Tuesday 30th July 2013

Pure Driving Experiences: A6 Autobahn

Our third Dunlop-sponsored video is the fastest yet, featuring an Audi S5 on the autobahn

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Despite their rapidly declining numbers, German autobahns still hold an undeniable appeal to enthusiasts. To legally drive a car as fast as possible on the public road is a huge thrill, and made it a logical choice for the third Pure Driving Experience with Dunlop.

The car was a tougher decision. A wealth of German models from BMW, Mercedes or Porsche would have been suitable given their autobahn provenance but we decided on an Audi S5. Moreover, this particular S5 has been fettled by Revo Stasis, so it was making more than 400hp. Upgraded tyres and brakes were certainly appreciated when going for a top speed attempt too!

The featured section of autobahn is the A6 around Mannheim. Starting in the dead of night meant clear roads, and the S5 has been derestricted also. So how fast did Steve Sutcliffe manage on the autobahn? Watch the video and find out...

Watch the video here

 

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Previous videos:
Dunlop Pure Driving Experiences: Hardknott Pass
Dunlop Pure Driving Experiences: Crickhowell

This test was conducted under strict conditions and we would not recommend any attempt to re-create it.

[Maldini35]

If only we could do that in the UK. My commute would take half as long.

[mikebradford]

That S5 looks very nice

[toerag]

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any chance of a youtube linky?

[RJ59 Racing]

Steve - Bit worrying eye sights not what it was at those speeds and in dead of night! Nice car though

[dvs_dave]

Uh Oh. An Autobahn story.

Que a ton of chinny reckon tales about doing a 150mph and a train of AMG/M/RS/911/exotica/whatever steaming past like you were stood still.

Also the inevitable catching and overtaking a line of expensive German bahnstormers hard up to their 155mph limiters, and you sailing past at 157 mph in your much less fancy unrestricted car that you've "possibly" managed to wind up to that. You waving, looks on their faces etc etc. Like you can actually discern the look on someones face when driving at that speed.

Come on, who's gonna be the first?

[anonymous-user]

I have Goodyear Eagles F1 2's all round in good condition. Is it safe to do top speed for an extended period of time? (conditions right).

Would the tires be the limiting factor? Assuming the engine and drivetrain are also serviceable?

[dcb]

dvs_dave said:

Come on, who's gonna be the first?

Not me.

I am reasonably familiar with the western section, Saarbrucken to Heilbronn,
and I certainly wouldn't try a Vmax run there.

There are plenty of limited sections, the unlimited sections
have twisty parts I don't go over 100 mph on and the rest is IIRC
mostly two lanes, so over 120 mph not really very sensible.

Nice views near Frankenthal, where the road drops to cross the Rhine.

[JonathanLegard]

dvs_dave said:

Que a ton of chinny reckon tales about doing a 150mph and a train of AMG/M/RS/911/exotica/whatever steaming past like you were stood still.

[Porsche997C4S]

Beaut of a car

[hughcam]

Another fantastic video! I dont even mind the Dunlop advertising and now might actually try a set on the wifes cooper s

[technogogo]

Not sure I'd do that at night. Perhaps the street lighting was better in reality than it appeared on video?

[Mr-B]

I wonder how long you could drive on a tyre at such speeds before it went pop? Do manufacturers have a a big safety margin built in?

[surveyor]

I found 125mph to be a little faster than I was comfortable at... Ended up cruising between 100 and 110mph....

[MartiniBianco]

toerag said:

any chance of a youtube linky?

Same here.

[Drek]

Big girl's blouse. One run and 'that's enough for me.' Gay.

[AER]

So you're going to do a Vmax run on video in an expensive car with brand new tyres and you forgot to fire up the GPS app on your iPhone to record the real speed...?

[sat1983]

I lived in Strasbourg near the German border and moved to the UK before I'd passed my test- I'm returning there to see family very soon and am popping into Germany for a few days. Anyone know if the A5 Motorway between Kehl and Baden-baden is derestricted? I wouldn't mind stretching the GTI's legs for a bit.

[22rgt B Squadron]

Blind as a bat doing 166mph, looking at the camera rather than the road, brilliant stuff..lol..

[German]

Can we have a rule where anyone who mentions the Autobahn refrains from incorrectly saying anything along the lines of there being less and less sections where high speed is possible? IME all the km's of road being talked about have gone from permently de-restricted to variable speed limit gantries...eg they are always de-restricted apart from rush hour and bad weather. Which even I think makes sense.

I still drive a good bit round Munich's equivalent of the M25 twice daily, and I can usually be sat on the limiter of whatever im driving for a good portion of that. Just because the sat nav says 130km/h doesnt mean it's restricted boys

[Spuffington]

I know this section of autobahn very well, having lived in Frankfurt for a long time.

My PB was actually indicated 160mph in my (UK) E60 535d whereas a rented 997.1 S had me at 260kph (roughly similar speeds) but the E60 felt more nailed down and I didn't have the balls to attempt faster in the 911 despite there clearly being much more in it.

Personally, I find a comfortable cruising speed around the 130mph mark - each 5mph than that feels exponentially faster, whereas 130mph feels just right in most premium cars I've driven over there.