chiphomme

It is a stripped down CLK63 coupe yet it weighs nearly 4000lbs. What gives?
That's nearly as much as my CLS55 and M6(and both of those have back seats).

Ted Baldwin

...............my point exactly! This is essentially a hard top version of the CLK63 convertible.

Ted

Alan Smithee

Big motor, hefty drivetrain and suspension, reinforced chassis, big brakes (carbon or not), additional bodywork (carbon or not), bigger wheels/tires, heavy seats (US version)...pulling out the rear seat and sunroof only offsets a small portion of that added weight.

magwheel

Thanks Alan, Those guys had me worried until you explained some of the reasons for the extra weight!

BTW..... the CLK63 Cabrio..... doesn't it have around 450 or so HP? With the 50 or more HP the AMG Coupe will have, is it going to be that much faster than the Cabrio? Mags

Alan Smithee

Yeah, but you're only talking about 10%...at high RPM...the Black won't feel much faster in a straight line. With the coil-over suspension and ceramic brakes, however, it will blow away the Cabrio...and probably every other production MB...in the twisties.

Schiznick

This car is just sick in black........

http://www.mercedes-amg.com/CLK_Black_Series/

chiphomme

I'm still baffled. My M6 and CLS55 both have big motors and lots of performance features plus they're semi practical to use as daily drivers. Why isn't this in the same 3500 lbs weight class as the upcoming v8 m3(which will also be more practical and half the price)?

norb

Its about exclusivity. The Porsche GT3 would probably run circles around it and the Turbo would destroy it, but at 350 produced for the US, and an out going body style, its going to be one rare bird.

H-MAN

I think all the weight is a result of the starting point, a W209 coupe. It isn't exactly the lightest car in the world and when you start adding bigger motor, brakes, etc. just removing the back seat isn't going to make a big difference.

Alan Smithee

Exactly. And consider that the AMG 500+ HP 6.2 motor was primarily intended for the big sedans, so while it is a monster, weight was probably not a primary consideration as it was with the M3's 400+ HP 4.0 liter V8. And the 6.2 has a lot more torque, requiring beefier drivetrain components.

Weights of US spec E92 M3s will probably be closer to 3,700lbs, regardless of what BMW's press release states.

Alan Smithee

...I'll add that your M6 also weighs about 4,000lbs, and the rear seat is basically useless...it is the CLK63's primary competition, not the M3.

Ted Baldwin

.........well, not sure about that. As far as price goes, the CLK63 is in the M6's price range and black series is in the stratosphere. Chasis for chasis, there is an argument that the M6 built on a % series platform is upmarket from the CLk63 built on a C-class platform. Performance wise, I am not sure that the CLK63 or even the M6 for that matter will outperform the upcomming V8 M3 by much.


Ted

Alan Smithee

My point was that comparisons to the upcoming M3 are not valid.

Yes, the CLK63 has more humble beginnings, but with ceramic brakes, coil-over suspension, etc. it is arguably more highly developed than the M6. The M6 and CLK63's performance advantages over the M3 will be at 120mph+...and, of course, at the valet stand.

Ted Baldwin

.............oh yea, the valet. You are definitely right the M3 is no M6 at the valet and the CLK63 black series will be so rare that valet attendants will place it up front.

............However, I think that comparisons of the CLK63 to the M3 are completely valid. The two cars are in the same category. The black series is of course something else and in that case I'll equate it to an M3 CSL.

Ted

Schiznick

So, here is what Car and Driver had to say about it.....

http://www.caranddriver.com/carvideo...ctid=823548197

http://www.caranddriver.com/previews...eel-page4.html

It would appear that they liked it

chiphomme

Not completely useless, I have a 7 year old. I guess what I'm getting at is that I am not completely happy with my M6 because its heavier and I want something more like my old E46 M3 with more power without stepping backwards. I thought about a 997 Turbo but Porsches reek of mid life crisis (though they do make nice trucks, I have a Cayenne S). When I stumbled on the CLK63 Black it looked like the beast I always wanted. In fact my dealer now guarantees me that I'll get one (they preordered it in Obsidian Black).
I was just hoping that with all the weight saving modifications it would be about 3500lbs not 4000.

Schiznick

Not saying that your dealer won't get one but they are full of it if they told you that they pre-ordered one. The biggest dealers in the country are running around right now wondering how many they will get. If this goes liek the SLR 722's they are being built right now and then they will be given to the dealers. They have little say in ths process I would expect.

I would not let a couple of hundred lbs get in the way of buying this car. Looks incredible and the track performance seems really good. If the car indeed runs 7:45 on the North loop that is quicker than a CLK DTM isn't it?

spifffs

i can guarantee that i pre-ordered mine, i filled out the slip got my ordering form and put a deposit. i have a great relationship with the largest dealer in the world( at least that is what they say) fletcher jones MB in Newport Beach. so yes dealers can already pre-order them, i have a build date of june 15 and a delivery date of september 21st

norb

These seats look familiar? From a VW GTi. BTW, my salesman said they submitted my name to MBUSA and that's as far as they've gotten. I'm worried I won't get one. Sept delivery? Isn't that kinda late? I thought they were going to ship in June.

Alan Smithee

Those seats look nothing like the US-spec CLK63 BS seats...

Schiznick

Ask them for your PO#.

wingless

The ROW seats look MUCH lighter than the US seats.

Alan Smithee

Much lighter for sure...but being upholstered racing shells, not nearly as comfortable for what is, really, a street car...

Jim Brady

I'm sure I can drop 200 lbs pretty easy with euro seats and door panels without air bags and some other odds and ends. I've noticed Mercedes is very close on their published weights, whereas porsche tends to be somewhat optimistic. An example is the 996 turbo cab. that scaled 3780 without the driver. Not too far from the CLk 63 BS.

norb

The problem with Porsche 's is that there are a ton of options. What options do you base the curb weight on? I would think it would be on the base model. Unfortunately, even press cars get loaded up with all kinds of options. Bigger wheels, heavier seats, cd changers, areo kits. It all adds up.