The controversial Mercedes-Benz R-Class "was a lesson learned," said Daimler sales executive Klaus Maier. Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche also weighed in on the situation, saying the minivan-SUV-crossover has "definitely not lived up" to expectations, according to trade publication Automotive News Europe. Mercedes originally targeted sales of 25,000 per year in the United States, the report claims. Last year, R-Class sales were 18,000 and falling (a 28 percent decline). Maier said it was a mistake to assume the unusual vehicle would appeal to a wide range of customers. Meanwhile, Zetsche said Daimler is in the early stages of thinking about a replacement for the R-Class. He said it could be a direct replacement, but there's also the distinct possibility of something totally different. Recently, BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer announced his company had cancelled plans for a rival to the R-Class, saying the vehicle would "not fit BMW’s image." lln
Give me a break. If the R-class would have been a hit then BMW would have launched a competitor within a month.
What about the F5?? Isn't it an of R-Class àla BMW? It was not cancelled, was it? it is almost ready to launch!
BMW has learned from MBs mistake. So they are taking a van with a BMW badge on it and creating something a little bit more sexier. It will be interesting to see how it will do.
F5 is nothing like R-class. It's much lower than R-class (about 10cm!), a tad wider & approx of a same length. F5 is just slightly raised sedan with a booty - a huge hatchback / fastback. While R-class has much more van-ish profile. Eg. 5-platform heights (incl roof rails & antenna): coupe 6er: 137cm sedan 5er: 147cm touring 5er : 149cm PAS F5: 157cm SAC X6: 170cm SAV X5: 178cm R-class: 166cm.
Every vehicle manufacturer in the world constantly watches every other vehicle manufacturer in the world, all day, every day. This is a very competitive industry and if Mercedes had hit their sales goal of "X" thousand units, then all viable competitors, including BMW would have been announcing their own plans for production of their comparable version.
Le F5 c'est un PAS pas un van alors? Cette fois, tu prends pas le PAS mais le break ok? J'y vais de ce PAS.
Agreed. The F5 will offer the same amount roominess like the R-class but with compromised space in the form of a sleeker roof line and boot shape. All to keep it attractive so that people who are put off by dull looking vans and buy SUVs instead. Think of it as a more attractive Van. Image and style is important these days so BMW wants to change the perception of vans.
That's true but if R-Class would have reached the planned sales and BMW decided to make a similar vehicle, it would have taken them many years to develop it. Developing a totally new model is a long project. By the time R-Class hit the market BMW was already planning/testing the X6 and probably many other future vehicles.
True, Mikael. And also, until it's proven that F5 is a R class like flop, noone here can claim anything. I'm not interested at all in F5 and honestly, i don't think BMW needs such car, i'd like to see something else, but that's only me. I don't remember any flop from BMW in past years except that 3er Compact c**p, but that ain't such serious car like R Class or Maybach for example... I'm not glad that this happened to MB, but i'm glad it's about R Class, probably the MB i hate(d) most! :t-cheers:
Elle est bonne celle là, mais sache que de même que je n'aime pas les breaks, je n'aime PAs aussi les PAS.
Bordel j'étais censé avoir l'air cool en parlant français et là j'apprends que tout le monde le parle. Bien joué les gars, vraiment bien joué.
