"RE: Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG 4Matic: Driven

[Emley]

markwm said:

That LCD display is borderline comical

There is no borderline in it, it is a shocking IMO

Said it before, and say it again, until it goes, I'm out

Just think how good that dash would look without it?

[moffat]

scherzkeks said:

The old AMG pack cars had faster st. racks as well as new dampers/springs, geo, bushings, and tire specs. They also offered an advanced ride control option on the old car in addition to the std. agility control dampers. Just wondering how much really separates this one from a std. AMG pack, motor aside.

My previous C350 CDI AMG didn't have that stuff.

It had terribly light steering and the only changes you could make were with the auto box from comfort to sport.

[filski666]

bertie said:

filski666 said:

so, does that mean this car is available with option of 4matic - or will there be no RWD version available? In which case...

Why wouldn't you want 4wd in a family estate, unless you habitually drive around with the kids in the back and the arse end hanging out?

Because I don't always have the kid in the back, I want something somewhere between a C200 and a C63 that I can hang the back end out when I want to. Seeing as I spend more time in my 530i Tourer alone than with the family in it - it gets a lot of arse hanging out action. My requirement is for a big petrol, RWD estate (they are not just for kids you know! - ever tried putting mountain bikes, camping, climbing etc stuff in a saloon?) so I can drift it when conditions allow, but not have the running / insurance costs of an M5 . C63

I was very happy when they announced this car, thinking it ticked the boxes perfectly - especially seeing as BMW no longer make the V8 tourers - but now I am left wanting a car in a niche that no one caters for, it seems.

[r129sl]

filski666 said:

...seeing as BMW no longer make the V8 tourers - but now I am left wanting a car in a niche that no one caters for, it seems....

BMW does still manufacture the 550i touring. It is RWD only (no X-Driver version). It is simply not listed by the UK importer. The price ex works is €75,000.

[Emley]

I know which one I want when driving

I can look at my iPad the rest of the time.

[bertie]

filski666 said:

bertie said:

filski666 said:

so, does that mean this car is available with option of 4matic - or will there be no RWD version available? In which case...

Why wouldn't you want 4wd in a family estate, unless you habitually drive around with the kids in the back and the arse end hanging out?

Because I don't always have the kid in the back, I want something somewhere between a C200 and a C63 that I can hang the back end out when I want to. Seeing as I spend more time in my 530i Tourer alone than with the family in it - it gets a lot of arse hanging out action. My requirement is for a big petrol, RWD estate (they are not just for kids you know! - ever tried putting mountain bikes, camping, climbing etc stuff in a saloon?) so I can drift it when conditions allow, but not have the running / insurance costs of an M5 . C63

I was very happy when they announced this car, thinking it ticked the boxes perfectly - especially seeing as BMW no longer make the V8 tourers - but now I am left wanting a car in a niche that no one caters for, it seems.

OK, that's what you're after, but I think it's a very specialist set of requirements you have there and thus a very small market.

I thought car manufacturers had filled every niche and sub niche plus a few more I couldn't even think of, but you've just invented another!

[scherzkeks]

moffat said:

My previous C350 CDI AMG didn't have that stuff.

It had terribly light steering and the only changes you could make were with the auto box from comfort to sport.

If you had the full AMG pack and ride control option, it did.

Otherwise, try harder.

[HarryW]

I take it this is a pull through from the developement Mercedes has been doing on the GLC. The GLC will be the replacement for the GLK, never previously available in RHD, it uses the new C class as its basis.
I further presume from this article the top of the range GLC will be a 450 like this, looking forward to the GLC.........

[Charlie Michael]

I like the tablet...

[Osinjak]

I remember the first time I sat in the new 3 Series, pointed at the nav screen and said to the sales bloke, 'Does that go down?' Er no, says bloke it's actually an EU-ism in that new regs say that whatever screen is in whatever car it must be in the eyeline of the driver in order to avoid pedestrians being killed to bits and general mayhem on the roads. I don't like the MB one much either but I prefer it to the BMW one which looks as if it's half in, half out and has got stuck on its travels.



Apart from anything else that interior is just so dull compared to MB and I'm a BMW fanboi, innit blud. Or something.

Edited by Osinjak on Friday 6th March 18:00

[MuSplit]

I would've been REALLY interested (despite not having even seriously considered anything from Mercedes in years). Seems like such a nice and well-judged package, exactly what I'd be looking for. But, engine sounds through speakers means I would never ever even consider it, and actually puts the whole brand back into my 'avoid list'. Pathetic.

[bertie]

MuSplit said:

I would've been REALLY interested (despite not having even seriously considered anything from Mercedes in years). Seems like such a nice and well-judged package, exactly what I'd be looking for. But, engine sounds through speakers means I would never ever even consider it, and actually puts the whole brand back into my 'avoid list'. Pathetic.

Blimey, strong reaction.

Given EU rules on drive by noise isnt this likely to become more and more widespread?

Either piping some noise in or synthesising via speakers.

Not sure it bothers me really where the noise comes from, or indeed if noise is relevant on a family wagon.

[MuSplit]

bertie said:

Blimey, strong reaction.

Given EU rules on drive by noise isnt this likely to become more and more widespread?

Either piping some noise in or synthesising via speakers.

Not sure it bothers me really where the noise comes from, or indeed if noise is relevant on a family wagon.

