, and be able to enjoy these great cars even more. Thus, he detailed the whole process on his YouTube channel to show more people how to get in on the action.
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