Accord

I don't think it is hurting the image of Mercedes Benz in general... although it has increased traffic on this site by 1000%, LOL!

Scylas

Its hurting MB image but not a lot, not enought to counter what the Coupe is doing for them.

The coupe is introducing themselves to a lot of people that never had a Benz. Lenme explain what Im trying to say, most BMW users start with a 3 series, and then they go up for a 5 series or 7 or a M or X5...

The same is going to happen with Coupe owners, if you like soemthing you want to get more of it. Coupe Owners may buy more MB products in the future.

Coupe owners might be future E class buyers and so on..

(Sorry cant check spelling Im in a rush, gotta go work )

Spyke

My comment was based on styling alone, no quality bash was intended: I don't know what model it is (since I couldn't really give a hoot about Lexus either way) but every time I see it I think it's a Benz at first. Qualitywise I'm sure they're fine cars.

I did have to drive a Lexus once at work (Can't remember the model, but damn it was ugly), and wasn't too impressed. But then, not many Japanese cars leave much of an impression on me. they just don't feel right. That said, I'd love to have a 240Z and have came close to buying a Miata about three times since they came out.... oh yeah, I also owned a '91 Nissan SE-R for about five years... that thing never did feel as nice as the high-mileage GTI it replaced.

thuged_out

I think it does. Im sick of people asking me about that " benz hatchback that looks like a civic", as if the chrysler jokes were not enough. And its funny when some c230 owners call their cars "coupes" to make them sound better. CLK is a coupe, CL is a coupe C230 is a hatchback so get over it.

tommy

What a dumb post. MB calls it a coupe, so owners do. That's why. Blame MB for the sillines, not owners.

thuged_out

so whatever benz says goes? I think thats stupid, not my post. Benz calls is a coupe to give it an image that the car doesnt have. N e wayz, I hope you're happy with your Mercedes-Benz "Coupe" tommy.

Scylas

thunged do you own a Coupe or any MB?

Im happy with my Hatchback or Coupe, or whatever it is... I love it, and everyone seems to love it..

tommy

Thanks, I appreciate the concern.

trench

The thing is that the C230K can only hurt Mercedes in the eyes of some of those that buy the more expensive MB models. They like the "exclusivity" and think that MB has "gone slumming." The thing is will this cause them to not buy a new MB? What are they going to buy instead? All of the luxury car manufactures sell a car for less than $30K. MB's long term strategy is sound if C230 buyers go up-market within the brand, or if they only end up buying additional C-classes the rest of their lives. The thing more likely to lose MB future sales is if the quality continues to slip; this more than the "cheap hatchback" will hurt sales amongst high-dollar clients.

Also, regarding the average person "on the street": 98% of the people out there have no idea about the price or much else regarding this car - they just see the star and think "Oooo - a Mercedes, those are expensive." They don't care if it is a hatchback or not, in fact, a number of people tend to be surprised when I open the hatch - which is odd because it obviously is one.

BT

revstriker

Very interesting, and I agree with you. Especially the "on the street" part. However, if the average Joe changes his thinking from "those are expensive" to "those are not that expensive", then I can see this huring the image somewhat, at least the higher end exclusivity part of it. I don't believe this would happen under current circumstances, but it's possible if they try to mass produce a lower price car. As far as people having nowhere else to go, that is a valid point. However, as (if) the MB image goes down, perhaps another image will go up and take over it's higher end marketshare.

timorgan

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...&threadid=5837

greg230

the fact is that MB is not gonna sell 50,000 coupes a year, so it will always be a low volume, uncommon car, and will largely retain that "oooh a mercedes" that every mercedes has.

Hell i see about 50 or so M classes a day, and people still stop and stare as they roll by. Mercedes arent common, and even the cheap ones (the M, and the C) are really only "sorta" cheap. Add leather, toss in a few options (or all of em ) and you are no longer driving a 25k car.

Acura has successfully promoted a "lead in" car with both the integra and the RSX, which may i remind you are up market honda civics. Lexus does the same with the factory "rice" IS300/sportcross (which is a station wagon, and a camry to boot) Infiniti sales have remained slow, it has no hook car to get 20-30 somethings into the dealership..... makes you wonder eh?