SL55 vs. 360 spyder

In which case you should head down to your local Porsche dealer, order a CGT and withing 24 months you can have car that will spank everything in a straight line or on a track. Unless you pull up next to an Enzo, F1, S7, CC or similar at the lights, the odds of which are very, very long.

 

I have a friend with a 55 Chevy that will spank most of anything out there that is street legal. Looking at the numbers the Enzo won't keep up with it off the stoplight. I am sure there is something out there that would beat that 55 Chevy as well. You just got to pick your battles and drag racing is not the battle to pick if you are a Ferrari driver. Although, wasn't there a Testarossa for sale on Ebay with 1500hp. Put some decent tires on that thing and then go find yourself an AMG SL55. I would really like to see the face of that AMG driver if that happend.
FERRARI is the best.

 

I own a 360 Spider and a CL 55.

To me the numbers do not matter, when I drive the 360 I use both hands, both feet, no cell phone, no stereo. top down. If I sneeze I am afraid I will run off the road. A unique driving experience.

CL55, Stereo blasting, cell phone burning up, Parktronic, Distronic, Cruise Controll, ESP, 17 (or so..) airbags, GPS, and most importantly.... CUP HOLDERS for my Starbucks, It is so easy to drive I feel like I do not even need to be there. I still manage to have a complete blast driving it.

No comparison for me, no need... Buy them both

 

You can't even try to compair the looks and sound of an AMG with the Spyder... that's why the guy in the yellow demon of a convertable has the girl next to him and the other guy is only blessed with reliability.

http://www.barchetta.cc/All.Ferraris/images/0716/img-0899-1.jpg

****! Who wouldn't what to drive that?! That's the ride! With an Imola front end and more importantly.... Novitec Twin Superchargers.... you can say bye bye to the Benz.... And a 911... maybe even smoke one of those shiny new V10 Lambos too.

 

Good call

 

agree, in this case sl55, cl6 and couple of fast cars

 

Mark, when everyone else has 600.

 

Someone once said on another forum, and its for Porsche, but could still apply, that the reason why Porsche/Ferrari do this, is that people buy Ferrari's and will continue to do so, no matter if its first year of production, or last year. this is why Ferrari can afford to do mild tweaks and sell 2000 cars with 420hp. Then come out with a new model with 460HP, and sell another 2000.

Mercedes/Lambo/Ford etc. will make 500hp, sell 3000 cars, people lose interest, they have to make reliable engines with 600hp output to keep interest, hence Ferrari will be making profits, make sense?

 

i wonder what you think of new 612 scagletti if this is your opinion of the sl55? these cars seem to serve the same purpose with mb offering open top and 612 offering 2X $. do you think the 612 is for posers only or is it a real car with its paddle shift?

 

Ah, yet another post about "if yo car can't handle the ring, its shiet".

Let me just say, if handling was such a concern for all of you, why don't all the ferrari owners buy Radical XR3? It'll do the Nurburgring in 7.27, faster than the C GT.


And as for driving in the REAL world, sure Ferrari's and porsches are fun, but not all of us live in Arizona canyons, or have routes to the office that resemble Hockenheim, so if your car is an auto and has 500bhp, backed up by a wall of torque you'd going to look pretty darn silly, when that granny in her 4 door saloon E55 outruns you, in your handling proud Modena.

 

I agree, this is a race to the end...you'll never have enough torque or horsepower. As time and technology pass and improve, someone will ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING BETTER OR FASTER. PERIOD. So that dude needs to get over himself. There are so many other competitive factors to consider. I dig the overall package an automobile exudes. If I had to rate my 308, and I'll use the words of my friend DJ, "my old slow crappy 308" to that of today's cars...I might as well take it to the crusher tomorrow.

Forever I'll remember going east up Highway 70 in California in 1985 in my old very slow crappy 914 1.7. That poor old car only had 75 hp, yet in the twisties, this yabo in a late model Vette caught me every straight away, but couldn't keep up in the corners. Believe me we were pushing very, very hard. This duel went on for some 15 minutes. Finally hp prevailed and he got me on a straight where he could pass me. The guy wasn't very "sporting" however; I smiled and waved as he passed, admitting defeat in my old VW/Porsche. He glared at me during the pass...all pissed off. Boo Hoo, I got blown away by horsepower, but he sure got humilitated during the work out!

As the years passed, that 914 went away, other sports cars came and went. I could afford a much newer Ferrari, but my life has other needs, and I'm not that rich. So today, the stable has a few two-wheeled street bikes "an old slow crappy 308" and another 914! Theres more to enjoy than straight line hp!

 

The SL55 AMG is an awesome car. For a chick! My stop light test goes like this.

