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C320 vs ML500

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Old Mar 19, 2009 | 09:16 PM
  #1  
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C320 vs ML500

Okay guys, all my friends and I have been debating a serious topic. My friend is bringing his 2004 ML500 to school next week and he is very confident that his truck is faster than my car.

My roommate, who is very knowledgeable about cars, says that my C320 would win on the highway, but lose from a dig. His reasoning is because his AWD and massive torque would pull lengths on my car right off the line.

What do you guys think about this? Both cars are stock, unless I get any gains from my Eisenmann Race, doubt it.

2004 ML500: 288-hp, 325 ft-lbs. tq., 5.0-liter V-8, 4874 lbs.
2002 C320: 215-hp, 221 ft-lbs. tq., 3.2-liter V-6, 3450 lbs.
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Old Mar 19, 2009 | 09:20 PM
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That argument sounds about right
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Old Mar 19, 2009 | 09:23 PM
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I drive a Toyota Hybrid...
while he is in class, have some of your buddy ditch and go to his ML and lose 10PSI per tire, then i don't see the problem of you losing
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Old Mar 19, 2009 | 10:22 PM
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I think the extra power of the 500 will be enough to smoke you....even though he'll be pushing more air.
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Old Mar 19, 2009 | 11:41 PM
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finally an interesting topic to discuss; i know a lot about the m-class and c-class more than any other benz (since i have the w203 and my dad has the w163), but this has really got me thinking...
its clearly true the AWD and torque will make sense off the line, but considering it weights nearly 1,400lbs more with the added addition that its aero dynamics suck, really takes a toll. so i'd say you guys will be almost even in my opinion, with maybe the ML getting the first jump but after hitting highway speeds, theres no doubt your c320 will win. overall, i'd keep my bet on your car.
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 12:02 AM
  #6  
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well kev, you should ask me. since I had a C320 and ML500, my dad and I use to do races to see which one is faster.

I can tell you, a stock C320 and ML500, the stock c320 0-60 is a faster number than the ML500, but its nearly head to head, once it gets pass 80mph, you wont catch the V8, UNLESS you had some performance mods, then from 0+ you'll rape a ML500, not really rape, but you'll see yourself pull away.
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 12:15 AM
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Smoked a C320 coupe with my 500 upto 0-210 KM/H
On the highway the c320 looked like if it was parked.

Who cares though, neither car is a race car.

Last edited by benz_addict; Mar 20, 2009 at 12:18 AM.
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 01:41 AM
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SUV vs a car?...LOL...don't really care.

but let me just say parents had a ML430 for 3 yrs and I drove that a lot. it's not slow, but it's a brick in the wind if you get my drift.
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 02:29 AM
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really? its like a 5 foot tall 300lbs chick calling a 5foot tall 350lbs pound chick fat.
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 03:01 AM
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well i know 0-60 2002 ml 500 is about 7 secs
and 2002 c230Kompressor coupe is also about 7 sec.

No offence, i think you might lose.
But things like these would most depend on the driver.
depends on your shifting, using techtronic or sport

I would think the ML would lose off start because its REALLY heavy,
and the c class would start off well IF YOU HAVE TIRES TO BURN.

ml500 is really fast, im guessings its a 2002-05?
anything new than thoses year, you would lose..
ml320 ml430 np, you will smoke it.

but a v8 500 would be tight, espeacially the new ML.

also, if you really want to win, you can warm your tires out, and get some grip off start.
)hold the brake and gas...... then lanch it that way.
Also taking traction control off, would definately gain some HP and grip
and turn off all A/C
Take your spare tire out ECT.

lol, if you bet for money or pride, do whatever you can to cheap out and gain some HP and lose some weight... use 91 octain, and add a bottle of instant octane booster.
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 03:26 AM
  #11  
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Don't worry about it. The Key word here is AWD. Being an Audi S4 driver I learned one thing. With All Wheel Drive you are going to lose a lot of HP to the wheels. But with the S4 since it was stick I could have launched at very high RPMs. Anyway I think you might be able to take the ML. It's heavy and most importantly it's All Wheel Drive.


