JBRhee

Can anyone outline the differences of both years please?

Shinigami

The 2006 year model has a few new options. Engine is still the same, but I believe you can now have a few extra colors (one was dropped), as well as some extras such as the AMG performance package that comes with some carbon fiber and other goodies.

I don't have the full list, but power and performance wise, it's the same car.

AMGgirl

When are the 2006's being released?

lennyr

They cut over production mid June.

silk32

september is when the dealers get them.

reallife

FYI, SLK55s with the above package will not be produced until September even though they are building the 2006 model already. The performance package cars won't be available in the US until late Nov/early Dec, if we're lucky...

rroberts

Met with my sales guy last Sunday and declined an 8/30 build date for an '06 SLK55. The dealer I am using is large, but still received only 4 '05 SLK55s, and one of those so recent it has not been picked up yet! So I amy be waiting 2-3 months for another.

Two reasons:

I am doing Euro pick up (yes, AMG "European Delivery" is n/a, but that is not the same thing) and I do not want to be in Germany in September (with end of Summer tourist burn out and Octoberfest, which is in September despite what some think). Also, I think I want the new 030 High Performance package, available on some AMGs but details still so sketchy that I want to see how it plays out.

As for non-AMG '06s, I saw two SLK280s being delivered will I was there.

fadi

rroberts

I note that you have a CLK55.Have you driven the SLK55 yet?I would be interested in a comparison if you have.Will you trade your CLK or keep it?

fadi

rroberts

I note that you have a CLK55.Have you driven the SLK55 yet?I would be interested in a comparison if you have.Will you trade your CLK or keep it?

rroberts

In reply to yours Fadi, and of general interest...

Yes, at an AMG Challenge event back in April I spent a day driving all of the '05 AMG 55-engined cars. This cost $1,200, but is in factory cars, is a lot of fun, and the instructors are top notch.

The new CLK55 has just enough more pep than my current '01 to be noticable. The SLK55 is quite noticably faster and better at handling. Ditto the C55. My impressions coincide with the Car mag reviews putting even the effective power of these in a class with the SL55 and E55.

I went to the event thinking I might consider an E55 instead of the SLK55, and came away very much convinced not. I found the E55s I drove (3 different ones) awkward, and I just plain hated the CLSs.

The SL55s and one CL55 I drove surprised me with how nimble they were.

My '01 CLK55 is up for sale now. I put an ad elsewhere on this board. FYI to any interested, my e-mail is ray-r@pacbell.net. The final "t" got truncated off somehow on that other post.

fadi

rroberts

Appreciate the feedback.
I went for an extended drive yesterday in a 3000km demo which drove noticeably better than 2 others with minimal km's that I drove last week.

This convinced me to proceed with the purchase.My second thoughts had included 996tt as well as clk55. I will pick up my Cubanite silver 55 this week.I will probably look at some lighter wheels as well as some Kleeman mods(?).

rroberts wrote : "I am doing Euro pick up (yes, AMG "European Delivery" is n/a, but that is not the same thing)
"
I also inquired about Europe delivery and was told it was not available.Can you please explain the difference?

cntlaw

Hi , I love to join one of these AMG Challenge event for $1200. I can fly from Hong Kong. It s still cheaper than if I buy one of them here :p
Pls tell us more about your experience on that day.
I have thought about replacin my C55 with SLK55 mainly SLK looks more sporty. I am fine with SLK less practicality.
But one thing I am aware of , is the driver 's visibility of a SLK is not as good as a C class. The C55 might be safer when overtaking in the crowded city as the windows are so much more and larger :p :p

rb136

As for when the 06's will be here. Already are, picked mine up yesterday.

pointman

whats in the performance package?

jcanabal

Where is here?

I envy you!!

Pics???

jcanabal

Still....noone has listed any real differences... There most be some minute ones. Anyone?

HarryH

I think the satellite radio is standard on the '06 with a six-month subscription. No performance differences that I know of.

hotmalma

According to the MB brochures, the 2005 SLK55 weighs 3397 lbs and the 06 SLK55 weighs 3420 lbs. Not much difference - Probably some inner bits getting tweaked.

rb136

Here is Houston. 14 months worth of Sirius radio comes with Entertainment / Nav package. Missing from that package is the 6 disc changer. It's now a $460 adder. Haven't noticed any other differences yet.

rroberts

Fadi, again in reply to yours but of wider interest.

"European delivery" has denigrated into an "unload the slow sellers" program for MBZ. In the US, it can beget up to a 7% discount off of MSRP, airfare, a couple of days in a hotel during pick-up, etc. It is now available on only a few MBZ models, with no AMGs that I know of.

STUPID move MBZ, buyers under pgm become lifetime repeat buyers! And we become MBZ evangelicists! Give a 1-2% price break, and we will come, and we will sell, and more will come, and MBZ will not need Chrysler sales as a crutch anymore!

