Teufel

I just red a very long article in the "Motor und Sport" magazine regarding the future cars and engines from MB. It suggested that the new 4 valve 5.5L V8 will have about (circa) 430 bhp! And it would have much more torque available at the low end (what!). The article claims it will showcase in the 2005 Frankfurt Auto Show in the new SEL. All the American magazines suggested that the new engine would showcase with the new CLS. But obviously this was not the case. I too believed this scenario. Anyway, if the SEL gets it in September 2005 we should see this new engine in the SLK55 mid 2006??? Decision time! Wait for another almost two years for that engine or buy the SLK55 right now (November 2004)???

Bilal

I suppose by SEL you mean the S-class? Well I think there will definitely be an S550 as a regular Mercedes with this new 4 vavle 5.5 V8, but I can't see AMG using the exact same engine for its bottom models. Maybe an increased displacement version of 5.7 L for the SLK/C/CLK models? Or some high tuning of the new 5.5 V8, possibly with upto 450hp? With AMG anything is possible. IMO, get your SLK55 now, enjoy it and when the new update arrives, trade it in

Mercedes is currently bent upon making its models fresh after a year or so, what about the CLK55 owners? And now look at the recent facelift that the CLK has received.

Just buy whatever is new now, enjoy it and worry about updates when they come out. Life is too short and the road too long to worry about constant updates.

SLK55_AMG

why dont you get one? instead of the C36

Teufel

I said SEL again! My father used to have a SEL 600 and I Still have not gotten used to the name change; S-Class!

I just don't see MB building two 5.5L V8 in parallel for long (or at all!). But increase the displacement to 5.7L for the AMG or something like that! I should have thought of that. It is absolutely possible! Very clever! Have you red it somewhere? Do you have more information? You just made things worst for me! Now, I have more incentive to wait!

I totally agree with you. What is going on? MB used to update/refresh their models every six to eight years (before 90's). Now, it seems they are refreshing/updating their cars every year or even less! Where will it end?

You are right life is too short. And after seeing the SLK introduction on mbusa.com I can not wait another year (or another week!). I can not wait for them to complete the SLK section ("Coming up Soon" thing)!

"When the new update arrives, trade it in " You think I am made of money You think I **** oil everyday If I had the money I would buy a Lamborghini Gallardo :v , just for the looks! If I even had more money (a lot more!) I would buy a Ferrari F60........Porsche GT1.....Where does it end

Teufel

I have ordered a SLK55 and it should be here in NOV. 04. (see my other treads). You are right I should get it right now and not wait for ... I am sick and tired of waiting! I never owned a car for this long before (SEVEN YEARS!!!)!

FIXEDupW209

I just spoke to an mb trainer. He gets all the cars ahead of time and tests them out and at the end of his tests he showcases them to mercedes sales people and employees. He dropped by beverly hills mercedes today and when i asked him about the new engine he said he can't deny nor confirm the rumor but said what's so great about mercedes is they are always keeping it fresh and changing it up. When i asked him what about all the people who baught the 2005slk without the new engine he said well what about all the people who baught the 2004slk. I guess its like a computer, if you wait another month or two there will be something faster and better for cheaper. In the car business there is always something coming out thats faster and better. No necessarly cheaper but could be. So you either wait for ever because products are always changing or bite the bullet and buy the car thats out now. Sucks i know but with the competition always upping their engines and improving their vehicles they must do the same.
A few years ago the model end year changes were very minor but now a days manufacturers are adding all types of new electronics into their cars so there really is no incentive to wait because at the end of the year it's gonna be improved. Just my .2 cents. Oh adn the mb trainer is getting a cls in december and then 3 months after that he is getting a gst. What a cool job to have.

dosers

Sounds like a nice chap, that trainer - but why would you think he has ANY idea if the SLK is getting 'the new engine'? This has to be the biggest deal ever - even though there is no such engine yet delivered, it has not been announced the the SLK class, it certainly WOULD be a different bore (at the very least) than what they will deliver on the CLS and SL - NEXT YEAR.
Unless this guy comes straight from Affalterbach or Sindelfingen, I doubt he knows more than any of use right now when it comes to that 'elusive engine'. Of course MB will change the engine at some point. They will for all their cars. But guess what, thew new Porsche 911 will get a few more HP next year I'm sure. The Corvette C6 will probably gain a little something next year. You'll never buy a car (or a computer or a TV or....) if you get that paranoid about it ;-) It's not for live, just for fun :-)


Dan

Bilal

I was just speculating at the possible engine replacement for the new AMG bottom models. Who knows, we may even see a detuned 6.3 AMG V8, that is said to replace the 55K, end up in the SLK?


And for the replacement of the 55K models, AMG said it already has a 500bhp/600NM 6.3 N/A V8 on the testbench. I can't see AMG going down the M route and sqeezing this engine to its absolute limits, Mercedes always likes to overbuild its engines for longevity. BUT Mercedes did say that they are dropping Kompressors for turbocharging. Who knows with AMG customer demand for more power, we may see this 6.3 Bi-turbo'ed to produce 550hp+? Again just speculation. Boy are times good at Mercedes-Benz right now.

SLK55_AMG

hello bilal, why dont you get any AMG cars? instead of your 170 diesel engine?

Teufel

Thanks! Very interesting. But you should try to get more out of this guy to see whether he knows anything concrete. May be you should get him drunk or something like that!

"What's so great about mercedes is they are always keeping it fresh and changing it up". Just give me two minutes with this wise guy and I show him something great and fresh on his face . I don't agree with him that all the competition is doing the same. Take for example the BMW M3, Vette Z06, Lexus SC400... Even Porsche just added 10-20 bhp to the 911 or Boxter; not much else! People who bought the 2004SLK, either bought it because they got a good deal or they didn't mind (like my father's friend?) or they were just out of the loop or they just had a lousy sales person! I know I know don't like it take your business somewhere else!

He is getting a CLS in Dec. 2004! He is not waiting for the new 4valve engine! That is good news!

What is a gst? Goods and Services Tax (7%)!

FIXEDupW209

hahaha yeah i tried to squeeze as much out of him in our 30 minutes conversation but he answered them with the text book answer. "I can not speculate at this moment it is just a rumor...blahblahblah" the gst is this wagon like SUV...kinda ugly is you ask me but im sure it will do great with all the soccer moms. Check it out at mbusa.com and go to futur models.

Bilal

SLK55,

I would if I could.


I'm just a 19 year old student, there's only so much I can afford.