Was the traction control on ?

 

Blacklight:

That's the real key on these cars. they have a very sophisticated traction control that really works. The one I ran did not spin the tires at all on our little go and he took off like a bat out of hell from the second light with no spin. I was left turning to the shop at that one.
Awesome car, all in all.
Bill

 

There are a lot of "failsafes" in those hi$ cars, even my "lowly" GS400, there are quite a few. lighting up the rear tire is something the engineers at lexus either, do not find humor or efficiency in. you must make a conscious effort to do so, even with a 300hp v8 in a 3500lb car. if you see a victim, or they pick you; you must quickly decide; manual or auto? QUICK THINK!!!, unlock stupid-snow/auto/perf toggle switch, QUICK, B4 THE LIGHT TURNS!!!, switch off Vehicle Skid Control, GREEN LIGHT !!! , oh that was a dash light warning, that you turned off all of the lexus "life saving devices" engineered for your safety. now you look like a fool, who just jumped forward for turn signal light, only you know, you are a fool, who just jumped forward for a dash light . now your set, only, your foe is 2 blocks ahead, and your staring at a stale green light , sweet ride though, wife drives it, i don't have the reaction time needed to drive a vehicle that complex

 

Regarding the Mercedes-Benz AMG E55, they have traction control (ASR). But, I was reading the Popular Mechancis article from last summer(called "Acceleration Nation")said that the ASR can be "out muscled" (brake reving) and will spin the wheels like mad.
Otherwise, it will not by just mashing the accelerator.

Article said the $72,290 E55 had a 5.4L SOHC 24v V8 with 349 HP and 391 lb. of torque. 5sp Automatic. Curb weight 3746 lb.
Best times where 0-60 5.32 sec. Quarter mile 13.39 at 106.06 MPH. These where tests conducted by Popular Mechanics.

So, I wonder if the 600SL has even more power and ASR? Sounds like it does.

 

Redlite:

As stated earlier, the 600 (V-12) is rated at 389 horse power and 412 FtLb torque and is standard equipped with an electronic traction control that is very hard to defeat.

To be quite honest, I really don't mind being spanked by a Mercedes that cost about $100,000 more dollars than my Bolt and is more an image vehicle than even our Lightnings, particularly with respect to practical use. I sort of feel the same way that the guy in California feels when getting spanked by 355 Ferraris.
Tomorrow, I am going to pick up a 12' WellsCargo trailer full of store fixtures coming down here from Maryland and I can still burn the ******* off the tires with that load. Not your average Benz or Ferrari can do that.
Through bragging.
Bill

 

Yeah, That SL 600 is a beast. I got to drive one at work and it is the fastest car I've have been in.

I think it would take on about anything from a light. The night that I drove it, it was the first time in about a month that it had rained and I was guning that car from stop lights,around curves and everything and could not even get a squeak out of the tires.

 

Well I am a valet parker at a nice hotel in Fort Worth and the first rule about that is don't touch any buttons plus I was only in it for about 5 minutes.

It also had a 4 or 5 inch screen in the consoul between the seats that had a GPS navagation system on it.

It was an auto

 

Thanks, Mr. Murray for the reminder. I had forgotten the previous remarks about the HP and torque of the 600 V12. However, compared to the E55 5.4 V8, it does not seem like it has much of an advantage. 40 more HP for 50% more cylinders. Plus a lot more cash.

 

The bmw and mercedes V-12's have been around for a long time, both are a favorite among tuners. if you have the money for either car and want a lot more power, without nitrous or super/turbo charging, it's there for a price. both of these cars have been turned into 600-700hp supercruisers by tuners. might cost you an additional 50-75K, but it's only money, and if you want people to think the 600SL is the fastest thing they ever saw,,, you can!

 

Let me state up front that I absolutely love my Lightning. That being said, I get a kick out of the comparisons to the Benz and the Ferrari.

I also have a Porsche 930 and I'm sorry to tell you that it will spank the Lightning in a roll on race at any speed over 50 mph.

