merc star removal

No, kids running keys down the side of the car. Running an old style Bentley here means you are either a celebrity golfer or a bookmaker! Actually a local dealer had a fantastic one for a quarter of the price of the new SLK. Over here there are lots of old Rollers and Bentleys, usually ex wedding chauffeur cars. It would just be too embarassing to drive one and they don;t fit in British size parking spaces. One of the best things about visiting the USA is being able to park the car in a car park and open the doors to get out. Over here its open the door a fraction and try and squeeze out. This is why so many cars have dents up the sides from other people's doors hitting them.

I have another Mercedes already:

style of course with the smaller supercharged engine and the lowered suspension.

Very nice.

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

In the late 40's they would rip off the ring around the "bullet" on the '46 Buicks. The chrome ring was used by girls as a bracelet. Fender skirts were also easy prey. I knew someone that brazed some razor blades on the release lever...he returned to find his car was totally vandalized. Fun and games in Los Angeles...NOT! :-(

Thanks for the neat screen saver series of photos. ;-)

"James O'Riley" > doors hitting them.

I don't mind....

I think it is the design flaw on Mercedes-Benz part. They could have fitted the clip that prevent this method without opening the bonnet first to remove the clip.

No, the bonnets are raised higher to give more clearance between the bonnet and hard points inside the engine bay. You are probably referring to the high bonnet on the SUV: we haven't seen the design change for the SUV yet other than the new generation of SUV (i.e. Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, Toyota RAV4, etc.). EU regulations calls for more absorption of energy and less injury. That is the interim measure until the technology provides the way of triggering airbags (or should I say air mattress) or raising the bonnet a few inches upward upon the impact. That latter one is becoming popular choice as to preserve the car design.

Notice the design evolution of Rolls-Royce grille from Phantom to EX-100 coupé/cabriolet? The new grille is more swept back and does look better than the upright 'Greek temple'. Aside from shortening and widening the grille over the years, that is the first major design change in its history.

No, the three-point star ornament will stay with us as long as new regulations don't call for elimination of them. The three-point star ornament has become thinner and thinner as well as smaller over the years. The base of ornament is sphere-shaped which allowed them to lay flat in unfortunate event of encountering a pedestrian. I had one from

1960s which was big and heavy along with the base that resemble the radiator cap. That one was very stiff, harder to flex, and look more painful if struck by it. The ornament will continue to adorn the saloons and estates. The big three-point star in the grille is reserved for the coupé and SUV. I am not particular about that big ones, especially on CLK or any four-seat coupé. The first generation CLK looked really good with radiator grille and bonnet ornament that I was disappointed to see the Cheshire Cat's smile on the current generation CLK. Hmm, CLK and C55/C63 share the same front clip so I suppose I can just swap the parts...

I always wanted a Rolls, back when Bently was owned by Rolls, but the fact that they only got around 9 mpg made that a no-go. Might look at an older one now, though.....

As for Bently....another classic. God, I love my toy cars....

That's what you get for living in NYC. Move to Conn.! : )

Collin KC8TKA '97 E320

Gorgeous car -- but why did you blur out the licen[c,s]e plate in the photos? I see more and more of this, both on TV and in the photos that people provide links to on Usenet. Since number plates are on public display by their very nature, I can't say that I see the point.

Geoff

[pedestrian safety]

That's a very leftist/Eurosocialist/car-hostile approach. In America, we simply teach people as children to look both ways before crossing the street.

Geoff

And God knows, we never have any pedestrians hit by cars in the US!

: That's a very leftist/Eurosocialist/car-hostile approach. In America, : we simply teach people as children to look both ways before crossing : the street.

That isn't the point. A societal expectation that people will take responsibility for their own safety instead of scapegoating automobiles is the point.

Geoff