[Spy shots] 2027 Mercedes-Benz "Baby G-Class"

[Uygar]

OG's, like what? Like the small slice of the corporate history you think is okay?

Personally I’m perfectly fine with my regular G’s and Defender’s or whatever it might be regarding that matter. It ain’t that deep. Everyone thinks differently on this topic, so nothing to further talk about really.

 

[Merc1]

Like you just said, they capitalize on the hot product and milk the sh*t out of it. Land Rover is doing the same with the mini Defender as well. That’s the exact reason why I see such models as nothing but cash grabs, cause they just make sense on the business side, that’s all. I don’t see any passion behind them, unless they’re truly groundbreaking or something. Again, these are my personal thoughts. Good for the manufacturers I guess, as they’re gonna produce these vehicles no matter what people think.

You’re just reaching for an issue that isn’t there. No passion? How do you know that? Who cares. You’re just reaching. It’s the car business. They’re in the car business to make money and using your logic Mercedes should have never expanded beyond the 5-6 models they had in the early 90s. Every car is money grab then. Who builds a car to not make money?

M

 

[Uygar]

You’re just reaching for an issue that isn’t there. No passion? How do you know that? Who cares. You’re just reaching. It’s the car business. They’re in the car business to make money and using your logic Mercedes should have never expanded beyond the 5-6 models they had in the early 90s. Every car is money grab then. Who builds a car to not make money?

M

I’m stating my fully personal opinions, nothing more. It’s an issue for me, as I stated millions of times, and not for general public, clearly. It’s okay to have totally opposite views.
And yes, I believe manufacturers are producing way too many models that are unnecessary. Having coupe versions of every body style is a good example, and I’m not even talking about the excessive amount of SUV’s. Like you said, it totally makes sense regarding the business side, and of course, if there’s demand, they’re gonna make these vehicles no matter what. But to me, sometimes less is more. There are many examples of this, but it’s just unnecessary to talk about since it’s not the appropriate thread for it.

 

[Merc1]

I’m stating my fully personal opinions, nothing more. It’s an issue for me, as I stated millions of times, and not for general public, clearly. It’s okay to have totally opposite views.
And yes, I believe manufacturers are producing way too many models that are unnecessary. Having coupe versions of every body style is a good example, and I’m not even talking about the excessive amount of SUV’s. Like you said, it totally makes sense regarding the business side, and of course, if there’s demand, they’re gonna make these vehicles no matter what. But to me, sometimes less is more. There are many examples of this, but it’s just unnecessary to talk about since it’s not the appropriate thread for it.

I would love for Mercedes to shrink and go up market and be a boutique manufacturer again, but it isn’t feasible anymore. It’s compete or die.

M

 

[Uygar]

I would love for Mercedes to shrink and go up market and be a boutique manufacturer again, but it isn’t feasible anymore. It’s compete or die.

M

Unfortunately.

 

[Swissbob]

I am genuinely curious about the small g.

But I’ll always prefer the original G.

 

[martinbo]

I reckon it’ll be nothing more than a butched up GLB.

 

[Merc1]

I reckon it’ll be nothing more than a butched up GLB.

Not quite. It’s supposed to have its own ladder frame chassis.

M

 

[Tuffode]

I would love for Mercedes to shrink and go up market and be a boutique manufacturer again, but it isn’t feasible anymore. It’s compete or die.

M

I honestly do wonder what the German car industry would have been like if the Japanese luxury brands didn’t come into play (mainly Lexus). The LS400 was an S Class competitor but it was cheaper than the 300e. That’s also when they were at peak quality/luxury, shame they had to go down market to compete, although I feel like they might have not really even tried to hold their own at the higher price ranges and gave up too easily.

 

[Esp5]

German brands go down market long before Japanese brands like Lexus or others existed, and this was due to internal German competition. The 190 emerged as a competitor to the Audi 80 and BMW 3 Series, all entry-level line/models. I believe these "lower" ranges added significant value to the brands and made them accessible to more than just the wealthy.

They wouldn't have survived otherwise; 40 years ago, the world was very different.

Additionally, as a car enthusiast, how boring it was when Mercedes only had a couple of models and BMW only three. You'd see a new car every four, five years, or even longer, and they were almost never on the road.

So I think the more models and lines there are, the better, as long as they maintain their premium status.

 

[Uygar]

German brands go down market long before Japanese brands like Lexus or others existed, and this was due to internal German competition. The 190 emerged as a competitor to the Audi 80 and BMW 3 Series, all entry-level line/models. I believe these "lower" ranges added significant value to the brands and made them accessible to more than just the wealthy.

They wouldn't have survived otherwise; 40 years ago, the world was very different.

Additionally, as a car enthusiast, how boring it was when Mercedes only had a couple of models and BMW only three. You'd see a new car every four, five years, or even longer, and they were almost never on the road.

So I think the more models and lines there are, the better, as long as they maintain their premium status.

