C-Class (W203) 2001-2007, C160, C180, C200, C220, C230, C240, C270, C280, C300, C320, C230K, C350, Coupe

C-Coupe cabriolet

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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 12:30 AM
  #1  
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From: ft ladi
'02 c230 coupe
C-Coupe cabriolet

I just saw a picture of a silver 230 coupe convertible with the c7 package. It really looked great. It was a karmann custom conversion debuted at the 2001 geneva auto show. Anybody know about this car. I've searched the internet for karmann customs but had no luck I'll try to scan the picture at work tomorrow. I saw another karmann custom CL on the CL forum. The pic was in the may 2001 edition of car magazine(its british). There was also a nice article about the C32 AMG and how it sh*ts on M3's.

Anyway, if anyone comes across this car in the meantime, post some pics, it's really nice lookin. Lets all hope Mercedes comes out with an AMG c-coupe convertible, that would be nice.
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 12:42 AM
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I believe Buellwinkle mention something like tat before..
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 12:42 AM
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the C cabriolet will not be produced. It would be too expensive for the market MB is aiming at with the C-coupe.
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 12:58 AM
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Originally posted by Xeon
I believe Buellwinkle mention something like tat before..
yeah, once or twice i believe.
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 01:02 AM
  #5  
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i am waiting for buellwinkle to post that pic up agaain
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 01:07 AM
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The wait is over. Buellwinkle to the rescue.
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 01:08 AM
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Top Up!
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 01:09 AM
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Back view. Isn't she lovely.
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 01:10 AM
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Isn't she beautiful.
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 01:14 AM
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DO YOU WANT IT NOW! We need to start group that keeps sending e-mails to MB asking them about the coupe, bug your dealers everytime you see them and write your congressman.

Although they can't begin to do as good a job as Karmann, the designer of the C-Coupe, Newport Convertible Engineering in Placentia, CA, can make a convertible out of your c-coupe.
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 01:16 AM
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Originally posted by Lynn
the C cabriolet will not be produced. It would be too expensive for the market MB is aiming at with the C-coupe.
Sorry Buellwinkle,

It would cannibalize a piece of the SLK and CLK market. If I was the Product Director at MB, I would nix this idea -- while it might increase the top line for MB, I don't it would the bottom-line for the company. Not to mention, what the CLK brand manager would think?

(Of course, I know more about the California Lemon Law than I do about the mirco-economics of the auto industry)
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 01:18 AM
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From: ft ladi
'02 c230 coupe
Thanx, buell

That pic looks much better than the little one in the mag. I'm not impressed with the top up picture-looks like a clk cabriolet mated with an eclipse spyder. Top down- beutiful. I'd rather have the panorama roof over any convertible
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 01:27 AM
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Different markets. I think a C convertible would eat into BMW 325 convertible sales and not CLK sales. I would pay 35K for an MB convertible. Saying that nobody will buy a CLK convertible if a C convertible was available is like saying nobody will buy a CLK coupe when a C coupe is available or nobody will buy a CL coupe if they can get a CLK coupe for cheaper. I know that if it wasn't for the C-Coupe I would not have bought an MB this time around.

Audi should be releasing their 2003 A4 convertible soon and it looks good. But then I wouldn't have a car to keep taking to the dealer to be fixed, where' the fun in that?
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 01:30 AM
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Originally posted by TNat
Thanx, buell

That pic looks much better than the little one in the mag. I'm not impressed with the top up picture-looks like a clk cabriolet mated with an eclipse spyder. Top down- beutiful. I'd rather have the panorama roof over any convertible
I realize in Jersey you have to put the top up once in a while but that's not a problem here. My daughter drives her car top down 90% of the time. Sunroofs are great in NJ but they are just a tease in So Cal.

If you are looking for any MB spy photos, just visit www.mbspy.com. They have lots of cool info.
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 01:32 AM
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C230K
[i]...Audi should be releasing their 2003 A4 convertible soon and it looks good. But then I wouldn't have a car to keep taking to the dealer to be fixed, where' the fun in that? [/B]
actually i saw one on the road yesterday. it was passing on the other side of the freeway.
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 01:47 AM
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Originally posted by Buellwinkle
Different markets. I think a C convertible would eat into BMW 325 convertible sales and not CLK sales. I would pay 35K for an MB convertible. Saying that nobody will buy a CLK convertible if a C convertible was available is like saying nobody will buy a CLK coupe when a C coupe is available or nobody will buy a CL coupe if they can get a CLK coupe for cheaper. I know that if it wasn't for the C-Coupe I would not have bought an MB this time around.

Audi should be releasing their 2003 A4 convertible soon and it looks good. But then I wouldn't have a car to keep taking to the dealer to be fixed, where' the fun in that?
I said, "piece" and I think a C ragtop would eat a piece of the CLK market, not the whole market. But, I think the issue is the bottom line, MB must make a ton more profit off the CLKs than the Cs. The question would be which is greater the aggregate profit from C ragtop sales vs. the loss in aggregate profits from the CLK. Of course, this would all weighed against the brand issues. Too much thinking for 11:00 at night -- makes my brain hurt.

