Improviz

What are these people thinking?? The only people who'll even know what an AMG IS won't be fooled by the fake badge that the owner stuck on there, and the people who don't know what one is aren't going to be impressed by the AMG badge anyway. I don't get it!

AMG4life

sometimes the dealer adds the badge coz it has the sport package or something. i've seen a sl 500 amg in the showroom.

5439cc

Improviz - Funny you should mention this (CLK430 AMG) I ran into a 430 AMG one day at the gas station where I live. The gas station attendant was talking to the driver about it, the driver (clueless Wonder) was bragging out loud "Yea it's a beast, faster than most cars of the road" I couldn't help me self, so I walked over and ask him about the car "I didn’t know that CLK 430 came in a AMG version, I thought only the CLK55 ///AMG was the AMG for that model line? What about your exhaust? I thought all ///AMG had double exhaust and a stamped ///AMG logo on the pipe" I said - he replied "Na man that's only some on them" Really, How many ponies do you have under that hood" (baiting him in for the catch) he replied "400 hp and 430trq" wow I Said "How do you control your wheels spin with that much power" he replies, " No problem, I never really have that problem" (could it be because It's not really the beast you say is it) - Considering I was with my son at the time I didn't want to set a bad example (he only 10 yrs old) I finally said have a nice day and left. My son and I got into the Real Beast and pulled up next to him, at the light – he looked at my beast and stared at the chrome rims and then looked up at us. I decided to allow him to experience the true exhaust note of the //AMG (which I personally love) I gave him something to think about, I peeled out and had one of those great take off that place a smile on your face for the reminder of the day (I'm sure some of you know what I am talking about) at the next light he was behind me staring at my rear badge and exhaust pipes. He then gives me the thumbs up and drives into the middle lane and chills. I personally liked his 430, I very much like all CLK’s - But why front (NYC Slang meaning lie) about the identify of a car, when only true enthusies know the difference, and when confronted, you only appear to be a bigger fool. Well it takes all kinds I guess - funny story I just had to share.

99DINAN3

haaa lmao..nice kill

Chappy

Ran past an MB that was badged "C36 /////AMG"

.....but it looked EXACTLY like a C280 Sport!

FInality

//AMG badges come straight from the factory as well. When you order the AMG body kit you get the //AMG badge.

Its just like a Dinan badge for BMW cars just because it isn't a fully speced out Dinan does mean it does not deserve the Dinan badge.

I've seen plenty of S320s (yes 320s) with //AMG badges. They are not trying to fool anyone they state they are a S320 with an //AMG body kit. Big deal.....

If they stuck S55 instead that would be posing.

AMG4life

today i saw a s500 amg...... when i first saw it ok it's a s class coz its got the ****ty stock 16" wheels then i looked at the rear...wtf s 500 with a amg badge. that idiot didnt even badge it right it was tilted to the left

Improviz

AMG badges come "straight from the factory" ONLY on AMG cars! They do not come with a mere body kit. An AMG is a Mercedes which has been upgraded with complete performance package: engine, transmission, suspension, interior, guages, *and* a body kit. There is a helluvalot more to it than a few body panels, just as an M3 is not a 330 with a few body mods!

And yes, it *is* posing. The owner is representing the car as something it is not: a car which was modified by AMG. Just as in your example, throwing an S55 badge on an S320 would be representing the car as something it is not.

FInality

No. I have seen cars being moved directly off the boat with //AMG badges on them which did not have AMG tuned engines.. I am also sure of it because I know two people who ordered fully loaded S320s W220s with AMG body kits, wheels, exhaust etc. I went with one of them to the dealership when one of them picked up their car as well. This was of course not in the US.

Sleestack

I'm not quite sure why people get so worked up over this issue. Who cares? If someone wants to badge their car in a way that looks ridiculous to other MB owners, let them be. It obviously brings them some level of satisfaction and really does no harm to anyone else. I only badge my cars with performance related badges (i.e. MKB and Kleemann), but I'm not going to dog someone for putting badges on their car because of their wheels, spoiler, etc. Hey, god knows I love my cars as much as anyone else, but, at the end of the day, they are just cars.

99DINAN3

today i saw a clk500 w/ the amg badge:o

karl k

quote

"I have seen cars being moved directly off the boat with //AMG badges on them which did not have AMG tuned engines." unquote

...and I have seen MANY ////AMG badged cars - coming off the boat and blasting right over the the water like a hydrofoil.

The ////AMG badged hydrofoil which I saw recently was quite colorful!!

It looked like this!!

o0omarko0o

quote

"I have seen cars being moved directly off the boat with //AMG badges on them which did not have AMG tuned engines." unquote


badges are put on at the dealer...not at distribution

FInality

So I'm guessing the dealer also puts on the quad exhausts on the back that read //AMG as well?

ndabunka

Nope, the quad exhaust is exclusively an aftermarket deal. Not mfg, not @ dealer. Dealer's sub it out to aftermarket... Shessh! It's JUST a car guys! So what if these guys want to fake around with the AMG badges, let 'em. Just don't let me see you trying to pass it off as a 55. And for god's sake, don't think that putting the $5.00 badges is going to make your car worth any more. It just doesn't. It's just for looks.

Improviz

As someone else pointed out, the badges are added after shipping.

As another someone else pointed out, dealers add AMG badges, which is different from MB adding them.

But Mercedes does NOT put AMG badges on non-AMG cars. Write up AMG yourself and ask 'em if you don't believe me: go to Mercedes' main website, there's a link for AMG there, with contact info.