Whatever you do just be safe. Just be confident don't be nervous. Nervousness makes people do dumb things. Be calm, and focus on that light. Look at the other light when it turns yellow you know you are ready. Once it hits green dont slam on the peddal, gentely hit the pedal (slamming the pedal all the way is going to choke your car, make it last two seconds till you reach the end of the pedal). And once you hit high speeds, think with your head not with your foot.

Also remember your sixth sense, if something doesnt feel right then it isnt.

During my street racing years with my Audi, there has been so many times I was going to downshif to race a car rolling and it slipped out of gear and right that moment a cop was passing us (oncomming) stuff happens for a reason.

Again be safe. One is enough. Thats a racing rule, no more than once. If you beat him ( I think you will) don't run again. Doesn't matter what the excuses are.

Good Luck and BE SAFE.

Remember THINK WITH YOUR HEAD NOT WITH YOUR FOOT.


HP per lbs
Torque per lbs

He has .0590 HP and you have .0623 HP
He has .0666 (damn devil number ) Torque and you have .0640 Torque

Remember he has AWD he is going to loose a lot of power by the time they get distributed to all wheels.

You have a good chance. I think you might take him.
I'm on your side. Keep us posted.

Last edited by W203E35; Mar 20, 2009 at 03:43 AM.
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 03:39 AM
  #12  
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True that.
but again, if a civic can beat a c class, its kinda hard to say ...

Let just put it this way. do what you can do to make the car lighter.
every pound counts.
If you lose, you lose, no big deal, unless you were being C**ky to your friend, then that would be embarrassing.

After all your losing against a 70000 dollar car, with a V8 and 100tq more than you.
its not a big deal, just be cool with it, and dont use tectronic, just put it in sport.

I do know for a fact that a C240 V6 is slower and less hp than a c230 kompressor..
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 03:58 AM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by STi_JL
True that.
but again, if a civic can beat a c class, its kinda hard to say ...

Let just put it this way. do what you can do to make the car lighter.
every pound counts.
If you lose, you lose, no big deal, unless you were being C**ky to your friend, then that would be embarrassing.

After all your losing against a 70000 dollar car, with a V8 and 100tq more than you.
its not a big deal, just be cool with it, and dont use tectronic, just put it in sport.

I do know for a fact that a C240 V6 is slower and less hp than a c230 kompressor..


I agree don't use that shifting BS thing. It's not super responsive. Sport mode is much better.












Credit goes to Shake from myMBonline

http://www.mymbonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7316
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 04:32 AM
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Originally Posted by STi_JL
True that.
but again, if a civic can beat a c class, its kinda hard to say ...

Let just put it this way. do what you can do to make the car lighter.
every pound counts.
If you lose, you lose, no big deal, unless you were being C**ky to your friend, then that would be embarrassing.

After all your losing against a 70000 dollar car, with a V8 and 100tq more than you.
its not a big deal, just be cool with it, and dont use tectronic, just put it in sport.

I do know for a fact that a C240 V6 is slower and less hp than a c230 kompressor..


Kevblah has a 02 C320 not the C230k coupe. Also the ML500 wasn't a $70k car. It was more like $55k.
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 05:14 AM
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Originally Posted by holycaoAMG
finally an interesting topic to discuss; i know a lot about the m-class and c-class more than any other benz (since i have the w203 and my dad has the w163), but this has really got me thinking...
its clearly true the AWD and torque will make sense off the line, but considering it weights nearly 1,400lbs more with the added addition that its aero dynamics suck, really takes a toll. so i'd say you guys will be almost even in my opinion, with maybe the ML getting the first jump but after hitting highway speeds, theres no doubt your c320 will win. overall, i'd keep my bet on your car.

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with the AWD part. Just because it's all wheel drive doesn't mean its going to take off faster. The ML is Auto if it were Manual then yes you can rev the RPM higher and drop the clutch but since it is Auto and AWD he can't launch very fast. AWD (all wheel drive) looses a lot of power to the wheels. You can't just look at the HP to the crank. The horsepower to the wheels is what matters.

I would say just to the wheels the ML will get 220-230 HP to the wheel from 288. That's probably being very reasonable.

