They watred it down but it wasn't catastrophic like the SLR wich is a complete disaster imo.

You're right ..the GST really was an exciting-looking vehicle ....even if it did look far more like a Chrysler than Mercedes -- you are also correct bum-man that the GST is where we first saw those "strip lights"

Well i don't want to turn this to SLR debte but i miserably failed to understand why u said that about the SLR? MB wanted an ultra exclusive GT typical of Benz traditions and they got it,so in what way it was a disaster?

The watering down process is a disaster, the concept was epic, the production car a caricature.

^ I have some sympathy for that opinion shonguiz ....I felt much the same way about the SLR .....and the roadster took far too long to arrive.

However, I have come to like the SLR more and more over time. Has is ever had a bad review? ....I can't remember one

Well IMO the SLR looks even better than the concept,and hands down it's the best get-in-and-disappear kinda car on sale now,it is not a Ferrari 599GTB and was never meant to be,the car is as comfy as a MB sedan.A hyper GT MB style that's all

And Rob,the only -ve the SLR ever got is the excess wight that affect the handling that's all,but we all know why is that.

Well concerning the look, i think proportions are just terrible on the production car and some over styled details make it even worse, but what makes this car even less desirable is that it's the typical crap compromise, it's not a GT but not a supercar either. It simply fails where the Veyron superbly succed.

I think that is of course ur opinion

No pure facts j/k

The reason for the R-class failure isn't because of the looks. When the GST concept was unveiled everybody's jaw dropped, for the first time uber practicality and good looks were united. Sadly the R-class hit the market just after the SUV revolution began. Pre-revolution the Chrysler Voyager was one of the most popular family car in the western world, and now it's as rare as a Ferrari.

SUV falling down in price ranges just above 20k just leeched the sales from all MPV in the same price. Women no longer wanted big and bulky estates or MPV but told their husbands to buy an SUV instead. Expensive SUV like the R-class obviously suffered most since an Q7, ML and X5 offer almost the same practicality but looks a whole lot more cooler.

This is the reason why BMW is introducing the PAS which is technically an MPV with a slanted roof and BMW DNA. The slanted roof won't be a problem since BMW has noticed that people are willing to sacrifice practicality for appearance.