After much deliberating over whether I should risk taking a new (2.5k miles) SL55 on a race track I decided to give it a go.

I managed to arrange an exclusive 30min track session on an airfield The organisers were extremely friendly and the general attitude and discipline was very reassuring. I saw a few over enthusiastic drivers black flagged quickly and there was good separation between the cars. Also, no barriers, just grass.

Having never had the opportunity to really try out the car in "high end" conditions, this was an eye opener. First a couple of warm up laps to learn the circuit and then a few harder (although still "this is my car"-in the back of my mind..) laps.

The track is very tight with two longish straights. One ends in a haipin - the other a sharp left hander. There are also some chicanes and one off camber sweeping right hander (Hullavington Airfield).

http://www.motorsport-events.co.uk/hullavington.htm

I managed to get to around 125 or so down the straight and then into the hairpin after some heavy braking. Accelerating out with ESP/Sensotronic working was amazing. Deliberately (and sometimes not) getting the car out of shape was almost impossible unless you are doing something really excessive. The variable braking pulls the car straight again, varies the power delivery etc so you just drive quickly. I did around 5 laps with ESP turned off, and you then really need to concentrate. The speed, to me, seemed similar to that without ESP, however the level of concentration and correction required far more (as you would expect). Even then however, the car remains quite controllable at the limits I was driving anyway. Naturally the car has understeer in these tight corners, but otherwise seems well balanced. I had the Sport mode suspension setting on.

The acceleration down the straights was mind blowing - I was using the manual shifting the whole time - not at max rpm, but around 5.5 - 6. Manual shifting in my view gives much more control, also under braking. Again - this worked flawlessly - even protecting the car (and me) from some over enthusiastic upshifts!

Although timing is prohibited, racing not allowed I did bump into someone after who said to me that they had been timing and we (me plus instructor) did a 1:28 lap. I wasn't sure where that rated, but they indicated this was a very respectable time and compared well with some of the Caterhams.

I am certain that with more time (and someone elses SL55!!) this time could be reduced quite a lot which means that a 2ton car is in real "quick car" territory. It speaks volumes for this cars power and design.

It would be remiss of me to omit one slight weakness of the car, which was that after around 10 laps or so I got a warning (again nice to know before the car is damaged) that the brakes were overheating and to slow down, drive carefully. If you consider the layout of the track however and the braking required this is not surprising. To do more of this it really needs ceramic brakes (which I believe the F1 pace car has). However for me, this was a fine time to stop - I only really wanted to explore this cars potential for a few laps in safety not thrash it around a track for hours.

Summing up - I was expecting a quick car, but nothing that so easily manages in such challenging conditions. It is a car you can enjoy in good weather at 30mph with the top down, and at 155mph on the autobahn or on the occasional track day.


DB1

 

I would guess you did this with the top up. I'm beginning to suspect that this car is something of a Porsche (substantial trailing throttle oversteer) with the top down. I had one (fairly frightening) high-speed experience which suggests that this is the case.

Note that with the top down you have moved a substantial amount of weight from between the axles to a position behind the rear axle. So it's not just that you have added weight at the rear - you also have taken weight out of the center of the car.

I think you can get a false sense of security from the fact that (i) this tendency is pretty much absent when the top is up and (ii) when the top is down but the windows are up and the rear breeze deflector is raised, the car feels very much like the top is up.

 

Yes, the top was up (closed) the whole time. I didn't try anything adventurous with the top down, but I suspect you are right in terms of the weight etc.

Overall however, I found to the car to be well balanced at the limits which I was pushing. We did try to see if we could "spin" it around a cone in the middle of the track with the ESP off. I had a quick go but the back didn't seem eager to come around, and I wasn't keen to push it any more - tyres are expensive!

What was your frightening experience?

DB1

 

whoa...30mins of taking a sl55 to its limits...
i can tell it felt great

 

BMW does Mercedes on better in this respect. When you buy the Z8 from BMW, you get three days at the BMW performance center in SC, where you get to beat the crap out of BMW's Z8's. You really learn the handling of the car of car during this "class", especially when you do the wet-handling course. THAT was fun. And it cost nothing but the airfare to SC. You get a all kinds of great schwag, a tour of the museum (which if you're a BMW nut, it's very cool), and other stuff.

The SL costs about the same as the Z8...so why doesn't MB have one of those courses? Then we could take Mercedes' SL's out onto a course and really learn how to use that.

I'll have to live vicariously through db1's experience, because I'd never take my SL on a track. I'll do that with a GT2.

