Home again after a long fine drive !!! 2.600 km. of AMG driving - most of it on Autobahn ......

Very nice visit at MB in Bremen but unfortunately we weren't allowed to see the new SL line. They open first for public in two weeks. When we were there the first tour for the SL line was started for VIP only - all waiting when we came back from our tour from the GLK tour. All guys in suits ..... our guide John ( an Irishman) who had been working there for 34 year! was a really funny guy - very interested in all of us - he really enjoyed hes job - you could tell. No more than 12 people at a time but we were only 7 so we got at lot of attention. First in there and at the first stop before entering the fabric line two guys were loading two new black SL63AMG on to a trailer. I asked about them and John went to talk to the two guys - it was some of the last ones of the "old" series going to Alterback --- didn't get more info on that ...... after leaving this line for another building we got into the bus a as we drove we passed the SL and SLK assembly halls ....... and there were all this new SL's lined up ----- black, silver a red one (USA) and a kind of very light green (but Daga said it was silver ....) but at least about 30 cars were there - in the middle of them a VERY dirty one ...... maybe a test car???? Well - we finish our tour see a lot of the new SL around us on trailers and smaller transports ..... then after two hours the tour was over and by this time John knew all about us .... and I drove a SL55AMG ..... when saying goodbye he told us we were most welcome to come again and I showed him my guaranty for not buying another car than MB (tattoo in my neck) and he laugh very much ... he called on one of the "suit-guys" a really funny guy to come and see and he was most happy ....))))) when we (tried) to leave he caught up with me and another two "suit-guys" had to see my tattoo ))) ha ha ha ...... so they welcomed me to come back to see the new SL line in two weeks time ---- which I will.

Then out on the parking lot there were a lot of SL500 and SL63 .... but I the whole time in Germany I never saw a car like mine; SL55AMG was not to be seen. Manny were looking at my car and apparently this car is not a common sight ...... makes you feel some responsibility ... guess I will drop the face-lift ........

Well - the we went to Essen (Classic motor show) 17.000 parking lots ..... and ALL occupied ....... thats a place - even if it stated Classic the MB had a whole hall there for them self ......... Lady D - thats Princess Diana's SL were there - the SL63AMG Formula 1 Safety Car was there .... and of curse two brand new SL's - A SL500 and an blue SL350 ----- the SL65AMG will come in September to the net price of 236.000€!!!!!. At this classic motor show the Gull-wing SL were in strong numbers ... any SL from every year were there .... you could get them for restoration or you could buy them totally resaturated ..... pricing going way up ........ many lovely cars there but no doubt the MB stole the picture .... something special about th SL ........

Then going home on the Autobahn makes you feel you have the best car of them all ............ no doubt it's made for this and keeping it on highway with the limited of 110 km. is like holding a tiger in a cage ........

 

wow! sounds like a great trip. I have my wife thinking about changing our fall trip to Europe to cover some of Germany including Alfalterback. maybe we will get to your neck of the woods and say hi.

 

Always welcome C

 

Just some artist having fun .....