Falcon AU - Mercedes CL. shell similarities

jphanna · 11-02-2009, 11:52 AM

I recon there must have been a thread about his when the current Merc CL came out, but I will take a chance, and ask the AU owners what they thought about the copy cat Merc design. Why is it that the AU was not well received back then, but the current CL MERC body shape which has an uncanny resemblance from behind, to the AU, (from a distance) is 'cool'.

I often wonder if a ‘tidied’ up AU shell with MERC running gear and MERC badges was shown to the motoring public in 1998, whether they would have bagged it as much as the Falcon AU was back then. Is it just the MERC badge, or was the AU ahead of its time and that’s why it was rejected?

madmelon · 11-02-2009, 12:09 PM

It's a bit of both. I rekon the front end of the CLS is pretty un-cohesive and not in keeping with the Merc design language but the knobs at a drive day I attended kept going on about how good it looked. That said, the back end does seem to suit it well.

I'm not a big fan of where Mercedes is heading with their designs. The E class is a good example- the replacement just shown at Detroit looks terrible compared to the current model which is the best looking car in the range imho.

Nikked · 11-02-2009, 12:23 PM

just shows that the Au was a innovative and foward thinking design, dispite what some closed minds think.

A bit off topic but when the EA falcon was showen to Euro Press and various other people, it was favored over the designs but the likes of BMW and Mercedes.

**Polyal** · 11-02-2009, 12:32 PM

Well I reckon a AU3 Forte looks alot better and classier than a BA XT. BA's are very plain.

Im on the hunt for a new daily and the AU3 represents far better value for money. Actually I dont think there is a car that is better value in the entire market. $6k gets a a good low k AU3 pretty easily.

blackwood · 11-02-2009, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikked

A bit off topic but when the EA falcon was showen to Euro Press and various other people, it was favored over the designs but the likes of BMW and Mercedes.

I believe the European motoring media thought it was the Audi 80/100 replacement.
It was shown without badges and no-one was told who's design it was.

I heard somewhere (I think I may have read it here) that a MB designer once said
(when asked about the similarity between the CLS and the AU) that the problem with AU was that it's design was to far ahead of it's time.
I believe it was also noted that the AU served as part of the inspiration for the CLS design.

So we're all on the same page...

Au rear

Merc CLS rear

kocho · 11-02-2009, 01:57 PM

Can you fit the AU tailights into the CLS and vise-versa?

Fev · 11-02-2009, 01:58 PM

the CLS came out what - 3 or 4 years later? lol not that far ahead

the first time i saw one i thought it was an AU with a crappy bodykit hahaha

Riksta · 11-02-2009, 01:58 PM

Every time I see one of those Mercs I comment "AU Mercedes".

I doubt the tail lights would be swappable though.

**Peuty** · 11-02-2009, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kocho

Can you fit the AU tailights into the CLS and vise-versa?

No way. Not at all. Never.

HLC · 11-02-2009, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fev

the CLS came out what - 3 or 4 years later? lol not that far ahead

the first time i saw one i thought it was an AU with a crappy bodykit hahaha

AU first released 1998
CLS first released 2004

6 years.

**Polyal** · 11-02-2009, 02:03 PM

Interchangeable parts with an AU and a Merc...LOL

It might look similar but settle down.

When the Au first came out everyone said "geez that backend needs a spoiler". And alot where optioned straight on, even dealers stuck them on as quickly as they could.

Personally AU (other than a T3) look heaps better without spoilers. A low AU, with some nice rims and good paint looks shmick.

barbarian · 11-02-2009, 02:07 PM

Merc is oozing with quality from what ever angle you look at it from.. it's also more refined in its looks.

AU is dead set ugleh.

kocho · 11-02-2009, 02:08 PM

I was joking just so you guys know. ;)

Didn't expect so many to take it seriously.

jphanna · 11-02-2009, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kocho

I was joking just so you guys know. ;)

Didn't expect so many to take it seriously.

of course the lights are NEVER going to be a straight swap...i was saying the shell is very similar from behind and also from the side. by NO means interchangable, but even the crease along the side bears some resemblance.

take a close look on the road next time you see one.

Nikked · 11-02-2009, 02:18 PM

I would love to get a Au and do a full custom job to it, shaved filled etc. Its a nice shape.

What made the au bad was the trim.

-Ugly Grill
-Silly chunky side moulds
-Cheap Bumpers
-Shocking hubcaps etc

Ride hight being a falcon was shocking, this didn't help.

Mr Hardware · 11-02-2009, 02:19 PM

They should have released the BA with the AU interior and engines in 1998 and then the AU with the BA interior and engines in 2002

Fev · 11-02-2009, 02:24 PM

Sorry - still find the AU butt ugly lol.. it just looks like a cheap korean sedan to me

wheres my flame suit and fire truck??

**Peuty** · 11-02-2009, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fev

Sorry - still find the AU butt ugly lol.. it just looks like a cheap korean sedan to me

wheres my flame suit and fire truck??

Each to their own mate. You're not the first person to say that and I doubt you'll be the last.

