JcorGTR

Fellow GTR forum members. So today I received this message from my MB AMG Sales person with latest... and it's going to be September at the very earliest...

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TO: All Mercedes-Benz Dealers
FROM: AMG Product Management
RE: 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster, GT R and E63 S
DATE: July 21, 2017

Dear colleagues,

We would like to provide you with an update on the release date for the AMG GT C Roadster, AMG GT R and AMG E63S Sedan. We previously communicated an anticipated Wholesale Launch within Q3 of 2017. While this still holds true, please expect a release closer towards the end of the quarter.

We realize that customers are eagerly awaiting these amazing vehicles as they are arriving in the VPCs, and anticipate their earliest delivery. Please be ensured that AMG and MBUSA teams are working diligently on releasing these vehicles as soon as possible.

We hope this information supports you with managing customer expectations accordingly and schedule any launch events you might plan for these vehicles.

Kind Regards,

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It will be a long summer....

thebishman

MBUSA needs to be devoting as many resources as it takes to get this taken care of. I'm positive it is the EPA certification that is holding this up. God knows after the recent emissions debacle, no German manufacturer wants to promote a car with incorrect mileage figures, but the supply chain is getting really 'backed up' at the moment. I'm getting the vibe that even order allocations are being delayed because of this. Hopefully I'm wrong.
Bish

soulsea

I just slid into a car stuck in port that the original purchaser bailed on. I don't blame him, he had his deposit down a year ago. It was close enough to the spec I would have ordered so I was happy to pick it up cause who knows when they will release allocations.

thebishman

Nice work Serge!

Can you list the options you're getting?

I'm still hopeful of an October 1 allocation; or so I've been told.

Bish

soulsea

It'll be worth the wait bud.

JSwan724

If you don't mind, what are the last 4 digits of your VIN?

Regards

soulsea

Maybe, may I ask why?

JSwan724

Because if you end up with this car we need to stay out of the same parking lots

Virtually everything about your spec is the same as my car even the red seat belts which has been stuck in Brunswick since mid April.

The only differences that I see are your AMG sill plate, You have RXB wheels and I have RXC and I think the rear cross brace.


I'm wondering if they are consecutively numbered...

Regards

soulsea

Are you in Charleston?

Last 4: 3304

JSwan724

No Jacksonville, FL I'm 3472...

Now we wait.......

Many thanks

thebishman

I can't decide between the White color, or the Grey.

I need a thousand pictures from every angle as soon as you guys get your cars! lol

Seriously Serge, awesome build.

Bish

soulsea

We could meet at Roabling and compare notes.

AMG 17GT

So according to MB USA, there are no modifications that are required for GTR release. That's all they could say in private lounge live chat.

Relief to know they are not waiting on parts or software.

JSwan724

DEFINITELY NOT BUYING IT!!

Ask youself WHY would any corporation delay for 4-5 months cars that are essentially bought and not for general inventory. An estimate puts between 400-500 GTR, GTC and E63S Vehicles essentially stored in the Baltimore and Brunswick VPC's alone. That doesn't include the west coast VPC's.

Now do some rough math using $190k for the GTR's and GTC's and a conservative $130k for the E63S and you have a TON of money that would be near instant revenue to MB tied up for a undetermined period of time and for NO reason they are willing to make public.

The stockholders should be screaming! Remember the plant is closed for the month of August (European Vacation) so no cars will be made again until September.

The supply chain is stuffed full as are the VPC's .

Many of us are experienced business owners and senior managers that are experienced in detecting BS.

My sense is that they are working through EPA issues and don't have a viable solution in hand...yet.

STAY TUNED!!

Td33

Your 100% correct. They're, just for fun, letting millions of dollars of sold inventory sit outside in the salt air month after month with no issues.

This has a huge financial impact on several people, dealers, salespeople, trucking companies etc.

It's laughable, but you have to remember that some believe anything these people say. It must be true if they say it on the PL. What a joke.

JSwan724

Fortunately, these cars are still on the MB corporate books not the dealers since they haven't been delivered and accepted by the dealers yet. (you forgot the shipping...actual ships companies)


Once again, why not be honest and upfront with your customers? This business model doesn't promote customer loyalty one iota!!

Td33

It seems like most of these companies have lost the concept of being up front and honest.

Clearly an issue with these cars. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out.

Well hopefully by the end of September this will be a distant memory and you'll be enjoying this beast

JSwan724

By then they'll pre announce the 2019 GT Black with a "early spring 2018" delivery that will move to mid summer and then late fall. we won't know why then either.

thebishman

I don't believe it's an 'issue' with the cars, per se. Rather it's an EPA (probably fuel economy rating) numbers 'game'.

soulsea

If it were an inherent issue with the cars wouldn't't it manifest in the hands of the European customers who've already taken delivery?

JSwan724

Agreed. The consensus is that this is a EPA ISSUE started by the VW debacle. Supposedly it also impacts the new 2018 Porsches as well IN THE US MARKET.

TO DATE, NO GTR, GTC OR E63S has been delivered anywhere in the US.

There are LOTS of them sitting at the US MB VPC's waiting.......

soulsea

What additional steps do we need to ask our dealers to take during PDI (compared to their regular deliveries) to mitigate any potential issues arising from the cars sitting in port all this time?

Is it long enough in this heat to ruin the tires and have to have them replaced? What else?

JSwan724

Well I am going to be present when the car is delivered to the dealership and watch the PDI first hand. I also want to see the tires, brake rotors, undercarrage, exhaust, paint all glass and wheels--etc.
Storing these cars for an extended period of time--4-5 months now outside in the 95-100+ degree heat with "protective plastic" on the top paint areas and next to the ocean and salt air is a recipe for big issues.

Wolfman

While I feel for everyone eagerly anticipating their car I don't quite understand the *****ing against MB.

Afaik, MB has not promised anyone a delivery date. You are dealing with either not meeting the dealer promises and your own personal delivery calculations.

These delays on new models aren't new or related the few mentioned here or related only to MB. This is unfortunately standard fare and you might want to look as far as the DOT and EPA for slow homologation and certification processes.

Many other countries don't have these issues.

JSwan724

Since you don't have a car tied up like these are you should refrain from posting in this topic.

I really don't care what you think about the issue and MB's very poor business practices.