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Motor Authority - blog Category: CLK Class

  • Last Mercedes Benz CLK Cabrio rolls off the line

    Last Mercedes Benz CLK Cabrio rolls off the line June 19th, 2009 ByJeremy Weber Jeremy Weber, Author, June 19th, 2009 Jeremy Weber 1 Comment

    Last Mercedes Benz CLK Cabrio rolls off the line While production of the CLK Coupe ceased back in January, the CLK Cabrio has been rolling off the Karmann factory floor in Osnabrück, Germany, right up until today. Karmann is an independent vehicle manufacturer specializing in convertible models and has built a number of cars for major automakers like Mercedes Benz and Audi.

    Unfortunately for Karmann, the global economic crisis has hit it hard, causing a number of manufacturing contracts to dry up. This has led to the company filing for bankruptcy and as of Monday next week no more production will be taking place at Karmann until it can emerge from the bankruptcy process, reports... While production of the CLK Coupe ceased back in January, the CLK Cabrio has been rolling off the Karmann factory floor in Osnabrück, Germany, right up until today. Karmann is an independent vehicle manufacturer specializing in convertible models and has built a number of cars for major automakers like Mercedes Benz and Audi. Unfortunately for Karmann, the global economic crisis has hit it hard, causing a number of manufacturing contracts to dry up. This has led to the company filing for bankruptcy and as of Monday next week no more production will be taking place at Karmann until it can emerge from the bankruptcy process, reports Automotive News Europe. As for the CLK Cabrio, the car will remain on sale until the arrival of the new E-Class Cabrio in the first half of next year. According to Mercedes, there is sufficient stock to last until that time. Karmann, on the other hand, may have a bright future in the form of a new partnership with German electrical utility Energy Group (EWE). The two companies have stated that their goal is to "explore the integration of electric vehicles into the EWE electricity and telecommunications network", and already a concept vehicle has been produced. Given Karmann’s prickly financial state, however, it may be some time until we see the company back to full scale production. Read More

  • New E-Class Coupe sits on older, cheaper C-Class platform

    New E-Class Coupe sits on older, cheaper C-Class platform May 18th, 2009 ByJeremy Weber Jeremy Weber, Author, May 18th, 2009 Jeremy Weber 1 Comment

    New E-Class Coupe sits on older, cheaper C-Class platform Mercedes Benz surprised many by offering its new E-Class Coupe for less money than the E-Class Sedan, with which it shares its styling, interior and positioning. After all, which carmaker makes a more exclusive coupe model and then sells it for less money than the sedan variant?

    If you missed our original pricing story, the E-Class Sedan starts at $49,475 for the base E350, while the similar E350 Coupe is slightly cheaper at $48,925.

    It appears that Mercedes had some method to its pricing madness, however, and not purely because it wanted to hit its rivals by undercutting them in price. It turns out that while the new E-Class Coupe borrows... Mercedes Benz surprised many by offering its new E-Class Coupe for less money than the E-Class Sedan, with which it shares its styling, interior and positioning. After all, which carmaker makes a more exclusive coupe model and then sells it for less money than the sedan variant? If you missed our original pricing story, the E-Class Sedan starts at $49,475 for the base E350, while the similar E350 Coupe is slightly cheaper at $48,925. It appears that Mercedes had some method to its pricing madness, however, and not purely because it wanted to hit its rivals by undercutting them in price. It turns out that while the new E-Class Coupe borrows its svelte styling from the E-Class Sedan, underneath the handsome exterior sits the smaller and cheaper C-Class platform. This certainly explains why Mercedes can charge less for their E-Class Coupe than the Sedan, but pricing wasn't the only factor behind the decision to use the C-Class platform. Speaking with Automotive News, Mercedes U.S. chief Ernst Lieb explained that the older C-Class platform results in "a stiffer car with a bit more performance". The news also follows earlier missives from Mercedes about the reason for dropping the previous CLK class of vehicles, which like the new E-Class Coupe were also based on the less expensive C-Class platform. The axing of the CLK was thought to be a sign that Mercedes would be using the E-Class Sedan's platform but instead the use of the C-Class platform harks back to how the company created its original CLK range of cars - essentially, the whole change was just an exercise in nameplate swapping.2010 Mercedes Benz E-Class2010 Mercedes-Benz E-class Coupe Official Read More

  • First Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe delivered to customer in Germany

    First Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe delivered to customer in Germany May 12th, 2009 ByAlex Kaufmann Alex Kaufmann, Author, May 12th, 2009 Alex Kaufmann 2 Comments

    First Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe delivered to customer in Germany The new Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe may be a month away from its U.S. release but the first of the stylish two-doors was delivered to a customer in Germany today. The ceremony, conducted at Mercedes' E-Class plant in Bremen, saw Siegfried Möller taking the keys of his new car, an E500 Coupe finished in palladium silver.

