It's my day off decide to go for a ride.
Going down Cobb Parkway, 4 lanes about 1/2 mile is free ahead. Coming to a red light, slow to maybe 20. Glance to my right and see a black coupe, real short and low. Guy smiles, I smile. Approaching the light with no cars in front of us and I think "A little Sushi for lunch".
Light changes as we are about 20 feet out at maybe 25 or so and we both punch out. After what seems like 2 seconds, I am so far behind I quit. All I could see was the discreet little badge on the trunk
600 SL!!!!!!!!!
Now dammit, that ain't fair. From my drivers window looking down on a top side view, that thing was close to looking like a Honda Civic Coupe as ever I saw, just no stickers.
Used to be Benzes were big and ugly looking, the sedans still are in my opinion. In any case, watch out for these. I have no stats to hand, but that thing just flat disappeared.
I did catch up to him at the next light and gave him the thumbs up and got one in return as well as a great big smile.
Bill

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99.5 Lightning
Build #247
PSP Chip/Filter
Bassani full system
White/normal options
Tamiya 1/10 scale Bolt
Several old trucks/cars
Thunder & Lightning
Rag Doll Cats
E-mail MOSTOYSINC@AOL.com
Kennesaw, Ga. (Atlanta)

[This message has been edited by Bill Murray (edited 03-13-2000).]

 

The SL stands for "Spanks Lightnings", not sushi lunch. Sorry about the defeat.

[This message has been edited by Y2K Bolt (edited 03-13-2000).]

 

Y2KBolt
Nice play on words!
Who says us Southerners are slow?
Bill

 

The 600 is a v-12, close to 400hp, heavy (well built) little suckers 4000-4200lbs, and over $100K

 

A Mercedes CL600 (not sure what the SL is) has been tested at 14.4/100mph through the traps. Indeed, its a 6.0L v-12 engine rated at 389hp/420tq.

No chance that thing was stock for him to walk you like that. You'd beat a stock one, or it would be neck and neck if you spun the tires some.

So, don't feel bad. It's obviously hopped-up, and done right b/c its still pretty stealth looking I take it.

And yes, this car is ~$140k.

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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

 

Instead of spending 140K on ONE Benz...I'd buy 4 L's...one in each of the offered colors.
You'd still have about 20K left over...which would put gas in all 4 bolts for quite awhile !!!

 

Bill, Did you get a good 1st gear kickdown, or the dreaded over 20 mph knuckle drag?
Tom

 

Evening Guys:

Don't want to get **** about this, but I seem to always run off against high dollar, high tech European stuff instead of what you would normally expect a Lightning to encounter.

So, spent better part of an hour researching every site I could find regarding the 600SL.

Neither Road and Track nor Car and Driver have tested this specific vehicle. The AOL Car Enthusiast Web site has an article and quotes a 0-60 time of 5.0 seconds but no 1/4 mile. The Mercedes Web Site, which by the way is a piece of art, gives a figure of 5.9 seconds, but usually they are using the 0-100 KPH figure which is 62 mph. As a point of interest, it was a 13 page download on just this one variant of some 50 MB vehicles on their site.

My take on this is that the 600SL is equal to if not faster than a Lightning under any circumstances. Of course, it also costs just south of $130K too.
To answer a couple of the responses, it was bone stock, could not even hear the exhaust, wimpy one muffler turndowns. My truck did not downshift to first, but I don't know where his was. The Benz has a fairly sophisticated 5 speed automatic but I cannot use that as an excuse.

On the other hand, I can haul his car on a trailer and still go awfully fast and I suspect he cannot.

All in all, just another interesting experience.

Bill

 

Bill,

If it runs 0-60 in 5.0 seconds, then a WAG would put it ~13.4-13.5 through the 1/4 mile...unless its smoking the tires to 60mph, and then I'd say it probably would run faster than that.

As far as assuming its stock b/c the exhaust was stock...you'd never tell a difference if he had a little blue bottle on it. Ask me how I know. ;-)

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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

 

Because sulfur stinks...
That how I can tell...

 

I know a little bit about the performance of the 600sl. I dont know what the numbers are .I will tell you these cars will absolutly spank a lightning on any day on the street.They are way underated and absolutly fly!Heres a good one.I had a 2000 maxima try to run me last night.From a light we both took off easy and at about 25 he puched so i did too.My truck did not kick down..DAMN...It took me a good 1/8 mile to go by him.Oce the lightning wound up i went right by.To this day it is the best race ive had yet.There has not been one car or truck that has even come close yet.Even a blown 94 lightning.I walk right by everything.Im probally around 13.3 at 103 with my chip and filter.One of these days somebody will suprise me im sure.Till then ..........

 

Bill,

The 600SL you ran could have been one of the rare AMG modified editions. Even the midsize sedan AMG version (E55 AMG) with a 4.9L V8 does 0-60 in 5.4 according to Mercedes. And it costs "just" $69+K.

 

As far as the level of Benz we're talking about I had a '95 500SL this was the V-8 version of the V-12 600SL. I found the feel of the 600 SL much heavier that the 500 due to the extra weight of the drivetrain. The 500 had 302HP and the difference in thrust was minor but it rode and handled a lot better than the V-12(MHO). The other factor was the 600's value tends to drop like a stone the minute you drive out of the dealer. The SL designation is the convertible version with a aluminum removable hard top. Even those the HP&FT/LB numbers are large they develop peaks @ a much higher RPM, so they don't feel as quick off the line as American iron. The transmission starts out in second gear-first gear either manually selected or automatically selected by the degree of 'mash' on the pedal.

I now have a '00 E55 AMG. All I can say is that it will walk away from just about anything other than super exotic such as a Porsche twin turbo. This is box stock with a automatic. The throttle response is hair-trigger on this car-not like the SL which took a few beats to pick up the pace. You have to drive this car carefully otherwise you find youself running too fast-too fast if you get my drift.

I am about 24 hrs away from a '00 L. Trying t figure out how to use them both at the same time...like skates.

Franko

"go slow if you must but it's a bust without thrust"

 

600SL sounds to good to be true. For comparison purposes. Two races with two different F355s. From dead stop to 100mph door handle to door handle surprised both of us. Second race freeway 80-125mph F355 with "exhaust" 1 car length and pulling away. I dont know how fast the 355 is but it definitely didnt run like this mercedes? How is it with only 650 miles on my 2000 I find two F355s. This truck kicks butt! even if I didnt win. Best of luck

 

F355,(spyder) not f1 60 in 5.3 1/4 13.7. 375hp v-8, it's amazing that something that i can stuff 1000-1500lbs of welding rods in can compete with cars like this. "see mr/ms. irs-person, it's just your average F-150 delivery truck, and completely tax deductable" WHAT A COUNTRY!!!