RS-Kicker

Ingredients: MB E55 AMG. Audi RS6 Avant (Hohenester 500 hp). Unknown BMW M5 E39

It’s late afternoon and our visit to AMG in Affalterbach is ended. It has been a very interesting week but now it is time to head back home to Sweden. My weapon for the evening is an E55 AMG with a very loud Eisenmann-exhaust. Apart from a remove speed limited and the exhaust the Merc is stock. My friend is in an Audi RS6 and I let him take the lead through the narrow roads in the village out to the Autobahn. The target for tonight’s drive is
Hamburg and we fight a battle against time, we like to travel as far as possible before the sun sets.
We chose the Autobahn through the hills of Kassel because our guess there is much less traffic there. And we know for sure that the roads there are very entertaining – uphill, downhill and a lot of twisties.
Rush hour is over and we are able to set a very high speed from the beginning – flat out!
For long sections we are able to keep well above 200 km/h (124 mph) which is good in the AMG. The Eisenmann system is very loud at speed around 80-160 km/h, not very comfortable at all but fun when you downshift and pass other cars. Sitting in perfect cars like this is the perfect combination of man – machine and speed. I only wish I had a CD with some good old Kraftwerk songs to make the sensation complete.
This part of the Autobahn is sensational and gives me the highest level of driving pleasure. In earlier trials we concluded that the RS6 was much faster than we anticipated. All the talks of the automatic and Quattro taking too much power is soon forgotten. The E55 is only clearly faster in speeds above 240-250 km/h. But the RS6 is much more stable and I’d rather have the stability of the Quattro than that little extra acceleration the E55 offers.
The only drawback with travelling this fast is the fuel consumption (25l/100km) and the fear of people changing lanes not looking in their rear-view mirror first as you approach. The brakes in the E55 are very good, I like the feeling a lot. But they can’t do miracles.
At a road construction we slow down and let the concentration fade a little. Then it happens, the moment we all have been waiting for! I discover the badge immediately and within a split second my mind and body are fully prepared. A BMW M5 slowly passes us in the left lane. I am ready to drive again! The guys in the M5 seems prepared to, the construction ends, I move up one lane to the left and we both floor it. After endless threads and discussions on the internet which car is the fastest I am so much looking forward to find out which car is the fastest in practice. Theory is one thing, practice another. How will this end? I keep the pedal to the metal and the M5 is not easy to beat, but frankly speaking he has not got a chance against the E55. And I must say it doesn’t matter if it’s straight or turns, the E55 is faster. But does he like to move over? Not at all! It takes a long while before he moves over and I pass him. Slipstreaming behind someone helps a lot, but in this case it didn’t matter. The E55 has enough power. Through a turn I keep 280 km/h, probably a bit faster than if I didn’t had the M5 somewhere behind. The E55 feels a bit soft in the turns, but I later realise I kept the suspension in the softest setting. Not easy to find all the buttons. Anyway the M5’s gone and I eagerly look in the rear-view-mirror to see how the next, much more exiting, battle goes on. It’s dark so I can’t see who’s first. Swoooosch! The M5 passes first with the RS6 Avant close behind. I floor it again to catch up. Undeniably, the RS6 seems to be the faster.
Does the M5 driver like to give up the left lane once more? Hell no! If it took long time for him to move over when I passed him, it’s taking forever this time. Only when the RS6 driver goes up in the mid-lane to indicate he’s faster the M5 moves over. We both pass the M5 one experience richer.
An unlimited part of Autobahn comes to an end and a 120 km/h limitation starts. The M5 drives up side by side to me. We laugh and do thumbs up. :thumb: A King of the Autobahn got its scalp picked.



The day starts with me looking out from this old castle over the Rhein. The sun is shining and it's time for breakfast.
A perfect day for a drive in the RS6.com-mobile.



We head south to Singen and the famous autosalon.
Reality beats fiction by far! Ugly cars like Porsches has to stand outside. Note the CLK GTR that just arrived. I like the Aston Martin as well, another favourite.



