As I understand it, they only brought a total of 10 Mars Red CLK63 Black Series to the United States. So imagine my surprise to see 2 of them for sale right now on AutoTrader!! Considering that a handful of the others on on this forum, I can venture a guess that we can track down almost all 10 of them.

Here are the links:

2008 w 21k miles for $84k ( WDBTJ77H58F236147):

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...e&rdpage=thumb


2008 w 7k miles for $95K ( WDBTJ77H88F249037 ):

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...e&rdpage=thumb

 

The more I think about it...how many others can we account for here?

 

I've heard there were about 25 total Mars Red produced. Second rarest is White, followed by a lot of the two colors of Black (Obsidian is pretty rare), and then a lot of Silver.

 

I wonder if the second was listed, the one for $95,000 comes with a crack pipe? You would habe to be a crack head to pay $95k or anywhere close to $95k especially considering a new C63 Black Series can be purchased for as little as $105k and its going to perform bettter and be slighlty more rare than the CLK BS.

 

 

I actually see this new BS hurting resale prices of CLK BS's even further. $105 for a base C63 BS is a bargain, newer, updated, better engine internals, better trans, better media/nav, and a 3 year warranty.

 

While I think that is a generally true statement, there are other factors to consider. First you should at least add the track package price of $7k to make the comparison fairer since the CLK already has the differential cooler and R compound tires. Also if there are truly only 75 units coming to the US I wonder how many come in as just a base model as opposed to more expensive optioned models. And with only 75 units there will be much fewer in the resale market. It will be interesting to see how people who have owned both compare the two. I am sure there will be some who prefer the CLK to the newer model whether because of looks, feel or other personal preferences or just believe there is not enough performance difference between the two. In any event it will be hard to predict what the price differential between the two in the resale market should be.

 

Good point. On just looks alone I prefer the CLK63 BS over the C63 BS Coupe, but I see Jcart's point. Even though I like the the CLK better, at nearly the same price the C63 BS Coupe would be a no brainer.

But at a 30K+ price differential...

I'll take mine in the common color of silver please.

 

As for the values, keep in mind that these new C63s are going to take the usuall AMG hit as well so my guess is that sometimee by mid 2013 that $105k C63 BS is going to pop up on the used market priced at $85k so where does that put even a low mile CLK BS price wise?

I am one of the few people that does not worry about BS resale because I do not intend on selling or trading either one of them but I know the "BS Value" topic has come up on these boards on more than one occasion and I think this new BS and its base price will be the single largest thing to impact our CLK BS values. I know several kof you stated you like your CLKs better and that's fine but that's not going to really effect CLK prices, you have to look at this through the eyes of an outsider looking to get into the BS market when he scans the internet for used CLK BS prices and comes acrossed a bunch of $85) plus car he might just try to get his hands on a new C instead for a few bucks more.

Then again I could be completely wrong and the new C63 BS could become such a high demand car that it cathes the eye of new enthusiest that want one but due to such limited numbers thay can't obtain one and they stumble across a nice used CLK BS in the process. I guess anything is possible but that second scenerio is probably unlikely, I follow the prices of both the CLK and SL BS as well as the SLS there are used SLs out there for under $200k and used SLSs for $175k so to think the new BS will be any different is probably a pipe dream.

 

As for the values, keep in mind that these new C63s are going to take the usuall AMG hit as well so my guess is that sometimee by mid 2013 that $105k C63 BS is going to pop up on the used market priced at $85k so where does that put even a low mile CLK BS price wise?

I am one of the few people that does not worry about BS resale because I do not intend on selling or trading either one of them but I know the "BS Value" topic has come up on these boards on more than one occasion and I think this new BS and its base price will be the single largest thing to impact our CLK BS values. I know several kof you stated you like your CLKs better and that's fine but that's not going to really effect CLK prices, you have to look at this through the eyes of an outsider looking to get into the BS market when he scans the internet for used CLK BS prices and comes acrossed a bunch of $85) plus car he might just try to get his hands on a new C instead for a few bucks more.

