not shiped to the US
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From: Madrid, Spain
not shiped to the US
Anyone knows why the 240 is not shipped to the US?.
Is it because of low demand?
Is it because the market segmentation does not welcome a expensive car with not-so-high horsepower engine?
___________
Studies in Europe say that if you make than 15,000 Km (9,300 miles) per year with a car, it is worth to buy a diesel car.
Through my experience in the US, it is normal to make more than 15,000 Km per year (in Europe I make about such 15,000 per year).
Do you think Diesel cars are not popular in the US because of low price of gas in the US, or because US market just don’t like diesel engines?.
Is it because of low demand?
Is it because the market segmentation does not welcome a expensive car with not-so-high horsepower engine?
___________
Studies in Europe say that if you make than 15,000 Km (9,300 miles) per year with a car, it is worth to buy a diesel car.
Through my experience in the US, it is normal to make more than 15,000 Km per year (in Europe I make about such 15,000 per year).
Do you think Diesel cars are not popular in the US because of low price of gas in the US, or because US market just don’t like diesel engines?.
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
I don't have a channel into the thinking of D-C or M-BUSA, but the reasons you suggest are undoubtedly correct. Few North American customers, I suspect, would want a motor as small as the 240 has in a car the size, weight and cost of the E-class. The trend in the US car market in recent years has clearly been towards bigger engines and more power, not fuel efficiency. In the US, though, the C-class is sold as the "240" (with a 2.6 litre 6) and the "230" (with a 1.8 litre Kompressor 4) so it's not like the smaller M-B motors are unknown here.
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From: Madrid, Spain
I may think that if the smaller engines are doing well in the US as C-class, then it may be as well just MB image.
That is, MB does not want people to think that the E-class as "low performance" engines and wants to sell only "premium performance" cars.
Maybe BMW does not think like that with the 525.
That is, MB does not want people to think that the E-class as "low performance" engines and wants to sell only "premium performance" cars.
Maybe BMW does not think like that with the 525.
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From: Oslo - Norway
In case you haven't seen it before. Here are the production figures from 2003:
E200CDI 18%
E220CDI 23%
E200K 15%
E240 15%
E270CDI 10%
E320CDI 7%
E320 7%
E500 3%
E400CDI 1%
E55AMG 1%
E200CDI 18%
E220CDI 23%
E200K 15%
E240 15%
E270CDI 10%
E320CDI 7%
E320 7%
E500 3%
E400CDI 1%
E55AMG 1%
Last edited by Oslo; Mar 31, 2004 at 10:29 AM.
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From: New Jersey, USA
W211 & Q7
The trend in the US car market in recent years has clearly been towards bigger engines and more power, not fuel efficiency.
you don't want to see a e240 is beaten by a g35. mb provides c240 for the owners want a small engine. bmw 525 has more power than e240 does because it is 4 valves design. by the way, 525 is not sold as good as 530 which means most of 5 series owners in US want powerful engines.
Oslo tells us a fact, if we have to pay the gas price as rest of the world do then we may reconsider to buy a fuel efficiency model. I believe the trigger of gas price is between 4 to 5 dollars per gallon. (the gas price in my area is $1.90 per gallon -- compare with $1.20 per gallon Poland Spring water, gas in US is really cheap.)
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From: Oslo - Norway
Originally posted by Otto
Oslo tells us a fact, if we have to pay the gas price as rest of the world do then we may reconsider to buy a fuel efficiency model. I believe the trigger of gas price is between 4 to 5 dollars per gallon. (the gas price in my area is $1.90 per gallon -- compare with $1.20 per gallon Poland Spring water, gas in US is really cheap.)
Oslo tells us a fact, if we have to pay the gas price as rest of the world do then we may reconsider to buy a fuel efficiency model. I believe the trigger of gas price is between 4 to 5 dollars per gallon. (the gas price in my area is $1.90 per gallon -- compare with $1.20 per gallon Poland Spring water, gas in US is really cheap.)
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From: Northern NJ
2014 BMW 550i
Indeed, we need to remember that a lot of the cost of fuel has to do with taxes. In NJ, they are relatively low, so just by crossing the border to NY and you will easily pay an extra 10-20 cents per gallon, a big deal with US gas prices.
