Good analysis Roberto, but his implication that any of those other brands have assumed what was once Mercedes position, or even that they are in a superior position to MB based on brand perception and value still don't add up. At the very least MB is on equal footing with the majority of those brands.

I wonder if MB could have survived if they continued with their pre-90's strategy, given that certain economies of scale are needed for technology leadership and the ever increasing competitive forces from not only the other Germans but the Japanese as well. Would Mercedes have ended up as some sort of mass produced rolls royce?