220S

Sorry but some of you people are sick in the head.

It absolutely is a vanity statement for you. Buy a car for its quality and how it can serve you and not for what you think it says about you. And you may be surprised but a lot of people think you're a tool and not exactly somebody to look up to because you decided to spend money on a friggin' car. Give me a break. Seriously.

You need a valet to give you your daily 'pat on the back' dose of self-aggrandizement? Get real.

Your value is who you are and how you conduct yourself in life. Not what kind of stupid *** car you drive or other toys you own. Own them only to give you pleasure and not to elevate your perceived status of yourself.

This kind of crap is what turned me off of the brand. Too many insecure badge ******.

Daimler AG is a business. They need to build and sell products that sell and can sell in a dramatically changing world of shifting regulations and tenuous world economies. If they build something that your valet can afford to buy, them more power to them and to your valet. Nobody's going to keep you from buying more expensive versions so that your ego remains intact.

dfordham

Well said!

Regards,
Don

K-A

Pfft, and Porsche guys are any better? BMW guys? Sorry but the "M-B bunch" seems to be far more relaxed about what they drive than either of the two mentioned's, from my observations.

And you're getting too deep. Nobody (at least not me) is saying that what car you drive determines who you are (one would hope that whatever you do is important enough considering the fact that it's what affords you your life, stop realizing that and you can kiss affording any toys you want good bye).

I'm not materialistic in the least. I don't care about what brand I wear, drink, eat, accessorize. In fact, in most things "style wise" I prefer non brands. I'd NEVER wear Gucci, Chanel, or any of that stuff.

However, cars are my "escape", it's where I can get in la la land. And M-B is my most prestigious brand, and I'm proud to own it.... not of the impression I make to YOU, but to ME. I am happy to have motivation to buy a car from a company who's so storied and "lean" that it commands so much respect, it makes me proud of the car brand, which in turn makes me happy to own it. This isn't about EGO, it's about a feeling toward a brand and product and how it makes YOU feel about being a part of it (that's what marketing is all about). If M-B ruins that, then I've lost my attachment to them. Cars might be an appliance to YOU, but to some, it's more than that, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Lol. Well put. Apple is the PERFECT example of an ideal business model, which is one reason I put them on the highest pedestal. They are ENORMOUSLY popular, but they did it the way a "Premium Manufacturer" that builds a quality product and focuses business model, both tangible AND intangible, that makes people connect to them, should. No low end crap models, then didn't sell out to that. A LEAN product lineup that keeps them focused. They're modeled like an exclusive brand (and their profit margins show that), however, the TANGIBLE/INTANGIBLE quality relationship gets so many people wanting them, they make the volume of a mass-market brand.

This is how M-B USED to do it. That's what got them to be who they are today. Steve Jobs actually once compared Apple's business strategy to how the "Car Companies *USED TO* do it".

jvc300

Cimmaron Caddy? C'mon.. Wrong movie.....

The A-Class has been around since 1997 and the B-Class has been produced since 2005. These are not brand new introductions, but new versions. BMW, MB, and Jag have been making lighter affordable versions for sometime now. Finally, instead of tin-can econo-boxes maybe we can have a higher quality economy vehicle.

K-A

The A & B have been around for a while indeed. In Europe, maybe the biggest eye sores you can find are the first two generations of the A-Class (the first one might just be the ugliest POS you will ever feast your eyes on). My little Brother isn't a car guy in the least (he can give a damn), so to him, "Mercedes-Benz" is simply a very powerful, prestigious name based off of building high quality, timeless and expensive cars. When I showed him the A & B Classes in Paris, he was in disbelief. I could see M-B's cachet lower several notches to him right there (it was like the loss of innocence, lol).

Spending almost a months time within the last year throughout Europe, I can about safely say that anyone who has any semblance of care about cars seems to write both off as "not real Mercedes-Benzes", and both seem to be the b*stards of the lineup far and wide. However, the NEW A-Class, as overtly heavy handed as its design is (which is what's appropriate for that segment I guess, just doesn't look "Benz-ish" so much), is a huge step up in "cool factor" from the previous A-Classes.

