bd0nalds0n

I did a little stoplight to stoplight vs. a CLK 55 yesterday on my way to breakfast. The guy was probably in his late 40s and it was a new car that didn't even have plates on it yet.

To be fair, he was having traction problems as I edged away from him--I could hear his tires chirp chirp chirping as I assume his traction control kept retarding whatever it needed to eliminate the wheel spin.

I don't know how we would've compared over a longer road--this was pretty short--but it's still got to be a bummer to have paid probably $10k or $20k more to get the fancy supercharged 5.5L in your new Mercedes, and be shown up while out looking for fresh meat, before the plates even arrive in the mail.

Thought I'd share...

Tony

Leslie 928 S2

Good job!! I feel bad for the other guy...but only sort of.

bd0nalds0n

Well, maybe I misspoke--the CLK55 doesn't have a supercharger, and looks like it puts down something like 380 hp. So it shouldn't have been much of a contest anyway.

Tony

I thought the K designates "kompressor" thats what i was lead to believe?

scott863

K stands for Kurtz, which is short in German. CLK is the smaller CL. Just like the SLK is the smaller SL.

Porsche 917s racers in the golden era of LeMans came in 917 Langehecht and 917 Kurtz. The Lange Hecht was the "long tail" for races like Lemans back when it had the 4 mile long Mulsanne straight.

fabric

Good info, I never new that was how it worked. Thanks!

Tony - they generally say "kompressor" somewhere on them if that is the case. On the non-AMGs, usually on the back on side, but the AMGs I think only have the designation on the side, if that.

marton

Which CLK?
The CLK320 features a 3.2 L, 18-valve single overhead cam (SOHC) V6 engine and a 5-speed automatic transmission.
The CLK350 features a 3.5 L, 24-valve duel overhead cam (DOHC) V6 engine and a 7-speed automatic transmission.
The CLK500 features a 5.0 L, 24-valve SOHC V8 engine and a 7-speed automatic transmission.
The CLK550 features a 5.5L 32-valve V-8 engine and a 7-speed automatic transmission.
The CLK55 AMG features a 5.5 L, 24-valve SOHC V8 engine and a 5-speed automatic transmission.
The CLK63 AMG features a 6.3L V8 with a 7 speed automatic transmission. CLK63 has 31% more horse power and 23% more torque. The CLK63 is currently being used as the safety car in Formula One.

anyway

Marton

bd0nalds0n

I think all the CLKs share the same body ...the CLK is more diminutive than the CL. "Smaller" in this case refers to body size, not engine/transmission configuration.

And as I mentioned, in the title, it was a CLK55.

EDIT: I forgot to put in the K in CLK.

123quattro

Nice work. As an aside, traction control doesn't eliminate wheelspin. It controls slip. Different slip percentages are commanded on ice, snow, gravel, asphalt, et cetera.

MBMB

CL55 is a different kettle of fish entirely. 500+/- HP and 500+/- FtLb.

Charley B

Actually in the title you said CLK 55.
Now go humble a CL55 and I will send you money.

perrys4

I ran a CL500 a couple years ago from 70-125 and stayed a fender ahead of him when I expected to see nothing but tailights. I agree that a CL55 (63)? is a different breed. Thanks for the clarifictaion because i was getting confused.

Jim Nowak

The CL55 from 2000 to 2002 was NA and had around 350 hp but 2003 and later models have 493 hp and 516 lb-ft of tq available at 2750 rpm. The 2003 and later CL55 is good for 1/4 mile times in the 12's.

The CL600 was NA from 1993 to 2002. Starting in 2003 the CL600 was fitted with twin-turbos. Stock, the 2003 and later CL600 has 493 hp and 580 lb-ft of torque available at 1800 rpm. The CL600 will also run mid to low 12's stock. However, the CL600 has some incredibly untapped power and can be easily upgraded to 670 hp with an ECU mod and different air box. I gained over 126 RWHP with just the ECU tune from stock. My stage 1 Renntech CL600 put down over 524 RWHP. It's also capable of mid to low 11's in the 1/4 mile.

littleball_s4

Some do better than others. I tried myself the one from a CLK and its launches are crap. You start MUCH faster if you control the clutch carefully. If you pull it like if you were to doo a burnout, the car burns a bit of rubber, then the engine cuts drastically and almost stalls and takes ages to launch it again.