davidegai

Are you going to De badge your SL 55?

Mr. Xristo

I plan on removing the "V8 Kompressor" emblems from the side skirts. I feel the badging there breaks up the lines of the vehicle.

bobafett

I'm with SL55AMG - removing the badging is fine. I did this to my M5 and honestly, no one saw the car in the sea of 5ers in the bay area.

Personally to me the SL55 is a sleeper - just another benz amongst the millions out there. Why attract more attention to it? I personally enjoy the car and it should stay at that. If someone is a real enthusiast, they'll recognize the car as it is.

I'm assuming that these badges are attached with that "double-sided tape" kind of stuff - if so, easy to remove in a harmless manner.

The question is: why would you ever want the badge on?

--Dan

Mr. Xristo

When you are to take delivery of the vehicle, have the dealership remove the badges. Most large dealers have a full-service detailing shop.

BUT!!! Remember to have them GIVE YOU the badges when they are removed, just in case you sell, return, etc.

blueSL

I see the "V8 Kompressor" badge more as a helpful explanation to the Ferrari/Porsche/Aston driver you've just humbled. Think of it as a Public Service.

Mr. Xristo

LMAO!!!!

GMW

Even if I debadged it, from all I've heard, the sound of the exhaust will surely enlighten those around that this is no normal SL. Let alone the one minute you see me one minute you don't acceleration.

At most I'd consider the rear ones but leave the V8 Kompressor ones.

blueSL

How easy are they to remove? I seem to remember something about fishing line and a hair dryer?

davidegai

I dont'know, my dealer removed my badges as I was having a cup of coffe, and that was it.

FrankW

not against it, but not for it either.

here is the reason:

I have a C32, which i took off the V6 kompressor badge when i pick up the car from the dealership. Now i feel that i should not have done so because i feel like there is something missing on the car. I, now, think that the V6 kompressor was something special that bring out the uniqueness of my car. So, i'm trying to find out the price of the badge and put them back onto the car.

blueSL

David, did you have the SL55 and AMG badging removed as well?

davidegai

I removed everything save for the SL 55 sign. As soon as I get decent weather I will post some pictures. I have the idea to initiate a thread where every SL 55 driver posts a picture of the engine badge. Hopefully in a short time we will know all mechanics involved.

henry42

That's right Frank, my feeling exactly... if you can afford special edition cars why try to hide it, or as we say in the dental industry... if you got em, floss em!
If you don't get the SL55 with the turbine wheels and take off the kompressor badge and rear badge what's to distinguish your car from an SL 500. When you're driving the exhaust note might turn peoples head but if they don't see the stinkin badges... we don't need no stinkin badges... they''ll think it's a 500 with a tuned exhaust that's all.

blueSL

I'll be keeping my badging on but it's a neat idea to start a thread showing who built the engines.

I wonder how many people they have building SL55 engines.

I saw Porsche 911 engines being built 10 years where they had a U-shaped line with 20 stations, each lasting about 20 minutes, call it 7 hours. Assuming the SL55 engine takes the same time, and 4000 engines a year, that makes about 20 people.

bobafett

But who cares if they think it's a 500? Did you buy it to flaunt it, or did you buy it for your own driving pleasure?

--Dan

henry42

Hey blueSL; where do you come up with 4000 engines built by AMG. Last years production was over 18,000 units through all the model sales. This year with the plant expansion they're looking at 25,000 units. They don't have just builders doing SL55 engines, all the engine builders do just one engine themselves to completion ,thats why you get the autographed badge by the man. The SL55 engine is almost the same as ML55, CL55, E55 and so on. The difference is the added supercharger.

blueSL

Is the badge thing the same for their "cooking" engines like the C32/CLK32? If so, there's going to be a bunch of names out there.

I was thinking only of SL55 engines, and thought it unlikely there's a situation of any technician building any engine - too expensive to train people on every engine and them have their skills lapse through lack of practice - so a more limited team building SL55 engines.

As for 4000, AMG quoted "1 SL in 3", others 1 SL in 10, so 4000 was a figure somewhere in the middle. That will go up of course now that the E55, S55 and CL55 are all adding to demand. AMG must be workinghard to keep up.

FrankW

i wanted the V6 kompressor badge put back on the car for my own pleasure when i look at my car. I, now, feel that i should've leave the badge on at the begining.

55-BEAR

And I'll probably put the AMG hood badge on it too, from "SL55AMG's" kind efforts to supply them for us. It's a special car and I like it that way!

Bear

Mr. Xristo