bloflin

At the risk of starting a stupid i'net rumour...

Saleman called just to tell me how lucky I was, as I had got their last slot for SLK55 (we didn't know it at the time of finalizing the order last week). This dealer gets about 1 slot per quarter (ie. 4/yr). I finalized order last week and he put into the system. He said they were told this week that MB is "stopping production" on the SLK55, but are honoring the current committed build slots. He said they were having to call their other customers that were on the wait list for SLK55 and inform them. And that they has some unhappy people.

He did not know why. Or for how long. He thought it was very strange also.

ANYONE, have any real info on this?

SLK55AMG

Sounds very unlikely...... maybe that was their last slot for this year.......

Deuce

Maybe they want to increase the horsepower in this car. I have the SLK 55 AMG and I love it. However, when I pull up to a C6 I have a 50/50 chance of beating him in a race. But when it comes to the ZO6 ($65,000 with some options) I have no chance at all. Mercedes Benz probably realized that the 55 should have more horsepower in it. They might make a 65 or a 63 AMG version because if they do increase the horsepower in the SLK 55 AMG, then it will be faster than the SL 55 AMG. But if they make a SLK 65 AMG then no one can compare it to a SL 55 AMG, you would have to compare the SLK 65 AMG to the SL 65 AMG. Does anyone agree with me? I hate corvettes, not because the C6 and ZO6 are fast, just because they are cheap and made of cheap material. American cars really do suck. The new 2005 mustang is a great example. When you are going to make a special car and bring back history with it too, then the price should be a large amount, not $18,000 for a v-6 and $25,000 for a 300 hp v-8. They are just crap cars. Does anybody agree with me on this. Oh for any people who disagree with me on the part of the American cars, don't try to prove me wrong, they really do suck. You realize that if Ford made the 2005 Mustang V-6 over $20,000 not a lot of people would buy it. Ford then would be screwed and lose a lot of money. I really do think that a new American car company should come out and change the attitude and stereotype of American cars. Hell, I might just start one and make it as good as Mercedes, Ferrari, Lamborgini, etc.

ajf1

What?? You really think they would halt production on a car that has only been out for 6 months to add more horsepower? Do you think it would **** any of the current slk 55 owners who forked over 67 grand? Probably not!

The halt in production is the German factory vacation which happens every year for a few weeks. Production will kick start again in a couple of weeks, there will be no SLK 65 (a V12 would not fit, among other reasons).

jmejones

You've been in the mushroom patch...haven't you?

miroj

Recto-speak. Mercedes being able to plan 10 years in advance does not make last minute changes. The only changes made are those which may improve safety or reliability once a problem is detected.

northbenz

This is the type of information that makes these threads interesting. As you first note, it may or may not be true - but there is no reason to dismiss the notion entirely. I can see several factors here. First, there is really too little difference between the SLK350 and its AMG sibling- not even a one second increase in acceleration and that is about it. Second, there has been a lot of rethinking about what models Mercedes is going to promote as a consequence of some real bad profit numbers for the Mercedes Car division, a case in point is the hedging we now hear on bringing Smart into the US. Third, marketing may have just woken up to the fact that all the SLK55 is doing is demolishing sales of more profitable (or at least higher priced) SL's.

miroj

Damn you ruined my plan to buy an SLK and remove the K. I hear it adds value and power.

northbenz

steve-p

Start from the premise that salesmen know nothing, but that doesn't stop them speculating wildly, and you won't go far wrong.

jbec.keane

If a decade is 10 days, how long is a quarter?

Doesn't MB schedule production in 10 day decades?

jmejones

Um not to be a smartass or anything, as I've been accused by some on this forum, but 1 second is a helluva difference. And some pay $20-50K to get it aftermarket. The majority of Porsche's don't have a 1 second advantage and they can cost $30K more. Not to mention Ferrari's, Maserati's, Lambo's, etc... If MB wanted to build a hotrod they surely could with ease, and remember they have that already in Dodge and Chrysler...btw...the Viper SRT does a 4.0 0-60 and cost easily $20K plus over a SLK55. So I see what you are getting at, but respectivefully disagree. The SLK63 want be here at least until the end of 2007 IMHO. Since when do they ever move that fast on something anyway

SLK55AMG

Oh my god..... please PLEASE tell me you are joking!..... if not get back to school now!

bloflin

Yes, always do. But this was strange, in that he called me, excited for me, to let me know. Even though it doesn't affect my order.

It wasn't the "usual" situations, like I'm asking about a model (i.e. the SLK55) and he has other models on the lot (i.e. SLK350) and is trying to push me somewhere.

In this instance (as far as I can tell), the "information" doesn't affect me or my order.

Also, him stating he was having to call the SLK55 waiting list and let them know there is no longer is a waiting list as no future order (and stating there were some pissed off people). Seems kind of drastic, if in fact it's all just a misunderstanding?

So, anyone with a close ear to the "source" in Germany, please keep us informed, if there is anything to this.

northbenz

Let's face it, Mercedes is not making as much profit on its European built models being sold in the U.S. This all may just be an allocation of product to maximize profit. If the demand for the SLK55 is equal or better in other markets that have a more favorable exchange rate to the Euro (Japan, Middle East, Hong Kong) and as a limited production model those countries can cover the supply, then there is less incentive for bean counter accountants in Stuttgart to take lesser profits on cars headed to the U.S. market. I suspect we will be seeing a growing push by Daimler-Chrysler to promote the sales of its U.S. built product, including for Mercedes its product coming out of Alabama until such time as this dollar-Euro problem improves.

