The Future of Mercedes in the US
 

Mercedes-Benz' maps blitz of new models in U.S.

CLA, GLA, Electric B, W205, SLC and the SMART

Oh, and in case you're wondering why the new small car designs are so expensive . . .

Costs A Lot to Train the Elk

I threw up a little when I read one of the cars is front wheel drive

Oh don't start that conversation :D. I think they'll do well in the U.S. but are diluting their brand image significantly. While this is what they need to do in order to survive (or I'd bet), I can see people on the higher end jumping from the brand because its no longer exclusive to the wealthy. Not to say they won't be making really expensive and overpriced cars, but the S class owner may turn his/her nose at it -- there are definitely people in my area who actually care about that. They'll just have to be careful about dilution.

Rewind 30 years and it sounds the same as when the W201 debuted . . . What? A compact Benz? . . . Pity it only sold just over a million units in 10 years worldwide. :D

Every production car company has to make their US and European CAFE numbers, and the cars you see listed are going towards that. Even BMW is developing a FWD 1 Series car, based on the new MINI chassis, for 2017.

That may be, but Lexus owners never seemed to be concerned about driving around in badge engineered Toyotas.

- Peter.

That's how it's always been. I know people who won't buy Mercedes because they make big rigs and taxis.

Sounds similar to what happened to Packard. You could by the status for a lot less with a Lincoln or Cadillac, but the Packard had content that was deeper than the body lines.

i.e. durable machines...

Yup, I'm sure they will do fine, the only impact I see is on that super high end buyer.

That's because they were in the market for appliances and are the market that simply doesn't care enough. One day they step outside and wonder why their fridge has wheels.

For sure. And of course, a lot of Merc's smaller offerings are globally elsewhere, but the average U.S. consumer is probably not that aware of it. Tell some of these folks that MB diesels are in Freightliners and see their faces go white :D

I really doubt that "the super high end buyer" cares what else the brand markets; for instance does the owner of a 7 Series really care that they might see a 118i, and the lesser humans that buy them, in the showroom?

I don't know I'm not one of them. Our building owner is though, and I would be willing to bet that he would at least give it a thought just knowing how the guy is.

Fortunately, you can build an electric car that's 50/50 AWD or driven 100% by the CORRECT set of wheels without any efficiency penalty.

As more electric cars are released, the reasons to prefer flunk-wheel-drive will disappear. I don't think that any of Tesla's cars or planned offerings is FWD, for example.

Perhaps, but it depends what is offered on the lower end. When Packard introduced junior line with independent front suspension the senior line was still a solid front axle. Those who who went for the senior line were going (in today's vernacular) WTF!

2014 S63 AMG
 

Rich man's Math?;)

Want 90 percent of a Bentley for 45 percent of the money? This is your car.:D

Yahoo!

That makes about as much sense as refusing to buy a Ferrari because its parent company makes Fiat Pandas.

My desire is for a relatively simple rear drive car with a manual transmission and preferably a diesel engine. I don't think Mercedes has offered one of those in the U.S. since about 1987.