E30 Zone

One for me

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1225143.htm

and one for Simon13

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1206291.htm


Discuss.......

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

the fastest production 4 door saloon? faster than a lotus carlton?

Like em both - the E34 needs a 518i badge to finish it off

fuzzy wrote:the fastest production 4 door saloon? faster than a lotus carlton?

170ish mph is the Carlton's top speed IIRC.

fuzzy wrote:the fastest production 4 door saloon? faster than a lotus carlton?

Curiously, amongst my faintly ridiculous car mag 'collection' I have a Performance Car from about 1991 where they drove a B10 BiTurbo, a Lotus Carlton and, somewhat randomly, a Merc 500E Auto to the Nurburgring. IIRC the Alpina was regarded as the quickest in the test, but its probably getting on for 10 years since I last saw the mag. Certainly comparable cars in period it would seem, though I don't see how the Merc would be - quick for sure, but not exactly competitive on a track blast with the other two. Different sort of car really.

The E34 Although it would look better spoilerless!

Nice cars. I'll have both and a b10 v8 that someone has bastardised into a manual please.

either of them would do me as they are some of the best sleepers out there,

hmmm i wonder whats left in the piggy bank?

Apprently the B10 BiTurbo feels like a NA engine.

both very nice cars, i would be happy to own either of the two

The E39 is nice.

I was going to look at the Bi turbo this weekend just gone but after speaking to the owner i decided not to waste my time/money only to be dissapointed.

Its also on ebay with 20h to go.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

I also found out through the grapevine that its on its second engine which came from another Bi turbo so its not a matching number car.

Pitty as i REALY like these.

djk wrote:

fuzzy wrote:the fastest production 4 door saloon? faster than a lotus carlton?

Curiously, amongst my faintly ridiculous car mag 'collection' I have a Performance Car from about 1991 where they drove a B10 BiTurbo, a Lotus Carlton and, somewhat randomly, a Merc 500E Auto to the Nurburgring. IIRC the Alpina was regarded as the quickest in the test, but its probably getting on for 10 years since I last saw the mag. Certainly comparable cars in period it would seem, though I don't see how the Merc would be - quick for sure, but not exactly competitive on a track blast with the other two. Different sort of car really.

The 500E/E500 W124 merc was hand built by porsche and was a contemporary rival in terms of price, peformance and target market.

All three are rare, vaulable cars with similar performance.

bss325i wrote:

djk wrote:

fuzzy wrote:the fastest production 4 door saloon? faster than a lotus carlton?

Curiously, amongst my faintly ridiculous car mag 'collection' I have a Performance Car from about 1991 where they drove a B10 BiTurbo, a Lotus Carlton and, somewhat randomly, a Merc 500E Auto to the Nurburgring. IIRC the Alpina was regarded as the quickest in the test, but its probably getting on for 10 years since I last saw the mag. Certainly comparable cars in period it would seem, though I don't see how the Merc would be - quick for sure, but not exactly competitive on a track blast with the other two. Different sort of car really.

The 500E/E500 W124 merc was hand built by porsche and was a contemporary rival in terms of price, peformance and target market.

All three are rare, vaulable cars with similar performance.

I was merely pointing out that the Merc was only available as an auto and has a 5-litre normally aspirated V8 producing 320bhp powering a car that remained luxurious rather than overtly sporting, despite the Porsche tweaked suspension. All of this is in marked contrast to the circa 380bhp, twin turbo straight 6, manual cars it was compared to in essentially a track test. The Mercedes also cost around 20% more to purchase new and was only available in LHD - 'contemporary rival in terms of price, performance and target market'? I'm afraid I can't agree, and I find it somewhat inflammatory for you to seek to 'correct' my assertion of this opinion as though I have no knowledge on which to base it, especially when it is quite clear I have a readier grasp of the facts than yourself.

djk wrote:

bss325i wrote:

djk wrote: Curiously, amongst my faintly ridiculous car mag 'collection' I have a Performance Car from about 1991 where they drove a B10 BiTurbo, a Lotus Carlton and, somewhat randomly, a Merc 500E Auto to the Nurburgring. IIRC the Alpina was regarded as the quickest in the test, but its probably getting on for 10 years since I last saw the mag. Certainly comparable cars in period it would seem, though I don't see how the Merc would be - quick for sure, but not exactly competitive on a track blast with the other two. Different sort of car really.