    Plant manager Peter Schabert was, as expected, gushing about the quality of the car and expressed that he was "extremely pleased to be personally handing the key to the first owner today. The E-Class Coupe is an exciting vehicle – I am sure that its new owner will enjoy it from the very first kilometer."

    The new owner... The new Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe may be a month away from its U.S. release but the first of the stylish two-doors was delivered to a customer in Germany today. The ceremony, conducted at Mercedes' E-Class plant in Bremen, saw Siegfried Möller taking the keys of his new car, an E500 Coupe finished in palladium silver. Plant manager Peter Schabert was, as expected, gushing about the quality of the car and expressed that he was "extremely pleased to be personally handing the key to the first owner today. The E-Class Coupe is an exciting vehicle – I am sure that its new owner will enjoy it from the very first kilometer." The new owner was not chosen at random - he claims to have been driving Mercedes models for over 25 years and has received other cars from the Bremen plant before. While he may have some experience with the brand, this will undoubtedly be the most aerodynamic Mercedes he has ever driven, as the E-Class Coupe currently holds the title of the world's most aerodynamic production car. American customers will have to wait until next month to take ownership of their E-Class Coupes. The car will start at a mere $48,925 for the E350 model, while the V8-powered E550 kicks off at $55,525. Additionally, the E-Class Coupe will eventually be joined by other variants of the E-Class, including a Cabrio model and an Estate wagon, both of which are expected to appear at September's Frankfurt Motor Show.2010 Mercedes-Benz E-class Coupe Official Read More

  • Mercedes Benz announces pricing for 2010 E-Class Coupe and Sedan

    Mercedes Benz announces pricing for 2010 E-Class Coupe and Sedan May 1st, 2009 By Viknesh Vijayenthiran Viknesh Vijayenthiran, Author, May 1st, 2009 Viknesh Vijayenthiran 6 Comments

    Mercedes Benz announces pricing for 2010 E-Class Coupe and Sedan In what may prove to be a major blow for the BMW 3-Series Coupe and Audi A5, the upcoming Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe will actually cost less than the E-Class Sedan on which it is based. Despite the new Coupe’s predecessor - the CLK - costing thousands of dollars more than the E-Class Sedan in most markets - the U.S. being a notable exception - this differential will no longer exist for the latest breed of E-Class variants.

    The sedan itself is competitively priced as well, starting at $4,600 below the previous model's base price. The entry model, the 2010 E350, will start at $49,475, while at the other end of the spectrum, the... In what may prove to be a major blow for the BMW 3-Series Coupe and Audi A5, the upcoming Mercedes Benz E-Class Coupe will actually cost less than the E-Class Sedan on which it is based. Despite the new Coupe’s predecessor - the CLK - costing thousands of dollars more than the E-Class Sedan in most markets - the U.S. being a notable exception - this differential will no longer exist for the latest breed of E-Class variants. The sedan itself is competitively priced as well, starting at $4,600 below the previous model's base price. The entry model, the 2010 E350, will start at $49,475, while at the other end of the spectrum, the V8-powered E550 will start at $57,175. The Coupe starts at a mere $48,925 for the E350 model, while the E550 kicks off at $55,525. Earlier reports had hinted that the prices would be the same, or similar, because the E-Class Coupe shares most of its equipment and powertrain packages with the Sedan. While coupe and convertible models traditionally attract a price premium over sedan siblings, Mercedes appears to be attempting a new, aggressive pricing strategy to really hit its competition hard. The CLK was always positioned slightly above the BMW 3-Series Coupe and Audi A5 and the new E-Class Coupe is no different. It won’t help that the new Mercedes two-door is not only cheaper, but also one of the best luxury coupes we’ve seen in a while, and is easily the pick of the bunch next to its rivals. Sales of the new E-Class Sedan and Coupe will start in June, but that’s not the end of the story. At September’s Frankfurt Motor Show, Mercedes will unveil the new E-Class Cabrio as well as the E-Class Estate wagon, but both of these models will almost certainly attract a price premium over the Sedan. Pricing for the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG and E350 BlueTec diesel models will not be announced until a later date.2010 Mercedes Benz E-Class2010 Mercedes-Benz E-class Coupe Official Read More

  • Mercedes Benz targets 0.20Cd drag coefficient in next five years

    Mercedes Benz targets 0.20Cd drag coefficient in next five years April 30th, 2009 ByAlex Kaufmann Alex Kaufmann, Author, April 30th, 2009 Alex Kaufmann 0 Comments

    Mercedes Benz targets 0.20Cd drag coefficient in next five years Sometimes, making cars more efficient is best done through the application of more fundamental principles such as improved aerodynamics, rather than complex and expensive powertrain upgrades. Mercedes Benz is embracing that philosophy, with a plan to bring the respective drag coefficients of its cars below 0.20Cd within the next five years.

