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550i 1st in Motor Trend Loveland Pass Challenge

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Old 10-13-2009, 10:06 AM
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http://luxvelocity.typepad.com/luxvelocity...d-maserati.html
Old 10-13-2009, 10:49 AM
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Speaks pretty well for the 550i, given the test was 11K feet above sea level, a real challenge for a naturally aspirated motor. Imagine the results at sea level!
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Old 10-13-2009, 10:51 AM
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Great video, and a nice win for the 550 Sport - but who'd have predicted it that the 550 would be pushed so hard by the Lincoln MKS? I'd have expected the Jag to do better to be honest. Good to see the 550 hold its own, but some major kudos is due to the MKS (altitude notwithstanding).
Old 10-13-2009, 11:31 AM
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Definitely speaks well for the MKS, though clearly a turbo-driven choice of venue. That benz looked like it was wallowing all the way through the course. The Maserati is awesome, but isn't it a bit big compared to the others? Probably the coolest sounding, if not the fastest anyway... (the Quattroporte)
Old 10-13-2009, 11:33 AM
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Wow, amazing that the old girl of the bunch held her own ... the 550i, not Jean Jennings. Could the MB possibly have leaned over any further in the curves? Yikes.

Great job Lincoln.
Old 10-13-2009, 11:34 AM
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Well, a second place finish and the course's top speed are very impressive results for the 6 cylinder Lincoln MKS.

I am not surprised that the 550i Sport won. It is just so capable in the twisties. I have never driven another sedan that is as grippy, fast and predictable in the twisties as my 550i Sport. FYI. the 550i Sport in the test had the Sport Automatic Transmission. The driver said, that maybe it was not as powerful as the others but "it went around the corners, it could carry speed". Exactly.

Surprise, surprise, the test driver complained of understeer in the MB E550. I think that the MB's interior and engine have the 550i Sport beat but it still has not caught up to the E60 in the handling department. Sort of hard to believe given that the E60 debuted in the 2004 model year.
Old 10-13-2009, 01:54 PM
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Originally Posted by sdg1871' post='1031512' date='Oct 13 2009, 02:34 PM
Well, a second place finish and the course's top speed are very impressive results for the 6 cylinder Lincoln MKS.

I am not surprised that the 550i Sport won. It is just so capable in the twisties. I have never driven another sedan that is as grippy, fast and predictable in the twisties as my 550i Sport. FYI. the 550i Sport in the test had the Sport Automatic Transmission. The driver said, that maybe it was not as powerful as the others but "it went around the corners, it could carry speed". Exactly.

Surprise, surprise, the test driver complained of understeer in the MB E550. I think that the MB's interior and engine have the 550i Sport beat but it still has not caught up to the E60 in the handling department. Sort of hard to believe given that the E60 debuted in the 2004 model year.
It's not hard to believe at all. You have to remember that BMWs aren't luxury cars; 7-series excluded. They're sports sedans w/ luxury features. Mercedes are luxury cars.
Old 10-13-2009, 06:59 PM
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Originally Posted by jm545i' post='1031504' date='Oct 13 2009, 03:31 PM
The Maserati is awesome, but isn't it a bit big compared to the others? Probably the coolest sounding, if not the fastest anyway... (the Quattroporte)
Agree. The Maserati should be compared to the 7-series and S-class. It's considered a large sedan and yes it sounds addictive!
Old 10-13-2009, 07:21 PM
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Not to take anything away from the Lincoln MKS but I'm questioning how objective this test is since there was a present of a Ford engineer (check out the very end of the video).

The choice of venue is definitely an advantage for turbo cars.
Old 10-13-2009, 07:28 PM
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Originally Posted by zen68' post='1031839' date='Oct 13 2009, 11:21 PM
Not to take anything away from the Lincoln MKS but I'm questioning how objective this test is since there was a present of a Ford engineer (check out the very end of the video).

The choice of venue is definitely an advantage for turbo cars.
No question that high altitude favors the FI engine.


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