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ianx, manchester
Date registered: Dec 1899
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| R171 Facelift in March 2008 - early info and speculation
Here goes, (mostly cribbed from Torstens forum)
The Nose will stay!
There will be NO diesel.
A lot of the silver buttons and switches will become black! In fact a lot of the silver interior parts may go!
The usual tweaking of the alloys and front and rear bumpers will take place.
The front lights and fogs may get a redesign.
A possible redesign of the antenna
COMAND and telematics will be updated, MHI/UHI is to be replaced with a new system called UCI.
Personally i think a refresh of the bumpers and interior is a given. Thats how MB have always tackled the mid-life facelift. But the telematics thing is interesting as NOKIA were chosen as developers of a new system a while ago!
I wonder if thats what they are working on! |
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Easty
Date registered: Dec 1899
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| Re: Facelift in March 2008 - early info and speculation
The Nose will stay! Woohoo! It's the best looking nose of any Merc. even the SLR tries to copy, bent went a bit ott and resembles concordski
The front lights and fogs may get a redesign. more protection or disposable screen hopefully.
A possible redesign of the antenna haha.. It's the only thing people put down.
If this is true I'd say they have been listening to customer feedback, As these are a lot of the topics that come up. The phone system just always seems outrageously over priced. When bluetooth has been a standard for a while now and 3rd party kits work well and are so cheap.. Hopefully they'll address this.
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Easty
Date registered: Dec 1899
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| Re: R171 Facelift in March 2008 - early info and speculation
A babelfish conv of
http://www.jesdc.de/news/news/slk-r171.htm#260406
26.03.06 SLK R171 Facelift March 2008 in March 2008 comes after well 4 years production time the Facelift for the SLK (R171). The SLK 200 is received to that 184 HP. A conversion of the M271 von Kompressor to superchargers is not clear yet. Furthermore the SLK 350 is to be offered to cgi with 292 HP and 365 Nm. It will not give a SLK 320 CDI to tri turbo further. The antenna is shortened on 19cm. The bumpers are modified in front and in the back. The props are laid out downward angularly and probably orient themselves at the new C-class (W204). The fog headlights receive chrome rings. The AMG rear lights is blocked for all. Further points for the Facelift (excerpt mbslk.com): Outside mirror similarly new C-class with larger mirror glass new adjustable final tubing screen new light alloy wheels in 16"and 17" new special equipments from the new C-class new lacquer finishes and Interieurfarben, omission of little inquired colors combination instrument with 3D-Skalenringen, new Design of the pointers and chromium-plated frames of the dials steering wheel from the new C-class trim driver's side with grained surface and black paints trim front seat passenger side matt chromium-plates new wood Zierteile (ash black or pappel) Zierteile on Ablagefach/Cupholder shining chromium-plates black air conditioning system keys of adjusting wheels ventilation nozzles black paints window lifter switches in the style of the e-class switch C/S(/M) at the automatic selector into black new operating sector at the interior light with black keys and Chromzierteilen DAB dAB-Tuner AUX entrance in the glove subject modifies doppelspulige Subwoofer in the doors new interface for communications equipments (UCI instead of UHI) further changes Comand/Telefon in planning Besides there is to be a sport package in this summer 2006 for all other SLK motorizing. The exact extent are not yet well-known also here. Beside switching paddle for a possible mechanism new light alloy wheels and black lining screens (behind the klarglasscheibe) for the headlights are in the discussion. |
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etyu
Date registered: Dec 1899
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| Re: R171 Facelift in March 2008 - early info and speculation
Any "spy" photos or artist's diagrams or drawings? |
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Dinoman
Date registered: Dec 1899
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| Re: R171 Facelift in March 2008 - early info and speculation
An American car designer of the 1950s, in an interview with Collectible Automobile magazine a few years back, was discussing the 3-year General Motors design cycle of that postwar period. He said that, during design gestation, numerous variations of a design were sketched and modelled. The best design details were ultimately used for the new design's first year, with the "runner-up" details used the second, and the weakest details used for the third and final year. In much the same vein, most facelifts wind up being different, but not better. Sometimes a new corporate logo or a new design direction (like the new Audi "two-story" grille) will be introduced during a facelift, but generally speaking, the original is hard to improve upon, if it was good design in the first place. I won't rush to trade my'06 when the facelifted model arrives.  Dinoman |
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etyu
Date registered: Dec 1899
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Vehicle(s):
| Re: R171 Facelift in March 2008 - early info and speculation
Completely agree Dinoman. I was just curious on the looks and interested on how the new 19 cm antenna would look. |
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Dinoman
Date registered: Dec 1899
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| Re: R171 Facelift in March 2008 - early info and speculation
I don't know how many of you feel this way, but after a few years of ownership (especially in this harsh northeastern climate), I take a certain pride in the condition of my cars, knowing that I am responsible for their having survived in good shape. It's also nice in cases where options or colors have changed (like the upcoming '07 change to Storm Red) to know that no one can admire your car, then drop into the local dealer and buy/order one exactly like it. Maybe it's just a rationalization on my part, but it does seem to take some of the "bite" out of seeing improvements that you would have liked on your own car. In the final analysis, your own tastes and individual modifications are what bestow pride of ownership. Boy, I didn't intend to get so philosophical when I started writing this reply!!!  Dinoman |
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bclark
Date registered: Dec 1899
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| Re: R171 Facelift in March 2008 - early info and speculation
Dinoman - 4/27/2006 2:44 PM
Maybe it's just a rationalization on my part,
Maybe so . . . but,could I borrow it? |
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Duo-Art
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
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| Re: R171 Facelift in March 2008 - early info and speculation
Every time I take my SLK out, people stare at it admiringly. I've owned it for 1 1/2 years and it's still a thrill to drive a Mercedes Benz sports car. Even if M/B changes the style, I expect that people will still admire it for many years to come. |
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bmwnomore
Date registered: Dec 1899
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| Re: R171 Facelift in March 2008 - early info and speculation
There will finally be a black wood for the SLK (black ash) instead of the silver plastic. I've looked for a black wood for a while for my SLK. My brother has an E-class sport package with black birds-eye maple. I've always liked the way that looked. Classy and sporty at the same time. It should be nice.
Edited by bmwnomore 4/27/2006 7:52 PM
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Dinoman
Date registered: Dec 1899
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| Re: R171 Facelift in March 2008 - early info and speculation
Bclark, It would be my pleasure! Although we all love our cars, we sometimes need a boost to get us through some "trying" news. It's kind of like finding out that a girl you liked, who isn't really interested in you, has some secret flaw that you couldn't tolerate under any circumstances. Maybe that's why I had so much trouble getting dates back in high school!!! Dinoman |
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