sky redline vs slk 350 (who would win)

[ParrotHeadNation]

just figuring some things out, im ordering the redline in January, and my friend is getting a new SLK 350 roadster about that time, hes got 268 hp and tiptronic, i'd be 260 and auto, who do you think would win in a race? once we break em in were taking them to the track.

[xmicro_Redline]

Originally Posted by ParrotHeadNation

just figuring some things out, im ordering the redline in January, and my friend is getting a new SLK 350 roadster about that time, hes got 268 hp and tiptronic, i'd be 260 and auto, who do you think would win in a race? once we break em in were taking them to the track.

I can answer that, you have the edge on the twisties for SURE, but he will ever so slightly nudge you on the top end. Long straight away he will get you by a nose, with exact driving skills, but throw some twisties in ............ goodbye !!

Data based on my own experience.

[GreenDevil]

Considering the SLK350 costs about $20,000 more that a Sky RL, perhaps you should put $20,000 worth of mods on your car and then see who comes out on top.

[Jaysmith2000]

Originally Posted by GreenDevil

Considering the SLK350 costs about $20,000 more that a Sky RL, perhaps you should put $20,000 worth of mods on your car and then see who comes out on top.

I was thinking the same thing. Would take much in the way of mods to get the edge on him. Make sure you're in Competitive Mode when you race him. REPRESENT!

[marklynn70]

I don't even think you would need to invest all $20,000 to beat the SLK but the previous posters are right in a straight leg he would have the power to pull away from and unmoded Redline. It would be great to watch though.

[GhostRL]

The SLK is 600 pounds heavier. Seems the sky would win.

[Bogie]

The 0-60 stats are virtually identical between SLK and RL.

I can't find the actual torque curve on the SLK, but peak torque of 258 is spec'd at 2400 RPM. SLK HP peaks out at 6000 RPM, at 234 torque while the RL peaks out at 5300 RPM at 260 torque.

I guess I'll just say that a torque of 258 vs 260, an HP of 268 vs 260, a HP peak of 6000 vs 5300 and redline of 6000 vs 6300 is so close that the engine performance is a wash. Although the SLK specific torque value suggests a torque roll off beyond 2400, the other performance values suggest the roll off is negligible, giving the SLK comparable torque through the RPM range in that the torque peaks low and is sustained. Hence, it seems like everything goes to gearing and drive train efficiency.

Considering the SLK is heavier, and delivers comparble performance at comparable engine output, I would say the weight is made up in drive train efficiency...horsepower to the wheels. Or, the difference could be close enough to enter turbo lag range. Yes, the RL has almost no lag, but it does have "some" lag. And when two cars are this closely matched in performance, a half second can make all the difference.

Edit: Gear Ratios 1 to 3 (RL/SLK)
1. 3.42/4.46 <---SLK is very beefy off the line. Of course, it will have to dump to second sooner, but it can take peak torque at 4.46 to 6000, while the RL rolls off at 5300...so while the RL will be delivering more torque from the engine, the SLK will be delivering more torque to the wheels, but will have to shift sooner and weighs more. This is a very interesting matchup.
2. 2.21/2.61
3. 1.6/1.72
Final: 3.91 / 3.27

[sidejam]

Just put on the BSR tune and don't tell him.
Then you'd beat him for sure!

[compdoc777]

Originally Posted by sidejam

Just put on the BSR tune and don't tell him.
Then you'd beat him for sure!

You said it! It is a great tune he would own all.

[Mandi]

Tiptronic.....bleh!

0-60 mph really doesn't mean anything.....you can be going a slower speed yet be farther out than the other guy.

A SLK350 should be good for high 13s.....you better have your ducks in a row.

[Mcapalety]

I own both cars.

I have a 2006 SLK-350 R171 6sp manual with AMG performance package and an 07 Sky Redline and I have raced them twice. A friend and I switched places and both of us drove both cars to make sure it wasn't the driver. I got my sky redline for under 30000 and the Merc was 68000 in both cars have every option they offer and were purchased within a month of each other

Light Turns Green
0-30 Mercedes puts a full intersection on the sky off the line
30-90 Sky passes Mercedes and is notably quicker
90-150 Mercedes takes over and sky becomes very unstable around 130 and just has no chance after that.

Bigest difference is the brakes on the sky can barley stop the car at that speed and the mercedes stops like a jet plane handles like a jet plane and drives perfect has a hard top automatic remote control roof, neck heaters , seat heaters, phone and ipod integrated into the nav display plus about a dozen other things you can't get on a U.S car and that is what the extra $40000.00 does for the Mercedes.

