New CLK Cabrio Top?
04-03-2002, 09:14 PM
#29
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i was at my dealership today and my sales guy, kim, told me that there is going to be a hardtop like the SL on the new CLKs... but, i won't be certain until i see an announcement from MB or a good source.
04-04-2002, 07:31 PM
#31
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NOT A HARD TOP
The w209 will not have a folding hard top. That would be stupid and ridiculous. Why would mb mkae a coupe/convertable in one, and then make a coupe. notice how there is no slk COUPE or an sl COUPE. i bet they just make a soft top and an optional put it on yourself hardtop. no other car maker has ever made a hardtop convertable with a coupe in the same model line(i.e. the only hard tops out there, sl ,slk, sc 430 lexus. a floding hard top would just cancel out the coupe, why would anyone buy a coupe when they could have a coupe that could put its top away any time you wanted?maybe it would cost less, but who would just fork over the extra money to have a completly different car?
Last edited by Noah Miller; 04-04-2002 at 07:34 PM.
04-05-2002, 04:07 AM
#33
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sl and M-class E320 4Matic SLK350
So - let the coupe die
It has always baffled me why Mercedes manufactured so few of the CLK Cabriolets in the first place. There seemed to be more customer demand for the cabriolet version anyway. The folding hardtop cabriolet will only increase this demand. What the market presently lacks and NEEDS is a folding hardtop cabriolet which seats more than two people.
As long as Lexus doesn't extend the wheelbase on their cabriolet, Mercedes will have this market all to themselves. (If you think the Lexus SC seats more than two people, just try sitting back there in the rear vestigal "seats."
Furthermore, with the new CLK coupe being based on the C Class it is almost a redundant vehicle. Size wise it looks like a compact car and really doesn't stand out all that much from the lower line Mercedes. The cabriolet, however, is a completely different story.
As long as Lexus doesn't extend the wheelbase on their cabriolet, Mercedes will have this market all to themselves. (If you think the Lexus SC seats more than two people, just try sitting back there in the rear vestigal "seats."
Furthermore, with the new CLK coupe being based on the C Class it is almost a redundant vehicle. Size wise it looks like a compact car and really doesn't stand out all that much from the lower line Mercedes. The cabriolet, however, is a completely different story.
04-07-2002, 02:56 PM
#34
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Re: NOT A HARD TOP
Originally posted by Noah Miller
The w209 will not have a folding hard top. That would be stupid and ridiculous. Why would mb mkae a coupe/convertable in one, and then make a coupe. notice how there is no slk COUPE or an sl COUPE. i bet they just make a soft top and an optional put it on yourself hardtop. no other car maker has ever made a hardtop convertable with a coupe in the same model line(i.e. the only hard tops out there, sl ,slk, sc 430 lexus. a floding hard top would just cancel out the coupe, why would anyone buy a coupe when they could have a coupe that could put its top away any time you wanted?maybe it would cost less, but who would just fork over the extra money to have a completly different car?
The w209 will not have a folding hard top. That would be stupid and ridiculous. Why would mb mkae a coupe/convertable in one, and then make a coupe. notice how there is no slk COUPE or an sl COUPE. i bet they just make a soft top and an optional put it on yourself hardtop. no other car maker has ever made a hardtop convertable with a coupe in the same model line(i.e. the only hard tops out there, sl ,slk, sc 430 lexus. a floding hard top would just cancel out the coupe, why would anyone buy a coupe when they could have a coupe that could put its top away any time you wanted?maybe it would cost less, but who would just fork over the extra money to have a completly different car?
although, i'm not sure at all that they will make a hardtop convertible, i wouldn't be suprised if they did. if the panoramic moonroof is going to be available across the line, i can see a hardtop convertible option across the line also... but of course, that is just similar conjecture...
04-09-2002, 12:28 PM
#35
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2002 mercedes clk coupe
Re: CLK Cab.
Originally posted by MarcusBenz
I have not gotten specifics from our factory rep. on if the top will be hard or soft, but he did inform me of the release of the new model. I was under the impression that the coupe would change this year and the Cab. would stay the same until '03 and then the new body Cab. would be introduced. This is not true! There will be one whole year where there will be no CLK Cab. available. This means that after the '03 model Cab. is built and is ready for the next M.Y. to be released, there will be no Cab. to sell along side the coupe. We will not see the new body CLK Cab. until '04, possibly as a 2005!!!
As soon as I get solid info. on the top I will pass it along!
MarcusBenz
House of Imports, MBZ
I have not gotten specifics from our factory rep. on if the top will be hard or soft, but he did inform me of the release of the new model. I was under the impression that the coupe would change this year and the Cab. would stay the same until '03 and then the new body Cab. would be introduced. This is not true! There will be one whole year where there will be no CLK Cab. available. This means that after the '03 model Cab. is built and is ready for the next M.Y. to be released, there will be no Cab. to sell along side the coupe. We will not see the new body CLK Cab. until '04, possibly as a 2005!!!
As soon as I get solid info. on the top I will pass it along!
MarcusBenz
House of Imports, MBZ
04-11-2002, 03:03 PM
#37
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CLK 430
i would have to agree with noah on this one....there seems to be no reason why MB would release a coupe clk and then a few years later release the retractable hardtop version....just doesn't make sense unless the cab version with the hardtop cannot be made to perform as well as the coupe version...but all MB has to do is put the 55 kompressor into the 55 cab and it would be a high performance automobile....although i would love to see a retractable hardtop for the clk i just don't think it will happen....
04-12-2002, 01:19 AM
#38
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CLK
Summary Impressions
Well, looks like the general feeling is that the cabrio will not have a hard top.
No updates from our MB connected posters.
Thanks.
No updates from our MB connected posters.
Thanks.
