New King on the Autobahn: E55 AMG and RS6 meets M5

[Erik]

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. :music: 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. :rs6kiss:
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.

http://www.rs6.com/pics/Various/E55-RS6-M5-1.jpg

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.

http://www.rs6.com/pics/Various/E55-RS6-M5-2.jpg

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.
Check for yourself: http://www.auto-salon-singen.com/

http://www.rs6.com/pics/Various/E55-RS6-M5-3.jpg

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.

http://www.rs6.com/pics/Various/E55-RS6-M5-4.jpg

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

http://www.rs6.com/pics/Various/E55-RS6-M5-5.jpg

Some pics from Autobahn. Playing cat and mouse.

http://www.rs6.com/pics/Various/E55-RS6-M5-6.jpg

http://www.rs6.com/pics/Various/E55-RS6-M5-7.jpg

http://www.rs6.com/pics/Various/E55-RS6-M5-8.jpg

V8 with Lysholm-compressor

http://www.rs6.com/pics/Various/E55-RS6-M5-9.jpg

Do you see the M5? It's there. I promise.

http://www.rs6.com/pics/Various/E55-RS6-M5-10.jpg

Thirsty beasts

http://www.rs6.com/pics/Various/E55-RS6-M5-11.jpg

The RS6 out of a tunnel

[steve]

Great article Erik! Must have been a lot of fun:rs6kiss:
Thanx for the great write-up!

Any video material?


Steve

[Bingocaller]

Nice trip Erik - Really like the battle of the Beasts :incar:

[nene]

Really great stuff. Now you make me want to take a trip to Europe. Keep it coming.

[JP4]

Great story Erik. And well written too. Thanks for sharing.

JP4 :0:

[Benman]

Very nice. It is true that it is a VERY weird and scarry feeling to be driving 150mph+ and have a big rig PULL OUT IN FRONT OF YOU going 50!!!:bigeyes: Time to test those brakes!:cheers:
Ben

[Dark Knight]

It got my heart pumping Erik! Thought I was in the car with you for a second!

[Aronis]

FUN FUN FUN....

Anyone want to try that one in the USA?

Skip the ticket, they well execute you on the side of the road.

Mike

[BravoDude]

Hey Erik, once again a nice and lifelike story from you, but when I read the last part of your article I had a thought...
"A King of the Autobahn got its scalp picked." when you say this then have bear in mind that all 3 of these cars have V8 engines but only the BMW in naturally aspirated, so it is quite obvious that the BMW couldn't go just as fast as the AMG and RS6... Supercharging really helps... Try the same race with a turbo- og supercharged M5 E39 :)
This isn't ment as a negativs post, but only as a comment to your nicely done story, thumbs up :p

[Aronis]

Its a great rivalry.

All three cars are as different as a Pickup, and SUV, and a convertable!

MB - luxury and balls
M5 - balls and balls, dry road balls that is
RS6 - balls and all weather balls

Mike

:rs6kiss: :incar:

[nyrs6]

Erik
Did you do any pulls agains the AMG? and you said you were not able to catch up with the M5? You also said that the E55 brakes are very good, how would you compare them with the RS6?

[Chuangs4]

Great story!
Thanks Eric!!:applause:

[Erik]

Originally posted by nyrs6
Did you do any pulls agains the AMG? and you said you were not able to catch up with the M5? You also said that the E55 brakes are very good, how would you compare them with the RS6?

We both smoked the M5!

We did several pulls RS6 against E55. There were 3 E55s with us, one with Carlsson 560 hp / 980 Nm.
As usual there was some problem with the tuning so we drove side by side with the Carlsson E55 in the RS6. I think he spent 15.000 Euros on the tuning...
The E55s were only clearly faster in speed around 240-250 km/h.
I am still surprised the RS6 Avant could keep up, we expected to be left behind.

I don't know about breaking performance (I guess it's similar to the RS6) but the feeling in the E55 was very good. When I had an E270 rental I hated the brakes, totally opposite the E55 I must say. Very good for Autobahn useage.

[andyp]

Great article and pics Erik. Thanks. It still makes me laugh picturing an estate car (station wagen) doing those speeds and competing so well in such company.

Thanks goes to the Reliant Scimitar GTE (http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/car_info/reliant_scimitar.htm) for starting the sports station wagen trend (yea, I know there were one offs like an Aston Martin station wagen before this, but they were custom vehicles)


Andy

[nyrs6]

Originally posted by Erik
We both smoked the M5!

We did several pulls RS6 against E55. There were 3 E55s with us, one with Carlsson 560 hp / 980 Nm.
As usual there was some problem with the tuning so we drove side by side with the Carlsson E55 in the RS6. I think he spent 15.000 Euros on the tuning...
The E55s were only clearly faster in speed around 240-250 km/h.
I am still surprised the RS6 Avant could keep up, we expected to be left behind.

I don't know about breaking performance (I guess it's similar to the RS6) but the feeling in the E55 was very good. When I had an E270 rental I hated the brakes, totally opposite the E55 I must say. Very good for Autobahn useage.

