German Car Zone

???
To move up in size from an E350 to an S550 is going to cost you about $40k.
The average E350 is coming in around $55k. The average S is about $96k.
You can get a discount on any car, not just an E. You think "making the number work" is some shell game, and we can just whip out any figure?
I would only tell the buyer the truth of what it will cost them. What good what it do to lie to a buyer about what a car cost?

We did sell a lot of S550s when the car launched. It was a smashing success. The flip side of the coin is there were a lot of buyers who swithced brands because the 550 exceeded their price ceiling. Think of it this way. When the 220 launched as a my2000, I believe the base price was just south of $70k. Just 10 years later the 221 base price is $20k higher. sure, I'm way off base here.

It probably would be beneficial for them to sell The S450 and/or S300 V6. Especially since S-class sales are not where they need to be. You probably know more about what Mercedes-Benz sales need then we do. Hopefully Benz will make the well needed changes to be successful especially since they keep adding to the price of the S-class. Even on MBUSA...if you add just a few options to a S550 it's almost 100k. So you're right Lexus & Jag fills that void very well.

It will be interesting to see how many Hybrids you all sell. Even thats about $80-87k right?

Not to go over this again (did you see my previous post?), and not to deride car salespeople, but yeah you all do that sort of thing with numbers all the time. There is an E550 there but I know same size car, bigger engine..doesn't help. I agree with you that the S450 may be needed now, but it needs work IMO. People on MBWorld reporting getting 15K off 2009 S550s.



I see what you're saying here, kinda what happened when the W126 was replaced by the W140. The 1992 300SE costs the same or more than the 1991 560SEL. I get that, but what I'm saying is that we'll never know how many of those buyers who switched brands would have bought an S450 either. Some of them would have looked the power/specs and still left since a more powerful and probably better equipped LS460 would have still been cheaper.

Now, again...now I don't see a problem with selling a S450 here, well other than the class-laggard hp number.

Dont you all have district/dealer meetings with MBUSA? Why not scream for the S450 SWB and LWB models? Is Mercedes really loosing that many sales and if so are they really that cluess as to not see it?


M

Forget the S450, how about a 335HP S350? With everyone downsizing and tightening their belts, MBUSA should re-introduce the V6 S again.

Anyway, regarding that commercial where a Mercedes saves a family, the commercial "Faithful" features the Kennedys and their W211 that saved their lives.

I also noticed that the new GLK ad with the emphasis on safety.

If only Mercedes would get up off their arse and update their V6 engines, yes a 335hp S350 might sound better, thats great power for a V6, but not a V8 IMO. Better yet why not a S350 Bluetec?


M