CL550 4MATIC

[whoover]

According the the new info up at mbusa.com, 4MATIC is standard on the 2009 CL550. This is huge, since all CLs are ABC and ABC has never been available on 4MATIC. It still isn't on 2009 S550 4MATIC. I can't believe they would drop ABC from the CL (and still advertise its presence to boot). But I can't believe that they would finally get an ABC 4MATIC chassis and not ballyhoo it or make it available on the sedan. Very weird.

[silberrosa]

The site is not correct. The car no longer has ABC. Instead it uses airmatic in combination with 4MATIC.

[Blk04cobra1]

Silberrosa is correct, there is no ABC in 2009 on the CL550 4matic. It now uses the airmatic and ADS systems for handling.

[whoover]

Originally Posted by Blk04cobra1

Silberrosa is correct, there is no ABC in 2009 on the CL550 4matic. It now uses the airmatic and ADS systems for handling.

Thanks. That seems a strange move to me, really changing the character of the car. The CLs have always been a flagship and ABC seemed part of the technology statement.

[Mercutio.Mont]

What on earth is M-B thinking??

[WSH]

mbusa site tends to be highly erroneous and of neg value....some parts of CL site imply all CL550s are 4Matic; other parts indic 550 non-4Matic still exists for MY09....

Prior iteration of site indicated CL63 had front active hd restraints; per AMG US chkg w/Germany, that is false info (AHR not compatible w/CL seat design)....

Agree....in today's tighter economy, cars like CL550s are really difficult to sell....MB should only ship CL600 (reputedly a great winter car for NYC w/winter tires)/63 030/65 to US....somewhat counterintuitively, in recessionary economies, seems like 63 030/65 have tighter supply/demand balance than 550s....

[absent]

Originally Posted by WSH

mbusa site tends to be highly erroneous and of neg value....some parts of CL site imply all CL550s are 4Matic; other parts indic 550 non-4Matic still exists for MY09....

Prior iteration of site indicated CL63 had front active hd restraints; per AMG US chkg w/Germany, that is false info (AHR not compatible w/CL seat design)....

Agree....in today's tighter economy, cars like CL550s are really difficult to sell....MB should only ship CL600 (reputedly a great winter car for NYC w/winter tires)/63 030/65 to US....somewhat counterintuitively, in recessionary economies, seems like 63 030/65 have tighter supply/demand balance than 550s....

Similar here in Chicago,S600/63/65 hard to find vs tons of 550s.
CL65 though,sits on dealers lots....

[Blk04cobra1]

unfortunately with the way the economy is right now, all CL's are sitting...even with pretty big discounts on them we still have quite a few sitting 63's and 550's that is...

[whoover]

Originally Posted by Blk04cobra1

unfortunately with the way the economy is right now, all CL's are sitting...even with pretty big discounts on them we still have quite a few sitting 63's and 550's that is...

And the cure is supposed to be four-wheel drive? What CL prospect is looking for a softer, floatier four-wheel-drive version, especially in the warmer climate markets? Did the product manager decide to play a joke before retiring?

[Blk04cobra1]

Originally Posted by whoover

And the cure is supposed to be four-wheel drive? What CL prospect is looking for a softer, floatier four-wheel-drive version, especially in the warmer climate markets? Did the product manager decide to play a joke before retiring?

I have no clue what they were thinking when they made this standard...

[pmb600]

CL550 definately has 4Matic standard for MY2009 and also ABC is deleted and replaced with Airmatic. I don't know what they are thinking either.

[Kar don]

They still make the RWD 550, maybe just not for US.

Maybe its a good marketing gimmic, tell them that all 09s will be 4matic that way the supply of 08 RWD 550s will diminish. Then "change" the 4matic only decision for 09.

[Mercutio.Mont]

I refuse to believe that M-B is that foolish.