Then sit there in silence if you think that silence is the only option. IMO only pathetic people want to be lied to, or pretend to be/have something they're not.

You have no knowledge of the automotive industry, engineering, or simply what's in showrooms right now if you really claim that some noise rules would force this... What an ignorant, in-genuine, and clearly made up excuse. It's actually really offensive that you think that it's ok to say such BS and expect me to believe it!

BTW If you would bother to think about your (hopefully very quickly) made up excuse for even a little while, you'd notice that it's completely illogical based on the info of the article...

But I understand that most people don't really care about cars or understand them, just want to look good to others and buy irrational crap that is obscenely embarrassing.

[tfin]

Osinjak said:

I remember the first time I sat in the new 3 Series, pointed at the nav screen and said to the sales bloke, 'Does that go down?' Er no, says bloke it's actually an EU-ism in that new regs say that whatever screen is in whatever car it must be in the eyeline of the driver in order to avoid pedestrians being killed to bits and general mayhem on the roads. I don't like the MB one much either but I prefer it to the BMW one which looks as if it's half in, half out and has got stuck on its travels.



Apart from anything else that interior is just so dull compared to MB and I'm a BMW fanboi, innit blud. Or something.

Edited by Osinjak on Friday 6th March 18:00

Wonder how vauxhall managed to get this in the new corsa then?

[filski666]

r129sl said:

filski666 said:

...seeing as BMW no longer make the V8 tourers - but now I am left wanting a car in a niche that no one caters for, it seems....

BMW does still manufacture the 550i touring. It is RWD only (no X-Driver version). It is simply not listed by the UK importer. The price ex works is €75,000.

Interesting......Does that mean it is available in RHD in the UK, they just don't have it on the website (which is weird, as they have the saloon 550i) or I would have to import a LHD one myself?

[r129sl]

filski666 said:

r129sl said:

filski666 said:

...seeing as BMW no longer make the V8 tourers - but now I am left wanting a car in a niche that no one caters for, it seems....

BMW does still manufacture the 550i touring. It is RWD only (no X-Driver version). It is simply not listed by the UK importer. The price ex works is €75,000.

Interesting......Does that mean it is available in RHD in the UK, they just don't have it on the website (which is weird, as they have the saloon 550i) or I would have to import a LHD one myself?

I tried to figure this out by looking at BMW's website in other RHD markets. They don't get it in Australia and I couldn't manage the Japanese website. If the saloon is available in RHD, then I'd assume the touring is, too. You might be able to persuade a British dealer to special order one for you but no doubt it would require the patience of Job.

Back on point, most Mercs are manufactured in a much wider range of large, petrol variants than is offered in the UK. We only get about a third of the possible RHD permutations,maybe less. They're also manufactured in much less garish trim but we Brits like the flash look it seems.

[Nickbrapp]

Nickbrapp said:

I Wonder what the switch on the door pocket does

Opens and closes the rear door.



as in a power tail gate?

[bertie]

MuSplit said:

bertie said:

Blimey, strong reaction.

Given EU rules on drive by noise isnt this likely to become more and more widespread?

Either piping some noise in or synthesising via speakers.

Not sure it bothers me really where the noise comes from, or indeed if noise is relevant on a family wagon.

Then sit there in silence if you think that silence is the only option. IMO only pathetic people want to be lied to, or pretend to be/have something they're not.

You have no knowledge of the automotive industry, engineering, or simply what's in showrooms right now if you really claim that some noise rules would force this... What an ignorant, in-genuine, and clearly made up excuse. It's actually really offensive that you think that it's ok to say such BS and expect me to believe it!

BTW If you would bother to think about your (hopefully very quickly) made up excuse for even a little while, you'd notice that it's completely illogical based on the info of the article...

But I understand that most people don't really care about cars or understand them, just want to look good to others and buy irrational crap that is obscenely embarrassing.

Wow!

My logic was that since the EU are legislating to reduce what they call environmental noise emissions from cars, is it not inevitable that some form of synthetic noise will be created inside the cabin to satisfy people's desire to hear a "nice" engine noise.

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/automotive/...



I'm not sure why you're getting so personal with me, by the way, I've worked for 28 years in automotive engineering.

[MuSplit]

bertie said:

Wow!

My logic was that since the EU are legislating to reduce what they call environmental noise emissions from cars, is it not inevitable that some form of synthetic noise will be created inside the cabin to satisfy people's desire to hear a "nice" engine noise.

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/automotive/...



I'm not sure why you're getting so personal with me, by the way, I've worked for 28 years in automotive engineering.

Go ahead, be nonchalant and don't care about lying and fakery. You can have any layman's opinion you want. But don't try to rationalise it and give BS excuses.

I myself have never heard of cabin noise being so loud that it becomes an environmental concern...

Jesus, did you not even read that the C63, a different version of the same car, has no fake sounds played through the speakers?????????? Let me guess, you worked at British Leyland or Lada?

And finally, as I already wrote: go find out what is on sale right now (even those with the pathetic fake sounds through speakers), and listen to their actual exhaust sounds. Clearly you haven't done that. Yet you keep spewing very arrogant messages that are clearly nothing but products of your 'reasoning' and imagination.

Above all I wonder why are you trying so vehemently to justify such stupid fakery??

Edited by MuSplit on Friday 6th March 22:33

[Osinjak]

tfin said:

Wonder how vauxhall managed to get this in the new corsa then?

Was that directed at me or the sales bloke?