Performance techniques questions
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 55
Likes: 21
From: Florida
C55 AMG, SLK55 AMG, S600, Porsche 911, Jaguar XJR, Toyota Hilux SRV
Performance techniques questions
Hello everybody,
I recently purchased a very nice C55 AMG, haven't spent much time with the car but it is been enough to notice that the traction control is quite intrusive. I am a track day/autocross kind of guy, I also like going to the dragstrip, I have been autocrossing/doing track nights for about 5 years now with my Turbo Miata but from time to time I like to take my daily to the track just for fun, normally I would have a manual daily but this time that is not the case. I was wondering if any of you guys have any recommendations on how to launch the car to get the most out of it. I have become familiar with dyno mode, I also know the car doesn't have LSD but I wonder how would this play out in a drag strip or at the start line of an autocross/dragcross event, have you guys done better doing a big burnout in dyno mode and then go or is it a better idea to just put the car on sport mode stage and let the car do the work, I see this as a possibility in a prepped track with some nice tires, but I do not know since I haven't done it yet and right now it is too cold to really get an answer.
Looking forward to hearing from you guys, thanks
I recently purchased a very nice C55 AMG, haven't spent much time with the car but it is been enough to notice that the traction control is quite intrusive. I am a track day/autocross kind of guy, I also like going to the dragstrip, I have been autocrossing/doing track nights for about 5 years now with my Turbo Miata but from time to time I like to take my daily to the track just for fun, normally I would have a manual daily but this time that is not the case. I was wondering if any of you guys have any recommendations on how to launch the car to get the most out of it. I have become familiar with dyno mode, I also know the car doesn't have LSD but I wonder how would this play out in a drag strip or at the start line of an autocross/dragcross event, have you guys done better doing a big burnout in dyno mode and then go or is it a better idea to just put the car on sport mode stage and let the car do the work, I see this as a possibility in a prepped track with some nice tires, but I do not know since I haven't done it yet and right now it is too cold to really get an answer.
Looking forward to hearing from you guys, thanks
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 4
From: SF Bay Area
C55 AMG, 300D-T & Karmann Ghia
Congrats on the C55!
My .02 on launching the car: ESP off and Sport for great straight launches,but you will need to feed the car less that full throttle until you know it'll grip. Practice will help you here as it is dependent on your tire capabilities and the specific pavement/track. Note: ESP is almost always off for me when I hustle the car, however it may bite you on a tight autocross track with snap oversteer. Also, M mode may be more of an asset on trackdays and autocross, but the transmission handles drag races better than you can time your shifts. The transmission is adaptive around town in Sport- if you get all over the brakes and corner hard it will downshift and hold the gear so you have power to exit. (if it is sloppy slow with shifting, look up "transmission reset") I don't have experience with dyno mode and wouldn't personally want to run on that mode for any length of time. Also, consider at least a rear swaybar upgrade as I felt it did lots to cure the understeering nature.
Happy motoring!
My .02 on launching the car: ESP off and Sport for great straight launches,but you will need to feed the car less that full throttle until you know it'll grip. Practice will help you here as it is dependent on your tire capabilities and the specific pavement/track. Note: ESP is almost always off for me when I hustle the car, however it may bite you on a tight autocross track with snap oversteer. Also, M mode may be more of an asset on trackdays and autocross, but the transmission handles drag races better than you can time your shifts. The transmission is adaptive around town in Sport- if you get all over the brakes and corner hard it will downshift and hold the gear so you have power to exit. (if it is sloppy slow with shifting, look up "transmission reset") I don't have experience with dyno mode and wouldn't personally want to run on that mode for any length of time. Also, consider at least a rear swaybar upgrade as I felt it did lots to cure the understeering nature.
Happy motoring!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 55
Likes: 21
From: Florida
C55 AMG, SLK55 AMG, S600, Porsche 911, Jaguar XJR, Toyota Hilux SRV
Congrats on the C55!
My .02 on launching the car: ESP off and Sport for great straight launches,but you will need to feed the car less that full throttle until you know it'll grip. Practice will help you here as it is dependent on your tire capabilities and the specific pavement/track. Note: ESP is almost always off for me when I hustle the car, however it may bite you on a tight autocross track with snap oversteer. Also, M mode may be more of an asset on trackdays and autocross, but the transmission handles drag races better than you can time your shifts. The transmission is adaptive around town in Sport- if you get all over the brakes and corner hard it will downshift and hold the gear so you have power to exit. (if it is sloppy slow with shifting, look up "transmission reset") I don't have experience with dyno mode and wouldn't personally want to run on that mode for any length of time. Also, consider at least a rear swaybar upgrade as I felt it did lots to cure the understeering nature.
Happy motoring!
My .02 on launching the car: ESP off and Sport for great straight launches,but you will need to feed the car less that full throttle until you know it'll grip. Practice will help you here as it is dependent on your tire capabilities and the specific pavement/track. Note: ESP is almost always off for me when I hustle the car, however it may bite you on a tight autocross track with snap oversteer. Also, M mode may be more of an asset on trackdays and autocross, but the transmission handles drag races better than you can time your shifts. The transmission is adaptive around town in Sport- if you get all over the brakes and corner hard it will downshift and hold the gear so you have power to exit. (if it is sloppy slow with shifting, look up "transmission reset") I don't have experience with dyno mode and wouldn't personally want to run on that mode for any length of time. Also, consider at least a rear swaybar upgrade as I felt it did lots to cure the understeering nature.
Happy motoring!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 55
Likes: 21
From: Florida
C55 AMG, SLK55 AMG, S600, Porsche 911, Jaguar XJR, Toyota Hilux SRV
That would be wonderful but I have a serious "racecar" for those purposes, now if I can get one for a good price why not, I think it would do a lot. Such a shame that C55s didn't come with an LSD, I had a Sentra Spec V a few years back and that had an LSD, haha but well, it is the way it is.
