Mercedes' plans for '08: It's gonna be a busy year!

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Philly

Philly

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Lots of new cars.

2008 is going to be a hectic year for the engineers responsible for new product launches at Mercedes-Benz. The team in Stuttgart have one all-new, one redesigned and five refreshed models coming before this time next year. Mercedes will jump into the compact crossover segment for the first time with the all-new GLK, which we'll finally get to see minus all the spy photo disguises. The GLK should turn up in concept form at Geneva with a production launch later in the year.

Another new badge, if not a whole new car, is the CLC. Formerly known as the C-Class Sport Coupe, this two-door hatchback coupe gets fresh styling on the old C-Class chassis. As for the five existing models getting mid-cycle refreshes, both the SL and SLK roadsters are getting nose jobs and butt lifts. Their overall looks remain the same, but lights get reshaped and grilles get updated in a manner similar to the new C-Class. A similar treatment will also be applied to the big CLS foor-door "coupe" and the small A- and B-Class hatchbacks.

[Source: AutoCar]
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Because they don't have a big enough lineup already. Most of these sound interesting. M-B has a strange hole in the hatchback market over here. Looks like they are finally getting around to filling it. Hopefully it will be a good enough car to compete with the A3. I'll hold my judgment on the GLK until I see it. There have also been a few shots of the next SL floating around and it looks OK.

I wish I was in the market for a job right now. I can imagine they might be looking for a few engineers.
 
Frankly I find it hard to take the "CLC" seriously until it sees more of an upgrade, I had an old one (brand new at the time but not like these) for almost 2 weeks as a loaner and I would prefer my 20 year old beater to the brand new c180 I had

as for the rest, it certainly is a stark contrast to the old philosophy of many engines on a few chassis to create a large model line, now they have many engines in just about every body style you could imagine and a few you couldn't
I just hope the Quality can keep up with the quantity as is so often not the case with any auto maker especially MB in the past 10 years
 
So they're reviving the C-class Coupe with a new name? Well, as long as they make one competitive with the 135i (With proper stick) I'm not complaining.
 
Jim Prower
So they're reviving the C-class Coupe with a new name? Well, as long as they make one competitive with the 135i (With proper stick) I'm not complaining.
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I'm sure you will be whining when the car actually comes out. Mercedes isn't one to make manuals. And I also think that the C-Class coupe desperately needs a new chassis. All they are doing now is putting a new body and name on a car that flopped 5 years ago.
 
I'm sure there will be a manual option, the C class seems to be the only model in the US at least that consistently has a mt available, the c180 I had was stick and it still had the kickdown switch!!
 
Still waiting for MB to release the õįõ series. That would own.
 
Literally Laughing Out Loud, Omnis. Literally. Laughing. Out. Loud.

Meh, I'm still hoping that whatever they have running even with the 135 has forced induction and a stick, but I know that's not Mercedes's style.
 
land sea air
I'm sure there will be a manual option, the C class seems to be the only model in the US at least that consistently has a mt available, the c180 I had was stick and it still had the kickdown switch!!
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I thought Mercedes still didn't have an MT available.
 
you could buy a w203 C350 with a 6 speed manual and as far as I know you can do the same with the new w204, the loaner had a 5 speed and I'm sure this refresh with have a 5 or 6 speed or perhaps both.
 
yeah, and upon further research it looks like whatever 5 speed they were using is gone so I imagine the CLC will have a 6 speed
 
doubtful, most of the highest performing cars in MB history have been automatics, they do it well so I doubt they will change.
 
Oh well. It is a shame that they will continue without any manual option. I'm sure it doesn't cost them too many sales either, with the flappy paddles and all.
 
land sea air
I just hope the Quality can keep up with the quantity as is so often not the case with any auto maker especially MB in the past 10 years
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Stop living in 1993. :sly:

Although, their current advertising campaign seems to insinuate that "cost no object" engineering is back. I'm not sure if the CLC's proportions would work well with the current styling of the C class. This could be interesting. Is it out yet?
 
the 140 was the last model build to the "old standard" and even then you can see issues starting to pop up, with the 210 things really started going downhill IMO. I believe they are improving with every new model but it still not enough to me, also I can't find pics of the CLC anywhere
 
I don't think the CLC is going to have any pics yet. My guess is that it is either still on the drawing board and they have just told us that thye will make a crossover or they are being quite good at hiding it from the spies.
 
