SteveL

And a C300 is still a C as is a C63.
An RS4 is still a A4 series
An M3 is still a 3 series

But no one compares an M3/RS4 to a C300, they compare it to a car with relevant performance, the C63. So the SL550 is compared to a 911 but not a 911 GT3. The CLK BS competition is the 911 GT3, not a 911.

SteveL

I think their strategy is to make money. The profit margin on AMGs and Black Series is huge I'm sure. They want to have an AMG version of every model and reusing the same motor in as many models as possible to quite brilliant as it saves them a lot of money as others have pointed out. Even the Black Series are aimed at making money. They are building track versions of the cars for F1 or DTM pace cars anyway. Why not make a few for the public and sell them for a great profit so they make more money. Exclusivity is one of the key things for the Black Series and they are taking advantage of the US need to have the biggest, best, fastest, etc thing that they'll come up with.

A C350 is a fine car but almost everyone here would rather have a C63 because it is a better, faster car. They made a DTM pace car based on the C class for this year's DTM series. If they released a version of it as they did for the CLK and asked $120K, for it, people will still buy it and they'll make more money.

They are just giving people what they want or at least some people who feel the need to have the best thing available or at least the best thing they can afford.

Konka

the point that i was trying to make was why is there a CLK BS instead of an SL BS. if the BS is supposed to compete with the GT3 then why not make it an SL which is supposed to compete with the 911. SL 550 v. 911, SL BS v. 911 GT3.

SteveL

Probably because in 2007 the F1 pace car was a CLK that was track prepped, upgraded brakes, suspension, cooling, LSD, lightened, etc. So they already did all of the R&D on the CLK already.

Konka

theres no SLK pace car, at least not that i know of, and theres a SLK BS. i just think that its kinda stupid to have two different cars compete in the same field. the SL and 911 are performance cars that are one notch from supercardom and the CLK, even AMG, really isnt there. the GT3 is definetly a supercar and to me it seems a lot more sensible to make a supercar version of the SL then of the CLK.

MACHC5

Wow... allot of passion here about both cars.

Reminds me of women friends.

Some can, hopefully cook anything..

Some can, be iffy... at best to look at..

Some can, hopefully be great companions.

But there's only 350 CLK63 BS F1 Pace Cars here in USA, that can be called "Classic Beauty" to look at... CLK63 BS

And yes, I possess one
MachC5

360_iti

yeah yeah yeah shut up.. no need to make us jealous I've seen pics of your garage..
What are you doing in this forum anyway?

SteveL

The SLK was the pace car for Formula 1 before the SLK BS came out.

The SL is only available as a hard top convertible and has no back seat. Most 911s, even the TT have a back seat. The more direct competitor for the 911 is the CLK, both are available as a hard top top and a soft top. In the CLK BS and 911 GT3 the back seats for removed and the cars are very track oriented. I don't know why you think the SL is a more direct competitor to the 911 than the CLK.

norb

I don't think there is an MB model that is a direct competitor to the 911. The 911 is a purpose built sports car, as is the Boxster/Cayman. AMG takes sedans/coupes and makes them sporty. Not quite the same.

MACHC5

Things have been slow in the Black Series forum....
It's the Same old... Same old...

Guys, from what I've been told the C63 is going to need a real dual exhaust system to make the big numbers on horse power. This info came from a Mercedes source.

Substance

i would like to remind everyone that C63 is not the first C class which is the fastest model (almost) in mb lineup. and also not the first time a c class gets the same hp rating as the most expensive mb(or amg).

please remember between 2001-2003

S55(w220), E55(w210),CLK55(w210),CL55(w215)

they all shared the same 5.4L N/A V8 with 355hp

S55 and CL55 being the slowest due to heavier weight and CLK55 being the fastest due to ligther weight.

then there was the C32 which was a V6 but due to its supercharger it could make the same Hp as the 5.4L V8s and it was the lightest of all as well(and cheapest too)

in years between 2000 and 2003 , even S600 and CL600 were slowest in the line. they had 5.8L V12 N/A motor which produced 362 hp and mb rated 0-60 were 5.6 seconds a half second slower than (or more) C32 AMG.

no 65 engine before 2004.

after 2003 mb supercharged the 55s on E ,S and CL and twin turbo'd the 600.

maybe the same will happen here now.

Germancar1

Bingo! The post of the day. Neither the CLK or SL competes head on with a 911, but both can in various guises. The SL competes more with drop top 911, but I can hardly see anyone comparing any regular version of the CLK to a 911.

M

SteveL

I really don't see why anyone believes that the SL competes any more or less directly with the 911 than the CLK. The CLK has more in common with a 911 than the SL. I just don't get it. I'm not even arguing that the CLK competes with the 911 but I just believe it has a lot more in common with the 911 than the SL.

In AMG trim... I think the CLK63 coupe competes more directly with the 911 TT than the SL does, the CLK63 conv competes more directory with the 911 TT conv than the SL, and the CLK63 BS is pretty much a direct competitor to the 911 GT3. What SL competes with the 911 GT3? The SL63 is not a track prepped car, both the GT3 and CLKBS are and are at a similar price point. The SL65BS will be track prepped but will cost north of $200K. I think the GT2 is more likely a competitor to the SL65BS.