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"                              2003 Ferrari 575M Maranello     2003 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG       List price     $228,339     $134,080       Layout     front engine/ rear drive     front engine/ rear drive       Transmission     6-speed manual sequential w/paddles     5-speed automatic       Engine type     dohc 4-valve/ cyl V-12     supercharged sohc 3-valve/ cyl V-8       Displacement     5748 cc     5439 cc       Horsepower (SAE)     515 bhp @ 7250 rpm     493 bhp @ 6100 rpm       Torque     434 lb-ft @ 5250 rpm     516 lb-ft @ 2650\u20134500 rpm       Curb weight     4010 lb     4330 lb       Test weight     4200 lb     4520 lb       Pounds per horsepower     8.16 lb/bhp     9.17 lb/bhp       Pounds per torque     9.68 lb/lb-ft     8.76 lb/lb-ft       Brakes, f/r     13.0-in. vented discs/ 12.2-in. vented discs; vac asst, ABS     14.2-in. vented discs/ 13.0-in. vented discs; vac asst, ABS       Total swept area     534 sq in.     629 sq in.       Swept area/ton     266 sq in.     291 sq in.       Tires     Pirelli P Zero Rosso; 255/ 40ZR-18 95Y f, 295/ 35ZR-18 99Y r     Pirelli P Zero Rosso; 255/ 45ZR-18 95Y f, 285/ 35ZR-18 97Y r       Grand Tourers   Grand touring cars are perfect for picturesque road trips, driving leisurely but capably on winding roads. Inside the climate-controlled cabins, the scent of the rich leather upholstery and soothing music from the multi-speaker stereos pamper the driver and passenger. The last thing that comes to mind is to take these wonderful machines to the drag strip.   Not so for the Ferrari 575M Maranello and the Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG. Both have more horsepower than the Porsche 911 Turbo. And both can give the Dodge Viper GTS we tested in 1996 a good run to 100 mph and back down to zero.   As Ferrari&amp;#039;s flagship, the 550 Maranello-based 575M has received many upgrades. The car&amp;#039;s larger 5.7-liter V-12 engine can pump out 515 bhp at 7250 rpm. The torque is now rated at 434 lb.-ft. at 5250 rpm. An F1-style paddle-shift 6-speed transmission and adaptive damping control at all four corners give the car a sportier feel.   Taking the already outstanding Mercedes-Benz SL500, AMG adds a supercharger and turns the SL into a speeding bullet. Mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission with Touch Shift, the Merc&amp;#039;s 5.4-liter V-8 can crank out 493 bhp at 6100 rpm, and 516 lb.-ft. of torque from 2650 to 4500 rpm.   Launching the Ferrari and the Mercedes with their massive available torque is no easy task. The trick here is to balance wheelspin appropriately to maximize power application and grip. At first, traction control is switched on for both cars. But unlike the E55 AMG sedan where the computer helps to generate the best runs, here the electronics interferes by cutting the power too much. The 575M and the SL55 AMG&amp;#039;s fastest acceleration runs are achieved by turning the traction control off and using judicious throttle control.   With the Ferrari 575M&amp;#039;s F1 transmission engaged in 1st gear, simply roll into the throttle smoothly. Thanks to the generous torque already on tap from the V-12, no power braking is necessary before launch. Once off the line, the 575M&amp;#039;s rear Pirellis, size 295/35ZR-18, bite quickly, but lose grip just as quickly if you&amp;#039;re too eager to apply full power. Listen for the slightest tire chirp, and keep a constant rate of gas-pedal application. As the rpm surges upward, the V-12 roars to life with utter smoothness, unleashing its full might and endless torque. The F1-style transmission swaps gears with snapping authority. A quick pull on the right upshift lever at 7250 rpm will prevent the powerplant from kissing the fuel cutoff at the 7500-rpm redline.                         The Ferrari and the Mercedes are equally matched off the line. The 575M pulls slightly ahead near 100 mph and it stops just a tick quicker than the SL55 AMG.                Getting the Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG going from a standing start is much harder. The SL55 has more torque, and the lack of consistency from the automatic transmission driving the rear wheels does not help matters. Due to the supercharged nature of the AMG engine, even though no lag is apparent, power still comes with just a slight delay. This means that to get to the rpm where the supercharger is working 100 percent, deeper throttle application is required off the line. Consequently, probably more wheelspin than optimal is invoked. But by keeping the rear 285/35ZR-18 Pirelli P Zero Rossos spinning just a bit most of the way in 1st gear, the car turns in its fastest acceleration time of the day.   With ABS, slowing the Ferrari and Mercedes to a complete stop is easy. The 575M&amp;#039;s brake pedal has a longer travel than the SL55&amp;#039;s, with the calipers taking a firm grip of the rotors only in the last three-quarters of pedal travel. On acceleration, the AMG can almost keep up with the 575M. But despite having more swept area, the SL55&amp;#039;s heavier weight and slightly narrower tires hamper its slowing ability, requiring more time and distance to stop.   Winner: Ferrari 575M Maranello. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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