Accord

Here is a picture of the CLK55 AMG F1 Safety Car back when they used to use it...

karl k

CLK55 AMG -- Simply the KING!!

Brian Yee

Thanks, Accord. I never saw a photo of it in action. I suspect that the "new" one will never get this opportunity! :p :p

Accord

You're correct! The new W209 CLK will never see the pavement of a Formula One circuit. The current safety car is the new SL55 AMG, the previous one was the CL55 AMG and before that was the CLK55 AMG.

I beleive they still keep the entire safety car fleet at each grand prix, I remember seeing a few shots of the SL55, CL55, C32, SLK32 and CLK55 safety cars lined up inside of a garage in todays race at the Hungaroring.

I beleive they turn every model into a F1 safety car for promotional purposes, but only the SL55 is used in actual safety car duties.

Fuzzo

what about the ML55? have they ever used that or does it have to be a car? did they ever use the A class

Accord

I know that they use the C32 AMG Wagon as the Formula One Medical Car. They used to use the E55 AMG Wagon as the Medical Car, but switched to the C32 AMG Wagon for the 2002 season.

Slick Mo

They do use an ML, i dont know if its a 55.. And yes they do use the A class too.. I think its the Evolution... In the Hungaroring (sp?) you could see all of them lined up before the pit stop..

Juke-box

Wow...hehe...CLK looks mean..

will the ML55 topple? its so tall and turnng at those speeds??

and is the A class fast enough?? i read about the 2engine A class, but is the A190 able to reach those speeds?


pretty sad for multi-million dollar cars to be tailing the -25k

mikE55

At the 2000 U.S. GP at Indy, an F1 spec ML55 did see some action during some pre-race activities. I read that they even had some special mods done, but I'm not sure exactly what was different from the stock ML55.

But the new CLK gets the honor of being MB's factory race car in the dtm series. The dtm ( http:www.dtm.de )website has lots of cool pics. My favorite is Jean Alesi and his AMG logo-ed CLK DTM car.

JamE55

I drooooooll on this car!! F**king bad a**!!!

Chappy

What size wheels do you think those are on the 208 Safety Car.....18's? 19's??

JamE55

Definitely 19's!

Chappy

I'd like to have some....and the manual tranny on the inside too

JamE55

Call AMG and they will make one for you! :p :p :p :p

Chappy

There are always too many "wants" and never enough "means".....

mmmmmmm....

Maybe a Renntech CLK-GTX with a 6-speed, all-wheel drive, supercharged and nitrous...can 900 hp be squeezed this way?

Probably in the neighborhood of $500,000

JamE55

Think you're gonna need more than $500,000.00.

Accord

With Renntech you will need a LOT more than that!

JamE55

True dat...true dat!! Chump change for celebs!

Chappy

.....it's always fun to dream

But, seriously, I would likely get a door ding (in the 900hp beast) the first week I had it by some soccer mom

Accord

LOL, I know the feeling chappy! The 2nd day I had my S500, it got all dinged up by this huge door on a Camaro. Ever since then, I always take up two spaces in parking lots, lol.

Chappy

I think people who cause door dings should have to pay into a separate insurance pool.

Then, claims could be made by victims (us) and the pool then hires dent wizard techs who are former Hooters girls:p

The non-observant, discourteous idiot who damaged the vehicle in the first place will have to suffer personally. They must provide the victim with 8 hours of household labor. Be it yardwork, scrubbing toilets.....whatever.

There, I feel a little better!

karl k

John,

last year when I was driving a C5, there was a lengthy discussion on the best way to park, minimizing dings/damage.

Cardinal rule:

NEVER take two parking spaces, it erupts in uncontrollable anger in some punks, who'll key your car.

More tips:

Park at end, so your car is protected on one side.

Park next to another benz or luxury car, hoping the owner will have similar concerns and show respect.

Park 100 feet away from clusters of cars. I little walk will be of benefit.

Chappy

karl,

You have some very good points. I try to park adjacent to a handicap space, if available.

mikE55

Yep, I'll always spend some extra time to find the right space. Drives my wife nuts. I usually end up going with the "park 100 feet away" technique.

I also looked for spaces next to handicap stalls in the past, but no more. The door of my wife's car was scraped and dented by a car parked in a handicap stall. Perhaps the individual was also "driver challenged".

Accord

My father will sometimes park ACROSS the street if he can't find two spaces to take up in a closer lot, lol... now that's just paranoia. I've never gone THAT far.