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Any good weight saving ideas/components for our W205 out there?
Hi everyone. I've read threads that are based on the w204, which identify actual parts/components, their respective weight values and corresponding lighter-weight aftermarket options, with resulting savings. If anyone has any good info like this, but for the w205 C63, it would be greatly appreciated. As a tuned C63s car, with better/wider wheels and rubber all around, Pagid pads in the front, better brake fluid, and a full set of KMAC (front upper/lower, back and 16 point) for a little more negative camber, etc., I was absolutely thrilled with how well it performed at Watkins Glen's full course, Phoenix CMR event in June. Really, the car was only limited by my level of on-track experience, and I think it had plenty more to give. With 600+ HP and 670+T at the crank, it has more than enough power and handles the amazing track remarkably well for what it is, or isn't. My in-car pro-driver/instructor was rather surprised by this too. But if I could shed some decent weight without gutting the car, it would be the ultimate all-arounder in my opinion. Again, any ideas would be appreciated.
I have the full racing brake f/r 2-piece rotors with their 390x34 front rotors, shaved around 30+lbs of rotating mass
also had a voltphreaks lithium battery in my w204 C63 which saved close to 50lbs....but was unsure of the additional electrical components of the W205 if the lithium would be a good choice.
The DSS C/F driveshaft only saved about 1-2lbs on the W204 platform....but felt more "connected" as it's a 1-piece design....wonder if they make it for the 205?
... go on a diet ... There is a reason race horses are ridden by jockeys.
Seriously, the options out there that are being touted as weight saving are ridiculous. I have to laugh every time I see somebody in a forum gushing about the weight savings advantages of the factory carbon fiber packages or aftermarket aluminum door pins. Shaving a few pounds off a car with a 4,096 lb. curb weight to begin with is not going to make a noticeable difference -- except to the weight of your wallet.
There are serious things that can be done to shave weight, like pulling the rear and front passenger seats; removing the spare tire, related items, the first aid kit, etc.; removing all carpeting, sound deadening, and roof liner material; removing unnecessary electronics, starting with the Command unit and all the speakers; draining unnecessary fluids, like the windshield wiper fluid ... oh, and that reminds me, remove the windshield wiper motors and all related mechanisms ....
Sure, people like to dream, but when somebody tells you to save weight by throwing away two of the lug nuts from each wheel (as was once said to me with all earnestness) it is time to revisit reality.
I have the full racing brake f/r 2-piece rotors with their 390x34 front rotors, shaved around 30+lbs of rotating mass
also had a voltphreaks lithium battery in my w204 C63 which saved close to 50lbs....but was unsure of the additional electrical components of the W205 if the lithium would be a good choice.
The DSS C/F driveshaft only saved about 1-2lbs on the W204 platform....but felt more "connected" as it's a 1-piece design....wonder if they make it for the 205?
The W205 C63S already comes with a carbon fiber driveshaft - although it’s still a 2-piece unit. So probably not a ton of weight savings left there.
A lightweight lithium battery (as long as it can keep up with the W205’s power demand for accessories and electronics... which is a lot) is one of the easiest ways to drop weight. Unsprung weight as mentioned before is also the best place to drop weight (lighter wheels/tires, brakes, coilovers etc.).
Removing all the tools, air inflator pump, etc. from the trunk is probably good for 5 lbs or so.
If you get more aggressive, you could easily drop upwards of 100lbs by removing the front passenger seat and rear seats. Remove the front and rear floormats while you’re at it.
Swapping out the stock downpipes with cats with catless stainless dp’s would also drop some nice weight, along with a straight through (non-muffled) titanium catbacm exhaust. 30-40lbs right there.
And as much as I love our pano sunroof, that’s a huge amount of weight in the worst possible place on the car. Deleting the sunroof glass and sliding mechanism would be at least 40lbs if not more. Obviously not ideal for a street driven car, but if you’re serious about dropping weight that’s a great place to do it.
And yes, as previously mentioned, trying to drop weight on this fat pig is going down a rabbit hole. My Coupe weighed 4030lbs at the drag strip with half a tank of gas. That’s getting very close to 4100 lbs with a full tank of gas and all fluids. I know the Sedan is lighter (100lbs less or so), but that still doesn’t make it a lightweight.
You’d have to spend a tremendous amount of money on CF panels, and all the lightweight goodies to get it down to a “medium” sized pig (under 3800 lbs). Better off putting that money towards adding power to this platform since the chassis can take it.
Investing lightweight mods into something that’s already light (Porsche 911) is a much better investment than starting off with something that weighs 2+ tons.