What’s boring about it? If we use that analogy then BMW should start making vans and pickup trucks or whatever body style that they haven’t built yet. They’re making it because of money, not for the enthusiasm, or because it makes sense for the brand image. If you told someone 30 years ago that BMW would have a “G-Wagon competitor” or a FWD minivan called 2 Series they would have laughed at you. Doesn’t make any sense, especially for a brand that has a “Sheer driving pleasure” slogan. Same applies to the Mercedes as well. Just so many unnecessary models, mostly on the lower class, that don’t even embody the brand identity.

 

[Merc1]

I honestly do wonder what the German car industry would have been like if the Japanese luxury brands didn’t come into play (mainly Lexus). The LS400 was an S Class competitor but it was cheaper than the 300e. That’s also when they were at peak quality/luxury, shame they had to go down market to compete, although I feel like they might have not really even tried to hold their own at the higher price ranges and gave up too easily.

That’s a long conversation. The funny part is that Infiniti is near death, Acura is all but irrelevant and Lexus while a big seller doesn’t compete directly with Germany anymore in any segment.


M

 

[Swissbob]

That’s a long conversation. The funny part is that Infiniti is near death, Acura is all but irrelevant and Lexus while a big seller doesn’t compete directly with Germany anymore in any segment.


M

Infiniti was pulled from the market in Europe a few years ago, Lexus is irrelevant and Acura wasn’t even officially imported.

 

[AbsoluteUnit]

What’s boring about it? If we use that analogy then BMW should start making vans and pickup trucks or whatever body style that they haven’t built yet. They’re making it because of money, not for the enthusiasm, or because it makes sense for the brand image. If you told someone 30 years ago that BMW would have a “G-Wagon competitor” or a FWD minivan called 2 Series they would have laughed at you. Doesn’t make any sense, especially for a brand that has a “Sheer driving pleasure” slogan. Same applies to the Mercedes as well. Just so many unnecessary models, mostly on the lower class, that don’t even embody the brand identity.

The simple reality is, these commodity or low-end products that clash with the supposed brand identity of Audi, BMW and Mercedes provide the volume and revenue that supports the continued development of the bigger and better cars we all love.

Businesses like these simply cannot exist without products like these. There's a reason Porsche, Lamborghini etc exist as part of a larger automotive group.

The M3 or arguably even the M340i would simply not be viable, if BMW didn't have Mini and the 1 series and 2 series gran coupes and the X1 and X2 and the 2 active tourer when it was popular. Because those cars helped amortise development costs as well has contribute to offsetting BMWs fleet emissions. Porsche wouldn't exist today without the Cayenne.

Why do you think that Honda, Toyota, Lexus and the like have such pared back offerings in Europe, compared to the US?

Tbh, you just kinda have to get over it. This mythology of 'brand identity' no longer exists in a world where cars are increasingly becoming appliances and people can no longer afford multi-car garages and so the one car they do own needs to do it all. And whether we enthusiasts like it or not, we are a tiny tiny minority and our tastes don't make for good business strategy.

Be thankful that your favoured cars from these brands exist at all. Cause all the stuff you don't like, is why they're still able to make them.

 

[Uygar]

The simple reality is, these commodity or low-end products that clash with the supposed brand identity of Audi, BMW and Mercedes provide the volume and revenue that supports the continued development of the bigger and better cars we all love.

Businesses like these simply cannot exist without products like these. There's a reason Porsche, Lamborghini etc exist as part of a larger automotive group.

The M3 or arguably even the M340i would simply not be viable, if BMW didn't have Mini and the 1 series and 2 series gran coupes and the X1 and X2 and the 2 active tourer when it was popular. Because those cars helped amortise development costs as well has contribute to offsetting BMWs fleet emissions. Porsche wouldn't exist today without the Cayenne.

Why do you think that Honda, Toyota, Lexus and the like have such pared back offerings in Europe, compared to the US?

Tbh, you just kinda have to get over it. This mythology of 'brand identity' no longer exists in a world where cars are increasingly becoming appliances and people can no longer afford multi-car garages and so the one car they do own needs to do it all. And whether we enthusiasts like it or not, we are a tiny tiny minority and our tastes don't make for good business strategy.

Be thankful that your favoured cars from these brands exist at all. Cause all the stuff you don't like, is why they're still able to make them.

Wouldn’t it be a better if the low end models were offered on a separate brand? Like, cheaper models for Mini, and the rest for BMW. Perhaps same thing with Smart and Mercedes?

 

[AbsoluteUnit]

Wouldn’t it be a better if the low end models were offered on a separate brand? Like, cheaper models for Mini, and the rest for BMW. Perhaps same thing with Smart and Mercedes?

No. Because the people who buy the low end want the badge as much as we do. That is the whole point. They're gateways into the higher end stuff.
You start with an A class or a 1er and you may eventually graduate into a 3 series or an X5 eventually.

 

[SCOTT27]

Baby “G” will be lightening in a bottle. Besides aspiring rappers and lower-level drug dealers have to begin somewhere when a GLA has no street cred.