It is true that most US buyers would not want a lower engined model. But we have to think about it more as a problem for MB. The American market does not want too many choices, and MB doesn't really want to blur the choices too much. If the E240 was available, and the price was more in the range of the C320, I would think that the E would take away too many sales. That is what apparently is happening with the X3 and X5 over at BMW. While the actual price of the cars may be very different, we also have to remember that many US buyers lease, where the difference in price would be minimal. Same type of reason that they no longer offer a S320 in the US.
It is true that most US buyers would not want a lower engined model. But we have to think about it more as a problem for MB. The American market does not want too many choices, and MB doesn't really want to blur the choices too much. If the E240 was available, and the price was more in the range of the C320, I would think that the E would take away too many sales. That is what apparently is happening with the X3 and X5 over at BMW. While the actual price of the cars may be very different, we also have to remember that many US buyers lease, where the difference in price would be minimal. Same type of reason that they no longer offer a S320 in the US.
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From: Oslo - Norway
Originally posted by alewifebp
If the E240 was available, and the price was more in the range of the C320, I would think that the E would take away too many sales. That is what apparently is happening with the X3 and X5 over at BMW.
If the E240 was available, and the price was more in the range of the C320, I would think that the E would take away too many sales. That is what apparently is happening with the X3 and X5 over at BMW.
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From: Mansfield, TX
11 ML350W2 / 17 GLC300
I think that profit may be the biggest motive for MB models. If you can get people to buy into all of the accessories, you will make more profit than on a stripped car. The cost of the smaller engines can't be that much cheaper to produce so if the customer doesn't care about efficiency, he will pick the most prestegious one - note the number of E500s sold in the US versus the rest of the world. All of the W211s sold in the US are either Avant Guard or Elegance models elsewhere which have a lot of high priced, high profit accessories already on the base model. I think MBUSA is only importing those cars that will generate big revenues. The entry level W203 models are imported to bring the entry level buyers in the dealership doors and try to sell the brand. The idea of having a W211 cheaper than a W203 could confuse the buyer and then create a negative image in the long run.
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From: Oslo - Norway
Originally posted by JimPurdy
I The idea of having a W211 cheaper than a W203 could confuse the buyer and then create a negative image in the long run.
I The idea of having a W211 cheaper than a W203 could confuse the buyer and then create a negative image in the long run.
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From: New Jersey, USA
W211 & Q7
in US, market must follow the sausage market restristion
same sausage, different lenth. however, the lower level sausage cannot be longer than the upper level one.
MB
c 230 to 320
e 320 to 500
s 500 to 600
(430 violates a market rule so it is not sold well)
BMW
3 325 to 330
5 530 to 540
(525 violates a market rule so it is not sold well; NOTE: 540 engine is 4.4 L not 4.0 L)
7 745 to 760
(745 engine is 4.4 L)
this is the way to sell susage in United States.
btw, not only gas price but car price in US is the cheapest in the world. if Oslo were in US, I bet he bought BIG engine model. (who cares the environments, especially, the SUV owners who may never drive car out of highway -- our law makers treat a SUV as a truck which does not have to pay a nozzle tax. US consumes 70% the gas of world, according to the population, it is not right.)
same sausage, different lenth. however, the lower level sausage cannot be longer than the upper level one.
MB
c 230 to 320
e 320 to 500
s 500 to 600
(430 violates a market rule so it is not sold well)
BMW
3 325 to 330
5 530 to 540
(525 violates a market rule so it is not sold well; NOTE: 540 engine is 4.4 L not 4.0 L)
7 745 to 760
(745 engine is 4.4 L)
this is the way to sell susage in United States.
btw, not only gas price but car price in US is the cheapest in the world. if Oslo were in US, I bet he bought BIG engine model. (who cares the environments, especially, the SUV owners who may never drive car out of highway -- our law makers treat a SUV as a truck which does not have to pay a nozzle tax. US consumes 70% the gas of world, according to the population, it is not right.)
Last edited by Otto; Apr 1, 2004 at 03:22 PM.
