Watch this 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS55 AMG knock off a handful of smaller, lighter performance cars.
The 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS55 AMG is a 3,800-pound sedan with a 5.4L supercharged V8 delivering 469 horsepower and 516lb-ft of torque, allowing the big luxury machine to dash from 0-60 in just 4.4 seconds. It is surprisingly quick from a stop, allowing it to outrun a great many performance cars on the drag strip, but what about when roll racing with a handful of smaller, lighter performance cars?
This video comes to us from the YouTube account of Dylan, having been posted to the forum by member Whippled, and it features a stock 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS55 AMG roll racing in Mexico with a handful of smaller performance cars. Included in this video is an LS1 GTO, a C5 Corvette Z06, an Evo X and a Pontiac G8 GT. The GTO, Evo and G8 are all modified while the CLS55 and the Corvette are stock, but that doesn’t stop the big Benz from handing out some beatings.
CLS55 Gettin’ Down
The video begins with the 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS55 AMG taking on an LS1-powered Pontiac GTO. The GTO has an aftermarket exhaust system and a new camshaft, while also being smaller and lighter than the AMG. However, when the two hit the throttle on the three-count, the CLS55 quickly passes the Pontiac and walks away.
The second clip shows the 2006 CLS55 taking on a stock C5 Corvette Z06, but as was the case with the GTO, the Mercedes-Benz falls behind a bit on the start, but it quickly passes the Chevy sports car and walks away.
The third clip has the AMG lined up with a “stage 3” Mitsubishi Evolution X and this was hardly a race, with the big Benz pulling away from the Japanese compact as soon as the race begins.
Finally, the last race has the 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS55 AMG sedan going head-to-head with a Pontiac G8 GT. The G8 has an aftermarket top end setup, with new heads, camshaft and intake manifold, and that clearly makes a big difference. As the race begins, the Pontiac hops out in front, but in this race, the CLS55 isn’t able to reel him in, so after winning the first three races, the big Benz loses the fourth. However, it is still a good night of racing for the stock AMG against a group of heavy hitting performance cars.
"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.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"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.
