Speed Thrills

Met my friend for lunch yesterday and after eating I knew darn well he wanted to show me what was what with his 300k Austin Martin against my new CSL55. As we walked to our cars he stopped and looked mine over. Said it looked really nice but I "didn't want any" from his vanquish.

Took a little while to get away from congested LA streets as we would give little bursts here and there making people look over. We finally maneuvered up to a red light side by side. I was just thinking I should change from sport mode to manual when the light changed. I didn't even have time to take the ABS off but right out of the gate I pulled ahead of him about a car length even with the ABS light flickering a bit. For the next block I just kept pulling farther ahead until we had to slow. Being a good friend he smiled and gave me the thumbs up. Soon after we jumped on the freeway to go our separate ways and I had the same results on a pretty steep on-ramp pulling way ahead of him but noticed as I approached 120 he held the distance. Good fun.

Can't wait until the mods. I have many friends that want to go at it with a F430, SRT Viper, SL55 and a Gallardo. I will keep all posted.

Jakpro1

Nice kill.

Please please....never race in manual mode......the 5 speed shifts faster than we ever could.

Guy after guy has tried it at the track and found it does no good.....if not hurts times.

Best times besides getting the cars in dyno mode.....just leave um alone...granny suspension....S tranny...anti skid on.... and let um fly.

FThornton666

From that list only the SRT10 should give you a real run for your money. The F-Car and the Bull might get you up top, but down low i think youll pull them.

Speed Thrills

We'll see. I get the car back next fri with my K1 mods and renntech monolite wheels.

BklynBenz

def try to get some pics next time, video would be killer!

LovinMercedes

While I certainly wish you the very best, you do need to wake up from your dreams.

While your CLS55 is a nice car, I wouldn't even try to mention it in the same breath as the Vanquish S.

Having driven both cars I can assure you the CLS55 can not even be compared in terms of speed, handling or anything for that matter.

That fact that you were beating the Vanquish is only because the person in the Vanquish was either crippled or just wanted you to have a nice dream.

The Vanquish S is one of the best exotic cars in the world and to even compare it to the CLS55 is a disgrace. Actual road and track test results would confirm this.

I hope you enjoy your dream and are equally able to enjoy your car when you wake up.

BklynBenz

what does the S have, 520 ponies?

Thericker

Sounds like you took his posting personaly...Pretty funny if you ask me!! Anything can happen in the REAL WORLD forget magizine racing...Sounds like you've been having to many WET DREAMS ABOUT YOUR VANQUISH

StephenK

I would put my money on the Vanquish S, NOT the CLS55.

NO WAY!!!!!

BenzoAMGpower

the ppl demand videos

StephenK

Seeing is BELIEVING!!!!!

Jim Brady

Has Top Gear or any reputable mag published any figures on the Vanquish S?

I really need to know, so I can slither away and avoid any embarrassment if I should encouter an S on the street in my lowly CLS. It would appear that the DNA of the Vanquish S is clearly blue blood, derived from the blue oval of its parent Ford Motor Company.

BTW, its torque that wins races. And the CLS has the S covered.

zumbalak

It is not just torque that is important but gearing is a very important factor too. Otherwise with its lowly 262ft of torque the m3 would be a really slow car compared to many others in the performance market, but guess what, it is not.
And a v12 is always a v12.

adx

I am not sure how you can unequivocally believe the Vanquish S will disgrace the CLS55 in performance. Do you have factual data from a reputable source regarding so called actual road and track results?

RennTechV12

Guys, I have a 552hp W-12 Bentley Continental GT, it's a really great car, all wheel drive with alot of HP. It can't hold a candle to my S600 for acceleration though. The Benz pins you to the seat and makes you feel like you are on the downside of the biggest hill on the biggest roller coaster in the world. I took the Bentley to the dragstrip tonight and the best I could get was 13.3@106 (****ty track and air temp was 90f) The S600 ran a 12.4@115 2 weeks ago in hotter weather at the same track. My point is; the british cars just don't have the down low, kick in the nuts torque that benzes do...the kind of torque that wins you races from light to light on the street.


