It appears Benz is under rating their engines....since the same engine in an SL55 is 493 hp...which seems about right for that dyno. AMG makes wicked rides....but they are pricey....for 1/4 the price of an E55 you could have a blown 928 that will be faster...

 

I recall reading that the HP difference was due to a more restrictive exhaust in the e55 necessary for 'packaging' reasons.

 

 

Richard...I'll be in Germany October 9th-14th, somewhere between Hanover and Frankfurt, then to Zurich for the weekend.

Kevin, Not arguing here, but there is no stock 928S4 that would touch the Goldmember twin turbo in a straight line, say 40-120 MPH....even with the 3-spd AT power cripple-transmission. That car put 355 ft-lbs to the road at 3,300 RPM. I dynoed it on a very hot (100F) day. HP was like 270 at the wheels. Sure, you can say the S4 makes the same power...but Goldmember made over 250 wheel HP at 3,300 RPM. There is nothing wrong with my S4, it just has a lot less mid range power than a turbo 928 and fixing a flappy won't make a darn bit of difference in this comparison. Trust me, you would want turbo power if you had a ride in my 4.5 liter twin turbo. The key is production of mid range power, precisely what the turbochargers deliver in rather large amounts. It behaves like 6 liters on boost, easily. I'm certain the GM will make a lot more (+30-50) power on a cooler day...additionally there is more power waiting with the install of K-26 turbos as my Callaway will be getting over the next 4-6 weeks. The only edge a stock 928S4 will have over my 4.5 twin will be on the very top end and of course in the braking department.

Do I think the S4 is quick? Sure I do, but it doesn't even begin to compare to my 4.5 liter Callaway car in on the road accelleration performance. Owning both I can tell you there is no comparison in accelleration and the feeling of driving both cars. There is not that much excitement in the S4 to me, the turbo 928 is a different animal altogether, like an amusement ride for grown-ups. There are only a handful of people who have seen a turbo powered 928, let alone ride in one. It is an awesome experience that I hope to share with many others next year. Only two people rode the member this June in NC and both were significantly impressed (even though it was like 100 dba in the pass compartment) We were at 4,200 ft elevation and the one rider told me the car was every bit as powerful as a Euro S car...remember this is a 3-spd AT tranny car at altitude! The gap is about to widen much more. I expect the twin turbo S4 to eclipse the Callaway's performence along with a host of other stuff available today. My HP goals are high, but I think it can be done, and done properly.

A super car for under $20,000!

 

Well, I went to check out an Aston-Martin today. 12 cylinder, big, small trunk, marginal rear seats like P cars, lots of unnecessary bling IMO, poor forward vision, seats appearing to be Recaro race seats, but way too large for me (are Brits that wide bodied?), and I felt like a child and loose in them. The whole aesthetic is too baroque for my tastes, and I kept looking at the V12 BMW parked across the street and my 928 in front of it, and was pleased by the simple honest forms and lack of hype in both designs. The A-M does offer optional paddle shifters on the steering column or tiptronic-like transmission for a more automatic shifting experience. I would prefer the paddle shifters which can shift up or down, but cannot overrev the engine, because the system won't let it shift into a lower gear until the rpm drops to an acceptable level. And you can only shift when the wheels are more or less straight ahead, unlike tiptronic which allows shifts in turns at partial lock. Another nice thing was the weight distribution of the car. Like the 928, the transmission is in the rear. Nice. $225,000.00 for this beast. He asked me to return for a test drive, as I as pressed for time, but I think the feeling once back in my 928 was ....no thanks......now where is the Ferrari dealer? I like my 928 better so far. Nothing compares to the overall pluses including the seating position, vision, and simple ergonomics. Spend your money on a yacht.

 

"Do I think the S4 is quick? Sure I do, but it doesn't even begin to compare to my 4.5 liter Callaway car in on the road accelleration performance. Owning both I can tell you there is no comparison in accelleration and the feeling of driving both cars."

Well a twin turbo set up will have that effect.

 

John,

I will be in CA Oct. 9-14th. I have a trip tenatively set for Early Feb 06... As you will be near Hannover, you can go for a blast on the A2 that goes to Berlin. Once you get outside on Hannover to the east, the road is pretty quiet, and lots of unrestricted sections. Near Frankfurt, not too many good roads, as it's too crowded. However, if you go at night the A7 is pretty open all the way down to Basel. If you had time, you could drive over to Berlin on the A2, then take the A9 down to Munich, then find your way to ZH. The 9 is open (low traffic) most evenings, and weekdays. You are guaranteed to be passed by the BMW guys on their trips near Munich, as the 9 runs near the factory and the Strauss Airport. On the A2, you should be passed by the guys at VW corp and some Audi people. Audi guys also test on the A9 down near Ulm...

