I was reading a review on the new Audi R8 in a car magazine, and it explained a launch process, that I want to mimic in my SLK.

Basically it says:
* Turn off ESP
* Step on the brake
* Put it in Sport, manual, 1st gear
* Step on the accelerator
* Watch the RPMs rise
* Let go of the brake
* Launch!
* Remember to shift up

Is this something I can do safely in my SLK?

 

Yes, but you're gonna screw up your transmission and wear out your brakes.

 

ok, so it's not safe.. I won't try it then. Driving the car in Sport mode is fun enough... that'll do for me.

 

It's safe once in a while, like once every 2 weeks. Plus your car is under warranty. Have some fun with it.

 

The SLK doesn't have a real launch control like you'd find in some cars. Even in those cars that do have one, the it will wear out the clutch.

In the SLK, what you're doing if you try to perform this, is technically called "brake torqueing". i.e. you apply the brakes to get the car into the correct torque range for maximum push. If I perform this on my AMG, I get quite a bit of tire squeal, the patch just isn't large enough.

The automatic gearbox will technically last just fine. Clutches wear out quick, but the 7G box is made to withstand up to 720nm of continuous torque stress, so a few launch techniques here and there won't do all that much damage, if any.

However, brake torqueing will heat up the brake fluids pretty quickly. This could lead to the brake fluids boiling, leaving you with poor brake action when you need it the most. So if you do try a launch here or there, do it in a place where you won't be left having to do multiple urgent brake stops.

 

Thanks, Shinigami !

 

No offense but that's not correct. "brake torqueing" WILL NOT CAUSE your brake fuilds to heat up. For your brake fluuids to heat up your brake Rotor & pads have to be hot (from hard use of the brakes at speed) then the heat will transfer from the rotor to the pad from the pad to the caliper from the caliper to the pistions then to the brake fluid.

So unless your doing a Killer burnout your brake fluid won't heat up.

However you might eventually burnout your torque converter (the automatic tranmissions clutch)

Also i never heard of it being refered to by "brake torqueing" we call it power braking or loading up the T/C (torque converter)

 

its so fun especially when its bit cold and my tires are the first set at 14859 miles the car burns that rubber and i tell you boooowwwyyyyyyyy that is fun and the warranty covers all that **** i hope haha

 

When I was 16, my mother's car (a Dodge) had a push-button transmission that was great for doing just that. Rev up the engine and punch the drive button. Great burn outs until I fried the tranny doing it. The mechanic told my father it was the most trashed transmission he had ever seen.

 

hahahahahahahahahahhahahahahhha