Speed Thrills

Only 3 weeks into owning my SL65 and I get the call today that my CL63 just docked. I'm totally torn. I love the 65, it's power and the hardtop convert option. I know the 63 power will not even come close to the 65 and mod options are not as easy but I am in love with the luxury factor of the CL. The interior is amazing and so is the ride. As far as the looks the CL with the amg kit on it has won me over with time and I do like it. Of course it also has the "new" model bling to it as well. To make things even harder my friend at the dealer told me I am one of the very rare few to have the CL63 in obsidian black as they discontinued that color option early on and I made it in (have no idea if this is fact or not) but he has little reason to lie as he has a list longer than he can fill for the CL63 and at over sticker to boot.

I bought the SL but prob would lease the CL and will get it at sticker, buy rate money factor (dealer's cost on the money) and highest residual allowed. My guy really takes car of me. Did the same deal for my CLS55.

Anyone who has driven both or might have any input at all is welcomed.

thnx

Carl Lassiter

I'd stick. You'll lose a lot of money in the trade and miss the power and torque for certain. I've seen a couple of CL63s so far (saw a CL550 badged as one today but twin exhausts were the give away) and they look immense, so much better than the 550. However, once the wow factor of having the latets car on the block comes around you'll be left sitting at the lights, a 65 will pull up next to you and you'll get that sinking feeling.

I know about the itch to chop and change. I've been flirting with the idea of an E60 M5 for months now but am determined to make it until next year when the new RS6 comes out as I don;t want any regrets.

G/luck with the decision and when the market calms down, get the new CL65.

whoover

Is a CL65 out of the question?

Speed Thrills

The new CL65 is insane and the best of both worlds but I definitely do not want to drop 200k on a car.

Murtaza

I'm with Carl. Go from an SL65 to a CL63 you'll be missing a load of power and handling.

awiner

R230 SL65 is so Sexy....

W216 CL63 is blah blah blah... Keep the SL65... Drop the top and be happy.

Sure, the W216 has a great interior, but that is about it.

AMG_Power

thank god im not in your position lool

juicee63

Must be tuff man. Wish I had your problems.

cfsafs

Owned SL65 to Leased CL63 = NO WAY...

1.) You'll freak after a few weeks with less power and more weight.
2.) You'll kick yourself every time you make a lease payment. (If your going to have to make payments go for the hole gusto...2008 CL65)
3.) You may not like the extra work of having black paint. (White is sick).
4.) If you wait a bit you can get a better price the CL63.

Good luck either way 2 awsome cars.

m_berman

Since you have a 65 you are not missing the power experience.

If I was you, I definitely wait for the CL65 to hit the steets. I heard towards the end of the year. If you could last that long-you would have best of both worlds.

As far as Samsonz comments go, if he stop buys new tires he would have a down payment for a 65.

Anthony 98 GTS

Get the CL.

New body and interior are money.......SL's are starting to look dated.

WSH

Had '07 SL65 last Fall (for some 2K+ mis) and now have CL63 (driven 1K+ mis so far).

IMO, CL63 is a quantum jump above SL65 in driving fun....in both straight-line and twisties....in fact, I rank CL63 above 599 in driving fun on public roads (599's slight perf edge is overwhelmed by its inferior/primitive safety engineering)....

Have 2 colleagues in my office who own both 599 and CL63 (and who have also previously owned several new 55s and 65s)....we recently did 599 vs CL63 back-to-back comparos in mtns....none of us aspire to be racecar drivers, but we do know what aspects of driving dynamics appeal to us....

CL63 is astounding on several dynamic fronts....superb steering precision, yet perfect damping vs bumpy CA roads; none of the heavy-nosed feeling of 65 (motor is some 250lbs lighter); excellent chassis balance/damping vs bumpy mtn twisties; superb traction (65's weakness even on dry, uneven pavement); brilliant brake pedal feel (comparable to CCM/PCCB; dramatically superior vs '07 SL65); very engaging exhaust note; sharp NA throttle response; would argue tq/trac balance of CL63 on real-world, sometimes bumpy/wet roads is far more confidence-inspiring than 65's....

