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In my view soft tops only work for folks in small parts of the world, ruling out motorists in cold or hot areas, and do not work for many members of their target market (specifically dentists and lawyers with comb-overs thanks to all that mental labor).
Originally Posted by wickedwahine11
What a shame to see the final product. I am adamantly opposed to soft tops in general (for safety, upkeep and visibility reasons) so I'm clearly not their target market. I also hate the spoiler look - one reason I didn't buy a Jaguar F-Type. But while I do long for some of the tech features - namely the surround view camera and head up display that I lost when I moved from my BMW to my current SL, I just can't get past the soft top and the fact that once someone pointed out the dash on some of the new MBs looks like Jar Jar Binks, I've never been able to unsee that. :p https://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-ne...-ar192269.html
Unlike a lot of folks here though, I don't entirely hate the +2 seating, as I had that in my Lexus SC convertible and it was a convenient place to store my purse (even if my then five-year-old niece could never ride comfortably back there). Still, the main thing the reveal accomplished was make me love my 2017 SL550 even more.
Great windscreen option.
But I’ll take the SL over the 911 cab any day of the week. That is not a good looking car top down.
The only 911 I like would be the new GT3 touring or maybe the Turbo S coupe.
But when spec’ing the car out I ended up at around $240k and while it drives fantastic it doesn’t look the money or anywhere close to it.
Odd, so the 911 convertible is not a good looking car open top That's a new one, 911's are beautiful cars regardless of convertible or not, and the vast majority of automotive community would probably agree. Sure some are better looking than others but I've never heard anyone call the 911 convertible "not good looking" but as always I respect honest opinion.
As for the SL comparison, there will be some overlap but I really think two distinctly different drivers in the end. SL might pull some 911 market initially as some 911 drivers might just want to try something different. It would be interesting to get some real life feedback from people that have driven both, and not just track days but with livability and day too day drivability experience.
Odd, so the 911 convertible is not a good looking car open top That's a new one, 911's are beautiful cars regardless of convertible or not, and the vast majority of automotive community would probably agree. Sure some are better looking than others but I've never heard anyone call the 911 convertible "not good looking" but as always I respect honest opinion.
As for the SL comparison, there will be some overlap but I really think two distinctly different drivers in the end. SL might pull some 911 market initially as some 911 drivers might just want to try something different. It would be interesting to get some real life feedback from people that have driven both, and not just track days but with livability and day too day drivability experience.
I also don't like the looks of the 911 cabrio, mainly because of the rear end which looks awkward with its large and tall hump out back, especially when top down. The 911 coupes and Targa's have always been more gorgeous to my eyes and would be the only ones I'd get.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by js_cls
I also don't like the looks of the 911 cabrio, mainly because of the rear end which looks awkward with its large and tall hump out back, especially when top down. The 911 coupes and Targa's have always been more gorgeous to my eyes and would be the only ones I'd get.
I must say that the last two generations of the 911 were much more pleasing to me than the current car, especially from the rear. Here’s a photo of my last Carrera coupe I had in 2009 and a 2018 Targa I was seriously thinking of ordering, but went for my 2019 SL instead. The bottom photo is the current 911. My 2009 was a stick shift and the Targa would have been as well. To me, one of the great joys in this world is driving a 3-pedal 911.
I think this Targa is absolutely GORGEOUS and it’s UNIQUE, unlike most every design from AMG.
The current 911 is not nearly as good looking, in my opinion. The P O R S C H E letters are thick, surface mounted, letters in an area that collects road dust like a vacuum cleaner. What were they thinking?
I wouldn't necessarily agree. I was ready to pull the trigger on a C4S cab and the market went like pets.com's stock in 1999. The 911's are beautiful cars through and through. I would say more so than an SL but they really have drifted far apart in comparison.
Looks are subjective. I can respect the car but also be bored by the way it looks. 911's have done that for me for decades. The 992 is better on the interior than prior gen's but has the plastic cladding front & rear I don't like at all...
Odd, so the 911 convertible is not a good looking car open top That's a new one, 911's are beautiful cars regardless of convertible or not, and the vast majority of automotive community would probably agree. Sure some are better looking than others but I've never heard anyone call the 911 convertible "not good looking" but as always I respect honest opinion.
