good write up allEuro. sums it up nicely. The recirculating ball versus rack and pinion is not that big of a deal, and each has their own benefits. The creature comfort things in a 40K car would have been a no brainer for me, and I think you're assessment of the MB thought process was jiust about right on. Their baby was their own, and this just was really the baby Benz for the sucker american market because they probably had to.

It's basically my daily driver too because it beats driving a Focus anyday for the price. Enough get up and go because of the torque, and a great value for the money for longevity. It's a beautiful design by itself. But like the Cayman and the Cayman s and now the Cayman R they could have done something like that, although the SRT after only one year out was that attempt for the performance, but then should have boosted the other componentry as well, and made it true race capable.