German Car Zone

We've seen the photo before, but not the article

"If two doors are good, can four doors be better?

By RICK KRANZ | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
AutoWeek | Published 12/11/06, 8:05 am et



"Next month, Mercedes-Benz will take the wraps off a four-door convertible based on the S class, says an industry source with knowledge of the project. The mammoth, V-12-powered convertible concept is expected to debut at the Detroit auto show.

An industry source familiar with the car says production is planned.

How big is the market for such a convertible? Erich Merkle, director of forecasting for IRN Inc. in Grand Rapids, Mich., says global volume probably would be 4,000 to 5,000 units.

The convertible would carry a lofty price tag, possibly $10,000 to $15,000 above the V-12-powered S-class sedan, Merkle said. The V-12 sedan's sticker with transportation and gas-guzzler tax already tops $140,000.

"A four-door (convertible) is a bit of an oddity," Merkle said. "But then again, for a Mercedes-Benz buyer with more dollars than sense, maybe an oddity might be something they find appealing."

This would not be the first attempt to market a modern-day four-door convertible. ASC Inc. tried in 2005 with the Helios convertible concept, which was based on the Chrysler 300C sedan. The concept was unveiled at the Detroit auto show and featured a power-operated cloth top.

The Chrysler group studied that vehicle for over a year, eventually deciding not to produce it. Key factors in the decision were market appeal and structural concern, Joe Eberhardt, then Chrysler's executive vice president of global sales, marketing and service, said at the time. The four-door convertible had been expected to carry a $5,000 to $7,000 premium above the 300C sedan.

Mercedes-Benz produced a four-door convertible into the 1950s."

I'm not sure how good of an idea this is. But i guess if there is a market why not. And if MB exceeds then hell we'll be seeing BMW and AUDI in the mix.

Thanks!

How big is the market for such a convertible? Erich Merkle, director of forecasting for IRN Inc. in Grand Rapids, Mich., says global volume probably would be 4,000 to 5,000 units.


That's quite a lot of demand for an S-Class convertible: if DCX has done their market research correctly.

I'm completely perplexed as to how BMW has a premium Cabrio (6er) and Mercedes does not. Instead they are planning to give us a vert S-class? What-the-crap?

That is a big IF. because IF they have it wrong like I think they did with their R-class estmates then thats not good.

Lol! What is happening with MB?

Wrong and just wrong!

Will it really be S-class based?

I've heard MB are experimenting with CLS a lot: including 4-door cabrio (CLC), and a Shooting Brake variant (CLT) - since CLS being their experimental niche model.

So, CLS would be a World's 1st 4 door coupe and a 4 door cabrio then, huh?

i think this will be gr8..and wont be called S class cab..

I think this is a great idea. The will and ability to offer luxury cars in configurations that would be simply unfeasible and ridiculous for other brands to attempt is what makes Mercedes Benz stand above the crowd. A 4-door convertible sounds really off the wall, but it's been done before, and the desire for such a thing surely exists in numbers large enough to justify legitimate production.

To make money off this car, Mercedes would certainly have to build off an existing platform - read, the S-Klass. I hope that there's enough cosemetic changes that it doesn't just look like a chop. I also think that the premium will be very high for this vehicle.

Can't wait to see if this thing becomes a reality.