Yup I agree, weight reduction efforts would be quite futile. Just buy a different car. if you buy the Akropovic exhaust and AMG carbon ceramic rotors you would already be in the hole by $20,000USD or more. You can do engine mods like forged titanium connecting rods and add on another few thousand.
I view the Porsches as true nibble sports cars while the AMGs as loud muscle cars. So you can't really compare the two platforms (mid engine vs front) and they both cost differently.
Thanks so far for this great info (and argument). All great points. I agree that in hind sight, if I wanted a truly light road course car, I could have bought a much less expensive, lighter and perhaps more track focused car. That said, I am blessed that I got this car in the first place. But now that I have been able to have it on a couple of tracks, I've got the bug bad. After the modest power adding mods that I was able to do, dp and turbos would be next, which I would need to win the lottery for, so I was hoping to find some cost effective things that could be bought or done, to make a difference without falling into that "rabbit hole", and without *****ing up the car too much. I do like how the battery can be argued as a consumable and doesn't sound like "ADD MORE POWER". Good idea on the pano too, as I rarely open it anyway. Has anyone actually done this and been happy with the results? Any ballpark costs? Also, someone was kind enough to let me know that I misspoke in my initial thread starter, calling the KMAC multilink bushing kit 16 point. It's actually a 12 bushing set, in addition to the upper lower front, and rear sets.
The W205 C63S already comes with a carbon fiber driveshaft - although it’s still a 2-piece unit. So probably not a ton of weight savings left there.
A lightweight lithium battery (as long as it can keep up with the W205’s power demand for accessories and electronics... which is a lot) is one of the easiest ways to drop weight. Unsprung weight as mentioned before is also the best place to drop weight (lighter wheels/tires, brakes, coilovers etc.).
Removing all the tools, air inflator pump, etc. from the trunk is probably good for 5 lbs or so.
If you get more aggressive, you could easily drop upwards of 100lbs by removing the front passenger seat and rear seats. Remove the front and rear floormats while you’re at it.
Swapping out the stock downpipes with cats with catless stainless dp’s would also drop some nice weight, along with a straight through (non-muffled) titanium catbacm exhaust. 30-40lbs right there.
And as much as I love our pano sunroof, that’s a huge amount of weight in the worst possible place on the car. Deleting the sunroof glass and sliding mechanism would be at least 40lbs if not more. Obviously not ideal for a street driven car, but if you’re serious about dropping weight that’s a great place to do it.
Interesting that the W205 has a carbon fiber drive shaft. I remember reading it was steel. Where did you see that? I went looking and can't find reference to the drive shaft being carbon fiber.
How about getting a set of light wheels such as BBS RI-D for FI-R, HRE R101....for sure wright saving plus improve ride quality!
I am running a set of 19" BBS RI-D and for sure you can feel the difference!
Yes, you are right! Golan from Autotalent already hooked me up with Klassens and PS4's and what a difference that has made with this car, over the OEM setup.
Yes, you are right! Golan from Autotalent already hooked me up with Klassens and PS4's and what a difference that has made with this car, over the OEM setup.
HRE has R101's that are the most lightweight wheel option available for the car. We did them on a fellow MB World member's W205 not too long ago and the weight savings over the OEM wheels were dramatic.
The Akrapovic exhaust would save you 28.7 lbs in total.
If you're serious about increasing performance by shedding weight these two mods are a must.
Interesting that the W205 has a carbon fiber drive shaft. I remember reading it was steel. Where did you see that? I went looking and can't find reference to the drive shaft being carbon fiber.
I don't recall where I read it, but you can see it in one of the launch/press pictures when they announced the W205 Sedan:
HRE has R101's that are the most lightweight wheel option available for the car. We did them on a fellow MB World member's W205 not too long ago and the weight savings over the OEM wheels were dramatic.
The Akrapovic exhaust would save you 28.7 lbs in total.
If you're serious about increasing performance by shedding weight these two mods are a must.
Just wonder what is the weight of a single weight R101 stock size 19" wheel?
Its a pity they don't develop R101 LW for most of AMG cars.
Just wonder what is the weight of a single weight R101 stock size 19" wheel?
Its a pity they don't develop R101 LW for most of AMG cars.
The R101's are still extremely lightweight in their own right just not to the max level of the R101 LW's. For someone who really wanted to have HRE produce a set of R101 LW's for the W205 C63 (or any other AMG for that matter) I could get it done for them.
We did not weigh this set as it was drop shipped directly to the customer but I reckon that they'd be no more than 20 lbs per wheel in stock 19" sizing.
08-10-2018, 01:56 PM