    The carmaker claims it already produces the world's most aerodynamic production car - the new 2010 E-Class Coupe, which scores a drag coefficient figure of 0.24Cd. The new coupe even manages to out-slip the new 2010 Toyota Prius, which for a short time in January could claim it was the world's most... Sometimes, making cars more efficient is best done through the application of more fundamental principles such as improved aerodynamics, rather than complex and expensive powertrain upgrades. Mercedes Benz is embracing that philosophy, with a plan to bring the respective drag coefficients of its cars below 0.20Cd within the next five years. The carmaker claims it already produces the world's most aerodynamic production car - the new 2010 E-Class Coupe, which scores a drag coefficient figure of 0.24Cd. The new coupe even manages to out-slip the new 2010 Toyota Prius, which for a short time in January could claim it was the world's most aerodynamic production car along with the Honda Insight at 0.25Cd. However, despite the E-Class Coupe already posting impressive aerodynamic credentials, Mercedes is keen to improve in this area. Speaking with Autocar, E-Class Coupe project manager Rainer Tiefenbacher revealed that there was “still plenty more to come” in terms of improving fuel efficiency. “There are big steps to be made, especially around and under the engine hood. Twenty years ago we celebrated a 0.30Cd, in five years we will reach the next big step,” Tiefenbacher explained. Mercedes is correct in that area - the current shape of most cars and trucks make them relatively poor aerodynamic performers. But while carmakers continue to extract as much efficiency out of their cars, we hope aesthetics don't get laid completely by the wayside.2010 Mercedes-Benz E-class Coupe Official Read More

  • RS5 and M3 rejoice - Mercedes Benz has "no immediate plans" for AMG E-Class Coupe

    RS5 and M3 rejoice - Mercedes Benz has "no immediate plans" for AMG E-Class Coupe April 14th, 2009 ByAlex Kaufmann Alex Kaufmann, Author, April 14th, 2009 Alex Kaufmann 2 Comments

    RS5 and M3 rejoice - Mercedes Benz has We've already seen the Mercedes Benz E63 AMG Sedan make its debut at the recent New York Auto Show, as well as the new E-Class Coupe at last month’s Geneva event, but it appears that unfortunately these two desirable models will not be converging into an E63 AMG Coupe - for now anyway.

    The news comes from a Mercedes spokesman, who confirmed to Edmunds that the luxury carmaker has "no immediate plans to offer an AMG version" of the new E-Class Coupe. This means that Mercedes will sell the 2010 E550 (E500) Coupe as the flagship E-Class model, rather than an AMG variation.

    The E550 will be using a 5.5L petrol V8 churning out 382hp... We've already seen the Mercedes Benz E63 AMG Sedan make its debut at the recent New York Auto Show, as well as the new E-Class Coupe at last month’s Geneva event, but it appears that unfortunately these two desirable models will not be converging into an E63 AMG Coupe - for now anyway. The news comes from a Mercedes spokesman, who confirmed to Edmunds that the luxury carmaker has "no immediate plans to offer an AMG version" of the new E-Class Coupe. This means that Mercedes will sell the 2010 E550 (E500) Coupe as the flagship E-Class model, rather than an AMG variation. The E550 will be using a 5.5L petrol V8 churning out 382hp (285kW) and 390lb-ft (530Nm) of torque - not unimpressive, but still a far cry from the hand-built 6.2L AMG V8 engine used in the E63 AMG Sedan. In the Sedan, the AMG V8 makes up to 518hp (386kW) and 465lb-ft (630Nm), and all that thrust is funneled through a newly developed seven-speed MCT dual-clutch transmission. This is sees the E63 Sedan accelerate from a standstill to 60mph in just 4.4 seconds - a figure that could likely be improved upon if ever seen in coupe form. While the news doesn't fare well for those looking for a Mercedes-branded alternative to the BMW M3 and upcoming Audi RS5, anonymous sources are claiming that the decision not to sell a AMG E-Class Coupe is not fixed, and that if demand exists for the car then it will come eventually. Whether or not there is any substance in these claims remains to be seen, but for the time being potential Mercedes customers will have to be content with the E550 kitted out with an optional AMG Sports package (which consists of an aero body kit, AMG alloy wheels, upgrade tires, sports suspension and improved brakes) as the closest they will get to outdoing the M3 in the carpark of the golf club.2010 Mercedes-Benz E-class Coupe Official2010 Mercedes Benz E63 AMG Read More

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