shahedC

do you mean the '08 C-Class?

The '08 S-Class is the same model as the '07 S-Class...

~shahedc
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mikeblah

hey shahedC

ya, i meant the new S ('07), mis-typed the year, but i do like the new '08 C class sport styling too. i think it's a pretty good looking car for under $40k.

kunzet

Here you can find a few authentic pictures of the '09 SL:

http://www.bild.t-online.de/BILD/auto/home/auto.html

This is a reputable German daily newspaper.


IMHO the facelift of the R230 is very appealing.

SL2003driver

I saw these pictures of the 2009 and bought a 2008. Figure the 2007 and 2008 will be considered the sweet spot of the 230's. The 2009 is butt ugly and has to increase the demand for the 07/08's.

spnslc

I've waited a year to upgrade from a '06 SL500 to a facelifted '09 SL 63 AMG. I have seen every spy shot and read every piece of news on the '09 over these past many months. It has been a big build up, as I have anticipated what this new car will really look like. I can't tell you how disappointed I am in this new facelift and in the MB design team. These latest round of '09 photos from the past two days have now prompted me to search the country for a black '08 SL55. I think this '09 will prompt people to go elsewhere. It is happening with me.

Murtaza

M6

shahedC

What were they thinking?

They should have released a concept or something first, just to gauge public perception, since the design people seem clueless enough.

I was quite happy with the recent turnaround with new models and newly designed models:
* 2005 SLK (redesign)
* 2005 CLS (all new)
* 2006 E-Class (update of model from 2003)
* 2006 M-Class (redesigned ML)
* 2007 GL-Class (all new)
* 2007 S-Class (redesign)
* 2007 CL-Class (redesign)
* 2008 C-Class (all new)
* 2008 SLR Roadster (the SLR's savior, until its replacement!)

They even toned down the R-Class, after realizing their mistakes with their R-Class offerings...

... but now:
* we have the weird-looking SLK facelift,
* and now this weirder SL redesign
* at least the GLK might be decent, it's getting mixed "reviews"

.. and what of the upcoming 2009 CLK? I love the current CLK, and the Black Series makes it even cooler... so I hope they don't mess it up with the 09 model !

~shahedc
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spnslc

I am sure MB did focus groups for this car. I keep wondering who the focus group participants were and why were they so off base with this design. How could they get it so wrong?

SSS

Personally I don't like the changes, mostly because I like the original R230 design so much.

If you look at the 09 SL hood from a 3/4 front angle, the hood looks way too flat. The attempt to break up the huge slab of metal on the hood resulted in the addition of those two bulges on the hood. (which incidentally resemble the last gen SLK) The front bumper looks mediocre, I had a bad feeling when I saw the new E-Class front bumper 3 weeks back. The biggest problem with the front end is the incorporation of the new headlights, which look like either a Sebring or a 6-series wannabe. I don't like the new bevel angle on the front of the car because the rest of the car is rounded and smooth. The side gills makes the car look like a fish. On top of everything, the new air scarf system is probably the horrid looking addon I've seen in recent memory. (I'd rather wear a bright yellow scarf than appear to be humped by E.T.)

Overall I'd give the refresh a thumb down, even though I know here in SoCal OC people will always want the newest version of SL regardless of how much it will cost or how it looks.

spnslc

Not only is this forum giving the '09 SL a bad reveiw, I have read similar reviews on many other MB-related forums and blogs. It seems to be about 95% of those people posting comments have very negative feelings about these latest pictures of the facelifted SL. I myself have switched to upgrading to a '08 instead of the '09 because the facelift is so bad.

I am curious about the MB-related forums outside of the U.S. I saw one MB forum where I couldn't read the foreign language itself, but I was seeing a lot of frowny, confused, (and similar) emoticons. I get the impression that this facelift is receiving negatives reviews worldwide. Anyone monitoring any of the non-english-speaking forums for their comments and can tell us what others are saying about this car?

MBwakeboard

What in God’s name have the designers at Mercedes Benz done to one of the most attractive cars on the road? The SL has always been a car that was a designer’s showcase. A vehicle that harkend back to the days of the old 300SL, one of the prettiest cars ever penned. The SL was more than just a car; it was a rolling piece of art. Now, however, the pinheads at Mercedes have decided that the car needs a bit of a “refresh”, less than two years after it underwent another “refresh”. Adding an additional 80 horses to the engine, stiffing the ABC system by 60%, and adding a larger sat-nav screen seemed to me to be perfectly reasonable advances. Advances that should help carry the car into the end of its current design style. However, less than two years after this mild refresh we are seeing these pictures of this, this thing. It’s just hideous. All the swooping lines, all the beautiful curves, elements that reminded me of that classic 300 SL are just gone! Now were left with a car that looks like it had all the really good bits lopped off and all of this tacky body cladding added on as sort of an after thought.

