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SLK R171 x AMG GT

17K views 18 replies 15 participants last post by  Avel Du  
#1 ·
Somebody put an AMG GT bumper on his R171. Who knew it fit?


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#4 · (Edited)
@jbanks15 The star not only lights up but automatically acts as a third headlight when approaching BMW's with Bi-Xenon headlights!

So this was inspired by a sensational picture of the new AMG GT online. I thought my R171 would look great from that same angle. After a quick cut of the wheels for the snapshot in the driveway I noticed, and Photoshop proved, that the front bumpers really do match up when photographed from the same angle. I guess it speaks to the consistent design lineage of these cars. The diamond grill is bound to turn up on the R172 before the end of the series.

Anybody agree this seems to change the gender of the car, makes the R171 look more "like a dude?"

- jp

P.S. Those lens flares are real, happened purely by chance. It paid off to let the lens get dirty!
 

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#5 ·
If the original AMG GT picture is *not* photoshopped :D then it looks like the front bumper cover and the front fenders are all one piece. Seems hard to believe but maybe? At any rate, it doesn't look like the GT's bumper is even close to matching the R171 shape.
 
#7 ·
Even if I could I would not do it, reminds me of Gonzo off the Muppet Show, but everyone has their own preference. At least you had some fun with photoshop :)
 
#8 ·
Good observations. Maybe this GT image was rendered to begin with. The form and surface is so perfect along with lacking seams. No wonder it's pure eye candy. Still a great angle even for a daily driver SLK.

I never realized how much Gonzo and the McLaren SLR have in common, and little sister the R171.
 
#11 ·
Not a chance. The R171 F1-style nose is still there, with it's characteristic downward sweep to the bumper. The reason the R172 has the nose it does, and this holds true for any successor car as well, is EU pedestrian safety regulations. All cars had to get stubbier, higher noses to keep poleaxed pedestrians from sliding up the hood and smashing through the windshield. With higher noses, they'll be shunted off to the side. As if that's better...

I too think that the big bumper intakes are over the top, but I like the diamond-grille treatment either side of the nose star. It would be frightfully expensive, I'm sure, but hiding somewhere in that design is a more subtle compromise that could actually be made as a replacement bumper. Problem is, the R171 is old enough now that styling kits don't have enough in the way of sales projections to make the project viable, especially if it was done right using the same materials as the factory bumper rather than fiberglass.
 
#10 ·
That's truly horrible!

For one thing, the chin spoiler has openings for the twin turbo intakes. Putting this thing on an R171 is akin to removing your "350" and replacing it with "AMG 55".

Only phonies phony up their cars.
 
#12 · (Edited)
>:DJust so it's clear, I'm the author/culprit behind this photoshop'd fake. That's my dainty R171 in the drive, crossed with the aforementioned GT image. After snapping the SLK pic both photos were open on the screen...I just wondered what it would look like and, well, you know the rest.

Honestly, I love that new diamond grill that MB came up with. On anything - I'd stick one on my dog if he needed a grill. Not everybody likes the "Gonzo" nose with it, but it would probably be a sure winner on the R172 and in more subtle form on an R171 as Beekster hints.

@DSSG As for the big intakes, exaggerated a bit by the camera angle, I thought that was just an AMG style cue. Nice to learn it's more. It shows up on a lot of AMG models. Didn't know they really channelled air anywhere deeper than the radiator area. I presume this is all part of the differences between "AMG car" vs "AMG package." Oh, those crafty build-by-hand engineers in Affalterbach and the equally crafty marketing folks in Stuttgart.

@Beekster Re: economies of scale for future R171 kits, I agree and add that 3D printing is the game changer for stuff like this as it improves in size and available plastics. Recently learned a sport shoe maker launched a web site to custom build your own shoe and they sold 27,000 pairs in the first 10 days. Since bumper skins aren't much more than plastic, who knows where it's going.

Front grill straight-on isn't as exaggerated and the seams are visible, too:
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#14 ·
My Opinion - The R172 looks better than the R171 from the outside. But more "blingy" from the inside. Not sure about the new engine and gearbox, but I like the 7 speed i have with a "normal" torque converter. I don't like the idea of the R172 engine killing cylinders to save fuel either. But i haven't owned or driven one. As for he GT, well it's not an SLS, Which would be my car of choice ! although the GT looks similar. And with future emissions and government targets, i can only see the desirability of "select" older vehicles going up. What do you think ? R171 or 172 ? GT or SLS ?
 
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#15 ·
Well SoCal, I love the idea! I still prefer the ‘real’ R171, but 95% for original thinking!
Why not 100%? Well, you could have joined up the gaps on the F1 nose, either side of the Star badge, but who’s counting?
 
#16 ·
Hi All
This old post popped up to & revisiting the photoshop picture , I’m thinking just transplanting the lower air dams & keeping the upper area as 171 , So below the bump strip mod it .

Cheers

Andy
 
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