Patentmat

After 2009, no more CL, and no more CLK. They are not going away per se, just going back to being coupe versions of the cars on which they are based. Essentially for us, it is late 90s all over again, the S Class coupe is back.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/12/m...uf-wiedesehen/

AMGTestDriverNJ

I'm not sure they will actually do that. If they do though, maybe our CL's will go back up in value??

Saprissa

I think that's a great move by Mercedes-Benz...

hooray for the SC, SEC... etc...

AMGFREAK

Mercedes-Benz may decide to call a coupe a coupe starting next year. If you want a CLK after 2009, you might have to settle for an E-Class Coupe or E-Class Convertible. Want a 2-door S-Class around the same time? Then you're after the S-Class Coupe. We don't know the reason for the potential name changes, especially since the cars have such great equity -- and taking eight minutes to say E-Class Coupe Black Series doesn't have nearly the to-the-point hotness of CLK Black Series, even though it's the same number of "syllables". The CL change might make more sense as the car wasn't a huge sales success, but drop those letters in conversation and you still get a forceful point across. We can only hope that the bard was right, and that a rose by any other name...

MB Guy

But how are the S and CL alike? Both have different exterior designs and usually coupes resemble the sedan in every way. Don't like the S Class at all, at least not the current model.

AMGFREAK

The S and CL are built basically on the same platform.

Patentmat

More than once I have had to explain it in terms of the S-class. People seem to know just enough about MB nomenclature to get themselves into trouble. They see the 'C' in CL and think it is somehow based on the C-class. More than once I have explained it as essentially a two door S-Class. (People seem to know the S-Class). Indeed, if you sit in one and then the other of the same year they are practically the same inside.

I think MB wanted to build up name recognition for the CL but after a dozen years it is just not working, and thus ends the experiment.

Saprissa

In terms of the CLK, the W209 was based on the W203.
Now while there was/is a C-Class Coupe (CL203), it was more of a hatchback than anything else.
The CLK is/was the true C-Class Coupe, if there ever was one.

I guess the E-Class Coupe will replace the CLK line, but by no means does it mean that the CLK was/is based on the E-Class.

SoCalCLK

The "E-Class coupe" would be the CLS. But the CLS has technically 4-doors, even though mercedes wants to call it a coupe. Buffoonery.

This name change seems like a cool throwback ot the past. I guess our CLs and CLKs could now be considered "Limited edition/production" !

MBZFAN55

The two door S-Class is understood by most people, but the numbers, 500-550-63-600 confuse even those with some Mercedes knowledge. I almost have to blame Mercedes who has taken the "two door S-Class" from 500SEC to S500 to CL500 and now another change? The most common question I get in my CL63 is, "So how do you like the 12 cylinders?"

Hakk403

WTF? CLK looks like an E-class coupe, but it is actually rolling on the c-class platform.

edit - I see you beat me to it.

I completely agree.

WSH

Name changes are for the desperate....

In this recessionary economy and credit crisis, everyone (incl F) is facing a tricky mkt w/plummeting demand and prices for new/used $150K+ cars....

Last 5yrs was a story of VW-Bent eating MB's lunch....kudos to Bent for selling some 10K/yr of those POS cars at some $200K each....whereas MB can barely sell ?2-3K/yr 65s, even in a Debt Bubble economy....

Sometimes, brilliant marketing of a rapper-wannabe car that appeals to the trailer park-deluxe crowd (like mortgage brokers, realtors, etc) can sell cars more effectively than superior engineering...but in a deep, high-end recession, the game changes again, as many rapper-wannabes disappear.....

IMO, MB should kill the CL550, 600 and 63...and only market a CL65 in US, w/ability to customize options more (kill the codgerly quilting; get a proper leather sports steering wheel)....poss just keep 600 around ex-CA as the winter-beater car of choice for the NYC/Chic crowd who need a car w/girlie brakes for winter tires/wheels....

khearon

I consider by CLK to be more E Class than C Class. I know many feel that it's just a C-Class without the pillars and doors. I've just never been in a present or past C-Class that reminds me of my Click. I'm not a Benz historian...and don't want to be...don't really care what its called....but from a guy who has both at home, I would NOT consider them alike at all. Just my opinion..I could care less about the actual chassis or share parts. Is my SRT6 a SLK32? Nope! It's a Crossfire!