I know Mercedes thinks that they have to stay current, but speeding through design process on your flagship roadster just so it can sort of match the design continuity of the rest of the brand is not the way to build a beautiful car. Everything about this “new SL” screams stopgap car; Infiniti did this with the first M45. It was a terrible car, but they built it anyway, sold it for a couple of years before going back to drawing board and releasing the car they should have built in the first place. So, Infiniti took their time on the second generation, and boom, the new M35/45 is praised as being better than the BMW 545i. This “new” SL seem to be following exactly that same philosophy, just build it because the “market demands we stay current”, and then in a couple of years release the car that we really should have come out with in 2009.

maxmbenz

Hi ya'll. Nice to join you.

About the facelift, holy Toledo! what a shocker. Maybe its true in time we'll grow accustomed, but for me Im quite certain I'll always prefer 07/08; you know...the raised hood is a real problem, the're aint no way to hide that!
Boy that sucks, bet it looks even higher up close.
The lights, oh well maybe they're just putting out feelers see how folks react, dont think its too late to change , dont think there's been an official announcement.
The good news as I see it is what appears to be a new dual-clutch (at least) MCT? tranny for the AMG cars, may be along the lines of the Evo or new GTR design. This car definitely needs quicker shifts, and that'll do it!
However, that new st wheel is a step backwards, dont you think? Resembles the SLK wheel,no?
Oh, the 6.3 is another great improvement, that should tune up past 600hp easily, I reckon.

maxmbenz

That airscarf looks self-contained, may be possible to swap into earlier models, you can see the fans on reverse side of hrest, poss electric heat source built in, as monstrous as they are!

Relax fellas, most important thing is to enjoy the car you have, not obsess over MB, they're just money hungry Euro-businessmen who probably dont respect Americans very much, screew 'em.

boylston

Does the air scarf have any cooling? that unit looks big and ugly enough to do something other than blow warm air.

SLcharger

Sorry, i dont agree with you. Hans G. Lehmann is a very professional renoved photograf, and he is known for beeing highly respected, and until now his work has always been correct.

Thinking that he would fall so deep that he would use photoshop is way out of line. Sorry.

CY

Ummm OK bro...sorry to be "out of line". Did you like date this guy Lehmann?

Too bad Im right about those first pics though. See this thread:

https://mbworld.org/forums/sl-class-r230/220155-newest-2009-sl-photo-shops-lehmann.html

Gunther

Let's be real - we all hate the pics and potential changes...but why does MB do it? Because there is a significant % of people out there that HAVE to turn in last years model just to get the latest and greatest. I love my 04 and have no interest in changing it...but I saw SO many people on this board turn in their 04's for '05s just to get DVD nav. So MB has paid attention to the fact that a) they can make money and b) people will NEED that newest one to impress everyone but something has to be different.

AND...you'd all be b*tching just as much if there were no changes and call the model "old and boring" when everything keeps updating and getting hotter and more technologically advance.

so where does a manufacturer go to satisfy everyone?

shahedC

Why are we still debating the validity of these pics?

We already have the official pics, and they show us that the L-shaped CLS-style headlights will be used for the 09 SL...

~shahedc
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CY

Mostly because "SLcharger" was so upset about me calling them photshops

CY

The problem is Im one of those guys who always has to have the newest model (Im sick I know). However I cant stand the idea of having half a new exterior skin slapped on the old style 2003-2008 SL. I would have rather seen the whole exterior of the car changed then see this mismatched travesty.

Guido1986

yeah i do agree with you they shouldnt of put a new front on the existing body.....because all people got to do now it get the new side panels and front bumper,lights,grill etc and the rear bumper and hood and you got yourself a 2009....my friend did that to his 2003 745li he updated to the 2007 model..............

JackStraw

This would cost multiple thousands of dollars, not money well spent in my opinion, especially when the end result would be worse than the original.

The BMW facelift was an improvement at least. The original arrangement of the lights on the trunk was poorly conceived.

shahedC

now we're beginning to sound like 6-year olds...

~shahedc
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CY

More like a 26 year old....Im just defending my original opinion and informing others at the same time. If I remember correctly you too were sure these were real pics at one point and went on to argue the fact for a few posts. The purpose of this forum in my opinion is to discuss, inform and express opinions.

shahedC

yep, you do remember correctly

We're still in the same thread here!

Notice that I said "we" in my previous post, and not "you guys".

It's all good... we're here to discuss cars and that's what we're doing here...

~shahedc
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