A guy in a SL55 AMG pulls up next to me in my 360 spider and revs his engine. He looks over an smiles, and then realizes he would rather have my car then his. I win!

Oh yeah, when he punshed it he spills his double Latte all over his Purple silk tank top.

 

I think SL 55 can be driven daily

 

So does the 360 spider.

 

Good point... you are the one in the Ferrari. Around here a SL55 is dime a dozen. I was at the post office a few weeks back and there was 4 or 5 SL55 in the parking lot. Bottom line is that there is no other car that gets more "love" from the public. Rarri Rarri Rarri

 

Actually those SL55 times really impress me. Quite impressive for a very conservative design ...

Pete

 

Well, as a matter of fact, you are missing a point. To the extent that a Ferrari is not meant, nor has it ever been meant, to be a street racer. I own both a CL55 (same basic car as the SL55 but it's a coupe) and a 360. My Ferrari cannot keep up with my CL55 in 1/4 mile . . . but that's not the point of Ferrari ownership. I have an SL65 coming and it will be VERY fast, in a straight line. However, take a Ferrari and a MB and put them head to head on a road course, and it's a completely different outcome. Both are great cars, but in a different way. That's the point.

Ferrari, and most of those who buy them, could care less if you are teed off because you can't drag race your 360 with SL55s, ZO6, etc. or that the Ferrari develops only 400 HP vs. 500 HP. Ferrari has never designed and built their cars for quarter mile times. Ferraris have never been high torque cars either.

"Soft spot" on the car? Apparently, you, the late great Allan Lambo, and a few others will never get it. And thankfully you clearly are in the minority of Ferrari owners and what they "want".

 

The SL is a nice car, however it gets lost in the parking lot. I may get one when I'm too old to squeeze into my F-Car.

 

How can you ever be too old to get into a Ferrari. Enzo Ferrari surely didn't think that way?

 

When I get to the point that I need a trunk big enough to store my "walker" - lol.

Actually back in the 80's or so I was into P-Turbos and I had a 450sl for many years as my daily driver. Good car, can drive it till the wheels fall off, but boring.

BTW Alex nice collection....

 

The problem with the SL55 is that the only thing that tells you its not an SL500 (of which there are millions!) is a shiny exhaust and nicer rims...Something a bit exotic is what I want for over 100k!

 

I just purchased a new 360 Spyder (6-speed manual) and was expecting to pick it up before the Monaco GP this weekend. Unfortnately I was unable to, so I rented an SL55 AMG. Yes, it has a deep throaty burrble to it and it is a straight-line drag racer. I had the traction control (ESP) turned off, what a disaster. OVERSTEER on EVERY corner Not a chance in hell it can keep up with a 360 once you hit corners.

 

The Sl 55 is a bit overrated.

I realize this is the Ferrari board, but FWIW:

The way to go is to get a SL 500 with the AMG skirts, etc. It'll save you thrity grand. The 7 speed auto is neat, compared to the AMG 5 speed. I just bought one for my wife.

The ONLY AMG to get is the S 55, where the extra horse power actually makes a difference. Nobody expects a big car like that to fly like it does. It makes a nice daily commuter, a big car which is fun to drive (in a straight line). My only complaint (as a commuter) is when you stomp on it, you can literally watch the gas guage drop. Oh well.

Still, it's no Ferrari. My 360, now that IS FUN!!!

 

My .02. From a marketing standpoint, the 360 replacement may need 450hp+, but practically (as someone in line for this car) I don't care. To me, it is all about power/weight ratio, the way the power is delivered, and the overall balance of the car. It does bum me a little when I think of the list of cars that turn better 0-60 times than my 360--but I am never bummed when I accelerate it. It doesn't particularly matter what the Fiorano, or 'Ring, or whatever lap time is, because I scare myself silly as it is with my 360 on the track.

Bragging rights are great (and I wish the 360 still had 'em) but what I think most people care about (at least those on this board) is the driving experience. For me, the 360 suits me the best of any car I've driven. Those who dig big torque need to look elsewhere. Those who dig AWD need to look elsewhere. The styling (both interior and exterior) is an acquired taste.

My HUGE concern with the 360 replacement is not what the power is, but what the weight is. It will be interesting to see.

 

After having read this thread, I went out and test drove an '04 SL55. I'm looking for a replacement to my '02 911. The SL55 had power, tight steering, and a slight burble, but was just in the class of an average "everyday car" for me. There was nothing special about it. Didn't get my blood going. For $130+k, I'd pop for a 911 Turbo or even a used 360/550 to act as my daily driver. And, it rattled and squeaked (brand new, just delivered)!

Everybody is different. I guess I need a little exotic/fun in my life in my cars.