just wondering....

the only difference betw. the new clk55 and the old one is the styling (interior and exterior) correct?.....performance wise there is really not much difference....please correct me if i'm wrong.....thanks in advance....

 

NEW:
http://www.mercedes.com/e/cars/clk/photo1.htm

CURRENT:
http://www.mbusa.com/brand/container...delCode=CLK55C


COMMENT:
I prefer current model till I see, touch & drive the new.

 

I think there's also a slight difference in hp. The newer 209 has a 367hp little more hp than the current one which is 342hp.

 

Depends on what you call performance...the w209 has all new chassis, suspension, steering...is significantly stiffer...and I predict will be a much better cornering car than the w208.

 

thanks for all the replies....

jco-amg....are you saying that the suspension for the 55 is stiffer in the new car when compared to the current 55?

my impression is that the 500 suspension will be stiffer than the 430 but that the 55's will pretty much be the same as both suspensions are modified by AMG....please correct me if i'm wrong

 

My biggest complaint on the w208 AMG...is the chassis...nice but out of date and not up to the standard of AMG motor...it is nice in a straight line...but the body/chassis, steering and suspension are not for the power the car has...you really cannot put the power to best use...
DC seems to have taken this issue to heart in the new w209:
DC on the new CLK:

"The Mercedes engineers have made further advances in the field of body technology, particularly with respect to safety and aerodynamics. Torsional stiffness has been improved by 40 percent whilst the percentage of high-strength steel alloys used for the bodyshell – to create a lightweight yet extremely strong design – has almost doubled. A cd figure of just 0.28 makes the new CLK Coupé the new leader in this vehicle class. In addition, substantially reduced body lift on the front and rear axles means the new model has what it takes to provide an extremely high level of active safety and directional stability.

The Mercedes engineers spared no expense in newly developing or further improving the axles, steering and brakes, to exceed the already high standards set by the predecessor model. In doing this, they were able to call upon tried-and-tested systems from the Stuttgart manufacturer's passenger car line-up and adapt these systems for use in the new Coupé. This involved the following:


Replacing the previously installed double-wishbone design with state-of-the-art three-link front suspension with McPherson struts, thus enabling major advances, particularly with respect to wheel location, comfort and steering precision. urthermore, this design provides greater deformation paths in the area of the lower links, enabling the front end of the CLK Coupé to absorb more impact energy than previously. The forwards-slanting tension struts on the front axle and the integral support – to which front axle components, the steering gear and the engine mounts are attached – are made of aluminium.

The Mercedes engineers have replaced the previously fitted recirculating ball-type steering with power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering which is even more responsive and thus better suits the dynamic character of the new Coupé. What is more, this system is lighter and offers added safety benefits in the event of a frontal collision. Mercedes-Benz offers the option of speed-sensitive parameter steering for the CLK-Class (standard in the CLK 500). This makes manoeuvring or parking practically child's play. At 380 mm, the steering wheel diameter is 10 mm smaller than in the preceding model. The steering wheel rim is made from an combination of steel and magnesium, which deforms in a predetermined manner in the event of a collision, thus reducing the risk of injury to the driver.

In conjunction with the newly developed front axle, the longer wheelbase and the standard-fitted Electronic Stability Program (ESP®), the tried-and-tested multi-link independent rear suspension ensures a high degree of active safety, dynamism and comfort. The track rods, hub carriers and subframe for the rear axle have also been radically reengineered by the Mercedes engineers. New kinematics and elasto-kinematics, largely due to the use of optimised bearings and mounts, ensure even better vibration response and reinforce the understeer characteristics of the Coupé. All engine versions available with the new CLK-Class are equipped with anti-roll bars.

The CLK 55 AMG is to be launched with high-performance AMG sports suspension. Enlarged anti-roll bars on the front and rear axles, coupled with specially tuned springs and gas-filled shock absorbers, ensure supreme roadholding and incorporate the technical advances necessary for sporty handling."

Yes the new AMG version will have a similar degree of strenghtening to the suspension...but the point is...is that what they have to work with has been vastly improved...the entire package has been designed from the outset to properly make use of such enhancements.

 

thanks for the informative reply jco-amg....good to have you here on the board....i think i might go and put my name down for the clk55 this weekend....

 

jco-amg:

Thank you for the information and your input, GOOD JOB.