Then again I could be completely wrong and the new C63 BS could become such a high demand car that it cathes the eye of new enthusiest that want one but due to such limited numbers thay can't obtain one and they stumble across a nice used CLK BS in the process. I guess anything is possible but that second scenerio is probably unlikely, I follow the prices of both the CLK and SL BS as well as the SLS there are used SLs out there for under $200k and used SLSs for $175k so to think the new BS will be any different is probably a pipe dream.

 

makes sense that a base only c63 bs at 105 puts downward price pressure on the used clk bs, but i would think most people will at least add the track package, carbon package and media package which is also more comparable to the CLK, and that is a c63 bs price of $121k. looking forward to your impressions of the c63 before your mods begin.

 

$7K for a weekends worth of tires and a diff cooler??? Would it not make sense to pass on the package and buy a separate set of wheels and R6's for the track. Keith had a custom differential cooler made and installed for under a grand.

 

I agree, biggest rip off in the world...but I ordered it anyway LOL. The matte black painted wheels for $1950 is a joke too but I didn't waste my money on those since aftermarket wheels are in the plans.

 

i guess i would need to check the registry but i thought there were more than 10 of us

 

There seem to be more than 10 Mars Red 2008 CLK63 Black Series in the U.S.

Here are 11 that I have seen on the internet.

I am fairly certain that there are more out there that I have missed or that have never been listed.

CLK Red.pdf

JDB

 

Eventually I will be counted. Hoping beyond hope for some exclusivity Mars red accounted for less than 8% of the production going to the USA. More like 20-25 cars.

 

the new C63 BS is a lot of things, but a bargain isn't one of them. i'm sure we all share the same type of excitement over the new car, but at 40k over the price of a base C63, the price of the BS is just too much to ignore while giving the car fair and thorough review. sorry if this is considered off-topic, but it seems to keep coming up. with the new 911S costing the same as an optioned BS, Merc is again going head to head with a car that is difficult beat by any measure. the only numbers i can think of where the Merc is favored over the new 911 is production exclusivity. that said, i can't believe the new 911 is as costly as it is at $115-120k. **** just keeps costing more and more.

 

I believe you've unfairly discounted the value it costs to make a performance car track worthy as the C63 BS especially when is limited production. Adding scale would help but then that defeats the purpose of the BS which is a limited market.
Since you brought up Porsche, keep in mind that the continued de-contenting has created a brand with the highest profitability of any vehicle. Guess who losses there. Especially nice to know that the reengineered Porsche modular motor is neither raced nor is rebuildable.

 

well, you may be right on the first point. tough to say. at the very least, i think the real value here might be the C63 AMG. it's all relative. if the C63 doesn't exist at $65k, the C BS is looking more worth it. but, i believe it is difficult to 'sell' a $120k C class. by 'sell', i mean justify. it's not terribly logical, it just is.

the point on the porsche engine? don't know. as a 993 owner who actually had a rebuild, i will say that was a nice feature. that said, i'm not sure how many motors out there are rebuild-worthy that compete in this class. M3, GTR? i doubt it. not sure that the new 911 motor isn't a rebuild candidate, but i know the 996 engines were not. maybe 997 too. i'm less concerned with this and more impressed with the estimated low to mid 30's MPG.

just for the sake of argument: the 911 gets 30 MPG, looks better, equal 0-60, nicer interior, much nicer transmission options (manual/PDK), handles better and is quicker around the 'ring for the same price. Merc sounds better and is rare. i might still choose the Merc, but you see how it's not a terribly logical choice! my greater point has always been that @ $120k, there are some seriously proper vehicles available. is a juiced-up C class worthy of that price tag? nobody knows yet, but the CLK BS didn't seem to disappoint many.

tough call, really. i think they made it $30k too expensive. just my silly opinion.

