https://mbpassion.de/2023/08/ist-der...n-ladenhueter/

You have to translate the article, but it essentially says the C63 is not selling. Dealers feel like it’s way too expensive and much too heavy and is driving the target buyer away to the M and RS.

 

I posted the translation in another thread few days ago. all you need to do is to go to your browser options and setup auto translation to english, so if you open any page in german it would translate automatically.

 

At that price the performance doesn't match up, nor will the emotion. Not to mention all the tech and battery issues Mercedes has been encountering with almost all their models. No one enjoys spending time in the shop.

Yet you can't even find an M3 anywhere, some dealers are a year plus out on order fulfillment.

 

Mercedes went overboard with pricing. it's being criticized by dealers in Germany who wrote the angry letter to management that they cannot sell cars because they are more expensive than competition.
The new e class is 18% more than the current one. In other countries, C43 and C63 cost way more than M340 and M3. Nobody understands why, but CEO's plan is to make MB seem more luxurious.
Dealer / customer opinions notwithstanding, his contract has been extended till 2030.

Also, C63 is not very predictable above 200 kmh, which is a problem in Germany

 

As an example only, I optioned out a new 2023 C43 in Canada and it came out to $100k !!! (I paid $76k for my 2010 c63 and $78k for my 2012 c63, to put THAT in perspective!) I realize it’s a different time and different market but it seems like Mercedes just arbitrarily raised all their prices up by 30% from the previous model generations. I recall the previous gen w205 C43 max’d out at $82k. Don’t even get me started on the new SL, ridiculous pricing on those and now dealers in my area are discounting those by cad$50k !!! And that’s right on the sticker before you even try and grind them….

 

If I want a four cylinder, I will get a Honda.

 

Mercedes has always been more expensive than a comparable BMW, but they’re really pushing it lately. I consider Porsche the German car price-premium leader, a brand that can charge a lot more just because, and people will still buy them hand over fist. I just think the jump in pricing for Mercedes is too much, and this isn’t just for the C63, but across their entire lineup.

 

If MB produced quality products, the higher prices might be palatable. This is sadly not the case; MB’s quality and reliability is at the bottom of the barrel.

 

It’s becoming embarrassing. They’re driving this brand into the ground and NO ONE is being held accountable or even listening, instead Ola is being praised and got extended through 2030. WHAT A JOKE! It’s one thing not to listen to your customers, but to not listen to the dealers who represent the brand and are struggling as a result of these stupid decisions is another thing. How much more of a wake up call do they need?

I find it funny how just 5 years ago the brand was doing so well. The S class was loved by everyone, the AMGs were idolized, and most if not every car they made was positively received. I never would’ve thought that the brand would’ve done a complete 180 in less than half a decade. The company is now 20% Chinese owned (Chinese ownership doubled in like the last 5 years with half being the Chinese state) and it looks like their only focus is the Chinese market. They’re booming over there and nowhere else. Just rename the company Beijing-Benz at this point and be done with it. The cheap plastics, cheap part suppliers that have ruined the quality and reliability of the brand, horrible downsizing and funky designs tell enough of a tale. No company will ever thrive if it doesn’t serve the needs and wants of its customers. I’m interested in the new C43. I think the I4 is a good fit for the car overall (however not a C63) and it’s a compelling package but the issues people have been having and the lack of demand scare me for my ownership and resell value. I could just lease the car, but if I don’t get along with it, dumping it would be a lot harder. Look at the GLE, it’s been on the market for almost 5 years and still it is one of the worst put together MBs ever. Truly the “Alabama Trash Can.”

2 SL’s, 2 E-classes, 3 C-classes and one Sprinter later and I’m ready to walk away. My lease on my W205 is up in January and I’m looking for my next car, maybe a W206, but half the time I just think I’m done with this corpse that once was a thriving car company. BUNCH OF FCKIN SELL OUTS!!!!!!!

 

Overall, Mercedes-Benz is profitable and has just recently raised profit outlook for 2023. As long as that's the case, Ola will get a free pass. One or two duds isn't gonna change that unfortunately. They seem to be selling plenty of cars. Maybe not in Germany, but somebody is clearly buying them. We'll have to see if this is a short-term effect. While AMGs are highly profitable for the brand, they are not the volume sellers.

https://www.reuters.com/business/aut...st-2023-07-26/

 

Well AMGs are only profitable if they sell lol

 

Ola the CEO is a very questionable person and I don't think many in this forum like him

 

I was a fan of his in the beginning. I thought the idea of MB going back up market to where it was 40-50 years ago was a good thing. How they were gonna manage that after having diluted the brand was not my problem and I had my doubts but I liked the initiative. I expected this to mean that the cars themselves would go up market as well. That’s far from the case. The W206 is a textbook lesson when it comes to cost cutting. The insane amount of hard plastics that are present in areas where they weren’t in the W205 is just one example. MB touted how they were able to save all this weight with the new 9 speed compared to the old unit in the W205, but very quietly go back to using steel for a lot of the body panels that were aluminum in the W205. Why? Because it’s easier to manufacture with and cheaper to use. That decision has played a big factor in the car’s weight gain.

 

The Beijing made W205 had a lot of steel instead of aluminum. It was sold very well there.

Ola learned it from there.

 

That’s really interesting I never knew that. Where can I find more info on that?

 

Article suggests big demand and interest in Australia.

https://www.carsales.com.au/editoria...demand-138003/

 

That article is almost a year old, I'd be interested to see how many people are following through with their previous interest/deposits.

When speaking to an Australian dealer on the west coast in July when I bought my C43, he said interest in the remaining stock of W205 C63s had increased significantly this year compared to interest in the W206.

 

https://www.pcauto.com.cn/hj/article/503144.html

W205 Disassembly

It‘s in Chinese. There are a lot of videos and photos, happy reading

 

Wow I would’ve never guessed! Cost cutting at its finest.

I’ve read a couple times on the forums that euro cars with “Artico” use different materials from the American “MB-Tex” because of harsher regulations in Europe pertaining to vinyls. I never looked into it, but now having read this I wouldn’t be surprised.

 

never thought Mr Côte d'Azur SL could read Chinese

 

Google translate

 

Truer words have never been spoken.

 

Damn

 

You can say that again!

 

V8 returning to the 206 model ??

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a4...e63-v8-return/