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High End Luxury Cars

24700 messages,  Last post on Dec 01, 2009 at 12:24 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

What is this discussion about? Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ-Series, Lexus LS 460, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Volkswagen Phaeton, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz CL-Class, Sedan



Let's try to define this forum as being limited to luxury performance vehicles where the mainstream version in a typical configuration has an MSRP of at least $60k.

A luxury vehicle with a base price of $59k qualifies because it would typically be bought with some additional equipment, bringing the MSRP over $60k.

Vehicles like the E, 5, A6, M, or GS, even if available in certain versions over $60k, don't qualify because they are cars from companies that have higher end cars in their lineups.



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#13446 of 24700
Re: The big Japanese Toyota V-12 [ctsang] by tagman
Jan 17, 2006 (12:47 pm)
Reply

Replying to: ctsang (Jan 17, 2006 12:38 pm)

The Toyota Century has a reasonably nice looking interior, based upon the photos, but not incredible by any means. The exterior, however, looks like a stretched out old Ford Grenada . . . nothing impressive about it. Is this a "cultural" thing? Does it actually look attractive to Japanese people? Also, please explain what could possibly make it so exclusive?
#13447 of 24700
Re: The big Japanese Toyota V-12 [tagman] by scott1256
Jan 17, 2006 (1:18 pm)
Reply

Replying to: tagman (Jan 17, 2006 12:47 pm)

I can think of one reason the Century is so exclusive: in Japan's conformist society it really stands out.
 
As well, the Century is the choice of many succesful business executives and politicians in high office. People see a Century and think 'that must be someone famous'.
#13448 of 24700
Re: The big Japanese Toyota V-12 [scott1256] by lexusguy
Jan 17, 2006 (2:07 pm)
Reply

Replying to: scott1256 (Jan 17, 2006 1:18 pm)

The interior of the Crown Majesta is MUCH MUCH nicer.
 
http://toyota.images.free.fr/images/japon/toyota/2004_crown_majesta_2.jpg
 
The Mark X is also very nice inside.
 
http://toyota.images.free.fr/images/japon/toyota/2005_mark-x_2.jpg
#13449 of 24700
Re: The big Japanese Toyota V-12 [lexusguy] by designman
Jan 17, 2006 (3:02 pm)
Reply

Replying to: lexusguy (Jan 17, 2006 2:07 pm)

Those interiors are really nice. I love that low forward sweep. I don't get it, why not on the US cars?
#13450 of 24700
Re: The big Japanese Toyota V-12 [designman] by ljflx
Jan 17, 2006 (5:52 pm)
Reply

Replying to: designman (Jan 17, 2006 5:30 am)

"Thank you Oac and Ljflx for that response. Ljflx, I am guessing that your mention of Lexus info in business books and college text books alludes to them as a business model."
 
Yes. The emphasis of course is on a manufacturing business model. But many elements from a desire and goal to sweep qualitative awards within a short period of time for brand recognition and establishing precision and quality from the more expensive buildout to the more economical buildouts in order to distance the quality of those products (in this case cars of course) from the competion can be utilized in any industry. This is why I was saying last night that the real flow here was from Lexus to Toyota - not the other way around. Business stories I've read like to deal with the details and the step by step execution of a truly long-term plan in dealing with the Lexus achievement as a blueprint for other new product development efforts.
#13451 of 24700
Re: Talk about profit: over $18,000 per car! [tagman] by ljflx
Jan 17, 2006 (6:16 pm)
Reply

Replying to: tagman (Jan 17, 2006 10:43 am)

Tagman,
 
read the article and from my standpoint the arrogance will hurt them long-term unless they adjust to market conditions which will be different across the globe. In the end the customer dictates what the manufacturer will do once there is sufficient competition in the market. There is much more competition than ever and it will increase a lot further from here. Arrogance works in monopoly or near monopoly situations but serious competition changes arrogance quiclky as can be seen by the cupholders, power windows and many other features they were reluctant to put in the cars. This fits any industry and sooner or later everyone is humbled. I don't view that arrogance as an asset, I view it as a large liability.
 
Different industry topic but here's a good story on German copanies in todays NY times. Enjoy and by the way I have a great amount of respect for how Germany and German businesses unified the extreme differences between East and West Germany in such a short period of time. Tremendous achievement.
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/17/business/worldbusiness/17comeback.html?adxnnl=- - - 1&adxnnlx=1137550442-XNiuRnGO7laIgZO+to0Iew
#13452 of 24700
Re: Talk about profit: over $18,000 per car! [ljflx] by tagman
Jan 17, 2006 (6:42 pm)
Reply

Replying to: ljflx (Jan 17, 2006 6:16 pm)

ljflx,
The article about Heidelberg was most interesting to me. Thank you. My company utilizes Heidelberg equipment in our production facility. I will share with you a brief story about the reason we use genuine German Heidelberg equipment and not, say, Ryobi, or other Japanese equipment. Years ago, during one of our expansion and upgrade phases of our company, we purchased some Japanese equipment. It might have satisfied some, but our standards were VERY high in terms of quality. Ultimately, we rid ourselves of the equipment and purchased Heidelberg. The difference in quality was very real. I realize that printing equipment is not the same as an automobile, but I will tell you that there are very few pieces of industrial equipment that require the machined precision as that of a large commercial printing press. I will not take the room here on this post to explain, but believe me, the tolerances are every bit as much and MORE than an automobile and its engine. Price tags are seven digits and up. When we got to another point in time for another upgrade, we looked at the latest from Japan again, and the automation and technology was incredible, but once again the Japanese machinery was not as precise as the German machinery. Does this have anything to do with cars? Maybe. Maybe not. But I do know first hand every day what those German machines can do, and what those Japanese competitors can't do . . . under some of the most rigorous requirements you could ever imagine.
 
Arrogance hurts, of course, but the genius lies elsewhere, and it still shines through . . . sometimes as bright as the sun itself. Thanks again.
 
TagMan
#13453 of 24700
Re: The big Japanese Toyota V-12 [designman] by lexusguy
Jan 17, 2006 (7:52 pm)
Reply

Replying to: designman (Jan 17, 2006 3:02 pm)

Unfortunately, many Japanese cars have much better interiors than their US equivalents. Their Maxima:
 
http://www.nissan.co.nz/images/vehicle/maxima/gallery/9b.jpg
 
Our Maxima:
 
http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/images/nissan_maxima_review_int.jpg
#13454 of 24700
1999 Mercedes S320 reliability by rodut
Jan 17, 2006 (7:55 pm)
Reply
Does somebody has reasons to believe that the 1999 Mercedes S320 would be a decent reliability car ?
  
I am very concerned about the 2000-2005 reliability record, and wonder if the previous model (1997-1999) was a simpler, so more reliable car.
  
Thanks
#13455 of 24700
Re: A Question? [designman] by michael_mattox
Jan 17, 2006 (8:14 pm)
Reply

Replying to: designman (Jan 16, 2006 1:42 pm)

Designman:
 
If I had a nice Chysler and someone called it a Mercedes I would be darn mad.

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