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Sedans High End Luxury Cars
24648 messages, Last post on Feb 17, 2009 at 11:03 AM
You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
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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Replying to: ivan_99 (Aug 31, 2006 12:06 pm) Apparently your above statement is correct based on Merc1's post below. Nothing has been officially decided or announced about a new 300 or a E-Class. Neither car is scheduled for a re-design until the 2009 model year. Also, the current 300 doesn't just simply use the old W210 E-Class chassis either. It uses bits and pieces from it, not the entire chassis in the way the Crossfire uses the old SLK chassis. The suspension design, seats, dashboard layout and other things are clearly W210 E-Class, but the rest isn't BUT we all dont know yet to what extent the 300 and E will share a future platform? Shortly after the "Merger of Equals" (as they wanted all of us to believe), DC wanted extensive platform and drivetrain sharing between various Mitsubushi and Chyrsler autos. Now unfortunately Mitsubushi is out of the picture so the next best step for DC to do is to increase the sharing between drivetrains and platforms between Benzes and Chryslers. And what worries me most is the planned extent of sharing between these two marques. I just hope DC does not end up slaying the goose(Mercedes Benz) in order to save its eggs(Chrysler). I guess only time will tell.
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Replying to: lexusguy (Aug 31, 2006 12:22 pm) Lexusguy, there is no company on this earth that is as good in platform sharing between luxury and non luxury autos as Toyota. Unfortunately very few other companies share that success. The disasterous details of Jaguar/Ford platform sharing has been recently discussed here. The details of the success of platform sharing between Honda and Acura is evident when you follow Acura's dismal sales results. Platform sharing among Nissan and Infiniti cars have been discontinued due to the non-success of the I35. VW has discovered the limitations of platform sharing with Audi and new/future models with the exception of the A3 will non-VW independent platfoms. In the 1990s BMW was smart enough not to do any Rover/BMW platform sharing . IMO putting a unique V8 drivetrain in a MB that has an identical platform with a Chrysler will be a disaster. In this case automotive history is on my side. |
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Replying to: brightness04 (Aug 30, 2006 10:57 pm) You can easily got your Lexus serviced at the local Toyota dealer but you cannot get your SLK serviced at your Chrysler dealer Crossfire is old tech.SLK350 is a real sport car.
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Replying to: greasykid1 (Sep 01, 2006 2:54 pm) Absolutely correct. Despite my worries I think in the end DC will be smart enough to keep Benzes as unique at possible. In fact I dont think they have a choice. |
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Replying to: dewey (Sep 01, 2006 2:41 pm) Yes, there were mistakes at the old big three, but they were not as much about platform sharing as they were about poor business management and poor quality. TagMan
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Replying to: tagman (Sep 01, 2006 3:05 pm) You are correct in saying that platform sharing among the Big 3 did make sense for many years. But the result of their past rebadged engineering is the current lack of seriousness among consumers for Big Three badges. |
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Replying to: houdini1 (Sep 01, 2006 2:23 pm) I posted last week that I am tired of reading all these ecstatic reviews in the British press of vehicles that we can't purchase here-namely, the diesels. The 535d is 10% cheaper to purchase and 10% cheaper to maintain than its gasoline equivalent. It does give up a bit of driving excitement to its "petrol" cousin, but the only people who would probably notice would be those who race the two. Hopefully, some of these fine diesel vehicles will be available here soon.
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Replying to: merc1 (Aug 31, 2006 11:10 pm) I do, but my dealer waves me off from them every time I mention that I'd like one.... Still, just once, I'd like to own a Vanden Plas......maybe even for just a little while. |
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Replying to: dewey (Sep 01, 2006 2:26 pm) Are you sure about that? The new Dodge Caliber and the Jeep Compass are actually Mitsubishis under the skin....from front to back.
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Replying to: dewey (Sep 01, 2006 2:41 pm) Actually, with the exception of the RL, Acura does very well. The TSX, TL, and MDX are generally good sellers, and they are all based on mainstream Honda platforms. The RDX will probably also sell well, and its basically a CR-V with a turbo. With the RL, I think Honda misjudged how far the Accord platform could be pushed up market. Its good enough for a $35K car, but not a $50K car. Infiniti still has one old fashioned rebadged Nissan, the QX56. I'm not positive, but I dont think it has been a success. I've never seen one on the road.
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