And the latest-tech sport seats, thick-rimmed sport steering wheel and driving position/visibility of CL63 also create greater driving confidence/sense of precision vs SL65....

Gotta drive CL63 on own favorite roads; for me, 0-xxx/track/NBR/dragstrip times are fairly meaningless; cars need to impress me w/effortless tq delivery on fast, bumpy fwys; high-speed stability on bumpy fwys; and well-balanced steering/chassis/brakes/trac/safety/exhaust note, etc in my favorite twisties, which may be bumpy in stretches and where one may face errant oncoming cars....given my dynamic criteria, CL63 is a stunning piece of engineering from AMG

Am getting '08 CL65 upon launch, but I suspect I'll trade it in within 1-2 mos post-deliv to get another new CL63....as I doubt CL65's superior tq delivery when confined to a stretch of smooth, dry fwy and higher-grade leather interior will offset: likely traction issues on real-world, sometimes bumpy/wet roads; poss less sharp steering feel w/the 250lbs-heavier, old-tech 65 motor; and the more muffled exhaust note of a turbo motor.....in any case, will confirm my suspicions this Fall....

Speed Thrills

Thanks for the input. Car should be at the dealer tomorrow. I still have no clue what to do. I'll probably at the least run down there and drive it.

AdamG@NorCal

Speed,

Keep the SL 65, and trade it in when the new CL 65 arrives in 09 or 10.

Carl Lassiter

I thought they were already here? I saw a new CL badged CL65 and V12 bi Turbo on Wilshire about two weeks ago. I'm good at spotting fakes (saw a CL550 with full 63 badging) but this looked real. Was going the other way though so didn't get to examine up close.

One detail i noticed was bi-turbo was written underneath V12 unlike on the last gen

AdamG@NorCal

The W216 CL 65 is not yet available yet. Maybe its a CL 600 with the AMG bodykit?


Adam

Speed Thrills

Best way to tell is to spot the CF rear diffuser and side mirrors. Nothing else will have that.

jeanmarc

Yup, you're absolutely right. No other cars have side mirrors.

jk, haha.

SLK55R

I couldn't imagine going down to a NA 6.3 liter. While the exterior and interior is wonderful on the CL ...

YOU JUST GOT YOUR SL65!

Wait a year or two and get a used CL65 and enjoy the SL for now.

phonetics

you should enjoy your CL63 now and got all the attention on the road...

then in 2009 when facelifted SL comes out, get SL63 and then get all the attention on the road again... that's the best...

but now u need to dump ur SL65

Speed Thrills

Driving it this weekend. Obsidian Black with Black leather, black headliner and black wood. Every option besides distronic and 030.

I'll take some pics.

acicchelli

It all comes down to how bad you are going to miss the blistering power and hardtop convertible of the SL65 with mods. The 63 engine and transmission set up is a lot better and smoother than the 65 combo. If you have a big ego (like me sometimes) and cant stand losing races on the street/highway, then stick with the SL65. If you care more about luxury and just want something fun to drive that is more confidence inspiring, go with the CL63. Dont let the whole new thing on the block factor into your decision at all as those feelings will pass too quickly. Also if you do get the CL63 and hate it after a month or 2, you can probably get out of it fairly cheap since you are getting it at sticker. I submit that you consider getting the CL63 and also keep the SL65 for a month and determine which one you like better before dropping one.

Aaron

Imahobo

According to my dealer (B.S.?), CL65's will be practically impossible to get. He claims only 40 are being made with 1/2 coming to the U.S.

whoover

He's talking about the 40th Anniversary Edition. That's limited to 40, and comes with the alubeam (Terminator 2) paint. They'll make as many "plain" CL65s as they can sell.

neilbo75

It's hard to believe MB would no longer offer CL63s in black. Maybe call if something other than "obsidian", but it's still black. In Paris most of the new CLs I've seen on the road are black. It makes this huge car look a little smaller and contrasts nicely with a beige leather interior.