I'm a pretty average driver who has/had some nice V-12's and the thing about contemporary V-12's is that the weight gives a real sense of security when you get up to the 130's-140's (that's fast for me) - basically you are in a boulder with a rocket under the hood - but this SRT-6 - that I have now had for over a month and just beginning to explore - when you get up to those speeds - I've actually backed off in a split second panic - you have to really pay attention - it hops...it skips...it seems to lift off...don't look down for a second... its a go-cart on steroids.
You could easily kill yourself in this car.
Someone recently posted going 170 and that's whacked.

What speeds are other regular drivers going?

 

I hit 130 mph on the front straight at California Speedway in Fontana last March... it was rock stable and just seemed to keep settling down. I had to back off... that wall at turn one didn't look to forgiving and I was on Pilot Sport All Season tires...

That being said, I could easily carry 110 to 115 through turn one and two and the car was not even being pushed out. All that on street tires with all weather tread...

I can't wait to get the performance rubber on this thing.

 

I tend to agree with V-12. Through my job I have been to several driving schools (some hi-speed, some pursuit driving, some defensive driving and some offensive, pitting and ramming, some hi-power cars and some mundane SUVs and sedans) and have pushed vehicles way past their limits...and yes, the SRT-6 can be very much a handful. If the SRT-6 is not pointed in the right direction when the throttle is hammered, you’ll end up where you don’t want to be much more rapidly than other cars. I think the huge power coupled with the short wheelbase of the SRT-6 contribute most to its lethality. I haven’t been that fast yet (top speed) so I can’t comment about stability, but the acceleration and short wheelbase is scary and potentially lethal. I am very new to the SRT and believe that the more used to it I get, the more comfort and confidence I'll have pushing it. The SRT is a very serious car that has to be respected...hope that doesn't sound to BS...not meant to be.

 

I'm afraid I don't understand. 150 is 150 whether you're in a tank or a canoe. You're just going to feel it more in the canoe. The speed is just as lethal whether you're powered by a V-12 or a four-banger. Now if it's a sense of control you're speaking about, I understand. However, I feel completely in control of my XFire at 130 mph, and I'm sure I can stop it a hell of a lot faster than anything sporting a V-12, realistically of course 'cause I ain't talking about something in the half-million dollar range. So is the XFire more lethal than cars sporting a V-12? I think not. If anything, you're connection with the road will give you a greater appreciation for such high speeds.

Matthew

 

I've had mine pretty closed to terminal speed at 163 mph. That was clocked on a radar gun in northern michigan under "fairly" controlled circumstances. I think it only had a few more mph before it was really topped out. Probably closer to 170 given enough straight pavement. But at that speed even a worm will throw you off your line and make it wiggle! Either way, I've embarrassed more than a few v8's, with a big 'ol grin the entire way! By the way, My aunt's '87 jaguar xks, with the 12 cylinder, has no guts at all!

 

the SRT's top speed is governed at 155, IIRC (?)

 

Has this been tested ...? I've met a local with an SRT-6 coupe that claims to have had his ("All Stock" bought new) up to 167 mph.

 

This isn't an SRT but its been up to a tick under 155...



No relation to pic.

 

i would expect the speedo to be about 10% off at that speed... the Limited is limited to 151 (drag) and the SRT 155 (gov), from what i've read.

 

I know for a fact (unofficially of course) that a '06 base coupe will do 158 on level ground for the record.

 

I have had my srt6 at top speed which in my car was governed to about 158 mph and had a friend in there with me and it was so stable he didn't believe we were going that fast until he checked the speedo for himself, so stable that it surprised me. But I was on a straight stretch of empty fairly new road as well. But as far as feeling light not at all but the srt6 also has that big wing in the back and I'm sure it did its job.

 

Now I get it.
A 600 flatters you with a false sense of performance confidence as a driver.
Meanwhile the SRT-6 rapidly exposes your flaws. And there lies the danger.
I'm humbled by how fast my Xfire compatriots travel.

Really, a toast.

 

I'm used to a short wheel-based sports car having had a Triumph TR-8 and a tuner suspensioned '87 Fiero GT (fat sway bars and tires, tubular control arms, coil-over shocks/struts and poly bushings throughout). The TR was all torque and no tire while the Fiero was just the opposite. But the Pontiac had a near 50/50 front to rear weight distribution and was a lot more fun. I could fly up to a turn, pounce on the brakes while downshifting and then power through the curve, drifting sometimes. Fortunately, there wasn't too much power from the engine which kept me out of trouble. This car, the SRT-6, I'm not so sure.

My learning curve is getting a lot shorter though. I put about 65K miles on the Triumph over a 22 year period, over 100K on the Fiero during 7 years (the last 4 having the killer suspension) and now 1,500 miles on the Crossfire in a week and a half. I should be dancing before the end of the summer.

 

Interesting. When I back off the car doesn't want to right away. Almost as if it takes a few seconds for the supercharger clutch to disengage. Or is it similar to turbo-lag, but opposite (it's my first blower motor)?

 

I've experienced the same thing, and I LIKE it! At 100+ MPH, when you back off completely, the car just keeps sailing down the road. It takes a little time to return to a legal speed without braking. NICE!

 

When going over 100 mph, if you just lift off the throttle completely in mine it really flops forward. Not uncontrollably, but it is noticeable.

Easy way to slow down with more control is to 'roll' off the throttle, just like they teach you to 'roll' on the throttle coming out of corners on a track. Imagine you are rolling your foot onto the pedal... don't mash it... now do this in reverse.

Lifting the accelerator pedal slower and not just popping your foot off will make a BIG difference in control.

Cheers!

 

Good advise TimeLord, and the same principle applies to all other control movements; the idea being to control the weight transfer gradually between the four tyre contact patches; they are ultimately all that keep you on your chosen piece of road.

 

If you upgrade your ECU...You can have the gov turn off...Then you can see what the car can do...I had my ECU redone, but I don't think I'll be finding out to soon what it tops out at...

 

There's the key: Give yourself time, you'll get used to it.

(btw - 145 ish in my '04 is a fairly common occurrence... but once you've gone 165+ on one of these, the same speed in a car is a doodle).

 

Hmmm, I guess I can kinda see the point here. I on the other hand have found them to be extremely easy to drive very fast. After driving them at the track experience, I was amazed at how easy they were to drive at the limit. The only time it "puckered my..." was when I was going into a turn way too hot and had to slam the brakes at about 120 MPH. The car thought it wanted to swap out the rear end for the front and fishtailed a little bit back and forth about 5-6 times, but the Stability control did it's job and brought it back in line with no more drama. Aside from that, I can't find any fault with it's handling or high speed stability. On the front stretch of VIR, I saw 145 MPH, and it never felt anything but glued down. The grip was amazing, almost like driving on fly paper.