IngenereAMG

Having house guests and exotic cars usually ends up in the inevitable request for the 'E-Ticket' ride... usually very coyly asked, so as not to impose. (If they only knew, I really don't need much of an excuse!) Being the good host that I am, I have developed a route that has a little bit of everything..... straights, elevation changes, increasing and decreasing radius corners, and even a tunnel so they (and me) can soak up the intoxicating wail of Italian engineering, and those F1 down changes. Proper 'race car stuff'!

We were hosting my wife's best friend for the weekend, and apparently this was one of the things that she HAD to do, mainly due to her husband telling her about a blast that he rode shotgun on, the morning of my wedding. It was on a great road from Sedona to Flagstaff that is usually riddled with traffic, but I had a clean shot at in the SL55. The Gods were shining down for my wedding day! But that's another story!

Anyway, back to the 'guest route' and the kill. As we approach the red light, just before the 'fun' starts. I position myself second in line, behind what looks like a 'cooking' E-Class Merc, but a more detailed look reveals the telltale 4 exhaust pipes and the E55 AMG logos. I'm chatting with my passenger, telling her about left-right-left series that leads to a straight, then a tunnel, hard left and up the hill to the freeway and that the Stradale just sticks and sticks. She tells me her husband has kept waxing on about that drive, and she really wanted to find out what all this talk about good driving was about... and 'go-fast'. At that point I hear the E55 revving and looking in the mirror (maybe in hopes of getting my attention). I ask her if she wants to have a go at this Merc, and she nods, with a big grin! Ferrari's just have the ability to bring out the kid in everyone. With that the light turns green...

...And launch he does!! I know that the E55 has lots of torque, so I am primed to pounce. My idea is to just hang with him and go for the pass during the sweepers and by the time we hit the straight I should have a big enough gap that he will give up the ghost and I can continue my 'guest route' unabated.

He launched and really had nothing on the CS... even in a straight line, and as we approach the series, I am hard-on the gas, where he is starting to lift. Left-right-left..... no inertia transition changes and onto the straight. I glance in my rear view and the Merc is about 10 car lengths back.... but he ain't giving up that easy. As the speeds climb, I catch him signaling 'right' (Freeway entrance south), and flashing his lights, whereas I will be going through a tunnel and heading north. I throw him a 'left' signal, but he just flashed back. Like the post office, 'Neither rain, snow, sleet or darkness of night, will keep me from my appointed rounds'....... and the 'guest route'. Normally I would have bit and spanked him through another corner or two, but the tunnel awaits!

Into the tunnel and bang-bang through some downshifts, dab of brake, turn-in, hard on the gas and up the hill we go through my little Monaco 'St. Devote'. With my adrenalin on full boost I dispatched the normal 15 minute 'guest route', in about 10, accompanied by several 'Whoohoos' and ear to ear smiles.

I had to throw the E55 back.. but I was just being a good host!

BlownV8

Refer to page 3 for the Challenge Stradale:
http://www.dragtimes.com/compare2.ph...ame=Compare%21

Great story as always.

IngenereAMG

Thanks for the info, but I can't imagine who would waste their time drag racing a CS. That's not what they are about. However, it is nice to know that the little tuned 3.6l can hang in a straight line with the 55Kcars.

A few weeks ago I was teaching my wife how to drive the CS. After she got the hang of it, I took the SL55 out, and she was in the CS. Now, assuming that I am the better driver (male ego must be stroked!), we were side by side at a light and she nailed it, and to be honest I thought the SL55 would swallow the CS up.... real world result was I could just about keep up with the Ferrari.... and I am supposed to be the better driver.

So, even though the SL55 is tuned and putting out 569hp and 575lb ft of tq, it couldn't quite overcome the tuned CS and probably 1200 pounds of weight difference.

Stiggs

Is the wife's friend hot? Pics?

whiteongrey

Great story but something competitive from MB would be CLK AMG Black or older CLK GTR as both are track / road cars though the MB is still 1000 lb heavier.

SLS would be interesting too - but SLS GT3 would be an equal competitor though probably a bit of overkill haha.

CS is a fabulous car! Hard to find anything on the road that will give you a run for the money!!

IngenereAMG

The ability of most performance cars that are made today FAR exceeds the abilities of the average driver. I have beaten up on CS's while driving E46 M3s and my SL55. Both of which should be humbled by the CS. Hell, back in the day, I humiliated a Corvette with my first new car....... a 75hp Fiat X1/9!

I usually won't bite on a challenge unless there are some corners involved. I much prefer including the variable behind the wheel as part of the picture!

Benzo 003

I'm confused....

"but I had a clean shot at in the SL55."


"Ferrari's just have the ability to bring out the kid in everyone. With that the light turns green..."


which car were you "driving"?

MiamiAMG

I wouldn't expect any other comment from you!

cvinfig

He was driving the SL55 when he took the husband for a ride some time in the past. This run was in the Ferrari CS.

Jakpro1

Good kill, you beat one of the worst handling AMGs of all time on the twisties.



Just busting your chops Dino!

IngenereAMG

The E55 is actually a very good handling car.

At an AMG Challenge event, I got a ride from Tommy Kendall in an E55. He could make that car dance!

rockjock

I still call Dina on buying the CS.
damn hard car to find-and performs better then the 430 Scud to boot!

DuaneC63

Did the moisture detector in the passenger seat go off anytime during this adventure.

IngenereAMG

She was a good sport, and not a Carbon Based Biological Speed Control Device!

iAMGod

You serious....?

559EVO

Nice signature!