 

There is nothing logical from a price standpoint about buying any high end vehicle. You can always find another vehicle that is "close" somehow for less money and most high performance cars these days from the large manufacturers are just juiced up versions of some base model. And while the premium may seem excessive over the base model, it often doesn't look so bad (or may even look like a bargain) when comparing it to the high performance cars of the smaller manufacturers. In addition, your comments about the 911 looking better, having a nicer interior, handling better etc. are all subjective and certainly subject to disagreement. And in the end, with all that you still concede you might choose the Merc which proves my point. Buying these cars are more emotional than logical decisions and when you try to introduce logic into the equation, you often end up with a car you are not happy with.

 

Your argument is a moving target why don't you go over to Rennlist and have another sip of kool aid. Just know the 45year old design is OLD. The macphearson struts are OLD, the motor hanging behind the rear wheels is OLD, the motor is uncompetetive in racing, and when you lift in corners you'll know that the *** end hits the wall first. Know why the PCCB are crap on the track... the nanny electronics are trying to save your *** from the bad design. Have they figured out the RMS leak that's plaged their line up for 10 years.
Ya, they run a hero lap a the Nordschleif wth their best talent so what. You will not break 8 minutes so it doesn't matter.

News, the average club racer will be faster in a BS than a 911 guaranteed. I raced porsche for 20 years that's on a track not a key board. It's sooo much easier to drive a BS than a 911 at speed. But I do conceed to you 30 mpg is a good thing. That's what I get in my ML 350 diesel that weighs 5000 lbs!

AMG covers the BS's that are tracked, will Porsche.....the answer is no.
So in your quest to compare look deeper than the magazine times and you'll see why it cost more for a track day vehicle.




onder.

 

Only 75 units for the US? Where did that number come from?

 

good lord. go ahead and dazzle me with bull****, mr '20 year porsche veteran'. i do like to watch when the internet monkeys come out and start throwing ****.

 

this i can respond to. the other looney that claims the 911 is an uncompetitive piece of dung, not so much.
this type of discussion always gets inflammatory because of differing philosophies of critique. i'm guessing you're coming from a place where art is good if YOU like looking at it. literature is good if YOU enjoy reading it. music is good if YOU think it's good. that's well and good and great and valid. but, it's equal to replying to a question with "because i said so". nowhere to go from there.

i'm not coming from there. i'm coming from a less personal/emotional place in my over-all review of these two chassis. you may very well prefer the exterior styling of the C or CLK BS to a 911, but it doesn't mean the Merc is the better looking car. just because britney spears sold a zillion albums doesn't mean she's a quality singer/song writer. nobody with any automobile review credentials would argue that the 911 is any less than the benchmark in 2+2 GT coupes in many if not most areas of measure, including the classic shape of the exterior. the design hasn't survived for 45 years because it looks like crap. i'm a big fan of the CLK BS, and even the new C BS, but those exterior designs come and go. the CLK no longer exists after an admittedly impressive 13 year run. in fact, mercedes shuffles model designations around so often that it's impossible to know from one year to the next which direction they are going. the C-class coupe? well, it was an unsuccessful hatchback back in 2001. this current one was designed 10 minutes ago.

nice car, for sure, but i don't think you can stroll into the party with a machine that's younger than the mustard in my fridge and challenge a 911 to an arm-wrestling match. that, friend, is not logical.

the 911 is better looking, it has a significantly better trans, the interior is nicer and the car handles better and is faster than either the CLK or C BS models. what model 911 are we talking about? pick it. the new '12 carreraS, any 997.2 GT3 and any version of the 997TT. find any of those vehicles at $110k, and the C BS will get worked. this isn't my opinion. it simply is. dislike hemmingway, davinci or dylan all you want, but arguing that your favorites are better because YOU like them better is ignorance.

again, this isn't a slam on MB or the new C BS. love the company, love the car. it's just too expensive, period. so was the CLK BS, and the market straightened that fiasco out real quick. those $140k cars were trading at $100k after a year, and now trade at $80k, which is where they should have been. by comparison, the 14-year old 993 911TT that sold for $100k new, still trades for $75k. just a relative example of a car that was appropriately priced.

 

Love that Mars red! Just add spray!!