kaps

WHY ISNT THE SUPERCHARGED V8 FROM THE SL55 BEING PUT INTO THE NEW W209 CLK55? BENZ HAS DECIDED TO PUT IT INTO THE NEW E55, SO THIS IS VERY UPSETTING FOR ME...NOT ONLY DO WE CLK OWNERS HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE FACT THAT THE NEW CLK DOESNT LOOK AS GOOD AS THE W208, BUT NOW WE HAVE TO SIT BACK AND WATCH A GREAT ENGINE BYPASS THE CLK??? THIS IS VERY UPSETTING TO ME AS THE CLK PRETTY MUCH HAS THE MOST POTENTIAL TO BE A TRUE SPORTS CAR OF ANY OTHER IN THE BENZ LINEUP, AND WITH THAT SUPERCHARGED V8, IT WOULD TRULY DO TONS OF DAMAGE ON THE ROAD....THE SL55 ESSENTIALLY WEIGHS (IM GUESSING) AROUND 400-500 MORE LBS THAN THE CLK COUPE, SO WITH THE SAME ENGINE, IT WOULD BE DOING LOW 4'S ON 0-60 TIMES..NOT TO MENTION, ITS SMALLER SIZE THUS MAKING IT MORE IDEAL FOR HANDLING...IM JUST VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE WAY BENZ HAS DEALT WITH THE NEW CLK...I WOULD HAVE LOVE TO SEEN THE SUPERCHARGED V8 IN THE CLK55....INSTEAD, WE GET A NEW CLK55 THAT HAS 25 MORE HP, BUT HAS THE SAME PERFORMANCE...THE ONLY REAL REASON I CAN THINK OF AS TO WHY BENZ WOULDNT OPT TO PUT THE ENGINE IN THE CAR IS A) PRICE B) THEY DONT WANT IT CUTTING INTO THE SALES OF THE SL55, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT STILL RIDICULOUS IN MY OPINION....ANYWAYS, IF ANYONE ELSE SHARES MY THOUGHTS, FEEL FREE TO RESPOND AND/OR ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO COMMENT..THANKS...

karl k

I'll skip the 209 generation of CLKs.

Perfectly happy with the 208 CLK55 AMG -
plus it's very distinctive, not a MB blend.

Chappy

I would bet that MB would not want to cut into sales of the CL with a supercharged V8.

jco-amg

MB is also testing the waters on a W211 based coupe as well which probably would carry a 55 Kompressor.

Mach430

Why not teach MB a lesson, and buy a Kleemann?

Chappy

Yes, I have heard of the possibility of an "E-L-K" - could they really name it that?? coupe, based on the new E-class platform.

I had no idea that it may carry the blown AMG V-8.

Any ideas as to when this may come to market? Estimated cost?

karl k

I heard that the code is EEK, considered for 2004. That coupe would be dynamite!

Harris

Who is "forcing" you to buy the new CLK55? If you think its ugly and not powerful enough, dont buy it. As you've mentioned, the SC V8 will be available on the new E55 and SL55, you can always buy either one, or maybe both!

Based on your arguement, if the SC V8 is available on a W209 CLK55, it might as well be fitted on a W203 C too (wow C55!!!!) In the future, all AMG have to do is to put the same SC V8 engine on all of their lineups, does that make sense to you????

Lucas

One of the reasons they are dropping it is, they can simply not
build engines enough.

I am not sure, but I heard some where, that IHI in Japan which produce the supercharger, only can make 4000 the first year.

This gives a problem when the supercharged engines are used in SL 55, E 55 and what I read the other day in S 55 as well by the end of 2002.

C-Kompii

I would personally like the supercharger on the CLK too, but I agree with what Harris said.

The SL55, E55, and by the end of the year, the S55, CL55 AMG will all be fitted with the 5.4 litre supercharged engine, while the ML55 and CLK55 retain the naturally aspirated 5.4 litre engine.

I am guessing and hoping that MB might fit the supercharger in the CLK55 AMG when it receives a minor face-lift in a few years time.

-G'day-

Shine

Another long wait if I insist a W209/CLK55 , quarters maybe...
The similiar budget make my Silver easily overtakes the 55.
Anyway,I like AMG, I need the 320 km/hr speedo from CLK55,too

p.s Number talks, if sales drop seriously than W208/CLK55
Mercedes will know what people expect from the CLK55
IMO......

Richard

Why not get AMG to just do it for you ? They do anything if you ask them nicely and pay them appropriately ....

