Had a friend tell me my car was really nothing but a glorified cl320 coupe which he said he would buy any day over a crossfire for better resale and name plate

the CL320 looks can't compare but part of my wonders about the depth of any other differences between the 2?

 

your friends an idiot, it's a glorrified SLK320! with better looks.

 

Yes SLK320, but it's closely related to C parts and frame. With a dash of S parts as well !!

 

If some people read posts half as much as they make them they would not spread bad info (opinions) so often.
It is even stated elsewhere on this forum that the x, sl, and cl all share components. THAT IS WHY THEY WERE ALL BUILT AT KARMANN TOGETHER.

RP

 

Crossfire = Unique beast, Designed by Chrysler... engineered and built by Merecedes.

Your friend doesn't know diddly. The Crossifire is based on an SLK320 pan (chassis floor pan) and then becomes completely unique from there. Suspension parts are from both the C and S classes. The driveline is almost entirely SLK. Lots of body parts, interior pieces and trim are specific for the Crossfire. Many of the systems are found in both the C and S classes.

Don't be deceived... it's a Crossfire...

 

I think you guys are all wrong.... and have believed to much of what you read without verifying anything for yourself.

The CL is not a C class (is confusing way to name their cars though)

The Crossfire does not have C class front suspension which has been written in many magazines. McPherson strut vs. un-equal A arms and coils springs (very different set ups). The Crossfire has SLK front suspension.

S class rear suspension? doubt it... Track is wrong to begin with. It does have an SLK rear suspension.

Chrysler designed? I am not sure I would go that far. Maybe a drawing which Mercedes used to change the looks of the SLK320

Maxwell got it right IMO: It is a re-skinned SLK320 that looks a lot better than the first generation Mercedes SLK it was based on. I doubt Mercedes would want to admit they re-skinned a Mercedes and sold it as a Chrysler, which is why there was so much effort at distancing the car when it was introduced. I think I saw where Mercedes claimed it was only 30% Mercedes which is a bunch of BS. What would the other 70% be? It certainly isn't Chrysler. Besides a couple of Chrysler emblems I would challenge anyone to find a Chrysler part on the car. They didn't even bother to give the car a Chrysler ignition key or the Chrysler bolt pattern for the wheels.

 

I've always heard that the rear suspension components were from the SL...

 

Lantana and Maxwell are exactly right. MB introduced the second generation SLK as a 2005 model and needed to do something with the remaining parts for the soon-to-be-replaced SLK platform. Thus the DCX Crossfire, which even at introductory MSRP was priced at a discount to the MB SLK. That wasn't a bad business move at all -- except for the failure to properly promote the Crossfire, which caused confusion in the marketplace because Chrysler had no recent history or experience with high-end two-seat sports cars. What DCX saved in capital R&D at the front end was lost when it had to lower the price because Chrysler wasn't allowed to market the car with the family lineage. The initial business idea was brilliant, but the subsequent real-world implementation was terrible. That's bad for DCX but good for us.

 

Might be possible since not every part of an SLK is unique to the SLK, but just about every meaningful mechanical part of the Crossfire is SLK. While the SLK and Crossfire don't look a like, to a mechanic the two cars would be virtually identical. I would rather have a Mercedes mechanic work on my car even if they had never seen a Crossfire before than take it to a Chrysler mechanic.

As part of my V8 conversion work, I recently had the car at a very good independent Mercedes mechanic, who had never been near a Crossfire before. When I lifted the hood he stopped all the other mechanics from what they were doing and had them come take a look. They all laughed and couldn't believe what they were seeing. They crawled all around my car and just kept laughing. They couldn't believe how well the SLK was disguised, but said it was all first generation SLK. Wouldn't be nice if the Chrysler mechanic felt that comfortable when looking under the hood of a Crossfire?

 

I owned a then new 2000 Mercedes-Benz SLK 230 Designo Copper Edition.
My 2007 Crossfire Ltd Coupe feels, and drives, like the same car. It just looks better, at a much better price.

 

Several months ago there was a forum link to an article detailing the design of the Crossfire. The article stated that the suspension bits were altered to account for the larger rims of the Crossfire. Assuming the article was accurate then the Crossfire is more of a close cousin than a twin of the MB SLK.

 

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...&highlight=SLK

It was here ^^^, but when AMG guy left, all his posts went away?!?!

Haha but that was the thread right there...

 

Just read through all six pages of the thread. It's pretty clear who was right and who was wrong; who's still here and who departed in a huff when his positions were exposed by those with superior knowledge.

 

A first cousin.
Good point.
It sure feels like my 2000 SLK; but better.

 

Don't you mean EX-Friend?

 

some interesting views

my real wonder was about overall driving experience irrespective of the technical realities of the cars

how would people who have driven the CL320 compare it to the crossfire

I appreciate those former owners of the SLK are saying the 2 drive remarkably similar (somewhat disappointing I have to admit given most experts view of the old SLK)

 

There is no such thing as a CL320. CL is a large coupe and has a 500, 600, 55, 63 or 65 motor.

 

Do you think he meant CLK320

 

I was thinking the same thing but wasn't sure were the poster lived. I have seen plenty of MB's with smaller engines sold in other parts of the world. But I have never heard of a CL320 in the US.

I remember reading the engineering article months back, and just re-read it. Either the article is complete BS or it is full of typo's. The article almost doesn't mention SLK at all. If you believe this article then you believe you have a McPherson strut front suspension. This article was similar to other articles that were published about the time the Crossfire was introduced. I really think there was some misinformation floated to distance the car from the SLK. Park next to an SLK320 sometime and start a conversaton with the owner. I did this once and we both popped our hoods and looked under and around each other's car. The SLK owner was amazed and seemed a little pissed when I told him what I paid. But under the skin they were identical.

 

My apologies, I was referring to the C320 Sport Coupe