CLK55 AMG, CLK63 AMG (W208, W209) 2000 - 2010 (Two Generations)

CLK55 AMG question - years/performance

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Old Feb 25, 2008 | 07:16 PM
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CLK55 AMG question - years/performance

In the near future I’m looking to purchase an used CLK55 AMG. I'm not set on the year but had a few questions. Power increased in 2003 – up 20 hp? I think the 2003 is heavier by 200 lbs? Does this power increase bump performance over say, a 2002 model or are they roughly the same cause of the wieght?
For 2005 – the dual exhausts. Are those true dual exhausts over the earlier years? Any performance difference if so?

About modifications – most the modification stuff I see is pretty extravagant. For example the Kleeman kits – stage 1 bumps up to over 500 hp. I’ve seen other minor mods giving 10 to 20 hp but wondering if there is a middle ground? Say I wanted to get up to 400 hp? Can these cars be modded to add 50 hp 100 hp without a supercharger?

Thanks and can’t wait to be an owner....
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Old Feb 25, 2008 | 07:33 PM
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a quarter mile at a time
the 2002 and earlier cars are W208's. In 2003, the W209 was released which is a new chassis and design. Also, 2005+ W209 cars have an updated interior and switched from the D2B internal connectivity to the newer MOST system. The dual tips are just that, tips and do not add any performance.
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Old Feb 26, 2008 | 08:26 AM
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I believe Mercedes-Benz said the W208 CLK55 was 0-60 in 4.9sec
and the W209 was 0-60 in 5.0sec. All according to MB of course.
Maybe the extra weight was the culprit.
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Old Feb 26, 2008 | 08:52 AM
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Yup weight is the culprit. Will always reduce performance.
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Old Feb 26, 2008 | 11:05 AM
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05 ML-500 , 03 CLK5.5 AMG has left the Garage
Performance improvements

Please look up any of my threads or posts. IMHP the hinge point is the Exhaust system. You can Chip It, Air Box it, Filter it. I went down this road. None of those offered what I was expecting. Then I headed for the Exhaust system , I found the engine Manifolds ( Log Type) to be very restrictive at the outlet flange. The Rest of the under cars exhaust system is pretty damn good. And large enough to flow that N/A motor. I retained the stock AMG muffler , but installed Kleemann headers & 200 cell Cats. I did not hack up the eom cats & exhaust pipes , I saved them as a complete stock system & saved those pieces in the garage attic. and built the system with 2.5" S.S. pipe , too a flowmaster Y pipe , outlet was 3" single to the rest of the cars OEM system. The car Jumped to life. Moral of the story , If it cann't exhale , any you do to the inlet side just will not work effectively. Then of Course their is Force induction. Expensive !!!. I think my final number was 341 RWHP / 360 FT lbs RWTQ , comes to about 425 Crank HP. Look at Kleemann or VRP headers
Cheers ___PTEngineering
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Old Feb 26, 2008 | 12:09 PM
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Thanks for all the info. I'm learning more and more about these cars. I hope to pick one up in the next 6 months.

Cheers!!
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Old Feb 27, 2008 | 12:59 AM
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Originally Posted by j-mo
Thanks for all the info. I'm learning more and more about these cars. I hope to pick one up in the next 6 months.

Cheers!!
Good to hear, J-Mo. I have owned at CLK430 for 5 years and CLK55 for 1 and they are great cars.

And do not listen to the haters who say that a Nissan/Infiniti G35 can outperform the CLK, with the exception of maybe a 320. Those kind of people have been reading too many car magazines and haven't been driving enough.

I never lost a race to a stock G35 in my CLK430, and won't lose to them in my 55 fo' sure!
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Old Feb 27, 2008 | 07:09 AM
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Originally Posted by SoCalCLK
Good to hear, J-Mo. I have owned at CLK430 for 5 years and CLK55 for 1 and they are great cars.

And do not listen to the haters who say that a Nissan/Infiniti G35 can outperform the CLK, with the exception of maybe a 320. Those kind of people have been reading too many car magazines and haven't been driving enough.

I never lost a race to a stock G35 in my CLK430, and won't lose to them in my 55 fo' sure!
haha, who would compared a G35 to clk55
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Old Feb 27, 2008 | 07:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Stiggs
I believe Mercedes-Benz said the W208 CLK55 was 0-60 in 4.9sec
and the W209 was 0-60 in 5.0sec. All according to MB of course.
Maybe the extra weight was the culprit.

i really want to know which one is faster, W208 or W209. some one race them already

i'll be in E-town with my W208 on March 5th, maybe someone with a stock W209 can also come. if you go by Mags, the W209 is faster. but so would a 6L GTO, STI, and E46 M3, which i (actually tied GTO) beat.
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Old Feb 27, 2008 | 12:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Quant
haha, who would compared a G35 to clk55
I know! But believe it or not, there are guys in Off-topic who have never owned a CLK430 or 55 that say stuff like the G35 is more sporting than a CLK and will blow its doors off.

