Hot! Mercedes-Benz, What's Next?

[Swissbob]

The car could have been so much more. Sigh.. Just like the SL680. Mercedes really doesn't know itself anymore when it comes to these type of vehicles.

M

This should have been like a 911 Speedster, shorter windscreen and a manual roof.

The SL680 is fine apart of the engine, it should have been a V12.

 

[Swissbob]

The best one is Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and even the runt Range Rover Evoque didn't kill the big Range Rover and the Evoque is nothing by comparison.

M

Exactly what I wanted to write now.

 

[leylandi]

It's ridiculous to think that the C-Class is diminishing the sales of the S-Class.

 

[Merc1]

This should have been like a 911 Speedster, shorter windscreen and a manual roof.

The SL680 is fine apart of the engine, it should have been a V12.

Yes the V12 would have made the car totally unique and a standout in the range.

M

 

[Swissbob]

The R232 needs a Straight 6 and a V12 to be really successful, and please get rid of the shiny black plastic interior.

 

[Merc1]

I hope all the rumors about a SL53 are true. It actually might be the best driving one of the range, especially if it's RWD only.

M

 

[Design FIRST]

Rich people do not spend Bentley/Lambo money on lesser brands like BMW or MB.

In addition, a good many genuinely rich, influential people do not spend money on expensive luxury/sport vehicles at all. Here, there is much evidence of these individuals preferring "pedestrian, unassuming" automobiles. Including those who have been legends in the automotive world. Enzo Ferrari's "dailys" were an original BMC Mini and a Peugeot 404 sedan. Giorgio Giugiaro drove a FIAT Panda. And Warren Buffet has an affinity for volume production Cadillac sedans that he keeps for 10 or more years.

Unless one is savvy regarding the fickle classical automobile market, cars are most usually a rapidly diminishing financial asset. But if one requires them as an "investment in the soul", that's all fine and good as well.

 

[Fastpaddy]

This is so ridiculous. You act like no other brand has brought out a smaller, more attainable version of one of their flagship products, and been successful or is this just a unique thing to Mercedes. It's nuts to think that the min the g comes out the G is just going to stop selling. The market can't get enough of off roaders and if Mercedes didn't capitalize on the G the peanut gallery would be saying how they missed an opportunity.

M

Such as?

 

[Merc1]

Such as?

Read on.

M

 

[Fastpaddy]

Agree. Had the Boxster/ Cayman killed the 911 ? No.
Had the Macan killed sales of Cayenne? No.

Thats nowhere the same.

A cayman is a cayman

A 911 is a 911.

A macan is a macan and a cayenne a cayenne.

And out of all of those, only the 911 could be argued to be unique because of it being Rear engined. But looks wise its just another sportscar.

Meanwhile a G wagon, nothing else looks even remotely like it, until they make a mini version attainable to the masses, at which point the bigger brother could lose its appeal as a status symbol or statement.

Why do I want to pay 200k for something that now in effect has a cheaper version mass produced that looks like my car.

If Mercedes themselves argued the entry level segment benzes diluted the brand then it cannot be more applicable than for the G wagon gaining a entry level brother.

 

[Fastpaddy]

None of those look anything like the flagship

The best one is Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and even the runt Range Rover Evoque didn't kill the big Range Rover and the Evoque is nothing by comparison. I really don't think you can go wrong with a new off roader at the moment. If a brand has trouble selling SUVs they're doing something wrong.

M

 

[Design FIRST]

Mercedes really doesn't know itself anymore when it comes to these type of vehicles.

M

IMHO, M-B began to lose the grasp of it's own identity from the early 1990s onwards. It was around then when M-B began chasing elusive "Zeitgeists" and began resorting to gimmickry in order to flatter an increasingly whimsical customer demographic. That brought volumes and revenues, but arguably did not contribute to the previous "gold standard" brand equity. As a young lad in Germany, M-B genuinely stood for something, genuinely meant something. For me, it has long been little more than simply another perceived "premium" brand. A BMW or Audi instead ? Why the hell not ! A Volvo, Polestar, Zeekr or an Xpeng ? Why the hell not !

 

[Dopebouy]

The Tracksport will become a family like the GT, it’s in fact the spiritual successor of the GT.

So it’s gonna have a base variant like the GT/GTS back then & also a track variant(s) like GTR/GTR Pro?

 

[Merc1]

None of those look anything like the flagship

Uh...the RR Sport does favor it, always has. Either way it didn't affect the larger model which is the point. Mercedes has duplicated the look of flagship models on smaller models for years and nothing was killed. It's sheer nonsense.

M

 

[AbsoluteUnit]

Such as?

I mean there are numerous examples throughout history.
The W124 190E didn't kill the W126 SE/L
The Cayman/Boxster didn't kill the 911
The Macan didn't kill the Cayenne
The Range Rover Sport, Evoque and Velar didn't kill the big daddy Range Rover.
The Rolls Royce Ghost didn't kill the Phantom.
The Polo didn't kill the Golf.
The M2 didn't kill the M4.
Opposite example, the Mini Clubman didn't kill the Mini Cooper.

 

[Merc1]

Meanwhile a G wagon, nothing else looks even remotely like it, until they make a mini version attainable to the masses, at which point the bigger brother could lose its appeal as a status symbol or statement.

Why do I want to pay 200k for something that now in effect has a cheaper version mass produced that looks like my car.

If Mercedes themselves argued the entry level segment benzes diluted the brand then it cannot be more applicable than for the G wagon gaining a entry level brother.

OMG man please. If this was the case the C_Class would have killed the S_Class long time ago. They've looked alike for generations now. You're just reaching for something that isn't even there. The G Cabriolet is going to light the G fire all over again and G owners will turn their noses up at g owners for sure while relishing the fact that they have the original.

M

 

[Fastpaddy]

Uh...the RR Sport does favor it, always has. Either way it didn't affect the larger model which is the point. Mercedes has duplicated the look of flagship models on smaller models for years and nothing was killed. It's sheer nonsense.

M

Again not the same.

You buy the s-class because its the best in class.

You buy a G wagon because of how it looks and makes you feel.

As a an actual vehicle in a city its not even very good.

Take away its USP and kill its sales.

 

[Fastpaddy]

OMG man please. If this was the case the C_Class would have killed the S_Class long time ago. They've looked alike for generations now. You're just reaching for something that isn't even there. The G Cabriolet is going to light the G fire all over again and G owners will turn their noses up at g owners for sure which relishing the fact that they have the original.

M

A G cab is a throwback. It existed decades ago. It will be super rare and super expensive. And used G wagon cabs are selling for crazy sums

 

[Merc1]

A G cab is a throwback. It existed decades ago. It will be super rare and super expensive

Spare the history lesson. I didn't say what it was or wasn't or, the point is that the G will continue to sell regardless of it being more expensive.

M

 

[Merc1]

Again not the same.

You buy the s-class because its the best in class.

You buy a G wagon because of how it looks and makes you feel.

As a an actual vehicle in a city its not even very good.

Take away its USP and kill its sales.

Like I said you're just reaching and making it up as you go along. Yeah and people will buy both. Having a smaller version of iconic vehicle doesn't mean automatic death for the original. It's just your reaching, misguided opinion. Who the hell cares if it's not a good "city" vehicle. Just a bunch of bs.

M