The torque chart prompts a double-take. Could the engine actually produce its maximum torque over a 1400-rpm range? No wonder acceleration is rheostat-like. Combine that with a five-speed transmission that shifts imperceptibly, and you feel as if you're sort of quietly and effortlessly slung along in this car.

Over the last half-dozen years Mercedes has greatly refined the handling of its sedans. The E430 is quite nimble, and light in its response. It handles smaller than it is, yet overall it feels bigger than it is. That's no mean feat, and takes masterful engineering. The rack-and-pinion steering is speed-sensitive, and includes a hydraulic damper.

The suspension is slanted toward the soft side so it swallows things like expansion strips, but it never feels too soft. The quality of the ride is consistent with the quality of the rest of the car. This isn't a car meant to be tossed through the curves, but the potential is there, which is where the E55 AMG comes from. And the E430 offers a Sport Package, which includes five-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels bearing low-profile W-rated tires.

The automatic transmission features Touch Shift, which allows the driver to play, by shifting the manually with a nudge of the lever to the left or right. There's also a Winter mode, which starts the car moving in second gear (including a special second reverse gear) to help improve takeoff on slippery surfaces.

The transmission's upshifts under acceleration are imperceptible, but it is possible to confuse the "driver adaptive control," that computer that shifts according to your style. Your style may need to change from moment to moment, and you can change your mind more quickly than the transmission. If, for example, you accelerate and then have to back off for a sudden new event, at lower speeds, the transmission will actually lurch trying to keep up with what it mistakenly thinks is your plan. The Mercedes engineer would say, "Ah yes, but you should drive more smoothly." Tell it to the traffic.