I watched a Mercedes promo video for the early 90s SL recently. And they tested it in Death Valley.

 

That works very very well, I also do that if it's crazy hot out and I'm driving the black car.

 

thanks for confirmation, seemed pretty logical that it should help!
my santa fe a/c is very good.
the lc500 a/c is also very good but certainly not silent like has been mentioned of other cars here, lol.

 

This. I’ve driven through Death Valley following fleets of prototype BMWs undergoing tests on their AC systems. The idea that they only design them for German summers (which can get very hot), is frankly ridiculous.

 

Mike is correct though, at first the A/Cs just didn't cut it over here with the German cars and they had to re-engineer it all.

Link or was it a tape or something?

 

This was 1997…🤔

 

Good point. German Spings and Falls are pretty pleasant depending on region. The Summers are or can be hot and humid. Regardless, the manufacturers build many cars to sell internationally. We unfortunately don’t get many of their wagons in the US. The manufacturers do understand international markets. They have had to adjust and make things like cupholders standard. In the early 90s, 7 series BMWs in the US did not have cupholders and apparently it was because the mindset was that when you are driving, that’s your focus and you should not need a drink.

They apparently also figured out that their competitors offered cupholders as standard. I like driving in Germany. Drivers are generally disciplined and good. I know their rules. Driving in the US sucks. May as well give them cupholders since they will probably stack the car anyway.

 

I would imagine that they sell a fair number of cars to places like Dubai, so having really good A/C would be super important.

But i guess at some point the decision to approve the design was made by a German who wasn't thinking about that.

 

Dubai is INSANE. 115 degrees with ridiculous humidity. People have water chillers instead of water heaters.

 

They do now, but that was not always the case. That's why a few manufacturers, like Lexus and GM, had noticeably better A/C than other brands.

 

So there is some truth to this. When I had my coding done, the guy activated the hot market climate program, designed for areas like Saudi Arabia, and the difference is huge. It’s a deep freeze in there.

 

Thanks, AJT. I think you understood my point....not everyone did. And it wasn't just German cars that were a little weak in that department. The A/C units in older Ford and Chrysler vehicles, for a time, also lagged behind GM....as did those in older Hyundais and Kias.

 

GM is the undisputed king of air conditioning IMHO.

Also the only cooled seats I’ve ever actually felt at all, that actually blow cold air and work were in a GM product. They’re useless in both Lexuses.

 

Are you saying the AC in German cars, BMW in this case, used to be weak but now they are improved and acceptable?

 

i guess i should remember that even though you didn't state it, most of your posts are about cars from 30-100 years ago.

again, you're talking about ancient history. completely irrelevant today.