On our way north. We pick up an E55 AMG along the way.
I won't go so far to say that it feels tired, but after all I've read I had expected more.



Look! It's possible to reach 300+ (187 mph)



For more pics:

http://www.rs6.com/forum/showthread....&threadid=3983

MadC32

one wicked story haha.. I'm lovin it (TM McDonalds)

ajoe

That rs6 had to be chipped big time, because I know from personal experience (ownership) that over 100mph the m5 is a lttle quicker than the rs6 and the e55 is significantly quicker than both. I know this from highway testing on a fixed distance with each of these cars.

JamE55

Great write up! Oh and also great kill on the M5.

RS-Kicker

Nope, just stage 1 from Hohenester in Germany.
Output is 500 hp and around 650-670 Nm.
Nothing else is done to the car.

Check here for more info on the RS6.
http://www.rs6.com/articles/008.html

We were also able to drive side by side with a Carlsson tuned E55 supposed to have 560 hp and 980:ish Nm.

I am still surprised. I expected to be left behind in the RS6.


http://www.hohenester-sport.de/

BenzoBoi

Awesome write up...wait did I hear an MSlow??? hahahaha

theine

Ah, the Autobahn!

scorchie

Dats pretty funny. I just made such a 3-CD set yesterday for cruising in my E55, but while it is in drydock for refitting, we listened to them in my CLK55.

-s-

amg55

Great story and pics, RS. Love the descriptions and the 301 km/h pic.

Pierre32///AMG

Awesome story!...thanks!

I1 ULOOZ

story is great

Felix

superb story!

the autobahn (A7) around the kassel hills is really challenging, so much twists, ups and downs! u can really push the car´s to their limit. i live 80km away from kassel. why did´t u came around *smile*

Belmondo

Ok, so who is the king of autobahn? Is it E55 doing 301km/hr or the RS6 doing over 310km/h ??

RS-Kicker

It's possible to push the E55 above 301 km/h. However, the ride was a bit bumpy so my pics of the 306 km/h (and perhaps 309 km/h) aren't good enough.

The King of the Autobahn is up to yourself to deceide. They are all great cars!

Jon200

Both E55 and RS6 are animals

bjonson62

Do u have any clips of the E55 id love to hear the Eisenmann exhausts roar

BenzoBoi

If it sounds anyting like the Sl55 video they have on their website. I will bow down...that is like music to the ears.

bjonson62

That’s exactly why I’m asking for any clips of an E55 with an Eisenmann exhausts installed I was disappointed that they didn’t have a clip on there web page

BenzoBoi

it's prolly cause they knoe it won't sound as deep. As you knoe the only difference between the E and the S,CL,SL is the exhaust. From what I heard, they said you can get cloes to the sound of the SL but won't be able to get "that sound". They told me you needed to get the race program for the eisenmann and when I found out the price I jus passed out. It's not jus an arm and a leg but pretty much your soul!~! Hahaha jkjk. But it is very very expensive. That is the only reason I didn't get it, but to tell you the truth I like my set up very much. I wanted the sound, and that is exactly what I got.

bjonson62

Do u have a sound clips or videos of your set up i'm quite interested in hearing diffent Exhaust systems.

Sleestack

Great writeup. It's refreshing to hear someone who is a car enthusiast and willing to evaluate all the cars without being a slave to MB. The RS6 Avant is just too cool. An AWD station wagon with a twin turbo 4.2 liter... too bad they don't ship them to the U.S.

BenzoBoi

Sorry I don't at the moment. Do you know about our lil gtg this comin saturday at the Rose Bowl? If you have the time to come out I would be more then happy to show it to you and talk bout it if your interested...

bjonson62

I would love too but Sadly im in The UK at the Moment

BenzoBoi

Oh so you're originally from here? I'm guessin. Well if you are and if you are also from the socal area I'll arrange somethin so we can meet up and talk.

bjonson62

Thanx alot id really appreciate that thanx again