BTW, my buddys got a Vanquish S, it is probably in the top 3 most beautiful cars on the road and it sounds like a wet dream. We raced (me in the SL) it wasn't even close, I got him off the line and kept pulling away to 120 when I hit the brakes, I was about 4 or 5 car lengths in front of him.

RennTechV12

From the Car and Driver website:
ASTON MARTIN V-12 VANQUISH S
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2- or 2+2-passenger, 2-door coupe
Base price: $255,000
Engine type: DOHC 48-valve V-12, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection
Displacement: 362 cu in, 5935cc
Power (SAE net): 520 bhp @ 7000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 426 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Transmission: 6-speed manual with
automated shifting and clutch
Wheelbase: 105.9 in
Length/width/height: 183.7/75.7/51.9 in
Curb weight: 4150 lb
C/D-estimated performance:
Zero to 60 mph: 4.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 10.1 sec
Standing 1/4-mile: 12.6 sec @ 115 mph

LovinMercedes

There are only but a few cars in this world that will keep up with a SL600 with the RennTech upgrade.

635 HP...probably going to smoke most things. You might loose ground though on some of those turns.

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RennTechV12

True, I'm not trying to knock the Vanquish at all. When yours arrives you will always have the fattest car no matter where you go. When you get into the price range of the cars we're talking about it's all about preference, and I can see why you chose the Vanquish!!!

RennTechV12

Do you get one of those little plaques in the car that says: "this Aston Martin was manufactured for..." ? That's incredibly cool!!

LovinMercedes

Thanks! I am not sure if you are aware but the interior is getting a new console. Here is the new vs old interior. Old first...then new. What do you think?

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RennTechV12

uhhh...what's not to like? It reminds me a little (the center console) of the Continental GT. What colors did you get?

LovinMercedes

Exterior of the car is Onxy Black (metallic black)

Interior - Upper environment is Black
Interior - Lower environment is Black Cherry
Exterior of seats - Black
Interior seat panels - Black Cherry
Carpeting - Black Cherry
Carpet edging - Black
Headliner is Black

Basically the same as the interior above except the inserts on the doors and seats are Black Cherry and not Red and the carpeting is Black Cherry and not Black.

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Improviz

From the same website:
http://www.caranddriver.com/article....&page_number=1

CLS55 AMG:
Having observed published road test data for both cars, I'd say you're wrong.

As can be seen by the data above, the CLS55 was actually tested faster than the estimate of the Vanquish's performance in the 1/4 mile by the same publication, and is easily as fast in a straight line, and probably doesn't suffer much in handling either given the Aston's weight is about the same. So to claim that the Vanquish will massacre the CLS55 seems more than a tad bit unrealistic.

And Speed Thrills was probably not running against the 520 hp version either, but the 460 hp version, which isn't nearly as fast as the new one.

Now, having said all of that, I seriously doubt that there's anyone here who would prefer the CLS55 to the Vanquish! That thing is sex on wheels.

LovinMercedes

The reality of it, for most of us, is that we do not have the skill set to be able to push a car where you can tell the difference between a tenth of a second or even more.

A highly skilled driver can take turns faster and better in a slower and less performance oriented car than a less skilled driver in the high performance car.

The bottom line here is exactly what has been said, you go for the car that you want and that fits into how much you a willing to spend for a car.

I assure you that I thought I would never spend $300,000 for a car or that any car could even justify that expenditure. After I drove the Vanquish S, that all changed. While I do think the CLS has many things to offer, I doubt I would have spent $300,000 for it.
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Improviz

Absolutely; typically when cars are this close, the outcome of any give run is more a function of reaction time and launch than anything else.

Indeed...I'm quite certain that Michael Schumacher could turn faster times in a Miata (or a bulky Dodge pickup for that matter) than I could in an M3!

Oh, trust me: while I'm very respectful of the CLS55's abilities (and do love its shape compared with virtually any other sedan's) for me it would be the Vanquish hands down! I've been in love with that car for years, and you'll definitely get no argument out of me on *that* choice of purchase!!