The 500E/E500 W124 merc was hand built by porsche and was a contemporary rival in terms of price, peformance and target market.

All three are rare, vaulable cars with similar performance.

I was merely pointing out that the Merc was only available as an auto and has a 5-litre normally aspirated V8 producing 320bhp powering a car that remained luxurious rather than overtly sporting, despite the Porsche tweaked suspension. All of this is in marked contrast to the circa 380bhp, twin turbo straight 6, manual cars it was compared to in essentially a track test. The Mercedes also cost around 20% more to purchase new and was only available in LHD - 'contemporary rival in terms of price, performance and target market'? I'm afraid I can't agree, and I find it somewhat inflammatory for you to seek to 'correct' my assertion of this opinion as though I have no knowledge on which to base it, especially when it is quite clear I have a readier grasp of the facts than yourself.

I have a readier grasp than most as I Have owned several BiTurbos AND a 124 500E . I would also agree that they were indeed aimed at the same market, I.E to transport 4 people in relative discretion as fast as possible. BOTH cars were LHD only, the mercedes with 326 BHP and the Biturbo 360 BHP.
What the mercedes lacked on paper it more than made up for by being in my a opinion a better allrounder. I am not sure what these cars retailed for when new but I would be very suprised if the Biturbo was any cheaper.
The lotus carlton/omega while very fast was also vulgar, tacky and it's reliability was dubious at best. The sort of car sierra staffire pilots aspired to when their numbers came in . In reality the carlton/omega was not really an option to most potential 500E or Biturbo customers.

500E/E500's rock... flared arches and all.

W124 build quality is second to none, really is the the pinnacle of MB 'over engineering' at a time when they made cars to quality & not a price.

I have a lovely 2owner W124 cabriolet & its so well screwed together its hard to believe.

Mind you, E34 were pretty solid too... Carltons dont come close, even though they were a favourite of the old bill..

djk wrote:

bss325i wrote:

djk wrote: Curiously, amongst my faintly ridiculous car mag 'collection' I have a Performance Car from about 1991 where they drove a B10 BiTurbo, a Lotus Carlton and, somewhat randomly, a Merc 500E Auto to the Nurburgring. IIRC the Alpina was regarded as the quickest in the test, but its probably getting on for 10 years since I last saw the mag. Certainly comparable cars in period it would seem, though I don't see how the Merc would be - quick for sure, but not exactly competitive on a track blast with the other two. Different sort of car really.

The 500E/E500 W124 merc was hand built by porsche and was a contemporary rival in terms of price, peformance and target market.

All three are rare, vaulable cars with similar performance.

I was merely pointing out that the Merc was only available as an auto and has a 5-litre normally aspirated V8 producing 320bhp powering a car that remained luxurious rather than overtly sporting, despite the Porsche tweaked suspension. All of this is in marked contrast to the circa 380bhp, twin turbo straight 6, manual cars it was compared to in essentially a track test. The Mercedes also cost around 20% more to purchase new and was only available in LHD - 'contemporary rival in terms of price, performance and target market'? I'm afraid I can't agree, and I find it somewhat inflammatory for you to seek to 'correct' my assertion of this opinion as though I have no knowledge on which to base it, especially when it is quite clear I have a readier grasp of the facts than yourself.

I was not "seeking to correct your assertion", just give my point of view which as it transpires, is more accurate than yours.

Just because it doesnt have turbo's and is stuck with an auto box, doesnt mean its not a direct rival

Different means to the same end i would say.