Quote:
Originally Posted by tennmb Mercedes is missing a lot of opportunities without the Standard Wheel Base here in the U.S.
I have a lot of old S320 and S430 customers who will not buy the S550 because of price. Going from $65k for a E550 to $90k is too big of a gap in the 4 door market. And NO the CLS does not fill the gap. It has less room than the E. Mercedes is getting so fat and happy selling all the S550s they can't see what they are missing.
The U.S. would do well with a S450 swb priced starting in the upper $70k. |
Once sales dip to an undesireable level you'll get your wish. I predict they're going to hold off on the S450 until facelift time, should be the 2010 model year. Then the 4.6L V8 will develop something like 365hp with direct injection. The 5.5L V8 of course will go over 400hp easily. The did the S550 first this time around to make sure the S didn't get smacked around by the more powerful LS460 in the car mags, and/or they were surprised the LS460 went from 290hp to 380hp and canned the S450 at the last minute. Come to think of it that is what happened I think. The S450 and S550 were to arrive at the same time, but all of a sudden no one ever heard about the S450 again.
M