Conor
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2019
- Messages
- 2,521
- Reaction score
- 1,604
- Location
- London, UK
- Your Mercedes
- 2010 S212 350 CGI // 2004 R230 500
A while back I read on here that Mercedes were discontinuing V12 engines, which made me a little sad.
Over the past couple of weeks I have been thinking more and more about where performance motoring is going. It looks like the engines are getting smaller with each new release with turbos being added in lieu of displacement, and fancy exhausts to compensate the acoustics.
For example, the new top end SLC(K) has a V6, previously a V8 and the new SL has a V8, previously a V12. Also take a look at the A45s can put out about 416PS, which will give an indication of where the larger lines could possibly be headed.
Cue my first world problem.. This all makes me a little sad. I appreciate a nice motor with a growly engine for some fun. I am at a stage in my life where I see these great cars on a daily basis, but not quite at the stage where I can go out and buy one due to various associated costs.
Fast forward 10 or so years.. assuming all goes well and i've saved a few quid. These things probably won't even exist to buy. The old ones I would like to buy now will probably be relics by then, and potentially quite expensive given the rarity of them.
If my currently banger S212 keeps going as it is (touch wood). I was planning on buying an SL/SLK as a run around late next year. Perhaps I will _need_ to buy a V8 (55 AMG/500) as the opportunity for acquiring these could be diminishing..
... I haven't even mentioned the politics of it all and how the various tax men might put their own slant on things. That said, I do understand engine sizes are dropping in part due to political pressure.
For me the whole eco point is moot because I will probably only do a couple K miles per year in a big V8 rumbler. My current car is due to do about 4k this year and I use literally at every possible opportunity.
What do people think?
EDIT: I read an article the other day that said modern cars are more expensive to fix and thus contributing to increasing insurance premiums.
Over the past couple of weeks I have been thinking more and more about where performance motoring is going. It looks like the engines are getting smaller with each new release with turbos being added in lieu of displacement, and fancy exhausts to compensate the acoustics.
For example, the new top end SLC(K) has a V6, previously a V8 and the new SL has a V8, previously a V12. Also take a look at the A45s can put out about 416PS, which will give an indication of where the larger lines could possibly be headed.
Cue my first world problem.. This all makes me a little sad. I appreciate a nice motor with a growly engine for some fun. I am at a stage in my life where I see these great cars on a daily basis, but not quite at the stage where I can go out and buy one due to various associated costs.
Fast forward 10 or so years.. assuming all goes well and i've saved a few quid. These things probably won't even exist to buy. The old ones I would like to buy now will probably be relics by then, and potentially quite expensive given the rarity of them.
If my currently banger S212 keeps going as it is (touch wood). I was planning on buying an SL/SLK as a run around late next year. Perhaps I will _need_ to buy a V8 (55 AMG/500) as the opportunity for acquiring these could be diminishing..
... I haven't even mentioned the politics of it all and how the various tax men might put their own slant on things. That said, I do understand engine sizes are dropping in part due to political pressure.
For me the whole eco point is moot because I will probably only do a couple K miles per year in a big V8 rumbler. My current car is due to do about 4k this year and I use literally at every possible opportunity.
What do people think?
EDIT: I read an article the other day that said modern cars are more expensive to fix and thus contributing to increasing insurance premiums.