R

amg55

I think the simple answer to the original question is that MB has decided to try to separate the CLK from the E.
There were many things about the 208 which made it more attractive than the 210.
Clearly MB wants to maintain a hierarchy, (price, performance, desirability combined) and wants the E a notch above the CLK, which is a notch above the C.

In fact, when the first template 211E55's were tested last winter they outran the 230SL55's!!
So the engines were retuned on the SL's to raise basic hp above 500, enough to allow it to slip past the E55 by 0.1 sec 0-62mph.

The 208 CLK's were an experiment for MB, and a very successful. So much so that they may have become concerned about eroding E sales a bit.
The 209 CLK is clearly being shifted more toward the C class in the MB lineup spectrum.

Accord

It's called the CLE, go here: https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...threadid=14264

FrankW

MB probably don't want to kill them self in sales with conflicting model line up like what Nissan is doing with their NEW Z car and the NEW G35/Skyline coupe.

FrankW

if the weird 4 door CLE does make it into production MB will likely kill their CLK sales because from what all the people have heard so far the CLE will have the same engine line up as the CLK.

now if the CLE does come out would you get a CLK (which utilize the C platform and takes the exterior design from the E-class) or a CLE (which who knows wat it will look like and with heavier body that uses the same engine line up as the CLK) if i am MB i wouldn't even think about making the CLE and spend more time on making the CL quicker and handle better, so that is can take on the next 6er from BMW.

LILRAJA

what? the IHI is made in Japan? why would we want a japanese SC on german car??? this makes no sense.

if i wanted japanese i would have bought leXus.

LIL Raja

FrankW

the S/c is co-developed by IHI and AMG i think

Shine

The CLK55 is already the fastest model of the MB V8(NA) lineup

Test drove a S50K a month ago,once put that thing on a sporty chassis & lighter body W209.
It's no more a civil car, but a monster.

Why people expect "500HP" for a daily commuter ????
I can hardly find this demand everywhere w/o autobahn
to enjoy.
What a waste to toy such power in doing 70~120 mph.
as I read from most of the killing stories.

FrankW

I'd say that it is not so much fun driving in Taiwan either. There are just way TOO MANY cars in Taiwan.

Lucas

The IHI compressor is not co-developed IHI by and AMG.

The IHI compressor used in the AMG 55 models, is produced by IHI under license from SRM ( Swedish Rotor Machines ).

SRM is way to small to produce anything for OE, why they sell the rights to IHI.
The SRM rotor profile inside the compressor is 20 years old, so to call it a high tech component............. I thing not.

FrankW

i see. thanks for the info

Ebrigham

Well, to the originator of this post - I can understand where you are coming from regarding the engine choice for the newest CLK55. Considering what MB has done with the other V8 engines, a normally aspirated V8 engine at 367 HP seems to shortchange the model. From the look of the specs, I/we will be "lucky" if the newest CLK AMG simply matches the performance of last year's model, whereas nearly every other AMG model has seen significant improvement. What was once advertised as the fastest production Mercedes-Benz available (before the SLK32 AMG was intro-ed), has now become one of the slowest AMG models available in several year's time.

Considering the next CLK AMG will probably be a 2004 model, MB had/has plenty of time to engineer a quicker engine or resolve any supply issues. In my opinion, something a bit over 400 HP would represent a nice improvement over last year, while still allowing the higher priced AMGs their appropriate place. Or perhaps, as some people are saying, they are deliberately positioning the new CLKs lower in the MB family - a decision that does not sit well with me considering one of the reasons why I am willing to pay the $20K premium over a "similar" german sports coupe is because of what AMG represents within the MB family.

As for me, I am on the list in my metro area to get the first CLK55 my dealer is allocated, but haven't ruled out cancelling my order. Regardless, it will still be a big upgrade from my current 430, and I am a big fan of the new body style - so this keeps me on the fence for now. Anyway, I won't do anything drastic until the US model is formally launched.

Sorry for the "rant" - contrary to what some of you may think, I am a big fan of MB.

FrankW

i sort of agree with you, but remember having a lot of hp and torque doesn't mean it's going to be fast. for example, the Lotus Elise. I think it is the combo that's the matter.

also MB always post conservative numbers on their cataloges, and 5.0 sec 0-60 is not bad either.

JustinTRW

The Lotus Elise has little engine and low weight, so it is still fast. The new CLK55 is heavier than the outgoing model with a modest hp increase. This is why author is upset.