My 97 E420 has ASR, but not ESP. Is ASR the standard traction control, and the ESP an even fancier computerized traction control? If I don't have the ESP, am i doomed to drive on snow with 16" regular all-season tires in SE MI??? I was fine with 16" all season tires in my 5speed manual RWD BMW but that car had all kinds of electronic safety features like ASC+T, DSC, etc etc.....

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Current cars:
2001 MB E55 AMG
2003 Honda S2000
2000 Honda CRV

Gone but not forgotten:
2004 BMW 325i 5sp sport
1999 BMW 540i sport
1997 MB E420
1995 BMW M3 coupe

If memory serves me right

ABS - helps in braking, so ur wheels don't lock
ASR - helps in take off, so ur wheels don't spin
ESP - controls yaw, which is the left-right weight shift of the car, like taking a corner

ESP is a more advanced ASR. Its more of a stability control in all driving conditions while ASR is more of a traction control to get you moving.

http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/unitedkingdom/mpc/mpc_unitedkingdom_website/en/home_mpc/vans/home/products/new_vans/vito_new/overview/safe/driving_stability.0002.html

ESP will work with all wheels and apply brakes to individual wheels to make the car go in a straight line. It's the same technology used in the current mercedes models. you can visit www.mbusa.com and click on the video for more information. ASR was a slip reduction technology that worked with rear wheels. ESP uses a yaw sensor as well as steering angle inputs.

Got to sit in new CLS on a demo ride around the skid pad in Unterturkheim last July.

Cobblestone; wet.

With ESP on, little drama.

With ESP off, car spun off every time.

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Kent Christensen
Albuquerque
'07 GL320CDI, '10 CL550. '01 Porsche Boxster
Two BMW motorcycles

ASR cuts the throttle and/or retards the ignition timing demand to the engine when it detects wheel spin, therefore reducing the torque output of the engine, to prevent overpowering the drive wheels in low-traction situations. ESP will apply brakes to individual wheels during a slide, therefore bringing the vehicle back under control with little or no steering input. ASR was incorporated into the ESP system as well.

Yes, and it should be mentioned that ASR also incorporates ETS, the
earliest system that will use the two rear wheel brakes to simulate
locked differential (or Limited Slip Differential, LSD) in addition to
reduced motor power. Turning off ASR on a car with ASR will retain
ETS up to 80km/h.

Read more abour ETS, ASR, ESP and 4Matic of Mercedes compared
to systems from BMW, Audi and Volvo here (in german, but with
illustrations);

http://www.pvv.org/~syljua/merc/Fahrdynamiksysteme.pdf

br,
syljua, with ESP, ASR and ETS, that did not stop me from
being trapped in the snow this morning (hard snow trapped under car) ;-)

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1998 CL500 W140
1984 230E W123