Jake951

...the E55 AMG, the 469 bhp/516 lb-ft monster from Mercedes that, according to Road & Track, does 0-60 in 4.2 seconds and the 1/4-mile in 12.4. OK, OK, so it wasn't a real race. I have never even seen an E55 AMG, let alone raced one.

The recent June issue of Road & Track compared the Audi RS6 (450 bhp), BMW M5 (394 bhp), Jaguar S-Type R (390 bhp), and the E55 AMG super-sedans. One of the features in the article was a rolling acceleration test from 60-90 mph, done in third gear. The E55 AMG was quickest at 4.4 seconds. (Actually the M5 also tied the AMG at 4.4 seconds). Here's the R&T piece on that acceleration test:
<a href="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/June03R&T.JPG" target="_blank">Road & Track article</a>

This is a simple test to do. It doesn't require any clutch-burning drag strip starts and there is no gear shifting. Naturally I decided to try this in my Turbo S.

I picked a relatively flat (actually slightly uphill) section of a local highw...err, uh, test track and did several timed acceleration runs from 60 to 90 in third gear. I made allowance for known speedometer error in my 951. I got an average of 4.0 seconds (slowest was 4.3, fastest 3.7). I beat the E55 AMG and the M5! Not bad, eh??

How can this be? Well, for starters, the E55 AMG has a curb weight of 4200 lbs. It also is equipped with an automatic transmission and third gear in this vehicle is a bit taller than optimal at these speeds. But you get the picture...

For the record, my Turbo S has the GURU MAP Stage 1 setup, but otherwise is 100% stock. Wow, this ***** kicks some serious butt!! <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

Turk

Killer!

Silverbullet951

beautiful man, It just shows what potential these cars have. Can't wait till i get my vitesse stage 2 kit so I can race my cousin and his new 996 turbo. I'm guessing the 996 turbo is putting around 360-370 at the wheels. With my weight verses his, damn, boy that'll be fun!!

Mike B

Call me biased but I'll put my money on the Silverbullet...everytime!

rage2

If all goes well, I should be picking up the new E55 shortly. I'll do some real 951 vs E55 back to back testing both on the track and on the street along with some cool vids.

sybelix

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by rage2:
<strong>If all goes well, I should be picking up the new E55 shortly. I'll do some real 951 vs E55 back to back testing both on the track and on the street along with some cool vids. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"><img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" />

we have been waitin' for some new pics & vids !

<img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />

rage2

I just got my camcorder repaired, and I'm thinking about doing a drift course at the local track... so I should have some vids shortly hehe.

Will I be the first to drift a 951?

Danno

"Will I be the first to drift a 951?"

Sorry, they did it in the original "Ferraris For Lunch" commercial.

Dan Gallagher

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Danno:
<strong>"Will I be the first to drift a 951?"

Sorry, they did it in the original "Ferraris For Lunch" commercial.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">does anyone have a really good quality shot of that? i would like to make a poster of it... or does anyone know where to buy a poster of it?

Swedeboy

Interestingly, I put my 951 (stock except for 265hp Sandén wastegate kit) side by side with a close friend's 1985 BMW M5 (286hp @ ca. 1300kg) on a local airstrip on Monday. The 2 cars were perfectly matched all the way from standstill to 220 kph. We tried this several times. No punishment - the inline-6 M5 engine sounds so incredibly sexy...

In-gear acceleration is slightly better in the 951 in my opinion (or its easier to access than with the high-revving M5), but this was difficult to test on the airstrip.

Several friends own the new model BMW M5 and M3 cars - and I have driven both models extensively. I can guarantee you that they put up a very tough act to match. I have run the 951 against a friend's new M3 over and over again in the range 60-240kph (on a private testtrack naturally ). Under 160kph the M3 is slightly faster and offers better traction, above 160kph it will walk (if not run) away. The same will apply for the new M5 - which is slightly slower than the M3 at lower speeds, but faster at higher speeds. But then there's absolutely no shame in being slower with a 15 year older car costing a fraction of their new prices...

FWIW I have put my WRX side by side with a new E55 AMG a few weeks ago on the highway...the way the E55 destroyed the WRX in the 70-140kph range left me under no illusion my 951 has no hope of matching the E55 in that range...

sybelix

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Swedeboy:
<strong>(on a private testtrack naturally ). </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"><img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[hiha]" title="" src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" />

Silverbullet951

Wow, rage now i'm dying to see those vids.

Silverbullet951

I once raced a modified E55 amg with my 951 as it is now. I got totally burned in second gear. Who knows what the hell he had under that hood...

86944turbo

May M/T has the 4310 lb. SL55 accel. from 60-90 in 3.85 sec. This time was "backed into", by subtracting the 0-90 (8.24) from the 0-60 (4.39). It's an article w/Mario Andretti. I don't know if he perfromed the accel. tests. M/T usually gets the best times from a perf. car, since Schroeder (C&D) passed on. I realize this was not limited to 3rd gear, but it's probably not to difficult to replicate by an owner. After approx. 120~, the AMG takes off. In a 5spd., 951, you could reach 70 or so in second, but the little time one may gain, would be lost in the shift. Best done in 3rd. R&T usually has the most conservative times.
I do not know much about each mags. curb weight, or launch techniques. I don't think it matters too much w/auto, but can. Strange R&T had better 0-60 time. Even with their 3.85, your time is still quicker!! Is your speedo accurate? My 5 spd. speedo was generous. Your's may well be accurate. Great time!

Jake951

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by 86944turbo:
<strong> Is your speedo accurate? My 5 spd. speedo was generous. Your's may well be accurate. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">I know mine reads high. To correct for this, I ran my acceleration runs from an indicated 62 mph to 93 mph on the speedo to get these times. Of course it involved some analog interpolation to read these speeds by eye from the speedo, so I'm not claiming ultra-high precision.

Also, I just checked the original Road & Track review of the Turbo S back in 1988. Their time from 60-90 was 5.8 seconds en route to a 100+ mph acceleration run. It involved a gear shift from second to third just above 60 mph.