S4Aero

If you've followed "Bad Benz" parts 1 & 2, you may have guessed part 3 was coming. Camwimmer called it a couple of days ago.

Well, here it is.

I'm busy minding my own business at the restaurant on Sunday when my buddy, "BB" walks in with a friend. He starts the conversation by saying that "he's tired of losing to an Audi". I told him that's OK, "There are always faster cars on the road, and you found one".

He responds with "Yeah, but not your's".

I laughed and told him that "I've got $100 of his that say's otherwise".

He says "I've got $500 that says you can't beat me again".

He's serious, and lays a $500 bill on the bar. I'm still giving him the same grin that I started with, but I'm wondering what he has in mind. So I asked him "How much of a head start do you want".

He's actually getting a little pissed by this time and says that "There's no way I can beat him on a freeway run".

I hemmed and hawed for a minute, telling him that "His 500 hp SUV should be able to win at least once". I also told him that I had proven enough. At this point his buddy says. "See, I told you he wouldn't have the balls to run that pig on the highway".

That was it. My fiver was out on the bar, too. (Actually, 300 hundred dollar bills, a couple of fifties, and five twenties)

There's a freeway ramp about a mile from my restaurant. Two lanes that merge onto the highway followed by a long straight stretch. We agreed that we would run to the same bridge that we crossed on the last run. About 1.5 miles from the ramp.

His buddy wants to go with him "To see my face when he looks out the back window". A$$hole.

I told him that I didn't want to hear that "His fat a$$ was the difference because of his weight". He probably weighs 250 lbs. So now, everybody is pissed off (U.S. for mad)

So, we're off to the ramp.

Mind you, if we get caught by the cops, we're both going to jail and facing a very stiff fine, but, boys will be boys...

We pulled up next to each other, and started the countdown. When he dropped his arm we were off. I launched at just less than 4500 RPM and caught it perfectly. A slight tire chirp, and the RS was digging hard. I caught 2nd on a speed shift at just less than 7500 - perfect, almost no RPM loss unrelated to the gear change. I have a few seconds between 2nd and 3rd, so, I looked over to see where he was (hint, if he was ahead, I would have already known that) and, he was already more than 2 car lengths back.

I pulled third at just less than redline and built the lead a little more - maybe 4 car lengths, now.

I kept it hammered through 3rd and 4th, and the lead continued to grow. It's really amazing how fast the RS builds speed over 120 MPH. At about 145 I shifted into 6th with a sizeable lead. The bridge was getting close, and my lead was significant. Now, I figured that the only thing that could intervene was my speed limiter, or the cops. Fortunately, neither happened. I passed 155 on the speedo shortly before the bridge with more lead than I could have imagined.

I put it into neutral and started coasting toward the next exit. Don't you know, he went flying by me, but when I looked over, his buddy wouldn't look at me. I got off the ramp, and decided to take the B-road back to the store, just in case the cops had been alerted to the two silver rockets flying down the road by some do-gooder. He kept going on the highway.

I'm telling you, the adrenaline rush was really intense. My heart rate was probably 120 BPM or more. I was literally shaking on the ride back.

When I got back, I collected my fresh fiver and sat down to recover. "BB" never came back.

I'm sure he'll be back when he has a faster car.

I just hope that the AUDI performance upgrades that will kick up the HP to over 500 HP will be out before he shows up again. (There is a rumor that a chip upgrade and new exhaust will be out soon, and that will do it). I don't know if MTM will ever get their supercharger to market.

Road conditions:

Clear, dry, very light traffic. Temp 60 degrees F.

I passed two cars at around 120 MPH and that was it. I was gaining on other traffic as the run ended.

So, RS4, 3 - ML63 AMG, 0
New personal top speed record. Indicated 162 MPH (There was room on the tach, but the speed limiter had to be close)
Victory by more than 10 car lenghts.
$600 toward next month's car payment!

So that's it, Drag Race, Road Race, Hi-speed run. I think I quit street racing now. Track days, next.

Life is good...


PS. I did some research after the fact, and now know that I've got a fairly significant power to weight ratio advantage over his ML. Enough to make a big difference in all three events. The only event he ever led was the road race after I hit the rev limiter going from 1st to 2nd. I will say though, that all things considered, the ML is a really nice truck, and plenty fast enough to beat most cars it runs up against, just not the RS4.

audi_rudy

when I say the title it made me jump with joy at another great story of kickin another mercedes a$$ with an audi
Great story man look foward to more great stories from you

RICHBOY

Really nice review! For the sake of your friendship you should stop making a fool of your friends ML63.

Choleric

Aero, I am going to send you a digital video camera.

S4Aero

Send me two. One to focus on the speedo, and one to point out the rear window!

PC Valkyrie

Wow.....that ML63 guy is something else.....how old did he look? I guess some people can't take it when they lose and have to keep going back for a rematch......I wonder if he's going to sell his ML63 now.....LOL

Good job with the recent race!

Merc1

I don't get it, not on its best day can a ML63 beat a RS4. It would take a professional driver in the ML63 for this to even begin to look like a contest.

M

dOmInIX

I love your stories man! Merc guy is really funny, he just doesn't get it, lol. I can imagine how you felt while recing..

Tycoon

Haha! Priceless!

Great story, man.

Zonda

Awsome story