Yes, you can order AMG body kits on SLKs; specifically, it is (or was) referred to as the "AMG package", which was AMG wheels and a bit of body molding. However, it did not include an AMG badge, which is reserved for the SLK32 AMG, because the car WAS NOT tuned by AMG.

MB isn't stupid: they're not going to slap AMG badges on anything other than AMG cars. Dealers are another matter.

Similarly, the CLK430 has AMG wheels and body bits, but no badge: also, the AMG wheels are different than those on the real AMGs. Frankly, I think this blurring of models is confusing, and stupid on MB's part. They should, imo, put AMG stuff only on AMG cars, but even BMW now is selling M5 wheels for 5-series. Which does not entitle them to an "M" badge either.

BANSASN

So I guess people who wear AMG hat, shirt, jacket and etc....are not worthy to wear b/c they don't have AMG cars and it's not real?

WHO CARES!!!

What if I have a Kleeman supercharged and decided to put AMG badge and raced against a real ///AMG. Then I beat the real ///AMG. what then?

karl k

Ride softly and carry an ///AMG keychain.

Improviz

Um, well...my point was, I think it's stupid to slap an AMG badge on a non-AMG car: who is it going to fool, or impress?

The people who *do* know about AMGs are probably going to know that there's no such thing as a "CLK430 AMG", while the people who don't aren't going to realize the difference between a non-AMG and an AMG, so what's the point?

Plus, it's not as though owning a non-AMG Mercedes is something to be ashamed of!

Finally, it gives people like me who *do* have AMGs an excuse to make the poseur look stupid, by blowing his doors off.

I just think it's lame to try and impress people by making them think you have something you don't.

So, you're saying that if I take a Civic, turbocharge it and stick nitrous on it to get it into the 12's, I should be able to slap an AMG badge on it because it'd be faster than an AMG? Whatever...

Chappy

Get an 'Alpina' badge....they look nicer :p

BANSASN

You know........I have a Zo6 and I see other vette owners make there car look like a Zo6. I could careless. If your going to make it look like a Zo6 make sure it looksgood! When somebody want to race a vette or a clk55, the other guy will know about car if they beat the fake vette or "AMG", they will know.....it's an imposter or not. They're not stupid. Most people want to race a Z06 or CLK55 b/c they want to know how far behind there car can keep up. If they beat it, it's too easy to be true. Bottomline........it's a fake.

It's people like Improviz make other MB owners look snobby when they're not. As a car designer all designed cars that have the same style with different lables are basically have the common parts. Yes there are different ratios in tuinging, but not by far. To others........who do not know how automotive industry work in the real world will think this AMG is special.

For example, G35 is not an Infinity car.......it's all designed and enigeer by Porsche. Porsche also designed and engineer half of MB cars. peace.

karl k

Car designers are an incestuous and opportunistic bunch.

It is well known that Porsche does a lot of contract engineering/design, they have a superb team for just that purpose and do a lot of consulting.

Italdesign from Milan did lots of design work for VW/Audi and many Japanese car manufacturers

But additionally, many automotive designers are job hunting with the competition for personal financial gain.

The Art Center Design school from LA used to have a direct pipeline to Detroit...

Fortunately, the cry for safety prevailed; the cookie-cutter dashboards from an earlier age of automotive design are history, -- only after millions of persons got killed and maimed in automotive accidents.

While progress has been made, cars are NOT safe, and SUVs with neck-high bumpers make a mockery of "side curtain protection." Many more will die because of lack of design/engineering co-ordination...and DOT and EPA are totally impotent. :o

Improviz

I would suggest that you go back and read my point again, because you missed it by a country mile. My point was, simply, that I think it's stupid to pretend to own something you don't, just as I think it's stupid to pretend to be something you're not. And I don't appreciate your implication of snobbery on my part. Learn to read, and learn not to read between the lines.

And I don't know where you got your info about Infinity and MB being designed by Porsche, but I'd love to see you cite a credible journalistic source for this. Afaik, the only Porsche-designed MB was the E500 of the early '90's, precursor to the AMGs.

BANSASN

Just like in any business.......car design/engineer career are the same in that we all want to make a living. If you want to call us car designer/engineer an opportunitist than we are guilty. Like any great designers, engineers, and architectures that come before us we learned from past mistakes. Take for example, your car.....your clk55 the designer did not just come up with just a great car. We have to test it, drive it to the max, change what whatever need to improve for safety to it's best condition. For that reason you pay for that what it's worth. Now who's to say that the money you spent on your expensive car is worth it. Let me ask you this....do you feel SAFE in your CLK55?

Most of these reliable informations are not available for the public access. You will not find any information in any journal or article citations. For example.........you know the information about the old E500 was designed and engineered by Porsche, that's just a tip of the iceberge information available for the public access. Now how long do you think it took the company to release the information to the public? Automotive design engineers function in a small subculture community.....and when I mean small it is small. There are only approximately 2,500 automotive design engineers in the world. Hell! we all know each other by names. We're not trying to be secretive about our design work; however, we all are very competitive with each other. The car industry are trying to make money....like every company......All I can tell you is...if you want to know about the factor involve with car design within the car industry...don't read too much article or journals to get the fact....go to the source...and speak to people who actually work there....

bansasn

karl k

You are talking to the choir.

You echoed the point again:

Car designers are an incestuous bunch. Porsche is not only Porsche, but Porsche plus PEOPLE, who all know each other and copy from the best of the bunch, under the rubric/banner: NEW design trend.

I just wish that the trend towards safety would continue at an accelerated pace; driven by public outcry, carried in a responsible/responsive press, -- and hopefully responded to by the public and private sectors.

All cars get crushed by a SUV side impacts, -- whether AMG badged is irrelevant.