Thursday:
Well, after a small hicup at the last minute we went and collected our car, here is a quick write up as promised.....
We left for Heathrow terminal 5 via a freinds taxi (new M5 no less)
This new terminal is just amazing and it was just perfect to get our weekend off to a flying start (pun intended). Quick check in then drinks and buffett in the business class lounge. On to the plane right at the terminal very quick and efficient, then a 20 minute taxi to the runway....
Collected by a taxi in Stuttgart and whisked off to the hotel, the Marriott in Sindelfingen was right in the middle of an industrial estate with a bit of parkland next door, so we stayed in and had the most fantastic steak in the restaurant. Early night as up early to get the car.
8am Friday:
We check out and as we are already in Sindelfingen we get to the factory by 8.10.
Handed our bags over to the reception and sorted out the paper work, the car would be ready in 20 mins so we had a browse around the shop and a cup of coffee or two in the coffee room overlooking the collection hall.
We watch as the cars come out of the roller door (it's like something out of Star Trek it opens and shuts so quick "wooosh")
Although I have been here before it's still wierd seeing your new car arrive.....
After a few snaps were taken we walk calmly down the stairs to collect....
Just as we are admiring it another one comes out alongside (silver, standard alloys) I,m thinking I definatley made the right choice of alloys there...
So we go through what all the buttons do, how the comand works etc.etc OK OK I just wanna go and play.....
Start her up blip the throttle, that turns heads then glide out the doors, just as we get the bonnet level I press.... just a bit, and the thing comes alive with a shout as we exit the warehouse hehehe!!!
Park up outside for a few more pics......
Then its off to the MB museum in Stuttgart....Interesting as it was and I would definatley recommend a visit, you go up to the top and wind your way down through the history of MB, you get the drift now back to the car.....
After that we go to the AMG factory at Affalterbach, now this is really strange as the place is no bigger than a small village with an industrail estate at one end, within this small industrial estate is the AMG factory, nothing to show you its there as you drive up, its just set in this, and I mean small, industral estate.
We pull into the cobbled court yard and go into reception....
Inside we have arranged to meet our guide (this was specially arranged through AMG customer relations prior to our collection and was nothing to do with either MB UK or our dealer, so if you want some advice on how to do this PM me I'll let you know) It really is amazing what they can do here, most cars are completley stripped down and re-built to customer orders literally....
CLK DTM in the showroom....
Look!!! there's my car outside.....
SL65 AMG Black.... stripped and awaiting new leather upholstery, this was her car (whoever she is....)
And this is his.... CL65 AMG special blue leather with blue carbon fibre inserts and best of all the exhaust had six....yes ....six pipes on the back, unfortunatley it was a one off and we were not allowed to take pictures of it....
This is how you can tell if the car has been raced....
Yep the brakes have heated up so hot the brake callipers have turned a nice golden colour....notice the uprated performance discs, you can tell as it has extra bolts, the different metal parts dissipate the heat generated so the brakes dont fade as quick as the standard ones.
Here's one on a C63 with the performance package...
tudu...this ones for you mate, a nice upgrade.....illuminated AMG door cills:
A stunning CLK63 Black, that carbon fibre diffuser looks hot....
Notice the new wing mirrors on this Calcite White C63 with PP, I'm a bit miffed mine did'nt have these....
After that we had a very leisurley trip up to Sankt Goar on the Rhine, with a couple of strange experiences on the way, pulled into a rest area, at least 3 cars stopped to take pictures whilst we streched our legs.....
If you like the Rhine the place is next to the Loreley rock, loveley place and we had a trip on the river too as our hotel wes right opposite the stop....
Apparently it was also the local curry house....
Then a long run up to Amsterdam, we got the car up to about 158mph on the motorway but traffic kept slowing us down, and the sound.... no wonder this car is so thirsty you just cant help but blip the throttle, especially when you go through a tunnel, you just get the big cheesy grin, it's impossible not to...
Saturday:
Quick tour of Amsterdam, what a difference going over the German border, it's like being back in the UK...lots of signage and slow and traffic.....
Sunday:
Drive down to the beach at the Hook...
Then on to the overnight car ferry from the Hook to Harwich, loved that too, I like boats their great.
Monday:
Early drive home, nice to be back on the left. The car does work better this way....
Some pictures of the car....
Now the worst part as the car is back with the dealer awaiting number plates and registration for 1st Sept....
Another wait, at least its less than a week this time.......
Cheers for looking
Mark.
