Hooning About in a 2007 Mercedes-AMG E63

[MCompact]

This morning a friend called and asked me to take his latest toy for a drive; said toy is a 2007 Mercedes-AMG E63 with the Weistec M156 Power Package 1, meaning it makes 441 hp and 394lb-ft of torque measured at the wheels. He's a bit intimidated by the car and wanted me to wring it out. Now THIS is a car I can truly call fast with a straight face. Stock it would do 0-60 in 4.2 seconds and run the quarter in 12.6 seconds @115 mph. My friend also likes drag racing and he wants me to run it at the local 1/8-mile strip. He's had the car down in the low eight second range but I think the high sevens are entirely possible. Of course, I had to take it down my personal road course test track and the car was pretty much unflappable(the car sports Michelin PSS rubber). I had forgotten how much fun the AMGs of this vintage could be. Oh yeah, it will also do a fairly impressive burnout...

 

[Lolvoguy]

congrats!

they sure are awesome machines. Hopefully I'll get a chance to drive one someday

 

[InfmousCornholio]

^^ it that a "traction control" burnout or ESC off? (If benz even calls it that)

And those numbers are DUMB fast! Faster than certain built "muscle cars" I can think of. I love it.

Yeah.. AMG is beast. I want one.

That and the 2004 CL600 twin-turbo

**if I am remembering that right. I may have some numbers mixed up there

 

[Wolf359]

They're nice cars. I have the more basic E350. I think on the early E63, head bolts were a problem. But other than that, it's supposed to be a blast to drive. I don't think there are as many mods for it as the E55, but he should go over to the MB forums and see what he can do.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: InfmousCornholio
^^ it that a "traction control" burnout or ESC off? (If benz even calls it that)

And those numbers are DUMB fast! Faster than certain built "muscle cars" I can think of. I love it.

Yeah.. AMG is beast. I want one.

That and the 2004 CL600 twin-turbo

**if I am remembering that right. I may have some numbers mixed up there


ESC off; I gave it about half throttle with the brakes on, at 2000 rpm I floored it and simultaneously released the brakes.

 

[SteveSRT8]

sweet fun, and on his dime!

 

[Jarlaxle]

I think I need to consider tweaking my Caddy. Until a couple years ago, it took somthing like a Corvette or a Brabus car to match it in the 1/4 mile. (12.35-45 at 110, 12 flat on the bottle)

Hmm...roller cam and Bulldog heads, maybe...?

 

[OVERKILL]

Sounds like you had a hoot

 

[hattaresguy]

AMG knows how to build a car.

How seamless is the Weistec stuff? I have been told its not as seamless as the Brabus.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
AMG knows how to build a car.

How seamless is the Weistec stuff? I have been told its not as seamless as the Brabus.


It felt pretty smooth to me; bur M-B tuning isn't really my field of expertise.

 

[Jarlaxle]

A 12.6 1/4 mile is about an 8-flat 1/8.

Would the drivetrain hold up to sticky tires?

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
A 12.6 1/4 mile is about an 8-flat 1/8.

Would the drivetrain hold up to sticky tires?


Beats me; I'd err on the side of caution- but it's not my car.

 

[hattaresguy]

Yeah they run slicks on them all the time, a number of E55's and E63's run 10's with fairly mild mods and slicks.

 

[MCompact]

We took the E63 to the 1/8 mile strip tonight. My best run was 8.12 seconds- which is the fastest the car has gone. Beat a 1970 Buick GS Stage I with a built 455 running slicks and also dispatched a modified Lexus IS F. It was my first visit to the strip since 1976; had a ball.

 

[hattaresguy]

Slicks or street tires? These cars really benefit from slicks.

 

[MCompact]

Street tires. And traction was the limiting factor.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
Street tires. And traction was the limiting factor.


You mean someone had to DRIVE?

Slicks are for race cars, not street cars. Good drivers cut decent times with ordinary rubber on the car. Poor drivers need slicks to compensate for their lack of feel, and of course to cut a ridiculous and irrelevant time. Street car? Street tire.

I routinely cut a 1.8x sixty in my sig car in street rubber. And I haven't been to the strip yet to see how my new converter and PSS's will do. But no slicks here...

 

[MCompact]

My best sixty was a 1.95; as I said, this was my first time at the strip in 39 years. In addition, I've only had a couple of hours of seat time in the car.

 

[InfmousCornholio]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: MCompact
Street tires. And traction was the limiting factor.


You mean someone had to DRIVE?

Slicks are for race cars, not street cars. Good drivers cut decent times with ordinary rubber on the car. Poor drivers need slicks to compensate for their lack of feel, and of course to cut a ridiculous and irrelevant time. Street car? Street tire.

I routinely cut a 1.8x sixty in my sig car in street rubber. And I haven't been to the strip yet to see how my new converter and PSS's will do. But no slicks here...


Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Slicks or street tires? These cars really benefit from slicks.


How do you guys feel about "cheater slicks."

Mickey Thompson Et Street Radial

M&H ROD-16 Drag Radial

There are more, but.. with a car like SteveSRT8's, I'm starting to wonder what the bigger issue is beyond the tire.

That Mercedes hooked up really well, though. Did weight help?

**Edit: Firestone Dragster Cheater Slick.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
My best sixty was a 1.95; as I said, this was my first time at the strip in 39 years. In addition, I've only had a couple of hours of seat time in the car.


Yep, it takes practice!

That's the fun part!