Quote:
Originally posted by Jon Hrut
...From an economic standpoint, when the C SEDANS came out, I could not figure out for the life of me why they would make a car that for all practical purposes would directly compete with the E series.
There are times these days when I cannot tell from a quick glance if the car is a C or E series (this is when I cannot see the rear end).
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The C-Class and E-Class cars do not compete for the same dollar. Mercedes has made a compact sedan since 1984 and the W201. This has been a successful strategy for them. They introduced a car that is priced below the larger sedans, offers economical drivelines (in North America, no fours in bigger cars) and captures a customer they didn't have.
You don't think they need the C-Class? Right now the "entry level" luxury market is the most crowded segment. This is cars like the BMW 3-series, Audi A4, Infiniti G35, and so on. There is a strong demand in this range, and profits to be made. MB would be foolish not to sell the C-Class in a lucrative segement.
As to family appearance, this is another long standing Mercedes tradition. The W201 and W124 were based on the same platform and from more than a few feet away, many people were hard pressed to tell the difference. This did not discourage W124 sales, but did enhance W201 sales.
It's funny how most people place the "don't buy one past this year" cut-off at the year of the car they own. While I'm not a fan of the COMAND and all that stuff, I think there are decent late-model MB's to be found. The W210 didn't get many gadgets until the 2000MY and beyond. There are many folks that feel the W210 is indicative of everything that is wrong with MB, and here's a fellow that loves his. It's all a matter of perception.
And that is why MB is at the bottom of the heap on the surveys. They went out and attacked the market with the ML and brought a ton of non-MB customers into the showrooms. These people had been raised on Accords and Camrys and expected cars to work like their solid-state radio: flawlessly. What they didn't know is that MB cars have NEVER been that way. They have always been leaders in the heaping of technology in their cars, despite claims to the contrary. Among the first with airbags, ABS, and so on. MB cars had complex systems for decades.
Look at a W124 in it's day. Stop comparing it to a new car. In 1986 it was a technical tour-de-force. And guess what? Stuff broke. People love to think of the W124 as "perfect." They're not! Evaporators, ACC-PBU's, head gaskets, wiring harnesses, and so on.
People used to buy MB automobiles for their bulletproor drivelines and superb driving experience. We could fix other stuff, but who likes to replace an engine at 100K-miles? Then the ML customers came. They exposed MB for what they have been for decades: a maker of superb cars with incredible drivelines that often has troubles with gizmos.
So Mercedes has dug their own hole. And you can't unring the bell. They're just going to have to bite the bullet and create cars that are both superbly engineered and have reliable electrical sub-systems.