He is going back to pre-facelift models

 

So his only reason is because of sound?

Awfully expensive solution to a problem that could probably be solved with an aftermarket exhaust

 

Lot of people like that warranty.

 

I watched the video and yes that's sort of what it boils down to, but he is coming from the perspective of maintaining a private long term car collection. From that angle I can kinda understand it for the same reason he still owns his 204 Black Series. Aftermarket exhausts are soon going to be banned in Europe, so that's another factor to consider. UK has annual car inspections and once the aftermarket exhausts are banned, that's it. They'll have to be removed. On the other hand, I kinda disagree. The 2019+ C63S Coupe is now faster around the Nurburgring than the 204 Black Series, so the street version of the 205 is a better track car now than the 204 track version and there isn't gonna be a 205 Black Series or R model, which makes the 205 FL the last great C63 IMO, despite having become subject to more stringent noise regulations.

 

I can see his reasoning, it's not going to be his daily driver so not as worried about the tech and convenience features in the FL. Of course a lot of effort and resources spent but with a career on youtube content is king in the end. Looking forward to the 3 way comparison video. A45 is also a sweet car, I had a 2015 GLA45 as a winter vehicle in new england for a few years and it was a blast.

 

But then he wouldn't get to make a "controversial" YouTube video. This is purely for the clicks, nothing else.

 

So you guys buy an AMG and cannot understand that he is going back to pre facelift because of the sound?

Don’t get it

 

It sounds like (no pun intended) his true feelings came out about those cars and the sound. I don't really pay attention to what most of them say about the newer stuff. It's their job to love the new cars. If they are too harsh then they get no more cars from said manufacturer. So to make it look good. It's always: "I love it but I wish the ashtray was moved forward by two inches" or something like that.

 

honestly, this is ridiculous. i know im going to get bashed by some people with the pre FL, but the FL has drastic improvements over the pre FL. yes i understand the sound aspect and understand why so many people are frustrated (myself included) but come on.....

 

I completely understand the different sentiments. Some prefer sound over newer tech. It's now a case of you can't have your cake and eat it too because you don't get both in the FL.

 

Older car's warranty will expire faster also

Yeah, no 205 Black or R makes me really sad. Was planning to pick one up. It would've been a nice send-off before the next generation of downsized engines and boring powertrains

 

I don't think it's that. Personally, I feel the whole sound issue with the FL is making a mountain out of a molehill. Yes, it sounds different. In fact I prefer the sound quality of the FL over the pre-FL. It's still a V8 with a voracious sound and loud. I pretty much always start it using the Emotion Start feature and then immediately open the exhaust. The quietness aspect mainly comes from eliminating the fake pops&bangs for most normal driving situations, which I at least was never a fan of. I know there are others who are glad this fad of fake pops&bangs has reached an end. If you drive the FL hard it still naturally pops&bangs, but it has IMO gained more GT character as I appreciate it if the car is quiet on long drives or if I'm not hammering it, but if I want sound I just drive it accordingly. I bought this car to be my daily, long distance cruiser for roadtrips as well as a silly fun car on the weekend. It delivers in all these aspects. Just needs to be driven accordingly. Future AMGs are a different story. They will overall get much quieter. We've already gotten a preview of that with the all-new A45 and if the next C63 will actually have a 4-cyl hybrid powertrain then it's a whole new game all together.

P.S. RBR is in the UK, so their cars definitely have the new particulate filter, but so far all evidence including an actual US spec exhaust shows no filter for US spec cars. Some have speculated that one of the cats is now the particulate filter, but a) if that's the case then it's just replacing one sound deadening device with another. They are both honeycomb style filter devices and b) as far as I know, particulate filters need flow sensors before and after to know when they have to start the burn cycle, and the exhaust pictures we have seen shows no such sensors.

 

I agree with almost everything you said - feel the exhaust issue is overdone, and unfortunately as long as you aren't in the EU or UK, the exhaust is still pretty spectacular. I can make it crackle nonstop at above 3k rpm in sport+ anytime, so I think it may be a regional thing rather than a flat out issue.

 

Well I am going to step out there and say I can kind of get it. I have not driven a FL (sat in one on showroom and checked it out) and have only owned my 2018 for about 3 months but I like my model better as follows:

1) Grill - I like mine better (simpler but classy and doesn't look like a GT-R) just my opinion. I recently told my buddy that (salesman at MB) and he thought I was crazy...LOL Sorry but I am not a GT-R fan.
2) Tranny - I have owned a few cars with 8-10 speeds and hate how they operate...trust me I get the philosophy behind it but 7 speeds is enough for me.
3) Tech standpoint - I like the new dash but not so much that I would have to own a FL. I am truly satisfied with the Tech in my 2018 and maybe old school but like my gauges the way they are.

Just my 2 cents!!!

 

What I do not understand is why we have to suffer for crazy EU laws. We do not have any such laws here, so why can't they just configure NA cars a bit differently. They have done options differently between EU and NA for a long time now. Atleast they wouldn't loose customers on one side of the world.

 

Just a couple of comments on this that you might not be aware of.

1) That's personal taste, so can't really argue with that. I love the new grill. I think the old one looks too much like a regular MB. The Panamericana grill sets the AMGs apart now.
2) I had similar thoughts at first. 9 gears seemed crazy, but it all comes down to the gearing. As opposed to some other high gear transmissions with the 9MCT the first 6 gears are your regular driving gears. They shortened the ratios, so the car has gotten faster and perhaps more exciting in the lower gears. 7,8,9 are purely for highway cruising or fuel efficient driving. In automatic mode it sorts it all out, but if I push the car just like with any other car I spend my time in the first 6 gears only, well actually rarely go above 4th in the canyons just like in any other performance car I owned.
3) The digital instrument cluster is optional. You can still have it with analog gauges. For a daily, the 2018 felt very outdated to me. No CarPlay/AA support unless you opt out of the Multimedia package and get the Smartphone package, which also means the car can't have driver assistance package and some other things. As somebody else said above. Roken doesn't use this car as a daily, so all this tech doesn't really matter.

Cost. The head of the A45 development gave an interview recently and he said it's not feasible form a development cost perspective. At least the A45 level. Perhaps higher up in the AMG line up with base prices north of $100k, they might decide to do that. Ford for example puts a different exhaust on US spec GTs vs EU spec GTs. Audi does the same thing with the FL R8, but I have driven the FL 2020 GT R at Laguna Seca, and just like the FL C63S it sounds very similar now with less pops&bangs.

 

I read that article. While I can definitely see taking cost cutting approaches might work for a CLA45, but in the 100k region, I for one would be willing to pay the full cost of an aftermarket exhaust for them separating the EU and NA exhaust system. That includes a different ECU tune for NA.

 

All good points and everyone is entitled to their opinion...no worries. :-)

#1 yes personal taste and I stated mine. #2 like i said I have not driven the FL but if anything like my past cars I am fine with the 7 speed #3 I have the Multimedia package

Also I have owned a few FL cars (2009 911/997.2 & 2014 ZL1 Camaro) and there will always be these debates...it all comes down to personal preference.

Oh and I friggin LOVE my 2018 as a daily...IMHO whether FL or pre-FL they are all C63S and BADASS!!!