MB USA has deliberated set out to make a mercedes something you buy when you "arrive" through years of marketing and appealing to only the upper end of car buyers.

This line says it all-

younger generations haven't "arrived". They are still en-route. Secondly as a member of the mid to younger generations, I could care less about "class and prominence" or "prestige and pride of ownership". I doubt im alone.

I drive my old car because its indestructible, easy to repair, cheap, and I like it. Not because it being a mercedes automatically places me on a higher plateau of ownership than other car makers or owners.

If mercedes really wants to appeal to the younger generations, bring over the A-class for as cheap as a civic, the work vehicles, the trucks, and everything else that gives mercedes a broad market in Europe without as much pomp and circumstance over the brand alone as we get in the USA. The engineering alone will sell vehicles, it doesn't need to come with a mink and a golf club membership.

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