Well, after a small hicup at the last minute we went and collected our car, here is a quick write up as promised.....
We left for Heathrow terminal 5 via a freinds taxi (new M5 no less)
This new terminal is just amazing and it was just perfect to get our weekend off to a flying start (pun intended). Quick check in then drinks and buffett in the business class lounge. On to the plane right at the terminal very quick and efficient, then a 20 minute taxi to the runway....
Collected by a taxi in Stuttgart and whisked off to the hotel, the Marriott in Sindelfingen was right in the middle of an industrial estate with a bit of parkland next door, so we stayed in and had the most fantastic steak in the restaurant. Early night as up early to get the car.
8am Friday:
We check out and as we are already in Sindelfingen we get to the factory by 8.10.
Handed our bags over to the reception and sorted out the paper work, the car would be ready in 20 mins so we had a browse around the shop and a cup of coffee or two in the coffee room overlooking the collection hall.
We watch as the cars come out of the roller door (it's like something out of Star Trek it opens and shuts so quick "wooosh")
Although I have been here before it's still wierd seeing your new car arrive.....
After a few snaps were taken we walk calmly down the stairs to collect....
Just as we are admiring it another one comes out alongside (silver, standard alloys) I,m thinking I definatley made the right choice of alloys there...
So we go through what all the buttons do, how the comand works etc.etc OK OK I just wanna go and play.....
Start her up blip the throttle, that turns heads then glide out the doors, just as we get the bonnet level I press.... just a bit, and the thing comes alive with a shout as we exit the warehouse hehehe!!!
Park up outside for a few more pics......
Then its off to the MB museum in Stuttgart....Interesting as it was and I would definatley recommend a visit, you go up to the top and wind your way down through the history of MB, you get the drift now back to the car.....
After that we go to the AMG factory at Affalterbach, now this is really strange as the place is no bigger than a small village with an industrail estate at one end, within this small industrial estate is the AMG factory, nothing to show you its there as you drive up, its just set in this, and I mean small, industral estate.
We pull into the cobbled court yard and go into reception....
Inside we have arranged to meet our guide (this was specially arranged through AMG customer relations prior to our collection and was nothing to do with either MB UK or our dealer, so if you want some advice on how to do this PM me I'll let you know) It really is amazing what they can do here, most cars are completley stripped down and re-built to customer orders literally....
CLK DTM in the showroom....
Look!!! there's my car outside.....
SL65 AMG Black.... stripped and awaiting new leather upholstery, this was her car (whoever she is....)
And this is his.... CL65 AMG special blue leather with blue carbon fibre inserts and best of all the exhaust had six....yes ....six pipes on the back, unfortunatley it was a one off and we were not allowed to take pictures of it....
This is how you can tell if the car has been raced....
Yep the brakes have heated up so hot the brake callipers have turned a nice golden colour....notice the uprated performance discs, you can tell as it has extra bolts, the different metal parts dissipate the heat generated so the brakes dont fade as quick as the standard ones.
Here's one on a C63 with the performance package...
tudu...this ones for you mate, a nice upgrade.....illuminated AMG door cills:
A stunning CLK63 Black, that carbon fibre diffuser looks hot....
Notice the new wing mirrors on this Calcite White C63 with PP, I'm a bit miffed mine did'nt have these....
After that we had a very leisurley trip up to Sankt Goar on the Rhine, with a couple of strange experiences on the way, pulled into a rest area, at least 3 cars stopped to take pictures whilst we streched our legs.....
If you like the Rhine the place is next to the Loreley rock, loveley place and we had a trip on the river too as our hotel wes right opposite the stop....
Apparently it was also the local curry house....
Then a long run up to Amsterdam, we got the car up to about 158mph on the motorway but traffic kept slowing us down, and the sound.... no wonder this car is so thirsty you just cant help but blip the throttle, especially when you go through a tunnel, you just get the big cheesy grin, it's impossible not to...
Saturday:
Quick tour of Amsterdam, what a difference going over the German border, it's like being back in the UK...lots of signage and slow and traffic.....
Sunday:
Drive down to the beach at the Hook...
Then on to the overnight car ferry from the Hook to Harwich, loved that too, I like boats their great.
Monday:
Early drive home, nice to be back on the left. The car does work better this way....
Some pictures of the car....
Now the worst part as the car is back with the dealer awaiting number plates and registration for 1st Sept....
Another wait, at least its less than a week this time.......
Cheers for looking
Mark.