My understanding is that one can pick up any European made MBZ in Europe, but that there is no discount. I term this "Euro pick-up," but that is an unofficial term. As explained to me, one can pay here and pick up there. Then drive the car all one wants, drop it off at any of the ~30 points all over Europe that a Euro-delivery car could be dropped off at, and the car gets shipped over. I am not sure if collection has to be at the purchase dealership (for me here in California) or if there is some way to collect at another port of entry. I am still checking on that because I would love to drive my car home across country (all 3-4K miles of it here in the US).

Anyway, no 7% discount off of MSRP. I will get a few free days in a hotel room and, hopefully, a factory tour. Net, this will save nothing and not cost extra. I accept that. With Kalifornia's 8.25% sales tax I do not even get a break bringing the car in as used unless it is kept outside the state for 90 days.

But I still want the use of the car in Europe. I can go over for 2-3 weeks; come back for a heavy week of meetings; go back for 2-3 weeks, etc. At some point I will bring the car to the US. If I can get New York, Miami, or New Orleans collection I will be real happy. Then I can drive a ways back home on an extended weekend, fly back and do a little business, then fly out again to pick up the car, and drive back some more.

Most MBZ sales people are oblivious to this even being possible. My salesman has been with the same large dealership for 12 years, is German by birth, is their top Euro Delivery seller, and was totally ignorant about this. My tact was to go in and say "Look I know people are getting US-compliant AMGs in Europe, and I want one. What is that going to take?" My guy went to his sales manager and came away with a smile.

So that’s my story and I am sticking to it. ;-)

The only thing stalling me now is whether I want the "High Performance" package (the 030 option). AMG's production mgr mentioned this to some of us at the AMG Challenge event that I attended and so far it is still in stealth mode, sort of like the old thing Chrysler used to have with special options for "stock" car racers (e.g., Aluminum heads for the 426 Hemi engine). This option just does not seem to exist unless one knows what part number to punch into Netstar (the MBZ dealer order placement software). Details are starting to trickle out, but are still sketchy. Carbon fiber somewhere, but some sources say interior trim and others indicate exterior. So is this a "look fast" or the car weighs less and "goes fast" item? Speed limiter set to 176mph and Nurburing suspension are the only definites that are really clear so far. Cars with this option could be real sweet, or be something only a nut case would drive on the street.

pointman

no one knows?

rroberts

Per an AMG brochure I have here in front of me. But then it also says 362hp, and even the website says 355 now.

The only changes I see from the '05 to the '06 are fewer paint color choices and incremental bumbs on the prices on everything. Light on the MSRP but heavier on the options.

rroberts

CNTLAW, in reply to yours and of general interest.

The AMG Challenge event is occurring at five locations around the US this year. The e-mail I received says March through August, so there may still be a possibility to get in this year somewhere. I tried to attach a PDF "printout" of that e-mail but that does not work here; email me at ray-r@pacbell.net and I will send what I can directly.

I am not sure if this is an annual thing, but a lot of people I met were there for the 2nd or 3rd time. At California Speedway, where I attended outside Los Angeles, the "AMG Challenge" was on Wednesday and Thursday and there was an advanced class (with another label) on Friday ($1,500). I attended Thursday and asked first thing if there were any cancellations for Friday. I had taken high performance driving classes elsewhere (e.g., Russell Racing at Infinion Raceway outside San Francisco), so I thought I might be ready for the advanced class. By 11am I had changed my mind. 1st, I am not yet worthy. 2nd, I was already exhausted. There were times I would get out of a car dripping with sweat and have to steady myself so I did not fall down. It was that intense!

Yes, people do come from all over for this. We had people fly in from all over the US for the group of 36 of us that day in Southern, California.

As for how one gets invited, I am not quite sure. But when that e-mail comes or one gets an access code, use it quick. Slots and the waiting list fill up quick. One day later people were crying on this board because they missed out.

Either my MBZ sales guy put me on the list or it was taking a **** next to the head of MBZ sales for North America. Probably it was my AMG sales guy. He told me about it and also about a 6-day event in Germany at Hockheim (sp?) for $6K. He races an SL at Laguna Seca in Montery, California.

The head of MBZ sales thing was where my wife and I went to a "C" series drive and try event in Sacramento, California. We were on our way to Reno, Nevada to gamble and had some extra time. I tossed a $1k off coupon in the trash in the men’s room and a guy already in there looked at me funny. I said "Hey, you can have it if you want" and he said "No, I work for MBZ." I said, here is my card. How about you try and get me into your computers right. I drove a CLK55 AMG here; I have owned two "S's" and a "SL" and just unloaded an "E" series; Trying to sell me a "C" series is a waste of time." Anyway, I took a good look at his card later and realized I had probably made my point and then some.