The controversial Mercedes-Benz R-Class "was a lesson learned," said Daimler sales executive Klaus Maier. Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche also weighed in on the situation, saying the minivan-SUV-crossover has "definitely not lived up" to expectations, according to trade publication Automotive News Europe.

Mercedes originally targeted sales of 25,000 per year in the United States, the report claims. Last year, R-Class sales were 18,000 and falling (a 28 percent decline).

Maier said it was a mistake to assume the unusual vehicle would appeal to a wide range of customers. Meanwhile, Zetsche said Daimler is in the early stages of thinking about a replacement for the R-Class. He said it could be a direct replacement, but there's also the distinct possibility of something totally different.

Recently, BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer announced his company had cancelled plans for a rival to the R-Class, saying the vehicle would "not fit BMW’s image."

lln

The lesson learned is that MVPs, especially expensive ones are dead. No body wants them any longer.

Give me a break. If the R-class would have been a hit then BMW would have launched a competitor within a month.

Then again, I don't think they were ever even thinking about developing a direct competitor.

What about the F5?? Isn't it an of R-Class àla BMW? It was not cancelled, was it? it is almost ready to launch!

PAS aren't Vans Mr coolraoul.

BMW has learned from MBs mistake. So they are taking a van with a BMW badge on it and creating something a little bit more sexier. It will be interesting to see how it will do.

F5 is nothing like R-class.
It's much lower than R-class (about 10cm!), a tad wider & approx of a same length.
F5 is just slightly raised sedan with a booty - a huge hatchback / fastback. While R-class has much more van-ish profile.

Eg. 5-platform heights (incl roof rails & antenna):
coupe 6er: 137cm
sedan 5er: 147cm
touring 5er : 149cm
PAS F5: 157cm
SAC X6: 170cm
SAV X5: 178cm

R-class: 166cm.

Every vehicle manufacturer in the world constantly watches every other vehicle manufacturer in the world, all day, every day. This is a very competitive industry and if Mercedes had hit their sales goal of "X" thousand units, then all viable competitors, including BMW would have been announcing their own plans for production of their comparable version.

Le F5 c'est un PAS pas un van alors?
Cette fois, tu prends pas le PAS mais le break ok? J'y vais de ce PAS.