As for the highway races, that's even more fun. I can't count the number of F-cars that want to run on the freeway, I can usually beat them with the Lightning up to 100 but if I'm in the Porsche then they get to see what cars built for top end and tuned on the race track can do. At 100 mph it's not even a fair fight. In 4th gear @ 100 mph the Porsche will rocket to redline (140mph) then still pull hard in 5th to 170. The 600 Benz and the 355 Ferrari have roughly the same ability, though not with the violence the Turbo has While I don't advocate these kinds of speeds on the average highway it's fun to rub their face in it every now and then.

Give me the Lightning around town and at the drag strip and the Porsche for the high speed runs, it's the best of both worlds.

------------------
Mark Whatman
mwhatman@earthlink.net

• 99.5 White Lightning (PSP Filter & Chip)
• 99 Buell S3 Thunderbolt (not stock!)
• 96 26' Velocity Offshore Race Boat (far from stock!!!)
• 89 Porsche 911 Turbo (930)

 

Mark

Have you ever taken on a Viper GTS from a roll ? I have (in the L) and it was a humbling experience...

 

No, there are a few cars that I simply don't try to run.

BUT

I have a few tricks up my sleeve. By fall I should have about 450hp in the 930 with the torque curve widened and lowered. The prototype I'm working off of runs 0-60 in ~4 seconds and has a top end near 190 mph. I think he's running low 12's in the 1/4 mile.

THEN, I'll consider the Viper

For comparison:
Lightning @ ~5500 lbs / 360 hp = ~15 lb/hp
930 stock @ ~3000 lbs / 300 hp = ~10 lb/hp
Mod 930 @ ~3000 lb / 450 hp = ~6.6 lb/hp
Viper GTS @ ~3400 lb / 450 hp = ~7.5 lb / hp


My favorite Porsche tagline:
"It's not acceleration, It's Violence!"

------------------
Mark Whatman
mwhatman@earthlink.net

• 99.5 White Lightning (PSP Filter & Chip)
• 99 Buell S3 Thunderbolt (not stock!)
• 96 26' Velocity Offshore Race Boat (far from stock!!!)
• 89 Porsche 911 Turbo (930)

 

To each his own. And what one considers fast, will be slow to another...there's _always_ someone faster.

I think its more fun to build a car that will spank 99.9% of all _production_ cars from the factory. And lest you think that LX below is drag only...don't be fooled. It would run 10.1s if it was a drag car. It won't outrun a McLaren F1 LM on the top end, though... :-( Not that I'd try. I mean it still IS a Mustang.

Racing a 911 TT from a punch from 75-140 will put me literally 8-10 cars ahead in a flash. No contest. Wanna run to 170? Fine, be my guest. If I decide to waste my gas and risk my life, I would be a few bills richer.

LMAO at this thread.

Yes, a 600SL, Porsche, Ferrari, etc should kick the crap out of a $30k truck. So what? I'm glad Bill made an attempt to race him. I would have too in my L. Look at it this way... the guy figured the L was a worthy adversary or he wouldn't have bothered using fuel. ;-)



------------------
Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)
97 SHO
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fsT/index.html

 

The 930 weighs 3000lbs? That's great. I could only dream of getting my hefty Mustang to weigh that.

With 450hp (flywheel or rearwheel?) it should indeed fly. Do you open track that car? Good luck with the mods.

Fellow wrench-turner,

------------------
Wes Tarbox
90 LX 5.0 (10.69 @ 134.7)--586rwhp/587rwtq
96 Cobra (12.63 @ 114.5)--390rwhp/441rwtq
97 SHO
99 Lightning (13.20 @ 103.3)--362rwhp/444rwtq
http://members.aol.com/Wa2fsT/index.html

 

Wes,

I agree, this thread has gotten a little off topic, sorry.

BTW, I'm not all that much into racing on the street. I'm building the 930 to kick butt at track events and have a little fun around town. It's much more fun to class race against simular cars than try to prove your worth on the public roadways.

That LX sounds like a real sleeper. It must be fun. Especially when you dust a $100000 supercar in a roll on.

------------------
Mark Whatman
mwhatman@earthlink.net

• 99.5 White Lightning (PSP Filter & Chip)
• 99 Buell S3 Thunderbolt (not stock!)
• 96 26' Velocity Offshore Race Boat (far from stock!!!)
• 89 Porsche 911 Turbo (930)