The über test-drive...

Moses · 08-21-2005, 12:38 PM

My father in law has been a car salesman for more than 40 years. He's never sold me a car. Never even tried. He was pretty surprised when I told him I wanted to drop by for a test drive. The car I need to drive is faster than my 911. Lot's faster.

The car I wanted to drive is the Mercedes Benz E 55 AMG. The beast. Until the new BMW M5 V12 comes out it remains the fastest sedan ever produced. It has 469 HP. Zero to 60 in 4.5 seconds. And it looks like grannys Sunday sedan.

So we settle into the comfy sport seats and cruise down the freeway. When passing, you hit 100 MPH before you know it. Smooth. Fast. Beautiful exhaust note. We pull off the freeway for some spirited back roads driving. My father in law is gripping the armrest and smiling nervously. I'm just getting started.

The on-ramp is long, straight and empty. I pull to the shoulder. There are three suspension settings. I select the stiffest. Select manual shift mode to use the paddle shifters on the wheel. Hmm...should I disengage traction control? Sure. Here we go up the onramp. At 35 MPH I downshift and punch the accelerator. Wheelspin! The motor howls and we sprint up to the redline. My god this thing is fast.

My father in law told me he's never been on a test drive like that. I told him I've never driven a car like that. Anyway, I was not really considering buying a Mercedes, but after that drive... Maybe, just maybe.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

The latest F1 race broadcast has added a little TC light when they show telemetry. It lights when the traction control engages on the car. It was interesting because it almost never lights up...only occasionally on corner exit.

It would be interesting to get telemetry from a car like the amg and see what's going on behind the scenes.

oh yeah...and you're a tease

gassy · 08-21-2005, 12:54 PM

Sa-weet.

speeder · speeder's Garage

We are definitely experiencing the zenith of the development of gasoline-powered IC automobiles, and the AMG Mercedes is right there up front. Pretty amazing, really; a supremely safe, everyday usable, comfortable, reliable, well-mannered sedan that weighs over 2 tons and in showroom stock trim would absolutely walk all over any muscle car from the late '60s heyday, and beat most sports cars, including most all of our Porsches, around a road course. Those Germans are something else.

Moses · 08-21-2005, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nostatic

It would be interesting to get telemetry from a car like the amg and see what's going on behind the scenes.

oh yeah...and you're a tease

I'm guessing the F1 drivers are pretty good at avoiding wheelspin. I was trying to create it intentionally. I still can't get over the wheels cutting loose at 35 MPH and the car giving a quick tail shake as it launched up the onramp. This car is quicker than a 996 turbo in the quarter mile. Magnificent. I'm looking at a few used ones on E-bay.

Steve Carlton · 08-21-2005, 06:43 PM

A friend of mine owns an independent Mercedes repair shop and got one of those. Raves about it. And he's had everything, Syclone, Anniversary TransAm Turbo, Z-28SS, GNX, WRX STi...

Moses · 08-21-2005, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SoCal911SC
And it's got a slushbox automatic and soft supension like Granny's Sunday sedan, too!

Is that car really faster than the current 500 hp V10 M5???

There are three ways to operate the gearbox. Full manual is crisp and purposeful. The torque is remarkable.

No. The M5 V10 should be faster. When the 500 HP M5 is released, the E55 will be the second fastest sedan in the world.

stuartj · 08-21-2005, 09:56 PM

I had a similar experience a C32AMG. Two actually. A little soul-less, but exceptional vehicles. The V8 must be great.

cantdrv55 · 08-21-2005, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Moses
This car is quicker than a 996 turbo in the quarter mile.

That'd scare the cr@p out of me.

87coupe · 87coupe's Garage

Wanna see one get beat by a IS300 and a SC300?
Video
It's about 2/3 into the vid.

Moses · 08-22-2005, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 87coupe
Wanna see one get beat by a IS300 and a SC300?
Video
It's about 2/3 into the vid.

And here's one of a 996 Turbo getting spanked on the track by a stock E55 AMG.

http://media.putfile.com/E55vs911Turbo-Eastern-Creek-Australia

My point is that one cannot control for driving skill. Do I think that in competent hands the 996 turbo is a faster track car? Of course. But for $85K I can't think of anything that can touch the E55. Certainly no sedan at that price.

87coupe · 87coupe's Garage

Quote:

But for $85K I can't think of anything that can touch the E55. Certainly no sedan at that price.

I think w/ 85k I could build a Evo or STI, or any number of other sedans, that would run circles around the E55.

If the point that you were trying to make was more along the lines of; The E55 is an very potent rich guys luxury car, that I totally agree with. But to say that it is the most potent sedan you can have for $85k is pretty off base.

stuartj · 08-22-2005, 05:00 PM

OK Brandon. Its A potent sedan you can have for 85k. One could also argue that any comparsion between an autobahn stormer like the AMG Benz and a rally based pocket rocket like an STi or Evo is also pretty off base, no?

87coupe · 87coupe's Garage

Absolutely, I was kinda pointing out the same thing. More in reference to the quote "Certainly no sedan at this price". Sedan is a pretty general description.

Moses · 08-22-2005, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 87coupe
But to say that it is the most potent sedan you can have for $85k is pretty off base.

Actually it's the most potent sedan money can buy, period. Of course that may change with the introduction of the V10 M5. Discussion of mods done to cheap imports is pointless, 'cause in the end you have a highly modded cheap import. The E55 is an amazing machine bone stock.

Here is a great video of the M5 being compared to the E55;

Wish I understood German!

ftp://bmw:m5@67.19.159.71/M5E60/m5e60-mbe55amg-mentv-german.mpg

87coupe · 87coupe's Garage

Whatever, your statement is flawed, period. Let me say it properly for you:
The E55 AMG is currently the most potent sedan in it's class.

You shouldn't state something as fact if you aren't willing for that statement to be taken literally, and scrutinized accordingly.

Anyways, I'm not going to debate this anymore.

Moses · 08-22-2005, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 87coupe

You shouldn't state something as fact if you aren't willing for that statement to be taken literally, and scrutinized accordingly.

I am truly unaware of any stock sedan faster 0-60 or in the quarter mile than the E55. I may be wrong.

Discussion of modified performance is not practically measurable or meaningful. With enough $$$, anything can be made fast.

Mulhollanddose · 09:30 PM

My car pulls off the lot at 4.4 to 4.7 second 0-60, and that is watered down.

Recaro seats, Bilstein shocks, Brembo brakes, variable six-speed tranny, 0.98g skidpad -- STOCK!

Grab some popcorn...and watch a Lambo get ownedhttp://hkoski.pp.fi/evo/FQ400-Topgear.wmv

edit: this is footage of the MR FQ400, which is significantly faster but lags like a mofo.