As for the SL comparison, there will be some overlap but I really think two distinctly different drivers in the end. SL might pull some 911 market initially as some 911 drivers might just want to try something different. It would be interesting to get some real life feedback from people that have driven both, and not just track days but with livability and day too day drivability experience.
Exactly. The cab looks like a humpback (to me) with the top down
Also, you guys need to re-adjust the myth of Porsche 911 drivers...they are not all driving enthusiasts. Rather, they have a small (compared to the number of Porsches sold), dedicated following and unlike Mercedes, many of that group will actually track their cars as well. But there is also a significant number that simply buy 911's because it fits their desired profile but neither know how to drive them or appreciate their capabilities.
Exactly. The cab looks like a humpback (to me) with the top down
Also, you guys need to re-adjust the myth of Porsche 911 drivers...they are not all driving enthusiasts. Rather, they have a small (compared to the number of Porsches sold), dedicated following and unlike Mercedes, many of that group will actually track their cars as well. But there is also a significant number that simply buy 911's because it fits their desired profile but neither know how to drive them or appreciate their capabilities.
Not sure who "you guys" are, quite assumptive IMO. As for knowing how to drive a 911 or not, safe to say every performance car has a chuck of owners that don't know how to drive or appreciate abilities. AMG's included.
Not sure who "you guys" are, quite assumptive IMO. As for knowing how to drive a 911 or not, safe to say every performance car has a chuck of owners that don't know how to drive or appreciate abilities. AMG's included.
Didn't mean you personally
I agree that this extends to many brands and performance cars. I just keep on reading the theme that the 911 is so much better in any and all ways so that it would be impossible to pull any customers away from them. And while there is a core of customers that will never switch but there are many that do, a few of our friends included. Even 911 sales are lost to SUV's these days...
You couldn’t get a folding metal roof into that boot/trunk. The folding metal roof created design restrictions & the designers had a lot more flexibility using a soft top.
What a shame to see the final product. I am adamantly opposed to soft tops in general (for safety, upkeep and visibility reasons) so I'm clearly not their target market. I also hate the spoiler look - one reason I didn't buy a Jaguar F-Type. But while I do long for some of the tech features - namely the surround view camera and head up display that I lost when I moved from my BMW to my current SL, I just can't get past the soft top and the fact that once someone pointed out the dash on some of the new MBs looks like Jar Jar Binks, I've never been able to unsee that. :p https://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-ne...-ar192269.html
Unlike a lot of folks here though, I don't entirely hate the +2 seating, as I had that in my Lexus SC convertible and it was a convenient place to store my purse (even if my then five-year-old niece could never ride comfortably back there). Still, the main thing the reveal accomplished was make me love my 2017 SL550 even more.
This is pretty much my sentiment as well.... and it seems the sentiment of a lot of SL owners.. I love my 2017 450 even more too.
They will have to find a whole new segment to market to because I doubt there will be many 231 owners who are foolish enough to be snookered into trading their car in on this.
It is just not distinctive and does not look like a Mercedes. I put the picture on my phone at lunch and passed it around and asked what people thought the new car was.....nobody said Mercedes. It is just not distinctive.
Then we discussed the MANUAL windscreen... it got a lot of laughs....that took some real engineering right there... hahaha. And the pic of Jar Jar was great fun. I cannot unsee that.
It is just not distinctive and does not look like a Mercedes. I ..........
I agree - if you de-badged the car I don’t think many people would recognise it as a MB and less so a SL. Looks like another windtunnel clone. I’m old school so really do not like the new interior. I see fingerprints on everything......bad enough that I’m constantly wiping fingerprints off my Iphone.... However, I still think that it is a nice looking car.
The Turbo S is 250K easily with options but that is unattainable as dealerships mark it up another 40-45 grand. My local shop calls it elegantly "California package."
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by baltika
The Turbo S is 250K easily with options but that is unattainable as dealerships mark it up another 40-45 grand. My local shop calls it elegantly "California package."
This madness will not stop, until folks stop paying the markups. I had a 2021 GLE450 on order. When it showed up, they wanted $10K over. I passed. I have a 2022 S580 on order with the same dealer. I told them, if it goes over MSRP, I'll pass again. Might even pass if they don't DISCOUNT it a bit.
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