Ron,

I am assuming you sat in a Vanquish or DB9. The new AM Vantage is not too bad. Nothing substitutes the Virage Vantage 93-98. As far as the Ferrari dealer, go to Los Gatos and ask for Jack Gordon or Graham Pike (both very nice people). Another very nice ride is the Maser Quattroporte. 4 door, but lots of character.. Oh, the 575M and 612 Scaglietti are not bad either...

Funny you mentioned AM, The Zagato Factory gave my friend Peter a 1 off AM Vanquish Zagato to toodle around in over Concours Weekend. It was the blue concept car that was at Quail lodge, and also at Pebble Beach for the Concours this year. That is a very nice ride... And it was blue, my fave colour...!

No yachts, unless it's a Sunseeker..!

Cheers,

 

I spoke with Jack Gordon, and yes, he was nice and informative. Knew his car stuff and P cars too. He had a rare (at least he said it was rare) A-M convertible in there which has no top whatsoever or any provision for installing one. Definitely a fair weather, drive to Napenthe's-for-lunch ride. I am intrigued by the big Ferrari after following one on 280 one day.

 

Ron,

Jack knows his stuff, and is a "car guy." He owns the place, or at least used to..

That was a DBAR1 you probably saw there... Also designed by Zagato... Now imagine a Vanquish looking like that..

I like the 456, 550, 575, and 612... They are an ultimate GT, as they have luggage space for 2, and 12 cylinders in Front....!

 

John,
I am looking forward to the twin s4 dev. I think I heard you correctly when you said "one rider said it was as powerful as a euro s car" . Look at my avatar as I used to own two euro s cars, both 5 spd. They would'nt come close to the accelleration of my s4 5spd, a little quicker off the line though.

 

I have yet to see a 928 line-up against an E55 so that is speculation. Drag race one from a dig and then try to catch him. I don't think you will do it in a supercharged 928....especially a centrifugally supercharged one. Let me provide a link to actual drag times of E55's:
E55 drag times

I'm a fan of the centrifugal supercharger, have one on my 560 SEC, but I know it will not be able to match the off the line torque or hp of the positive displacement. Maybe from an 80 mph punch and the S4 is in the correct gear but that'd be about the only way and it would be very close with a very strong supercharged 928. I would think that you would need around 500 rwhp from a centrifugally blown engine to get close to the acceleration from even a stock E55. The E55 with a pulley or headers and you can call it quits!

 

Betcha any 928 with a 2 stage progressive fogger Nitrous kit and a good off-road exhaust would wipe the road with an E55.

Such setups cost under $1500 new, and are often on ebay for $500-800 bucks.

I wouldn't put that big a shot on any street car(i'm not rich, lol), but if one had the courage, he'd have one of the fastest cars around.

Nitrous....no respect. It's the Rodney Dangerfield of forced induction...LOL.

I'd also like a 6.4 liter stroker motor moderately lightened 928 vs an E55 too.

And Herr Kuhns twin turbo S4....oh my.

 

What kind of numbers does it produce between 4500 and 6000 RPM?. That's where I would be from 50-120 MPH in my 89 five speed.

Just stirring the pot, John...

 

Then put that same kit on an E55 and see how close you can get. Let's see some 1/4 mile times from any 928, not Humphree's blown big block, and see if any can run in the low 11's on a street legal chassis as has been shown that the E55 can do. I haven't seen any 928's that could run 11's. The 928 is not a drag car nor is it the ultimate fast car either. It's a great car and I love mine dearly. Heck, I've owned for 12 years! But, com'on, you have got to give-up on the dream.

 

I dont know that an E55 would stay together under a multistage kit, it is already blown to begin with.

A simple 50-100hp wet shot would probably be safe, but a big 2 stage fogger would put the E55 at close to 1000hp.

It would be very, very fast....for about 3 runs.

And of course there are economies of scale(is that the right term?) at play.

Being into my 928 for a grand total of about 10k(including all repairs and upgrades to date), i have a looooooooong way to go before i'm even close to the investment required by an E55.