Watered down AMG?

[theironduke]

On the local radio every advert seems to be a Merc one touting the "AMG Sport Plus" C220 CDi.... really bigging up the AMG'ness, how you can have an AMG for less than 300 quid a month etc.

Is this the first case of Merc watering down AMG in the same way BMW have been doing so with M and "M-Sport" for a few years?

I mean it's a 220 diesel, the minicab drivers favourite. It's not and will never be a proper AMG. Just as a 320 M Sport will never be a proper M car. I can see the logic, lure people in and make pennies but the advert just annoys me. I forsee reps across the nation bragging about their new AMG Mercs.

[ukzz4iroc]

S-Line, R Design, they are all at it. People love to think they look the same.

[texasjohn]

My dad got into my car when I first got it, "oh is it an AMG?" he said, as he saw the floormats. "No, it definitely isn't" I replied, slightly embarassed.

It just has manual mode on the auto gearbox whereas the Elegance doesn't have that facility and hence having to choose the Sport model.

In Germany you can have flappy paddles on your Elegance as an option but not in the UK.

But I suspect I am one of the few that took the Sport model because of the gearbox rather than the stupid daytime lights and bling bits.

DRLs turned off (far too bright on the new c class) and chose the no cost option 17s instead of 18s for ride comfort.

I don't think I have ever referred to my car as an AMG nor did I refer to my previous 130i as an M.

But many many others will, I am sure!

[0a]

I read an article that said the UK is unique in ordering most of our 4 cylinder diesels in M-sport/S-line spec.