RG · 11-02-2009, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fev

Sorry - still find the AU butt ugly lol.. it just looks like a cheap korean sedan to me

wheres my flame suit and fire truck??

That's ok. We find you ugly and the majority of your posts cheap and pointless, much like a Korean car.

FordACE · 11-02-2009, 02:32 PM

Au's done right are sexy sexy cars. BA's in plain XT format are not nice at all, but do come up very well if some attention is paid to them.

That merc is such a copy it isn't funny. Goes to show the AU was definetly ahead of its time.

jphanna · 11-02-2009, 02:33 PM

Personal taste cannot be defined by logic or black or white theory or practice. everyone likes a certain aspect of certain cars. If i was to part with my cash for a modern day V8 Muscle car for 'sunday mornings'.

it would have to be the 250KW AU Tickford falcon (T3?) that car is pure horn. sound and vision. The BA-BF and FG falcon are NO doubt great looking and sounding and future (current?) classics. But when a tickford V8 AU goes past, i cant stop looking...

vztrt · 11-02-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordACE

That merc is such a copy it isn't funny. Goes to show the AU was definetly ahead of its time.

The thinking at Ford at the time of design was to make them more sleek and aerodynamic and this was the path of FoA. Unfortunately it was not well received by the public (as we all know). But you can see the BFII and the FG starting to incorporate some AU designs in these models.

BAxtER · 11-02-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell

That's ok. We find you ugly and the majority of your posts cheap and pointless, much like a Korean car.

lol

:

Nikked · 11-02-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vztrt

you can see the BFII and the FG starting to incorporate some AU designs in these models.

too true, the FG has more incommon with the Au then the BA

Walt Kowalski · 11-02-2009, 02:47 PM

My personal favourite recent ute is the AU XR's with the 4 round headlights. Somehow they just look better than the BA that I had.

I reckon the AU has aged gracefully and will be looked on favourably in the future with regards to shape. Especially those XR utes.

In 2005 I had a Black CLS500 for 3 days. The dealer gave it to me to test and give feedback. It was a MB Australia car.

Man it was a head turner back then in Townsville, Bowen and Ayr. Somewhere I have some photos of it with the bonnet raised with a cane fire in the background around Giru.

It looked like the engine was on fire. I sent it via phone to the dealer and he freaked out.

Amazing car but I would definitely NOT own one. It was like cruising in a lounge chair and I did the stupidist thing I have vever done in a car.

Doing about 160 I overtook a semi approaching an intersection and there was absolutely no traffic around Giru at the time but there was a slight blind spot and if some poor silly bugger had pulled out of it in front of the semi (to squeese past the semi) I would have cleaned him up. Or maybe thats he would have cleaned me up if he just squeezed out in front of a semi.

I did it because the car had me in a lounge room mentality. Definitely not a car to drive fast on Oz roads i reckon. Got floaty too at 180. Very surprising.

But what a looker.

Not that i would expect to find Boyd Coddington in heaven but if he is I reckon he is still driving a CLS.

XR Martin · 11-02-2009, 03:11 PM

I reckon the rear of the FG has an AU look to it, not surprising since it was designed by the same person

**FTE217** · 11-02-2009, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell

That's ok. We find you ugly and the majority of your posts cheap and pointless, much like a Korean car.

BO BOOM !

about all that idiot deserve's...

On topic ok the merc comparo has been brought up many times which has its merits but you still go Nah it couldn't be

What I do find more interesting is that I really liked the FG shape straight away due to the curves ala AU as I found the BAF boxy/slab and couldn't bring myself to buy one, bseries is dating fast.
AU shape is aging gracefully which proves the style was on the money but for FOA crap launch startergy and lame base model S1, spilt milk viva the merc comparo

:

jphanna · 11-02-2009, 04:09 PM

just a thought for the people who were around in the 70's...PETER ARCADAPINE (remember that guy) did a lot of fibreglass concept cars during the 70's on Australian cars.

Forgive me if im wrong...but didnt he go to MERCEDES BENZ as chief designer in the last decade or so? He may still be there, i dont know, but would't it be an unbelieveable coincidence that an ex aussie, that worked at MERC liked the AU at one stage and had an influence on the CL?

Before you flame me down, its a long shot..but not impossible.

**Peuty** · 11-02-2009, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jphanna

just a thought for the people who were around in the 70's...PETER ARCADAPINE (remember that guy) did a lot of fibreglass concept cars during the 70's on Australian cars.

Forgive me if im wrong...but didnt he go to MERCEDES BENZ as chief designer in the last decade or so? He may still be there, i dont know, but would't it be an unbelieveable coincidence that an ex aussie, that worked at MERC liked the AU at one stage and had an influence on the CL?

Before you flame me down, its a long shot..but not impossible.

As far as I know, he still works there, so it's not out of the question.

blackwood · 11-02-2009, 04:39 PM

The AU has definately aged better than it's bitter rival the VT Commodore.

Good God VT's are the biggest heaps of cattle dung on Australian roads at the moment.
At least the last 4 or 5 times I've seen or seen pictures of a car burning in traffic, it's been a VT.

I think some AU's are ageing better than some early BA's!