However, we in the U.S, where M-B enjoys a "Premium cachet" and is an "import", will be getting FWD, "cheap", little A-Classes for the first time (along with its spinoffs). What I noticed in Europe, is that M-B has an obvious cultural stronghold, as it of course is the "local", and it's the homegrown, home-team. M-B is very prestigious in EU, but in the U.S, M-B has a slightly modified appeal and different gameplan (there's a reason that MBUSA doesn't bring out so many different models and big rigs to us fickle Americans, they know good and well that M-B is still more "exotic" out here than out there).

Idk. It seems like this is just the way it is in car land now. Even spending $300K on a Rolls Royce gets you a gussied up 7-Series. Unfortunately, I still can't afford that brand new Ferrari, so I need M-B to keep giving me the warm and fuzzies for a little bit longer.

dfordham

"I'm not materialistic in the least. I don't care about what brand I drive or ride in. In fact, in most things, "style wise", I prefer non brands. I'd NEVER drive Mercedes, BMW, or any of that stuff.

However, clothes are my "escape", it's where I can get in la la land. And Gucci is my most prestigious brand, and I'm proud to own it... not of the impression I makt to YOU, but to ME."

Sorry, sounds pretty superficial to me.

Regards,
Don

K-A

Did you not read where I said that cars are where I apply some superficiality? Should I have been clearer on that?

I know many of you like to have that halo nicely propped right above your heads, but you make it sound as if "exclusivity factor" and companies that like to keep lean, concise, and expensive product lines, so to build up a prestigious "aura" that provoke people to want to grasp for it, should be taboo. There's nothing wrong with that, and M-B were built as a brand who did just that. Nothing wrong with those who aren't adapting to where the company wants them to.

We're all buying cars that cost a lot more than cars that do technically similar things. The M-B brand, Premium-Factor, and heritage are very much coming out of your pocket when you cut that check, whether you like it or not.

dfordham

So superficiality is a virtue now?

I'm a senior citizen and I know things have changed, but I hope not this much.

Regards,
Don

K-A

First off, superficiality has always been unfortunately prevalent within our humanized culture, nothing's changed there.

Secondly; if you consider someone like me, who practically lives like a caveman if I can help it, compared to at least those who I associate with or who have a similar dollar worth as I do, "superficial", because I enjoy cars as more than appliance products.... being that I enjoy owning what is a part of a very rich heritage I've been fond of all of my life, that I'd like the company to hold onto its values as to not spoil that aspect for me, "superficial", then that's on you.

Should we just do away with all lines of trying to honor and preserve some form of "exclusivity factor", to overindulge in sheer capitalist "grow as big as we can until we're a bloated balloon ready to pop" from some companies who's storied pasts have partly come from lean and focused product lines, not intended to be in "everyone's hands"?

If that's the case, then please go to the Ferrari boards and tell those guys. I'm sure 220s will be horrified at the backlash Ferrari owners give to the idea of a (gasp!) $60K Ferrari. How about a Compact $60K FWD Ferrari with Twin Turbo 4 Banger putting out 350 HP? I'm sure it'd sell like hotcakes. Should Ferrari give up all emotional involvement to their heritage and aura and just go ahead and do it? Because that's essentially relative to what Mercedes has been increasingly doing within their own world.

My unprivileged a$$ can only afford a $60K Benz, I want a $60K Ferrari!

dfordham

If I come off as judgemental, I appologize.

I just think there are much better reasons for loving MB cars than because "not everyone can afford one."

Regards,
Don

K-A

No worries.

That's certainly not my reason for getting one. Obviously I choose it above its similar-in-price/cachet/"Premium Factor" rivals for many tangible reasons. However, one of the things that I pay a premium on M-B's is (and there of course is a nice premium on all M-B's compared to cars that are technically similar) because I like the "brand" in what it represents to me.

Also, simply put, I feel it's a nice accumulation of many great things in the respect the Mercedes brand still very much holds.