What a crock of isht from guys who never owned a CLK before.

If the CLK is so "non-sporty" then why would Benz make their DTM cars based off the W208 chassis and the new CLK63 AMG Black Series off the W209!
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Old Feb 27, 2008 | 12:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Quant
i really want to know which one is faster, W208 or W209. some one race them already

i'll be in E-town with my W208 on March 5th, maybe someone with a stock W209 can also come. if you go by Mags, the W209 is faster. but so would a 6L GTO, STI, and E46 M3, which i (actually tied GTO) beat.
I bet you it would be almost the same. Altough the N/A W209 motor makes 20+ hp than the W208 motor, the W209 is a bit heavier, and that is the offset.

Either way, both cars are supercar performance without the need for an S/C. Which makes our cars more reliable in the long run and easier to maintain!
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Old Feb 27, 2008 | 12:39 PM
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Originally Posted by SoCalCLK
I know! But believe it or not, there are guys in Off-topic who have never owned a CLK430 or 55 that say stuff like the G35 is more sporting than a CLK and will blow its doors off.

What a crock of isht from guys who never owned a CLK before.

If the CLK is so "non-sporty" then why would Benz make their DTM cars based off the W208 chassis and the new CLK63 AMG Black Series off the W209!
I've never owned one (CLK55) but hope to soon. I think these infiniti owners look at a benz and think because it's sedan-like, it's not sporty. By sedan-like I mean it doesn't have a aggressively sloped front, high back like a Corvette or Ferrari or something. My father in-law has a G35 coupe and while it's nice I was surprised how big the car was and the power is mediocre - I drove it.
I test drove a 03 CLK55 about 2 months ago and that is what sold me and why I'm checking them out (planning to get one). G35's are everywhere and they are cheap to purchased used. Folks buy an used one and are all proud of themselves because now they have a sports car. No thanks. Anyway - I probably see 3 G35's on the road per day....lucky if I see 3 CLK55's a month.
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Old Feb 27, 2008 | 01:02 PM
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Originally Posted by PTE
Please look up any of my threads or posts. IMHP the hinge point is the Exhaust system. You can Chip It, Air Box it, Filter it. I went down this road. None of those offered what I was expecting. Then I headed for the Exhaust system , I found the engine Manifolds ( Log Type) to be very restrictive at the outlet flange. The Rest of the under cars exhaust system is pretty damn good. And large enough to flow that N/A motor. I retained the stock AMG muffler , but installed Kleemann headers & 200 cell Cats. I did not hack up the eom cats & exhaust pipes , I saved them as a complete stock system & saved those pieces in the garage attic. and built the system with 2.5" S.S. pipe , too a flowmaster Y pipe , outlet was 3" single to the rest of the cars OEM system. The car Jumped to life. Moral of the story , If it cann't exhale , any you do to the inlet side just will not work effectively. Then of Course their is Force induction. Expensive !!!. I think my final number was 341 RWHP / 360 FT lbs RWTQ , comes to about 425 Crank HP. Look at Kleemann or VRP headers
Cheers ___PTEngineering
I read some of you other posts and looks like you have a bunch of mods. What would you estimate the HP gain was if you just did headers/exhaust?

Thanks
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Old Feb 27, 2008 | 01:31 PM
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05 ML-500 , 03 CLK5.5 AMG has left the Garage
Hp increase

Well I didn't go back and undo all the mods. Things like air boxs on N/A motors generally don't show their performance on the dyno. But Show up on the road where the air is rammed into the inlet tubes. This alone is much better on a W-209 than the W-208. Well anyway. I belive that the headers & exhaust are 17 hp at the Rear wheels alone. Cheers. PTEngineering
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Old Feb 27, 2008 | 06:59 PM
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Originally Posted by SoCalCLK
Good to hear, J-Mo. I have owned at CLK430 for 5 years and CLK55 for 1 and they are great cars.

And do not listen to the haters who say that a Nissan/Infiniti G35 can outperform the CLK, with the exception of maybe a 320. Those kind of people have been reading too many car magazines and haven't been driving enough.

I never lost a race to a stock G35 in my CLK430, and won't lose to them in my 55 fo' sure!
A buddy of mine who runs a ZED rents out a track for the rest of his 350 buddies a couple times a year. Let me tell there's nothing more hilarious watching a these guys run 14 and 15 second quarters (we're talking the majority, even some with slicks) especially when they're wearing race helmets.
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Old Feb 27, 2008 | 09:00 PM
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Originally Posted by StoneyPete
A buddy of mine who runs a ZED rents out a track for the rest of his 350 buddies a couple times a year. Let me tell there's nothing more hilarious watching a these guys run 14 and 15 second quarters (we're talking the majority, even some with slicks) especially when they're wearing race helmets.
Word. They think they got themselves a "real sports car" and are going to tear it up! LOL.

