Saw one of these beasts in a dealer's showroom near San Diego a week ago. Silver, doors flipped up, etc. Salesman said they'd dropped the price four times. Now it's down to about $500k. Checked my bank balance. Will have to wait a month or more. Oh well, it'll probably be gone by then but do I really need a 207 mph car in California? Oh yes. Those trips to Las Vegas.
And don't forget to keep another 200K in the bank because even the smallest damage to the carbon fiber body necessitates its complete replacement.
Bullshit.
No bullshit - it's the truth. If you don't believe me, call MBZ and ask for yourself. Not only that, the vehicle cannot be jacked up - even to change a tire! It can only be lifted in the shop on a special MBZ-designed lift. otherwise, it could cause damage to the body - again, requiring its complete replacement!
Not sure just what the composite body consists of but probably kevlar, carbon fibers and maybe some fibreglass. In any event you can repair almost any composite but it sure is a heck of a job. You have a problem when you get through whatever resin is used (probably a high-tech epoxy) and hit kevlar with a sanding wheel. It instantly turns into a ball of fuzz. All you can do is cut it off with a razor blade, apply more resin and try to avoid going all the way through the resin when you return to sanding. In my opinion the thing that would require the greatest amount of time would be matching the paint. That thing really did shine and was as smooth as any finish I've ever seen on anything except metal.!
My point is that it can be repaired without replacing the entire body, not that MBZ will do it that way.
It is clearly a specialty job and not for the faint of heart, but composite materials like fiberglass and carbon fiber most certainly are repairable...
It does take a very skilled person to make it look right however...
Marty
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