Your "Professional" Mercedes driving instructor...

[jason at scirocco.org (Jason)]

At 10:17 AM 5/23/2003, Neal Tovsen wrote:

> > That would be the twin-turbo V12 SL600.
>
>Hmmm...maybe the Car & Driver site had the wrong
>picture then? I was definitely driving the SL55 AMG
>with the Lysholm supercharged V8. 516 lb/ft at 2700rpm
>will still get you around a tight autocross track
>pretty dern fast!

Oops -- maybe I wasn't clear.  You were indeed driving the SL55.  When I 
said that, I was saying that I thought the 30+hp boost for 2004 you were 
talking about was actually the SL600.  If the SL55 is getting a 30hp boost 
for 2004, I dunno about it.  My bad -- sorry.



>I didn't know the SL600 was now twin turbocharged!

Can you f*cking believe it?  Like it wasn't a rocket before?
The S600 is now twin turbo also.  Will embarrass an M3, M5, or 911 at any 
speed...


>That is insane. Just like the article mentions about
>the turbos, the AMG supercharger is incredibly
>quiet...you can *just* barely hear it if you know what
>sound to listen for. Most people wouldn't notice it.
>That's pretty impressive, especially considering that
>Lysholm-converted Corrados literally sound like a
>friggin fire engine!
>
>But the exhaust note is all V8. Very nice rumble
>similar to a Mustang or Camaro, without being too
>loud. Strange noise to come from a Mercedes!

Depends on what kind of Mercedes you're used to.  My 6.9 (1979 W116 body 
style S-class with a 6.9-liter V8) was all V8 sound.  Quiet inside at idle, 
but you'd hear the burble outside... and it screamed like a motherf*cker 
like only a V8 can.

Cool story though -- I'm jealous!
Jason