CLS 550 TT pricing
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12-15-2010, 12:03 PM
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06 CLS55 AMG
In one word... Efficiency!
For the longest time, turbo's (as well as superchargers) or vehicles with them have always been associated (by the majority of the general public) with super high performance, and to some that's been a cause of fright or uncertainty.
Consumers were basically under the assumption such components required additional maintenance, caused more wear and tear, and thus leading to a higher cost of ownership, not to mention an increase in fuel consumption. This mentally (so to speak), plagued the FI industry for years, and this is one of the major reasons many of the big name auto manufactures kept away from it.
FI in the past 10 years on the other hand, has come a long way. Thanks to vast improvements in both design and space-age materials such hi-perf ceramics, these once problematic components are now stronger, more durable, and substantially more efficient.
With the rising cost of oil (fuel), the big name auto manufacturers turned to FI for it's ability (in lamers terms) to churn out more power from a smaller powerplant, effectively increasing performance while still maintaining good if not better fuel economy. Something FI owners have known about and enjoyed for years.
There's no doubt in my mind that we're going to see even more models come with FI (more so turbos then superchargers) in the next few years. It's not so much that everyone's "following" or "copying" one another, but more so a necessity to keep up with the times and demands of both the consumers and the general automotive market.
For the longest time, turbo's (as well as superchargers) or vehicles with them have always been associated (by the majority of the general public) with super high performance, and to some that's been a cause of fright or uncertainty.
Consumers were basically under the assumption such components required additional maintenance, caused more wear and tear, and thus leading to a higher cost of ownership, not to mention an increase in fuel consumption. This mentally (so to speak), plagued the FI industry for years, and this is one of the major reasons many of the big name auto manufactures kept away from it.
FI in the past 10 years on the other hand, has come a long way. Thanks to vast improvements in both design and space-age materials such hi-perf ceramics, these once problematic components are now stronger, more durable, and substantially more efficient.
With the rising cost of oil (fuel), the big name auto manufacturers turned to FI for it's ability (in lamers terms) to churn out more power from a smaller powerplant, effectively increasing performance while still maintaining good if not better fuel economy. Something FI owners have known about and enjoyed for years.
There's no doubt in my mind that we're going to see even more models come with FI (more so turbos then superchargers) in the next few years. It's not so much that everyone's "following" or "copying" one another, but more so a necessity to keep up with the times and demands of both the consumers and the general automotive market.
