Vetluver

Well it finally happened. My friend has had a 04 911 TT for about a year and I have not had my Vette in condition to "race" him since he got it. He drove my E55 and was impressed.

Today I saw him in my rear view mirror coming up fast and decided to slow down. It just so happened that a stop light had turned red. He looked at me and I glanced back and grinned. When the light turned green he jumped on it. Never one to back down, I stompped it too. Grip was perfect, shifted without the engine backing off. I hit 80mph (35mph zone). He never got past my rear bumper. They are very evenly matched but because of the automatic tranny and traction control the E55 won convincingly. The next 2 lights we did it again. The outcome was the same each time. Unfortunuately we were in the middle of a residential area and were never able to get it toward to high end. Maybe next time. (Please, no barbs. I know it's illegal and immature but it's still a kick.)

My friend just couldn't believe it. He had never had anyone keep up with his monster much less beat it. I am still grinnin, what a rush. I am going to get the Vette running in the next few weeks and can't wait to smoke him with that little baby.

Nitrous...the great equalizer!

zdkdeeier493

Sounds familiar...A few months ago I took a guy in a 911tt with 3 friends in my car. Again, he must have been making bad throws but he couldnt clear my rear bumper either. In the turns he'd creep up on me and even took me in some parts, but once we hit Sepulvida Blvd. it was pure straightaway. He wasn't letting off and actually started ahead of us but we took him after a few hundred feet. Best race I've ever been in, thats for sure!

BoBcanada

Nice kill!!! Cant wait till tomorow to pick up my beast!!!

AMGe55

I know you asked for no barbs but doing 80 in a 35 zone in a residential area is more than illegal and immature. It is insanely dangerous. A man of your age and profession should know how much he has to lose if a child should run out in front of you while you are getting your kicks.

04E55 AMG

I hate to disappoint, but a E55 will stay close in the straights but no match for the mighty 996TT overall. Our E55's have no change keeping up with a 996TT w/X50 even in the straights.

If it did have the X50 package, the driver was not going all out or was not driving correctly.

My E55 reminds me of my 996TT when it was stock in the straights, but once I did a Stage 2 upgrade (very similiar to X50) no chance.

Having owned both these cars, they are AWESOME cars with different
purposes.

BTW - This type of driving should be done on a track

E55_POWER

AMGe55

With the e55 all you have to do is point it straight and mash the go pedal so I do believe you can win a race against a car like the 996tt with X50 pkg because someone who races infrequently will often mis-shift in the heat of battle.

Hussain

Wow, I know my E55 is fast, but I didnt think it could kill my previous Turbo. I guess you just dont feel the sports car-ness because of the smoothness. Feels like im doing 70 when Im at 100.

Vetluver

I think that the cars are better matched than people realize. (In a straight line) My Vette will run rings around it in the twisties but you still have to shift and my Vette doesn't have traction control. The 996 TT was driven well but he still is not a pro. The TT makes up a lot of real estate at the end of the quarter if you look at the specs. As I said we were limited by situation, I'm sure that once we got to 100 he would have passed me. Still it's amazing that a 4 door grocery getter will do what it does.

My buddy is "very impressed". By the way he has been trying to best me for about 10 years. He had a twin turbo Vr4 Mitsubishi which he maxed out, then traded to a SC NSX and now the TT. So far he batting .000. I thought that he was going to get a hit, me not in my Vette but he missed again.

AMGfan

I know the feeling...drove to ft. lauderdale last weekend and on alligator alley I was doing between 90 and 100...I slowed down to 70 when I saw a FHP and it literally felt like we were doing 35...time slowed down to a molasses speed!

AMGfan

AMGfan

What was your launching technique?

ESP on or off
Initial throttle blip, then a stomp
Slam the throttle to the floor ASAP

Vetluver

ESP on. I quickly accelerated to cause the tires to squeal slightly. After it shifted to 2nd I floored it. If you give it too much when you shift to 2nd the computer backs off on the throttle. I might add that we have recently had a lot of rain and the street was dry and squeaky clean. The grip was great. I have had to learn how to launch with my Vette with a standard 6sp and biggest difficulty is to prevent wheel spin off the line. Patience and relaxation tends to get you going quicker than rambunctiousness. The E55 is infinitely easier to launch than any other car I have had.