Watch an R129 Mercedes-Benz SL600 beat a Porsche 911, a Mustang GT and an F-150 Lightning in a series of heads-up quarter mile battles.
The R129 Mercedes-Benz SL600 is a solid performance car thanks to the 389 horsepower V12 engine and this series of quarter mile drag races shows how the sleek two-door stands up to some of the biggest names in the performance world. In these three videos, the SL600 knocks off a Porsche 911, a Ford Mustang GT and a Ford F-150 SVT Lightning at a local Midnight Drags event.
SL600 and the Competitors
These three videos were shared by “slicksldriver” from the Richard SYouTube chhanel in the Official R129 Video Thread. There are few details on the vehicles, but we know that this racing action was captured during a “Midnight Drags” event. At this event, everyone races heads-up, there are no times posted and all that matters is leaving on green and getting to the finish line first.
As far as we know, the SL600 and Porsche 911 are stock, while the 5.0L-powered Mustang GT has “full exhaust” and the Lightning has intake and exhaust. According to the details on the F-150 race, it is packing around 500 horsepower, but there is no way to confirm that.
On the other hand, we can see that the SL600 beats each of these vehicles to the finish line.
The Racing Action
The first video (above) shows the Mercedes taking on a Porsche 911 and by the time the two cars get to the cameraman a few hundred feet from the starting line, the Benz already has a small lead. On the top end, the Benz takes the win.
In the second race, the Mercedes takes on a 1995 Mustang GT, but the 5.0L-powered muscle car is trailing as soon as the race starts – leading to another win for the German coupe.
Finally, the Benz takes on a built Ford F-150 SVT Lightning which is said to have 500 horsepower. In this race, the Benz is trailing early on, but the V12 power puts the Mercedes ahead at the finish line.
The video footage is almost ten years old, but these grainy videos show the Mercedes-Benz SL600 doing the brand proud on the quarter mile.
"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.
