German Car Zone

Centurion · 05-06-2008, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarek

As much i'd love to see that title goes to the SLK but sadly it was Honda CRX who deputed the hard folding roof

Uh uh, the CRX had a detachable roof not one which fold with the press of a button

VroomVroom · 05-06-2008, 11:57 AM

Certainly shows...there everywhere

coolraoul · 05-06-2008, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarek

As much i'd love to see that title goes to the SLK but sadly it was Honda CRX who deputed the hard folding roof

Sorry but it's a 1930's Peugeot (Eclipse I think)... Very unreliable however, and a one-piece roof that takes all the boot. But it's the first car featuring the idea of a retractable steel-roof.

The CRX, from what I know, is more a Targa with power roof isn't it? So hardly a real CC. The C-pillar always stays in place.

The SLK is the first "modern" CC with a real full-size cabrio feeling, and a folding metal-roof in several pieces (two, actually). It's the one who showed the way to all others.

BTW... I prefer the original SLK to the actual one (even FL)...

Centurion · 05-06-2008, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolraoul

Sorry but it's a 1930's Peugeot (Eclipse I think)... Very unreliable however

........and up until today Peugeots still are.

I didn't know of the Eclipse. What a engineering nightmare. Great idea, not so good execution. The compartment for stashing the roof in during a hot day in Cannes is like half the car's lenght!

coolraoul · 05-06-2008, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Centurion

........and up until today Peugeots still are.

Ahaha that is a good point...

However imagine the shock when this car was released!! instead of the classic fabric-roof, hardly waterproof and absolutely not protective from wind or cold, to move by hand at least at two persons...

And the brilliantness of the mechanism, it's a gorgeous piece of machinery I find. One person can retract the roof quite easily it seems... How elegantly in this red-carpet compartment...

However it was utterly sensitive and never worked properly from what I know, but the idea is brilliant and the realization is really ahead of its time, very modern I find.

The car itself is quite elegant, and it very well could be one of the first pick-up based on a car...

ZicZachZo · 05-06-2008, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merc1

Love the car in your Avatar, it is an all-tme Benz favorite. If I remember right I have a 1994 or 1995 W124 E-Class brocuhure with that same picture of an E420.

I liked the first generation SLK, but would have never, ever bought one. The current generation however is much more desireable, especially the FL 350.

M

Thanks Merc1. It's one of my favorite MB designs as well. When I was a little kid my dad worked for MB as a tech and he drove the 300TE work vehicle quite a bit so I got to ride around in an E class every once in a while. It's one of those cars that will hold a special place in my car-loving heart forever. It's also my dad's favorite Benz as well.

I got the pic from the MBUSA archives and it's listed as the E420 so you are right on the money.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Geneva Auto Show: 2009 Mercedes Benz CLC 220 CDI revealed	Bartek Sikorski	CLC-Class	2	03-06-2008 09:28 AM
Mercedes-Benz At The Detroit Auto Show 2008	Alx	New MB Models / Vehicles	20	01-17-2008 04:12 PM
Mercedes-Benz At The Detroit Auto Show 2008	Merc1	The Mercedes-Benz Lounge	49	01-15-2008 08:11 AM
Preview: 2009 Mercedes Benz CLC-Class?	Just_me	New MB Models / Vehicles	8	04-19-2007 12:17 AM
Time magazine article on the state of affairs at Mercedes Benz...	Deutsch	The Mercedes-Benz Lounge	11	10-22-2005 12:32 PM

German Car Zone

Mercedes-Benz sells 500,000 SLK convertibles