Supercar. "Cheap" supercar (they are working on it), "cheap" GT (or does the SL count?), something light weight.

I think they have it covered other than that.
 
I was thinking supercar like S7 competitor, cheap supercar like F430 competitor and cheap GT like the XK. The SLR is just a very high end GT to me. And the SL doesn't quite seem all that GT-y to me.
 
philly cheese
I was thinking supercar like S7 competitor, cheap supercar like F430 competitor and cheap GT like the XK. The SLR is just a very high end GT to me. And the SL doesn't quite seem all that GT-y to me.
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the SL is definitely a GT and the SLR is a supercar that happens to have an automatic, however I bet whatever HWA has up their sleeves for the next ubermerc will be more sharp edged than the SLR. As for the F430 the only close competitor I see is the SL65 or maybe 55 or 63 when it arrives
 
land sea air
the SL is definitely a GT and the SLR is a supercar that happens to have an automatic, however I bet whatever HWA has up their sleeves for the next ubermerc will be more sharp edged than the SLR. As for the F430 the only close competitor I see is the SL65 or maybe 55 or 63 when it arrives
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I just have never thought of the SLR as something that could compete with the likes of the Saleen or Enzo or Murcielago. And isn't HWA working on the SLC, which will probably be much like the F430?

And maybe I am looking at the engine being up front as too much of a class boundary? Although the Benzes are all to luxury oriented and heavy to compete with any genuinely performance inspired car....
 
I personally miss the old days when MB had a simple lineup.

C-class - entry level sedan
E-class - luxury level sedan
S-class - high end luxury 4dr "limo"
CL-class - 2dr coupe version of S-class
SL-class - exotic roadster

Then they introduced CLK, SLK, ML and G-Class. Ok fine with me.

Now they've got like a freaking A-class, B-class, R-class, CLS, and now this CLC and GLK, jeez.. Why not leave it simple and call it a C-Coupe like previously, or introduce a more entry-level CLK with the CLK name?

The SLR by the way (as far as I know) is performant enough on a track and on a straight to be compared to the likes of Carrera GT, Murcielago, Enzo, etc. If I had money, it'd be the last car I would consider since it has an automatic, but other people like auto's.
 
Mercedes engines are poor compared to that of audi and bmw. In all the comparos ive seen of the new c class and the e class the merc always ends up loosing due to weak engines.
 
MustangSVT
I personally miss the old days when MB had a simple lineup.

C-class - entry level sedan
E-class - luxury level sedan
S-class - high end luxury 4dr "limo"
CL-class - 2dr coupe version of S-class
SL-class - exotic roadster

Then they introduced CLK, SLK, ML and G-Class. Ok fine with me.

Now they've got like a freaking A-class, B-class, R-class, CLS, and now this CLC and GLK, jeez.. Why not leave it simple and call it a C-Coupe like previously, or introduce a more entry-level CLK with the CLK name?

The SLR by the way (as far as I know) is performant enough on a track and on a straight to be compared to the likes of Carrera GT, Murcielago, Enzo, etc. If I had money, it'd be the last car I would consider since it has an automatic, but other people like auto's.
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The G-Wagon was first launched in 1979, so it was in the M-B line up before the E-Class, when the C-Class still known as the 200 Compact and long before the CLK was a glint in the product planners eye. :D

Personally, I think that M-B are trying to introduce to many variations now. They are providing solutions to questions that haven't been asked - we know how that worked with Renault's Avantime :nervous:.

I wish they would go back to building a smaller range of cars well. I can't see many of the new range doing 500,000 miles without a complete overhaul like the old W123s do with ease.
 

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