Dave 86 930 Fl

Stopped by the local Porsche/Mercedes dealership in Melbourne, Florida this afternoon ... they have a silver CGT and a silver McLaren. While the Mercedes is an impressive machine, my $400+k (if I had it) would go for the CGT.

Along the same lines, saw a CGT and Ferrari Spider yesterday cruising the infield at the Daytona 24 Hours ... Same comment, my $$ go to the CGT.

BuddyG

I totally agree. I do not care for the SLR at all! Picking between the Carrera GT and Enzo would be hard if they were the same price but seeing as the Enzo commands a million dollar price tag, again I would choose the Carrera GT.

So basically I need a Carrera GT!

Woodster

I agree Budman, after riding in my buddies last spring for the first time I told him that maybe
I could sell my house and live in an apartment (to afford CGT). They are that incredible
of an experience. ( I heard your drove one also)
and it seems like the cost delta and performance delta between
a SL65 and a SLR doesn't equate very well.
(Cool show on AMGs last night on Speed which had Tommy Kendall
and Klaus Ludwig?? driving at Hockenheim and on the Autobahnen!)

Bob Rouleau

I agree that there is no comparison between the SLR and the C-GT. I think Mercedes realizes they made a mistake and will never sell the 3,500 cars they projected especially at a price higher than the C-GT.

1AS

I am amazed that a single human being bought an SLR. The show last night was interesting, but the nose-to-tail drive in the CLS with Mika was especially good. But the video of mountain drifting in a CGT is tough to beat. AS

Bob Rouleau

AS - a friend of mine has one. I was very impressed when I saw it. The car is engineered to the nth degree. The hood mechanism is even more mechanically advanced than a cup holder (that's a joke, sort of).

On track the car is wickedly fast but the brakes don't stand up - with the oem pads at least.

The downside is that the car looks like a volume production car. The eyeball value test puts it in $250,000 range. It is a hard sell at $450K and I suspect there is a large supply in warehouses. Probably parked next to an assortment of Maybachs.

TEUTONIC

CGT, anyday over the slr.woodster i saw the amg stuff on speed 2wice now, just because ludvig is a god and the new merceades 6.3 v8 in the clk race car sounds awsome, the highest output per ltr of any naturally aspired v8 ever.sorry to jack the thread.

1AS

Hey Bob,
I walked by one on the local showroom floor, and it absolutely didn't move me. Cars are all about emotion, and I just didn't feel it. I recall a Gordon Murray interview in which he said that design changes from MB added about a thousand pounds to the car. In another interview, he was less negative.
I think it's the proportions that throw me. Trying to get the desired weight distribution with the engine forward results in a styling compromise that seems peculiar rather than stunning. I'm gonna have to try to spend time with you, since your friends drive more-interesting cars than mine. AS

ElTorrente

I don't know.. while I would rather have the CGT, I think that Mercedes is just awesome!

They aren't competitors in my book, anyway. I'd just take both of them and be happy. I'd drive the SLR to work most days, and the CGT would be for weekends and fun drives.

BuddyG

As someone already mentioned you could save yourself almost $300,000 and just buy a sl65 which looks very similar and has nearly the same performance!

IcemanG17

Buddy
Heres the idea...the 604hp AMGSL65 is $180K.....but is predicted to depreciate to 30% its original value in 5 years or about $54K.....that would be the time to buy one! I would imagine they won't get driven much...should be easy to find a good one then!

Bob Rouleau

FWIW, I don't think the two cars (SL65 and SLR) look alike, apart from the usual Mercedes family characterisitics. My first reaction to a black on black SLR was "wow the batmobile".

In spite of being heavier than Gordon Murray wanted, it is a LOT lighter than the SL 65 and the engine is in the middle (front mid-engine). That is the reason for the unusual shape that Alex pointed out. When you open the hood, you see that the engine is set far back for better weight distribution. I suspect that the SLR will depreciate very fast and will make a nice ride a few years out, especially if MB actually build 3,500 of them as planned. It's a very cool car, it just doesn't turn my crank.

themarsman

You can get a Sl65 for 54K off sticker in one year, all of the 65's are dropping like a rock as soon as you take them off the lot.

Actually a lot of them are being sold for under sticker from dealers, just check out ebay.

MarkRobinson

the SL65 moves me, the SLR does not at all: too ackward of a design. Pass.

20C4S

CGT is a perfect weekend ride while the SLR would be great for daily use. wouldn't mind to own both.