How many car lengths did the E55 pull on you? Dis you race the stock one?

About the brakes all the magazines didnt like the feel. You also said that by the CL65 AMG. Are the brakes of the E55 the same feel?

[BCR]

Great article and great pictures :applause:

Bruno

[2046]

GOOD STUFF!
the out of tunnel pic is awesome! :race:

[Erik]

Originally posted by nyrs6
How many car lengths did the E55 pull on you? Dis you race the stock one?

About the brakes all the magazines didnt like the feel. You also said that by the CL65 AMG. Are the brakes of the E55 the same feel?

How many car lengths? Hmm... I have no idea, we did this so many times and up to 300 km/h plus so I had other things to worry about than car lengths. :p
I raced the stock ones several times. All I know for sure is how surprised I am that the RS6 was able to keep up.
I also drove the SL55 and it wasn't so much faster than the E55s.
At 270 km/h with the roof down it actually felt a bit slow, like it didn't want to go any faster :D :D

I never said the brakes in the CL65 were bad. I never really tried them, but I guess they're of the same wood as the E55.
The CL65 just feel so much bigger and more out of control because of its size (and ability to go ultra-fast in a straigh line).

[JAXRS6]

Terrific story & thread!:applause:

So, Erik -- you got any job openings there? I'm very good at sitting in fast German cars....:D

[Snow]

Wow, great story/review Erik. Nice to hear the RS6 stands tall in tough competition. :0:

[Erik]

Another part of the history:

We visited Auto Salon Singen

Check IT OUT! (http://www.rs6.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4231)

[M femman]

Originally posted by Erik
We both smoked the M5!

We did several pulls RS6 against E55. There were 3 E55s with us, one with Carlsson 560 hp / 980 Nm.
As usual there was some problem with the tuning so we drove side by side with the Carlsson E55 in the RS6. I think he spent 15.000 Euros on the tuning...
The E55s were only clearly faster in speed around 240-250 km/h.
I am still surprised the RS6 Avant could keep up, we expected to be left behind.

I don't know about breaking performance (I guess it's similar to the RS6) but the feeling in the E55 was very good. When I had an E270 rental I hated the brakes, totally opposite the E55 I must say. Very good for Autobahn useage.


Check out this movie http://www.kabel1.de/php-bin/scripts/cvideo/cvideo.php?Speed-Limos+im+Vergleich,,1,,331,,62.153.249.100/cgi-bin/redirPSDM?user=psdm&name=psdm/kabel1/auto/aa121002/limos.rm,,NULL,,1,,1 Its looks like the RS6 getting smoked!:revs:

[JAXRS6]

Originally posted by M femman
Check out this movie http://www.kabel1.de/php-bin/scripts/cvideo/cvideo.php?Speed-Limos+im+Vergleich,,1,,331,,62.153.249.100/cgi-bin/redirPSDM?user=psdm&name=psdm/kabel1/auto/aa121002/limos.rm,,NULL,,1,,1 Its looks like the RS6 getting smoked!:revs:

Nice video, tho it took a couple of tries for me to get it to work. Seeing how great the RS6 looks with Recaros made me jealous of European owners!

The only time I saw the RS6 get "smoked" was in the drag race. That was a bit bothersome -- not because the E55 won, which is old news when comparing those two cars stock, but because the M5 beat the RS6 too. That's not consistent with what I've read elsewhere.

The RS6 won the emergency stop braking comparison, it seemed, but I don't speak German so I couldn't understand the commentary. I presume it explained which cars "won" in slalom, lap time, etc. Can anyone help us non-German-speaking folks with those results?

Just as important, who is the source of this video and test/comparison? I didn't see the first couple of seconds & there were no credits at the end. Without knowing that, its credibility remains unresolved.

[M femman]

RS6 was fastest in the slalom and the brake test, the E55 AMG was the fastest and M5 was the most fun too drive and second fastest after the E55. Here is a link with more info about the german test. http://www.kabel1.de/info/aa/autos_im_test/index.php?7553

[M femman]

Here is a cool movie. RS6 MTM vs M5 E39 vs M3 CSL on german Autobahn!
http://www.free4games.de/bmwdrivers/w2.wmv

[A418TQTip]

Originally posted by M femman
Here is a cool movie. RS6 MTM vs M5 E39 vs M3 CSL on german Autobahn!
http://www.free4games.de/bmwdrivers/w2.wmv

I saw this movie a while ago. I was impressed by the M5. Who would've thought an E39 M5 could keep up with a 500HP RS6?

Anyway, it's not like the RS6 got smoked or anything. Quite the opposite actually.

:addict:

[JAXRS6]

Originally posted by M femman
the E55 AMG was the fastest and ....

Do you mean fastest lap time?

FYI I went to your link but it too is in German, and I have had poor experiences using free online translators from German to English.:cry: If someone out there has actually experienced a result of understandable English from a free service when translating from German, please pass on that source!:D

[M femman]

Originally posted by JAXRS6
Do you mean fastest lap time?

No, the Merc was fastest in a straight line. The RS6 was fastest in the slalom. M5, best of both worlds. ;)