The C320 doesn't have high amounts of torque that's going to make the wheels spin like crazy. I think with traction off you might get a little spin (not a burnout) What I mean by this is both cars are going to grip and go. So AWD isnt going to matter, AWD is going to be a negative for the ML driver.

My 500 HP Audi was Dynoed at 425 to the wheels and that was a miracle for an AWD car to loose so little HP.

Have hope kid, You got this guy.

Just be safe

Keep me posted.
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 06:24 AM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by kirax2
while he is in class, have some of your buddy ditch and go to his ML and lose 10PSI per tire, then i don't see the problem of you losing
actually less air in the tire will create more traction for him.
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 06:29 AM
  #17  
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take out all the crap in your car....lower the rear tires psi to about 30..increase the psi in the front tires. Take a crap before you race and let us know how it turns out.
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 10:54 AM
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Thanks for all the input guys, there seems to be no sure answer to this question...so I guess there's only one way to find out. I will keep you all posted.
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 04:03 PM
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Originally Posted by kevblah
2004 ML500: 288-hp, 325 ft-lbs. tq., 5.0-liter V-8, 4874 lbs.
2002 C320: 215-hp, 221 ft-lbs. tq., 3.2-liter V-6, 3450 lbs.
U sure about these #'s? If the E500 has the same motor as the ML 500, then:

V8 5.0 (2003+) has 302 hp and 339ft-lbs. And that torque comes in at 2,700 rpms. That's why I love MB V8's.

May be diff. for the ML???
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 04:10 PM
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Originally Posted by gnma
U sure about these #'s? If the E500 has the same motor as the ML 500, then:

V8 5.0 (2003+) has 302 hp and 339ft-lbs. And that torque comes in at 2,700 rpms. That's why I love MB V8's.

May be diff. for the ML???
probably the power train loss from awd.
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 04:36 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by FrankW
Kevblah has a 02 C320 not the C230k coupe. Also the ML500 wasn't a $70k car. It was more like $55k.
Ya i know, thats why i said that the c230 is fater than a c320, because i had one before.
and i meant 70K Canadian sorry. lol
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 05:14 PM
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03 c320 coupe
Originally Posted by STi_JL
Ya i know, thats why i said that the c230 is fater than a c320, because i had one before.
and i meant 70K Canadian sorry. lol
no way c230 faster than a c320... 192 or 189 depends on the yaer vs 215 hp... 200 vs 221 i guess for torque... both rwd.. same chassis... nearly the same weight...
its faster than a c240.. not c320
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 05:40 PM
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Originally Posted by HellsAngel
no way c230 faster than a c320... 192 or 189 depends on the yaer vs 215 hp... 200 vs 221 i guess for torque... both rwd.. same chassis... nearly the same weight...
its faster than a c240.. not c320

HellsAngel has a point. Especially because the Kompressor should be slower. The reason I say this is because for example two 200 HP cars one Kompressor on not, a Naturally Aspirated car (No turbo or supercharger just motor) will win.
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 06:21 PM
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Originally Posted by jk062602kj
HellsAngel has a point. Especially because the Kompressor should be slower. The reason I say this is because for example two 200 HP cars one Kompressor on not, a Naturally Aspirated car (No turbo or supercharger just motor) will win.
here its not 2 200hp cars.. its 192 vs 215.... anyways back to the topic : ML500 vs C320
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Old Mar 20, 2009 | 09:14 PM
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Originally Posted by jk062602kj
HellsAngel has a point. Especially because the Kompressor should be slower. The reason I say this is because for example two 200 HP cars one Kompressor on not, a Naturally Aspirated car (No turbo or supercharger just motor) will win.

People really need to start reading more carefully. My point was two cars same horsepower one supercharged on non supercharged the non supercharged car would win because naturally aspirated cars are quicker.

Anyway anyone wanna make a bet? Why don't you guys put your money where your mouth is. 20 Bucks says the ML is going to lose.
It's easy to talk on a forum.

Hey kid, here is what you do. Just lower the PSI a little, turn off traction and go for it.

20 Bucks says the kid is going to win the ML.

Payment will be sent via PayPal.

Anyone up for the bet?????
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