 

Maybe because the Z8 was overpriced at what it was? Maybe its because they only managed to sell 6000 over three years (I dont buy the it was a limited edition run BS - back when they where offered you could order one and get it within 3-4 months fully customized colors). I like the Z8 but its no where worth anything close to $130K at most I would say its worth $80K rarity or not.

Besides that SLs are luxury cruisers not high performance sports cars even if they have the power and can act like one.

 

You get a car handling course here in the UK when you buy any AMG product.

Here you really appreciate what the ESP can do! Also get to do the wet handling course - holding and AMG C to opposite lock for 6 laps of a wet 'icy' donut!

 

Interesting comments from everyone. I am, however, a little surprised that people with an SL55 are reluctant to put these on a track in safety to explore the limits of this car. What is the point of buying a car that has this level of performance. There is no legal way (at least in the UK) where you could ever explore the performance of this car without risking losing your licence. Sure it is great to accelerate from the lights, but to really understand the quality of the engineering you need to try it out in more challenging situations. I think the image of Mercedes as a boulevard cruiser is outdated - whilst this is not a GT2 it is a respectable performance car - the lap times bear it out. I also don't think that many 911s (apart from GT2 etc) would run away from the SL... It surprised me too as I had an image of Mercs that was off the mark. Having said that, it is not I car I would BUY for the track but now and again it is quite fun and the car is more than able to cope with this.

Also, interestingly, they use an SL55 as the pace car in F1 - the only modification is ceramic brakes and brake ducting for airflow (which I can vouch are needed). Apart from that I understand it is mostly standard.

Just my thoughts....

 

for those of you who have or have seriously considered tracking your SL55, what is the thinking on rollover protection?

i never tracked my 996 Cabriolet - even though it had the pop-up roll bars, most club events didn't consider that sort of protection safe enough. though if you put the hardtop on a Boxster or 996 Cab the groups are usually okay with it (my understanding).

but the SL55 has a hard top built-in plus, in theory, some rollover protection.

what's the conventional wisdom on this? is an R230 with its top in the closed position (ie: not open) as safe in a rollover on the track (g-d forbid) as a coupe? how are different tracks and different groups looking at the R230 in this regard?

doody.

 

Infiniti, you couldn't be more wrong.

The total production of the Z8 appears to be around 4500 worldwide, and it is a limited edition car for two reasons. The engine, the M5 engine, is a rarity in itself. The aluminum body panels come off of one-off molds that had a limited lifespan. BMW produced about 1500 more than originally planned, which actually pisses off a lot of Z8 owners. Nevertheless, outside of a few select cities, like Santa Barbara, the car is very rare.

I didn't find the body design all that interesting, but almost ALL BMW afficianados think it is absolutely gorgeous.

As for your comments that the car was easily available, I don't think so. I sold my used one for over 90, and the dealer sold it for over 110. New ones are not being discounted except by some desperate dealers who are worried about the pile up of 3 series cars.

You know, if you're going to write stuff on here, get your facts right.

 

At least get my name right....

The S62 engine is not rare BMW is running at about a 70% capacity for M5 production leaving a fair chunk of M5 engines available for excess production what they choose to produce is their wish of course. If the Z8 was that popular BMW would have easily re-made the molds. If the molds where designed for 4500 pieces then how did they magically start to make an extra 4500? Thats an extra 33%. What happens to those that damage their car body panels? Exactly...

No one goes out to create a large volume production daily driver car and then go about creating molds that have a limited lifespan that ensures spare parts that wont be available. Until I here from BMW Germany I'll stick to my guns. Dealership information is hardly reliable.

Do a search on e-bay motors for Z8 you'll see the current price for this 'rarity'

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=36470
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=36470
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=36470
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=36470

I remember when the original Z8 came out at least one sucker in California paid $300,000 for it.

I wouldn't mind a Z8 decent looking car, great roadster. I'll spring for one if I get a good deal on one in August.

 

Check those links right now! They are going for over 100,000 dollars just like Orangemarlin said. Next time you make a point don't make yourself look like a fool!

Later.

 

You crack me up man The auctions are already over

2003 BMW Z8 with 1138 miles bid was $103,000 No car there went for over $100K, pretty much $30K under list for just 1K miles.

Check out the 2000 model highest bid was $88K.

 

This is an SL55 forum, why are we discussing Z8's????...I cannot believe anyone with an SL55 would want one anyway...

 

I totally agree!! These cars' performance levels and handling have made it a great track day weapon for me. When I'm not running the race car, I find the SL more fun than the TR and 348...and it really isn't that much off the F40! Its nice to see another SL55 track junkie.

 

well said!