Originally Posted by Sportstick

There are regional differences in how preferences are expressed, but even within a location the market is not monolithic. In some earlier work, we identified 13 sets of attitudes and values which predispose buyers to certain automotive priorities. These psychographics (vs. demographics) are more reliably predictable in forecasting buying preferences. And, the groups transcend age categories. A 70 year old Performance Lover has more in common with a 20 year old Performance Lover halfway around the world with the same values than he does with the "Basic Value" cluster member who is 70, lives next door, and has a Camry.

Conversely, I can also show you other 20-somethings who know or care little about their family car (among those who need and have one), and prefer the Camry such as it is, because it "never" needs repair....and that's all that matters. I've had these kinds of people as focus group respondents. The overriding truth is that there is diversity of attitudes and values across all age groups and nationalities, but there are like-minded people in those categories all around the world. Even on this forum, we have an admittedly biased sub-segment of car-involved buyers, but also have young folks who wish they had bought a softer Luxury model with woodgrain and hood ornament and older folks who like firm seats, suspensions, and subdued appearance, and from different regions. There's variety in what goes on in our heads, and it's much more important than the "containers" those thoughts reside in and where they live.

The reason the US wound up with such a homogenous group of soft and sloppy barges years back was that they were the product of an insular group of like-minded business men here in Detroit who thought everyone liked what they did. I've been in the meetings when I was much younger when it was clear that the basic direction for a new vehicle was not customer-driven, but designed to appease an internal exec. But, most of them happened to like large and soft and were socially reinforced by liking what everyone else in the hierarchy did. It's only been in more recent history that the US industry has recognized the diversity in consumer mindsets (and media buying still can't figure out how to get past mere demographics) and is targeting more strategically.

Going back to Cadillac, this is how an XTS, with its moderately "old school" softness and comfort (although its even evolved as well), will co-exist in the showroom with the more aggressive new CTS, targeted to much more involved and enthusiastic drivers. They haven't moved enough for me, but their strategy is quite clear.

Originally Posted by Sportstick

Here's a quick anecdote I haven't thought about in a while from the mid 80s. Back then, I worked for a major ad agency who served a different one of the US Big 3 than I later wound up working for. As an agency, we also thought of ourselves as strategic planners and had noted the growing preference for vehicles with what was called "European Driving characteristics", notably relating to suspension calibration and steering feel. (Full disclosure: I had already had my first 3 Series from 1977). We pressed the issue with our Marketing Plans clients who eventually passed on enough interest for their Engineering and Market Research team to get involved.

They got a hold of some full size cars they produced, identical in all ways, except that they deadened the steering assist by about 50% (still numb, but higher effort) and stiffened shocks and springs, incongruously stiff for these large, quasi-luxury, vinyl-roofed cars. This is what they thought matched up to European cars!!

The cars still had pillowed, velour/velvet seats, with button tie-downs, similar decor to some high-end coffins or low-end bordellos. We then committed the cardinal sin of conducting research in the Detroit metro area to keep costs down.

Even with all of these handicaps, the "Euro" cars were preferred over the actual production versions!! Shocked the hell out of the factory guys!! They thought they were going to prove us wrong. After all of that, nothing changed because they already "knew they were right" and they kept making floating barges for many product cycles to come. An entire generation of managers had to move on for the degree of enlightenment we've seen in more recent history.

Originally Posted by mrmarie

i'm really confused to keep my 2013 C180 with AMG package or trade for CLA200 with AMG package!!!

Originally Posted by snowmuch

I will probably take cla 45 amg into consideration for now. Need a test drive first.

Originally Posted by karlizim

Hello,
I just bought a CLA and was so unhappy with it after 2 weeks that the dealer is taking it back and I am trading up to a C300. I consider myself extremely lucky to have such a wonderful, understanding dealer! The acceleration was awful on the CLA and it felt like a chore to drive it.

Originally Posted by karlizim

There was nothing wrong with the car--it was my own perceptions of it--I felt that the acceleration was hesitant unless I really put my foot down in ECO mode, and in Sport mode it seemed jumpy and over-revving. I also felt claustrophobic in the car. I couldn't get used to fumbling around in my purse for the key to lock/unlock it. Once I got it up to speed it was fine--fun to toss around.

Originally Posted by karlizim

Well, I only had one test drive and then my husband drove it with me in the back seat--he loved it initially and I thought I would too, and that it was just different from my Infiniti and I'd get used to it. The whole thing really was my own fault!