RE: Someone has done the Cannonball in 27hrs 25mins

RE: Someone has done the Cannonball in 27hrs 25mins

Wednesday 4th December 2019

Someone has done the Cannonball in 27hrs 25mins

That's 2,825 miles at an average speed of 103mph. Record, smashed



The history behind the Cannonball is familiar to most of us; suffice it to say, the previous record of 28hrs and 50mins (or the one recognised by the fraternity, at any rate) had stood for six years. Now it has been broken again by three guys in a E63 AMG, who managed to average 103mph over the continent which divides New York and Los Angeles for a total time of just 27hrs and 25mins.

We won't steal the thunder of the lengthy video below or an in-depth feature on the subject by Road & Track, but - as ever with these things - it's the bank-heist levels of preparation which make the whole enterprise intriguing. For example, the E63 AMG chosen for the task was not only tuned to beyond 700hp and fitted with a bespoke fuel tank, the team also took the time to modify its appearance so that it would look, to quote R&T, 'like a mid-2000s Honda Accord from the rear'.

Then there's the level of applied tech. You expect things like dual radar detectors and laser jammers - but the car also had an aircraft collision avoidance system fitted in the hope that it might help them spot low-flying highway patrol planes. This being America, the team also had the obligatory police scanner, and you've got to love one guy's insistence on fitting a ('more or less worthless) CB radio.

The team also had the help of a network of spotters in and around major cities (nothing like the Mk1 eyeball) but they still had their inevitable brush with the unexpected. Don't expect too much action from the video itself - after all, driving very quickly on mostly straight, empty roads is not Ocean's 11 - but sight of the '193mph' top speed on the GPS suggests that there was no lack of gusto in the driver's seat. Brock Yates would be proud.


 

Author
Discussion

TristPerrin

Original Poster:

135 posts

177 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
Great little video. Sounds like they had a blast biggrin

I Cn't help but think thIS is all rather damning evidence and them incriminating themselves though?

Galsia

2,166 posts

189 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
These guys shouldn't be celebrated, they should be in prison.

bobtail4x4

3,701 posts

108 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
how many kittens died?

the environutters will have a field day.

cayman-black

12,624 posts

215 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
Galsia said:
These guys shouldn't be celebrated, they should be in prison.
Right, i not that keen on E63,s either.

TomTVR500

254 posts

160 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
Galsia said:
These guys shouldn't be celebrated, they should be in prison.
roflroflroflrofl

AmosMoses

4,039 posts

164 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
Galsia said:
These guys shouldn't be celebrated, they should be in prison.

Muzzer79

9,805 posts

186 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
TristPerrin said:
Great little video. Sounds like they had a blast biggrin

I Cn't help but think thIS is all rather damning evidence and them incriminating themselves though?
From watching the video on VinWiki and this article, IINM, it doesn't actually state when they broke the record.

I'm therefore assuming it was some time ago and the statute of limitations has passed.


I'm a bit torn morally - on the one hand they didn't hurt anyone and obviously took care. On the other, what might have happened if a tyre let go or similar?

That is some going though - 103mph average for nearly 28 hours and a 193mph VMAX eek

saxy

258 posts

123 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
Great, they’ve gathered all the evidence for the police to arrest them.

STiG911

1,210 posts

166 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
Muzzer79 said:
TristPerrin said:
Great little video. Sounds like they had a blast biggrin

I Cn't help but think thIS is all rather damning evidence and them incriminating themselves though?
From watching the video on VinWiki and this article, IINM, it doesn't actually state when they broke the record.

I'm therefore assuming it was some time ago and the statute of limitations has passed.
^This
There's quite a few video's related to the Cannonball on VinWiki (Itself a great channel, btw) and in all cases, the video's are released after the statue of limitations has expired, so they can't get their collars felt.

Itsallicanafford

2,759 posts

158 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
Galsia said:
These guys shouldn't be celebrated, they should be in prison.
+1 from me, what a stupid thing to do. I am really surprised that PH has given this publicity.

C7 JFW

1,205 posts

218 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
It's an incredible achievement.

Robmarriott

2,633 posts

157 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
STiG911 said:
Muzzer79 said:
TristPerrin said:
Great little video. Sounds like they had a blast biggrin

I Cn't help but think thIS is all rather damning evidence and them incriminating themselves though?
From watching the video on VinWiki and this article, IINM, it doesn't actually state when they broke the record.

I'm therefore assuming it was some time ago and the statute of limitations has passed.
^This
There's quite a few video's related to the Cannonball on VinWiki (Itself a great channel, btw) and in all cases, the video's are released after the statue of limitations has expired, so they can't get their collars felt.
Arne posted a picture of himself at The Portofino on October 26th, which seems to fit with the timescale mentioned in the previous VINWiki video from Ed Bolian on the subject.

I'm sure they know what they're doing either way...

103mph average for 27 hours is quite a feat, you'd struggle to do that for 1 hour here.

Someone will break it at some point no doubt but it'll be the time to beat for quite a while I suspect.

gkeele

17 posts

60 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
C7 JFW said:
It's an incredible achievement.
Is it? Anyone can bury their foot in the carpet of an E-Class for a day, it requires no talent whatsoever. Just a keen eye and deep pockets.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
C7 JFW said:
It's an incredible achievement.
well , except it's not realy is it. I mean, how "difficult" is it to do high speeds in a modern car in a straight line? It's just not, you put your right foot on the floor and, well, that it's really. The Video shows how pointless and dull it actually is. All they are doing is trading risk vs reward, the risk in killing an innocent member of the public / gettting caught by the cops, and the reward being able to claim some completely pointless number for a completely pointless act.

thelostboy

4,562 posts

224 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
I knew as soon as I opened this thread it would be an interesting social experiment!

It's amazing how the rules of society influence people, and interesting to see that, for some, laws and rules are intrinsically linked to moral code.

I imagine there will also be some correlation of those with natural risk adverseness 'enjoying' boundaries forced upon them that can be linked with safety; i.e. the more risk adverse you are, the more you look at the rules as a method to confirm, reinforce and justify your own bias.

Of course, 'right' and 'wrong' is always interpretation. If you posted this thread in a different era or country, you would get a different response on whether the activity is indeed 'right' or 'wrong'. I'd suggest those quick to condemn should think about that for a second.

rb_89

113 posts

69 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
TomTVR500 said:
Galsia said:
These guys shouldn't be celebrated, they should be in prison.
roflroflroflrofl
roflroflroflroflroflroflroflrofl

HumanSteamroller

114 posts

76 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
bobtail4x4 said:
how many kittens died?

the environutters will have a field day.
What a strange comment.

S100HP

12,645 posts

166 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
Should send poppopbangbang over there with his 996 and see how he gets on.

MikeM6

4,985 posts

101 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
Max_Torque said:
C7 JFW said:
It's an incredible achievement.
well , except it's not realy is it. I mean, how "difficult" is it to do high speeds in a modern car in a straight line? It's just not, you put your right foot on the floor and, well, that it's really. The Video shows how pointless and dull it actually is. All they are doing is trading risk vs reward, the risk in killing an innocent member of the public / gettting caught by the cops, and the reward being able to claim some completely pointless number for a completely pointless act.
Try reading the article again

The achievement isn't just the speed, but the level of prep to make it safely happen without now being in prison.

This kind of daredevil antics is what makes life exciting. Remember the times before everyone was scared of everything?

Of course no one should do this on the M25, but the cannonball run is just a bit special and these guys know what they are doing.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 4th December 2019
quotequote all
Estrogen levels are high in here today!

Outstanding!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evA3_NV7cPM&fe...