Watch a 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS55 AMG knock off a 2013 Cadillac CTS-V in a pair of high speed battles.
When the 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS55 AMG hit the street more than a decade ago, it was an incredible machine. On the inside, the CLS55 AMG feature all of the spacious luxury that you would expect from an AMG sedan while under the hood was a supercharged, intercooled V8 delivering 469 horsepower and 516lb-ft of torque. This powerful mill allowed the stock CLS55 to rip from 0-60 in just 4.4 seconds en route to an electronically limited top speed of 155 miles per hour – making this one of the most impressive performance sedans of the time.
However, a great many sedans with more power have come to market since 2006 and one such model is the 2013 Cadillac CTS-V. Under the hood of this Caddy is a supercharged LSA V8, packing 556 horsepower and 551lb-ft of torque, both of which make the CTS-V considerably more powerful than the 2006 CLS55 AMG.
Just based on those numbers, it seems like the Cadillac would have a fairly significant advantage over the Mercedes-Benz, but it should be noted that the CLS55 AMG is somewhere in the area of 600 pounds lighter than the CTS-V. That weight difference makes a big difference, as we see in this video of the two super-sedans going head-to-head.
CLS55 AMG –vs- CTS-V
The video of the 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS55 AMG racing the 2013 Cadillac CTS-V was posted in the Kill Stories section by MBWorld member Whippled from the YouTube channel of Dylan. Both of the cars in this video are stock and they make two runs – first from a dig and then from a 40mph roll.
When the CLS55 and the CTS-V go from a dig, the Cadillac jumps out to a small early lead, but the Benz quickly pulls even. As the two cars build speed, the Caddy appears to be inching away, but the AMG catches up and pulls into the lead shortly before each car lets off at 150mph.
On the run from a 40mph roll, the 2006 AMG takes an early lead and the Cadillac never gets ahead, letting off at 150 with the Benz about a half-length ahead.
The bottom line here is that while the Cadillac packs more power, the lighter 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS55 AMG is able to overcome that disadvantage during the higher speed portion of a long race.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
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"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