The other issue I have with some members in OT and other places is that those clowns do not give the CLK55 (W208 or W209) enough credit.

They keep sayin' it's a 2-door W202/W203 C-Class, like it's a bad thing. I won't bag on an E46 M3 just because it's the "lowest" on the BMW family tree.

The funny thing is, none of them have ever owned one, so who are they to comment?
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Old Feb 27, 2008 | 09:15 PM
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It's alright SoCal, you just have to remember that these guys at the end of the day still have to pull the sock out out their pants. F'm, I've seen a dude in a Jalopied out 89 Tbird(4100lb car) school them running a 10 sec 1/4's while they were laughing at him at the starting line. They weren't laughing when he finished.

I'd rather run under the radar and catch the dickweeds off guard
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Old Feb 27, 2008 | 11:48 PM
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Originally Posted by SoCalCLK
Word. They think they got themselves a "real sports car" and are going to tear it up! LOL.

The other issue I have with some members in OT and other places is that those clowns do not give the CLK55 (W208 or W209) enough credit.

They keep sayin' it's a 2-door W202/W203 C-Class, like it's a bad thing. I won't bag on an E46 M3 just because it's the "lowest" on the BMW family tree.

The funny thing is, none of them have ever owned one, so who are they to comment?
As long as you are happy in your car thats all that matters. Don't even sweat them.
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Old Feb 28, 2008 | 12:09 AM
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Originally Posted by Stiggs
As long as you are happy in your car thats all that matters. Don't even sweat them.
Stiggs. I think part of it deals with the fact that CLK55 owners are in the minority on this forum compared to the others.

Everytime I hear about "supercharger failure" on a E55/CLS55/CL55/SL55 I can't help but be grateful we have a N/A engine without the need for a supercharger. CLK55 FTW!
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Old Feb 29, 2008 | 12:07 PM
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Originally Posted by SoCalCLK
Stiggs. I think part of it deals with the fact that CLK55 owners are in the minority on this forum compared to the others.

Everytime I hear about "supercharger failure" on a E55/CLS55/CL55/SL55 I can't help but be grateful we have a N/A engine without the need for a supercharger. CLK55 FTW!
lets be honest, we all wish that our cars had a supercharger. 500HP and 500+TQ in a car that weighs 3500-3800lbs. that would be almost CLK DTM level

btw, the W209 look way better than ppl give them credit for.
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Old Feb 29, 2008 | 11:25 PM
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Originally Posted by PTE
Please look up any of my threads or posts. IMHP the hinge point is the Exhaust system. You can Chip It, Air Box it, Filter it. I went down this road. None of those offered what I was expecting. Then I headed for the Exhaust system , I found the engine Manifolds ( Log Type) to be very restrictive at the outlet flange. The Rest of the under cars exhaust system is pretty damn good. And large enough to flow that N/A motor. I retained the stock AMG muffler , but installed Kleemann headers & 200 cell Cats. I did not hack up the eom cats & exhaust pipes , I saved them as a complete stock system & saved those pieces in the garage attic. and built the system with 2.5" S.S. pipe , too a flowmaster Y pipe , outlet was 3" single to the rest of the cars OEM system. The car Jumped to life. Moral of the story , If it cann't exhale , any you do to the inlet side just will not work effectively. Then of Course their is Force induction. Expensive !!!. I think my final number was 341 RWHP / 360 FT lbs RWTQ , comes to about 425 Crank HP. Look at Kleemann or VRP headers
Cheers ___PTEngineering
Good info. I'm actually replacing my resonator with a y-pipe tomorrow (for sound and weight saving), do you think there is any performance to be gained by switching my stock secondary cats to race cats or even deleteing them completely? I have kleemann headers and eisenmann race muffler. TIA
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Old Feb 29, 2008 | 11:43 PM
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Originally Posted by SoCalCLK
Stiggs. I think part of it deals with the fact that CLK55 owners are in the minority on this forum compared to the others.

Everytime I hear about "supercharger failure" on a E55/CLS55/CL55/SL55 I can't help but be grateful we have a N/A engine without the need for a supercharger. CLK55 FTW!
you dirty *****. Chage your avatar pic since you got rid of your monoblocks!!!!
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Old Mar 1, 2008 | 12:14 PM
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Originally Posted by e1000
you dirty *****. Chage your avatar pic since you got rid of your monoblocks!!!!
Doh! Someone finally caught on!

I will as soon as I figure out which tims I am getting next. Plus, for now when people see the avatar, they know it's me who's posting!
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Old Mar 1, 2008 | 01:12 PM
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Why is the CLK the only 55 AMG series car WITHOUT a supercharger??
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Old Mar 1, 2008 | 01:15 PM
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Originally Posted by jpohl402
Why is the CLK the only 55 AMG series car WITHOUT a supercharger??
SLK55? C55?
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