AndrewM

Hello everyone,

I'm not sure if this is entirely applicable, but I would like to pass on some information surrounding my experiences on the SLK55 AMG allocations thus far.

I am Canadian, residing in Saskatchewan (the middle of Canada). I am a small business owner and, three years ago, I was interested in purchasing two SLK 32 AMG's (one for myself and one for my business partner). At that point in time, my salesman encouraged me to reconsider my decision as "rumor" had it that Mercedes would be releasing a new SLK AMG in 2005, new body style, new engine, etc. Therefore, I decided to go with SLK 320's (two of them)instead of the 32 AMG's. It was then (three years ago) that we placed our initial deposits on the SLK 55 AMG's (even though they didn't know they would be 55's at that point in time), and we went on our merry way.

Beginning October 2004, I began aggressively pushing our sales representative for more information, as we hadn't even been given an opportunity to "spec" out our cars yet, despite being three years old on the waiting list, and despite being guaranteed the "first two 55 AMG's in Canada" from a man named Ian, who is apparently responsible for all western canadian distribution. After getting the run around for about three months, and the dealership "letting go" almost it's entire sales force, the new general manager informed me that, while they are able to get one of the vehicles, unfortunately they are no longer able to get the second vehicle.

Obviously, very upset at this point, I demanded answers, and basically got the information that "Mercedes is not producing as many vechicles as they originally indicated, and therefore the allocations have been over sold. We are having to drop people off the list across the board."

That's the important piece of information as it pertains to this thread.

To conclude the story for any of you who care, I became quite irate and started to utilize some of my political influence within the province. As it sits now, I will be receiving both AMG's (Mercedes-Benz Canada apparently "made one appear" from somewhere), however not until June (we were originally guaranteed March for both deliveries). Quite a disapointment, although our delaership has indicated that a substantial discount will be applied for hassel... I wont hold my breath until I see what substantial is in the eyes of the dealership.

Perhaps this will bring some practical fact to this thread, or perhaps the Canadian market is a different problem all togehter, I'm not sure.


-Andrew

northbenz

There is a new boss in the shop and it looks like it is his way or no way. When the company was making money no questions were asked, but it looks like a combination of economics and internal politics are at play. Being on the outside looking in we probably will never know the full story. So much for the customer dictating product. I guess we will have to wait for the next advertising blitz to learn what Mercedes is going to tell us what we want. The CLS500 is a case in point. A vehicle with a high profit margin being hoisted on the US while the more economical CLS350 is withheld to us on these shores.

steve-p

I've never understood why the long waiting lists in some EU countries for both SLK and SLK55 exist, when cars have been much more available in the US. Profit margins are high in Europe, non-existent in the US given the current Euro - US$ exchange rate. What would you do? I would sell product into the high profit margin areas, where the long delays mean that sales are lost because people can't or won't wait. Either that, or hike the prices by 20% in the US to restore profitability. Presumably, that's not an option, but reallocating production is. If that's what they are doing.

fredfromny

Porsche did that a couple of years back and lost US market share in a big way.
The SLK55 is probably close to being a "loss leader" something that gets people talking and into the showrooms where they usually opt for the "bread and butter" offerings.
If there is a production halt I know there will be a lot of pressure to warehouse such a rare car.

Teufel

It sucks! I tell you what is going on. It looks like the new 430hp? AMG version 4V V8 5.5L? Or 6.3L?... is going to be introduced in the SLK and not the S or CLS as planned before! I already red a Thread about someone in the UK putting down a deposit for a SLK63! Also, many other hints!

I hope I am wrong! It just doesn't make sense! Why would AMG put that very expensive brand new engine in the SLK first?

northbenz

Any updates or confirmations from others on the American continent awaiting ordered SLK55 models? Some times its no fun being right.

rroberts

Check the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records (www.uspto.gov) and you will see that MBZ filed an application some time ago for "SLK 63," just like they have for "SLK 55" etc.

My understanding is they are going from single to double overhead cam engines. Hence, the 320 to the 350 and, rumored in the auto press, the 55 to the 63.

If so, they have to do it sometime and disrupt some things and disappoint some customers. Heck, the CLK55 was introduced in 2001 and was the fastest thing they sold in North America for two years. Now it is the slowest current AMG model (I am not sure about the G class; but damn, Porshe has an SUV now that beats it in 0-60mph).

Whatever the case, I am #1 on a large dealers list for a 2006 SLK55, 63, or whatever.

MGV156

Just got an email from consumer promotions of mbusa confirming that there is no hold on the slk55 production.

steve-p

That's slightly misleading. The 63 is a V12, a different engine, and (at the moment) it has three valves per cylinder. There's a revised 5.4 litre V8 with four valves per cylinder on the way at some point. So that will most likely still be a SL55/SLK55 despite the change. There will no doubt be a four valve version of the 63 engine too.

Incidentally just because a name is trademarked doesn't mean it will ever actually appear on sale. Big companies trademark everything that they might conceivably build, regardless of actual plans.

sprins

The rumoured upcoming 63 engine is indeed a V8.