With all of that said It would be a really hard choice to decide wich one to sell if I ever do. Because they are both great cars for the money you spend.

[ParrotHeadNation]

i mean we wouldn't be racin most the time, i was the one who talked him in to a roadster, he drives a c230 now, which is alright, its a benz so its nice, we'll mostly be crusin around, hes getting black with red leather, me with silver and red leather, should be nice, two single young guys cruisin around hopin for the best

[ParrotHeadNation]

well it looks like it wont be much of an issue. the 2009 slk 350 is supposed to get a boost to 300 hp, i might need to do some horsepower gains

[RedHeaded RedLine]

Originally Posted by ParrotHeadNation

just figuring some things out, im ordering the redline in January, and my friend is getting a new SLK 350 roadster about that time, hes got 268 hp and tiptronic, i'd be 260 and auto, who do you think would win in a race? once we break em in were taking them to the track.

My husband always says: “You are part of a car driver complex”. We compete with a guy that has a 350Z, spends $1,000s of dollars on parts and often leaves the course. The next few hundred bucks he should spend are on driver-ed. The upside to that you take it with you to what ever car you drive. New parts are stuck on the car. So, to answer you question, other than in a straight line, which still involves driver launch technique, the better driver will probably win. -J

[jayman]

Originally Posted by ParrotHeadNation

i mean we wouldn't be racin most the time, i was the one who talked him in to a roadster, he drives a c230 now, which is alright, its a benz so its nice, we'll mostly be crusin around, hes getting black with red leather, me with silver and red leather, should be nice, two single young guys cruisin around hopin for the best

...reminds me of these guys....

[Bogie]

Originally Posted by Mcapalety

Light Turns Green
0-30 Mercedes puts a full intersection on the sky off the line
30-90 Sky passes Mercedes and is notably quicker
90-150 Mercedes takes over and sky becomes very unstable around 130 and just has no chance after that.

Matches the engineering expectation very nicely.
0-30: Off the line the SLK's gearing delivers much better torque to weight at the wheels, and might get a bit more jump as the SKY turbo spools.
30-90 Both cars have almost equal torque off the engine, but the SLK may (I'm not too versed on the optimum shift points on SLK) have to shift sooner, and the SKY is lighter which will give the SKY a better torque to weight ratio in the mid range.
90-150 Now it becomes a "drag" (as in aerodynamics drag) fight, where the SLK has a 17% efficiency advantage, which is like having a 40HP advantage at the limit.


And if you think about it, the above "hands on" and engineering assessment shows how the SKY is engineered for the 30 to 90 range. Considering the U.S. highway speed restrictions, I guess you could say it's engineered for the U.S.

Contrast with the Mercedes, and BMWs, and Porches, and a host of other European imports where high end stability and speed is part of many daily driver experiences.

[fast86gn]

Believe it or not I was at the track last night and there were 4 mercedes there racing one a CLK350 not sure what year? His best I saw was a 14.20 at 97mph. Almost the same as what I ran in the RL. My best was a 14.06 @97.6.

[BlueSkyRL]

I don't need my engineering knowledge to figure out that a 3.5L v6 will beat a 2.0L 4 banger off the line and on the top end! Why even debate this fact? The 600 lbs of weight in the SKY help, but the 30,000 to 40,000 dollars in my pocket help even more....I can BUY a lot of 1st place trophy's with that money and tell everyone all kinds of fish stories

[vfx]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyRL

I don't need my engineering knowledge to figure out that a 3.5L v6 will beat a 2.0L 4 banger off the line and on the top end! Why even debate this fact? The 600 lbs of weight in the SKY help, but the 30,000 to 40,000 dollars in my pocket help even more....I can BUY a lot of 1st place trophy's with that money and tell everyone all kinds of fish stories

Your talking about the stock builds, right? Otherwise I have 2.0liter 4 banger that will win.

c

[fast86gn]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyRL

I don't need my engineering knowledge to figure out that a 3.5L v6 will beat a 2.0L 4 banger off the line and on the top end! Why even debate this fact? The 600 lbs of weight in the SKY help, but the 30,000 to 40,000 dollars in my pocket help even more....I can BUY a lot of 1st place trophy's with that money and tell everyone all kinds of fish stories

Better break out that so called "engineering knowledge" because you'll need it. I didn't get to line up with that CLK but I'll bet I could take him off the line just about everytime. And I don't need a degree to figure that out!

No different than my 3.8 kickin the sh** out of a 7.5!