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

Is the C-Coupe a success?

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Old May 2, 2002 | 05:34 PM
  #26  
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Originally posted by FrankW
the idle sound of the MB V6 (in my C32 and my sister's CLK320) or V8 (in my dad's ML) are just horrible.
Actually, the vee-angle of an engine also determines the smoothness/vibration characteristics. For V6s the optimum angle is 60 degrees - although most of the V6s on the road have much wider vee-angles. In Mercedes case, they use a 90 degree angle - which was adopted since the block was based on the V8 (which has better vibration characteristics in a V8 motor - on the whole V8s aren't an optimal configuration regarding vibration, anyway). It's usually more cost effective for a manufacuter to go with a less optimal degree angle and make up for any vibration with balance shafts to be able to build the motor on the same production line as another motor (which is the case with MB).

Cheers, BT
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Old May 2, 2002 | 05:39 PM
  #27  
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Originally posted by trench


Actually, the vee-angle of an engine also determines the smoothness/vibration characteristics. For V6s the optimum angle is 60 degrees - although most of the V6s on the road have much wider vee-angles. In Mercedes case, they use a 90 degree angle - which was adopted since the block was based on the V8 (which has better vibration characteristics in a V8 motor - on the whole V8s aren't an optimal configuration regarding vibration, anyway). It's usually more cost effective for a manufacuter to go with a less optimal degree angle and make up for any vibration with balance shafts to be able to build the motor on the same production line as another motor (which is the case with MB).

Cheers, BT
thanks for the clear up

but what i'm trying to say was that the "sound" made by each valve open-close thus creating a diesel like sound when all works together. the "vibration" of the V6 is not as bad as the i-6 when it's cold
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Old May 2, 2002 | 05:54 PM
  #28  
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Originally posted by DrMike
Is it a success?

Definition of success depends on whether I am a driver, DC exec/employee, DC stockholder.
The question was this: Anyone hear if the coupe sales numbers have met DC's expectations so far?

Tommy, perhaps there should be a seperate forum.
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Old May 2, 2002 | 06:14 PM
  #29  
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Originally posted by avlis
The question was this: Anyone hear if the coupe sales numbers have met DC's expectations so far?
Guess I've helped hijack this thread as well. I never heard what MB's sales estimates were for the Coupe worldwide, but of the 1.1 million MBs sold last year 59,000 (about 5.3%) were C-coupes. These would have to be considered "successful" sales figures. The thing is now: can MB maintain this level of sales - or have most of the people who wanted one bought one (often a problem for niche-type vehicles - very good sales initially but poor later); however, I see this being more of a problem in the US with a car like the new Mini than I do with the C-coupe. The other thing to factor in to the C-coupes ultimate success is if it can keep the new MB buyers it brought into the fold (and upgrading into models with a better profit margin - which is what MB hopes will be the case); of course this factor won't be known for years.

Cheers, BT
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Old May 2, 2002 | 06:31 PM
  #30  
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Ya know dasMafia, you make some good points. Maybe I was a little too critical about BMW.
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Old May 3, 2002 | 01:06 PM
  #31  
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Originally posted by viper
Ya know dasMafia, you make some good points. Maybe I was a little too critical about BMW.
nah, cynical is good, keeps us honest...
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Old May 3, 2002 | 01:41 PM
  #32  
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Originally posted by viper
Ya know dasMafia, you make some good points. Maybe I was a little too critical about BMW.
Viper, don't second guess... you were right on the money... Just happy here to see someone else take on the Bimmer juggernaut.

American manufacturers get lampooned for installing solid rear axles with fixed drum rear brakes on light trucks/SUVs... The reason they do it is because Ford and Chevy refined the solid axle concept decades ago, and (more importantly) understand the cost of the solid rear axle down to the last $.0000000002. The bottom line is profitability, not technology.

Of course, for some reason we have to make (different, more noble) excuses for BMW executing exactly the same strategy with the I-6 motors in their loss leader models...
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Old May 4, 2002 | 12:45 AM
  #33  
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C Coupé a success?

From Mercedes-Benz international website:

C-Class with New Four-Cylinder Engines

Stuttgart, 04/23/2002


Two years after its market premiere, the C-Class is seeing sales exceed all expectations. Around 288,000 drivers worldwide opted for the classy sedan in 2001 alone. This figure is over 36 percent higher than that achieved by the car's predecessor.

The C-Class station wagon and sports coupe are also doing very well, selling around 56,000 and 64,000 times respectively since March 2001.

A range of newly developed four-cylinder engines will make the C-Class even more attractive beginning in June 2002. The drive systems are equipped with the TWINPULSE system, which combines various technologies, including a compressor supercharger, an intercooler, variably adjustable camshafts, four-valve technology, a Lanchester balancer and an adaptive drive response system.

copyright DaimlerChrysler 2002

__________________________
I'd say that 56,000 C Coupés in less that one year could be called a success - by definition, a coupé is not going to sell nearly as well as a sedan.

In fact, for a coupé, these C sales are simply amazing! If you want a comparison, the more beautiful and highly praised Peugeot 406 Coupé (built/designed by Pininfarina) has sold just under 100,000 units....in six years of production.
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Old May 5, 2002 | 03:04 AM
  #34  
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Their are 32 million people live in California. The cars registered her are at these ratios....60% of cars are imports and 40% are american. It is hard for american technology to catch up with the import markets..but we finally found out and you can see by the statistics that quanity theory did'nt work and Quality does.Look for higher prices on cars and metals because their is going to be a tax on them very soon. This will set the price higher in America on cars, refrigators, stoves, etc.

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Old May 5, 2002 | 03:16 PM
  #35  
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What?

Yvette, what are you on about? I don't understand your point at all!
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Old May 6, 2002 | 05:56 PM
  #36  
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C230 K coupe Orion blue, Evo, prem leather roof, premium sound and cd changer, auto.
Originally posted by avlis


The hatchback topic has been debated before but I'll bring it up again anyway.

Hatchbacks had been selling successfully in America many years before the 318ti. I don't think the 318ti's failure had ANYTHING to do with the "Americans don't buy hatchbacks" B.S.

The Ford Escort sold as a hatchback for over a decade (though I read that Ford never made a profit). Aren't SAABs hatchbacks? What about Eclipse/Talons? Camaros, Corvettes? VW Golf/GTI? Civic DX? Acura Integra? What about (sorry for mentioning this) SUV's? Don't most of them have a "hatch" for a rear door?

The key is- the vehicles mentioned above all had something to offer other than just being a "hatchback". They were marketed with features such as performance, price, economy, or utility, etc. I don't know if that can be said for the 318ti (that was before my time).
I think a better comparison with the c230K would be the VW Corrado, not the 318ti. For one both have supercharged engines, both are hatch-backs, but one is RWD.
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Old May 6, 2002 | 10:28 PM
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damnit bob... why do you have to make so much sense!
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