Hope they make one just for you though!

Cheers,

Beth
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 01:49 AM
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lets see....i am wondering...if i should spend my money on the DTM kit ( i have great deals...email me)...or convert my car to a convertible....

but..its kind of wierd...because c coupe is the first car to have a panaroma roof!!!
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 05:39 AM
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Any redneck with a chainsaw can convert your C Coupe to a convertible.....all it will cost you is the Panarama roof you paid for so dearly....and a six pack pf Schmidts(Tell 'em it's BAVARIAN style...they'll think it's IMPORTED)
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 09:48 AM
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Originally posted by galaxygrrl


I said, "piece" and I think a C ragtop would eat a piece of the CLK market, not the whole market. But, I think the issue is the bottom line, MB must make a ton more profit off the CLKs than the Cs. The question would be which is greater the aggregate profit from C ragtop sales vs. the loss in aggregate profits from the CLK. Of course, this would all weighed against the brand issues. Too much thinking for 11:00 at night -- makes my brain hurt.

Hope they make one just for you though!

Cheers,

Beth
Beth, I have to agree with you here. I also think that if the price point were around 35K, it would start to cut into the SLK sales as well. I think a (too) large percentage of the business would be trade-off. Maybe if they could produce one for around 30K (or less) they would get the incremental sales that they need. Of course at this price point, this would cut into the sales of the regular C Coupe.
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 09:49 AM
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Originally posted by Rick
....and a six pack pf Schmidts(Tell 'em it's BAVARIAN style...they'll think it's IMPORTED)
LOL
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 12:19 PM
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Originally posted by Rick
Any redneck with a chainsaw can convert your C Coupe to a convertible.....all it will cost you is the Panarama roof you paid for so dearly....and a six pack pf Schmidts(Tell 'em it's BAVARIAN style...they'll think it's IMPORTED)
I think they use a sawzall these days. Actually Newport Convertible Engineering has been written up in many magazines for their quality work. They have converted many four door sedans like the BMW 750 and the PT Cruiser. The C-Coupe should be a piece of cake for them, specially since they have the Karmann example to go by.

I still don't believe that a C-Convertible would hurt overall sales even though a few people may choose it over the SLK because of the 4 passenger seating and a few people would compare it to the CLK and not buy it but overall they would have a great economy convertible. I have those 2 choices now and I didn't buy either. Why, because the CLK is too expensive and the SLK is too small.
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 03:27 PM
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Originally posted by Buellwinkle


I think they use a sawzall these days. Actually Newport Convertible Engineering has been written up in many magazines for their quality work. They have converted many four door sedans like the BMW 750 and the PT Cruiser. The C-Coupe should be a piece of cake for them, specially since they have the Karmann example to go by.

I still don't believe that a C-Convertible would hurt overall sales even though a few people may choose it over the SLK because of the 4 passenger seating and a few people would compare it to the CLK and not buy it but overall they would have a great economy convertible. I have those 2 choices now and I didn't buy either. Why, because the CLK is too expensive and the SLK is too small.
I don't think it would kill sales on the CLK and the SLK, but I think it would bite into them. Also, depending on the price point, it could bite into the regular C class sales. How many people with coupes, or sedans for that matter, would have bought the convertible instead? The convertible would probably sell well, but the question would be if the sales are incremental, or just trade-off? In order for MB to offer it without discontinuing something else, they would have to think that a large percentage of sales would be incremental, IMO.
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 03:41 PM
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Originally posted by revstriker
I don't think it would kill sales on the CLK and the SLK, but I think it would bite into them. Also, depending on the price point, it could bite into the regular C class sales. How many people with coupes, or sedans for that matter, would have bought the convertible instead? The convertible would probably sell well, but the question would be if the sales are incremental, or just trade-off? In order for MB to offer it without discontinuing something else, they would have to think that a large percentage of sales would be incremental, IMO.
And as the MB brand manger wantabe, I still think it hurts the MB brand essence too much to do this.

Not to mention the topline (revenue)/ bottonline (profits) thing that I have beat to death.

Revstiker, after these conversations, I think we should start a car company. You can do the number crunching and I'll take care of the marketing. Think we might have all the people we need for focus groups right here. (well, at least the male demographics)

Beth

Last edited by galaxygrrl; Apr 9, 2002 at 03:52 PM.
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 04:15 PM
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hmmmm....
We could take leftover Ilmor/Mercedes engines, add some Renntech tweaks, Bilstien suspension mods and Brembo brakes...apply these to a base CLK chassis (current model...excess stock)with a slick monocoque penned by one of the many engineers here.... I'll design a carbon fiber body shell with a lower CD than a C5 'vette...and we'll make it a ragtop so Buellwikie wont post dream car pics!

Maybe we can call it a C-111?
Wait...MB already built this car!
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Old Apr 9, 2002 | 04:22 PM
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Originally posted by Rick
hmmmm....

Maybe we can call it a C-111?
Wait...MB already built this car!
Yes but ours will have Honda reliability. And a seatbelt that works for goodnessake (sp?).

Last edited by galaxygrrl; Apr 9, 2002 at 04:25 PM.
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