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