When I drive my cars, I drive from the inside. The inside of the CLK appears more E to me. I guess I am one of the folks Benz is aiming for with the name change. As I said in another post that mentioned this...call it what you like, just give the damn thing standard Bluetooth...I mean, c'mon, even the C-Class has it!

Vader13

One reason could be that the mass produced entry level C class has made everything else with a C in it seem like it's entry level as well.
The C Class has killed the CL/CLK/CLS branding.

Patentmat

That fact that even we, on the MB forums have this confusion over the roots of the CLK is very telling!

DWJK

my 2cents:

Change CL's to SL
Change SL's and SLK's to some other letter (RL/RLK? whatever)
Change CLK's to EL's
Change CLS's to something completely different

Name Brand

I've always wanted the late 90s S600/CL600 coupe...I hope they do bring the S coupe name back.

gaazmon

I think its better that mercedes is going back to S-class coupe (SC). The S name has more recognition than the CL. The S and the CL have the same interior, only the exterior is slightly different (just like in the 90's).

It makes sense for the CLK to be changed to E coupe as well (EC, E-class coupe). Actually, the E originally stood for fuel injection I think. This is good though, maybe they will make the CLK interior like the E-class one, which before was like a C class interior. It makes sense cause people would think a CLK is a C class coupe (which it is not). The CLS should be ECS (e-class coupe sport).

The SL and SLK shouldn't even be called that. They should RL and RLK (roadster). The R-class should be called something else (it shouldn't even exist just like the ML, GL, and G).

Patentmat

From Wikipedia re: the CLK:

khearon

From Wikipedia:

While it is based on the G-Series, its styling cues, engine, and price range are closer to that of the SLK-class, leading some to believe that the CLK is a not coupé version of the E-class.

My point is...dude, anyone can edit anything on Wiki.....I get your point though.

Patentmat

The difference is, I didn't vandalize the site to make my point.

Barolo CLS

WSH Any rapper that drives a Bentley isnt a wannabee. In order for a kid from the inner city to be able to afford a Bentley, he has to have moved some units and you must give him credit for his talent even if you dont listen to rap. I find it troubling when one particuler segment of music is singled out as a substandard artform and is used to make mockery of the establishment. I doubt anyone would refer to a LA rocker from the suburbs as a "wannabee" if they scored a single hit and went out and bought Bentleys for the group. In this day and age, I think it's high time that we recognize rap as simply another musical artform and not stereotype it as a passing fad or a style thats not worthy of any other.

It's rap that has Jay Z owning a large percentage of the New Jersey Nets, a Vodka brand, A partnership with Motorola and married to one of the wealthiest women in entertainment. His 11K sf penthouse in the Trump Tower overlooking Central Park isn't too shabby either. And no I'm not talking about Puffy or 50 Cent. Rappers are making legitimate monitary gains comparing, even surpassing other genres in this day and age. Try to remember that when making your points. I think you'd be suprised.

Patentmat

I like this thread!

gaazmon

Barolo, your CL63 looks just like Mac 10's , is your roof painted black? I only know this because I see him at my brother's high school when I pick my brother up from football practice.

On another note, I like Jay-Z, maybe more than other rappers, in business terms. Smart guy in my opinion. Always had more love for the west coast guys (Dre, Snoop, Warren, Ice, Mac). I guess I'm just a straight up west coaster that's why .

No offense to anyone, I think the Bentley is a POS. Rather have a CL or S or 911 over a Bentley any day. Think it is too much of a tight ***, show off name (same reason I don't like Rolls Royce). Also, I guess I'm not a big fan of the English (except for Aston, oh what I'd do for one of those )