The "XXX couldn't be faster cause it is rated with less power/torque and weighs more than XYZ" (BMW?) debate has merit on paper. However, anyone who has driven a 500E at 10/10ths against a variety of other cars knows just how much "rated" power and accel specs mean. (read: not much at all) Though the 500E's are the most extreme overachievers in the MB lineup that I've seen, the same principal applies to the other cars to a greater or lesser degree. (especially the DOHC cars)

Not to mention there is always the most important factor in any auto event...the driver. The MB auto's are very consistent in their performance. Especially from a rolling race... Even if the accel of two cars are equal, if you can pull a car length by having a quicker kickdown/shift then all you have to do is hang onto that lead.

By that same logic it would be "impossible" for a heavy-underpowered 500E to beat a C5 in the 1/4mile. Since the 500E has "only" 322HP/354lb-ft and tips the scales at approx 3850 lbs vs the similar power yet much lighter curb weight of the Vette. Except for the minor detail that I've personally driven a 92 500E faster than a C5 on the same track, same conditions, in a repeatable fashion. (not to mention ripped a bunch of them on the street) The C5 was an automatic who's fastest times about equalled the 500E's slowest (once the engine got too hot) Talking to other 500E owners, this is not an isolated incedent. (Michael, I know your out there...) (Ditto for Lou...)

As for the C36 vs C43, I've driven both a good bit and the C36's are at least a match for the C43's if not quicker. Perhaps the C43's will gain some speed with time as all the C36's were well broken in while the C43's were literally off the showroom floor. Though I've seen a couple magazine tests where the C43's were not even making the usually conservative MB spec. I do know that performance on the DOHC engines is heavily temp dependant. In the worst of cases they seem to be at "rated" spec, in cold ambient conditions they seem to pick up LOTS of power. Like I said before, I've G-Tech timed the same 500E at 6.4 secs 0-60 with a 14.7 @ 97mph 1/4 mile time, then timed the same car at 5.2 secs 0-60 with a 13.6 @ 107mph 1/4 mile. The only difference was ambient temp as this was done on the same stretch of road, in the same direction, same # of people/stuff in the car, etc. The hard data from the G-tech confirmed the "butt dyno" impressions. To make the big a difference in accel takes a huge change in power. Putting the same C36 under the G-Tech has yielded 0-60 in the 5.5-5.8 range with the 1/4 in around 14.3 @ 101mph. That has been under approx 40 degree temps, have not had a chance to time it in the 95+ F of ATL summers. Though I can't completely explain it, I've seen raw data, felt the butt dyno, and suprised more than a few "high performance" cars with factory hot-rod MB's.

Lee

PS Have pegged the speedo past 160mph in the same 500E. (92's seem to not always be limited to 155mph) Didn't have a whole lot of revs left but had it another gear it would of easily kept going. Have not been able to test the C36 similarly but it doens't have the triple digit+ power anything close to the 500E.