A gentleman came in recently with a very classy looking vehicle…a 2010 Mercedes E550 sedan. His request? A rack system that didn’t scream “rack”. Our answer? The ProRack Whispbar.
The aggressive Mercedes Benz E550 ready to pounce
The Whispbar setup for this car looks sharp. The clean lines of the aluminum crossbars compliment the vehicle nicely, and the ‘flush mount’ bar system terminates before the edge of the roof – no ungainly overhang to bump your head into.
And the best part about Whispbar? Even on a modern luxury vehicle like this Benz the racks maintain a whisper-quiet presence. At issue is the fact that automakers make their cars quieter every year – the race is on to show who’s car generates the fewest decibels. One of the biggest complaints about roof racks is that they create noise, especially at highway speeds and/or with the sunroof open.
Thankfully, the engineers in New Zealand at ProRack have wind tunnel tested their product after benchmarking brand-T and brand-Y…see for yourself here.
The caveat to the quiet? Adding accessories and gear, such as the Thule 594xt Sidearm and a bike, will likely eliminate the benefits of the Whispbar. There just isn’t anything you can do about the noise made by the bike and bike rack…I call that fact “life with a rack”. But luckily, the Sidearms (after initial setup) are relatively easy on/off with standard Thule mounting hardware (hidden under the locking cover).
E-Class with Thule Sidearm XT
The Whispbar components used in this application include the S26 bars and Fitting Kit 437. Alternately, if you need some extra space, go for the S16 bars which will ‘pass-thru’ the tower by a couple of inches on each side. Have no fear about your paint or door seals, as this application utilizes the fixed points built into the roof of this Mercedes – also common on other German makes as well as some Japanese cars.
Mercedes E550 ready to burn rubber...with 2 bikes
As usual, if you have any questions about this or any other application, don’t hesitate to comment on our blog or give us a phone call–503.226.7300. Or check out the other North American Rack Attack stores here.
-Scott
M-B E550 silhouette
on this set up could you fit a kayak between the two bike racks?
This setup does not leave you too much room. If you use a J-cradle, a boat on edge takes up a little over a foot of bar space. You should consider a slightly longer bar or a less bulky bike rack (like a fork mount) if you want to do 2 bikes and one boat.
Hope that helps!
-Scott