Tracy,

I'm pretty sure a number of the 500E owners here have the wherewithal to buy a new E500 or an E55. I myself considered the latest E55, but prefer my car...feels more visceral, more involved, maybe a bit more burly than the later car. Sure the new car had a number of options unavailable in a 500, but none I couldn't live without.

A big part of this is exclusivity, and exclusivity ONLY comes with low volume, limited-production vehicles. Conversely,the upcoming E500 will be built in quantities sufficient to satisfy demand (which should be considerable).

In point of fact, not once have I ever passed another 500E on the road, nor ever seen another in a parking lot. And I've never seen another Almandine Red one. I like that.

To each his own I guess, but the consistent demographic here among 500E/E500 owners reflects a desire to have a rare model with an interesting pedigree, maintenance costs be damned:p

__________________
"If God had meant for us to walk, why did he give us feet that fit car pedals?" Sir Sterling Moss

Michael
2014 E63S Estate
2006 SLK55
1995 E500
1986 Porsche 944 turbo