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High End Luxury Cars

24723 messages,  Last post on Jan 28, 2013 at 6:55 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum.

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.

Messages Page 1902 of 2473

#19008 of 24723 Is 'Dr. Z' Kaput as Chrysler's TV Pitchman? by dewey

Sep 18, 2006 (4:56 pm)

Appears Dr. Z's message about MB engineering in Chryslers is just not working as planned. He is certainly no Iaccoca. Here is a little blurb from Wall Street Journal.
 
Created by the Detroit office of Omnicom Group's BBDO, the "Dr. Z" campaign cost $100 million and has been running since July. It relies on Mr. Zetsche, with his distinctive, bushy mustache and German accent, for a light-hearted setting of a somewhat complicated message about how Chrysler cars share engineering and design features with higher-priced Mercedes sedans, or how Jeep SUVs are clean and fuel efficient.
 
But the ads have become the butt of scorn from some ad critics, even though industry research shows the ads were memorable. Critics often pointed to studies showing that many people believed Dr. Z wasn't a real person. Detroit area resident Carrie Belcher, who has a Jeep Grand Cherokee and Volkswagen Passat in her family, said she assumed he was a fake character and was surprised to learn he was DaimlerChrysler's CEO. But she said the ads made her laugh. "I thought it was kind of fun that the CEO was that quirky and funny," she said. (Mr. Zetsche does have a doctorate in engineering.)
 
The Chrysler Group vigorously defends the ads, saying the campaign did its job of informing consumers about what Chrysler stands for.
 
The TV, radio and print portions of the Dr. Z campaign are currently suspended so the company can focus on its clearance sale and new model launches over the next two months
 
SOURCE: WALL STREET JOURNAL SEPT 18 2006

#19009 of 24723 Re: Is 'Dr. Z' Kaput as Chrysler's TV Pitchman? [dewey] by lexusguy

Sep 18, 2006 (5:38 pm)

Replying to: dewey (Sep 18, 2006 4:56 pm)
Appears Dr. Z's message about MB engineering in Chryslers is just not working as planned. He is certainly no Iaccoca. Here is a little blurb from Wall Street Journal.
 
The A.E. was on them from day one about those terrible ads. According to Pete, the ads have actually cost DCX more than $200m, without increasing showroom traffic one iota.

#19010 of 24723 Re: Toyota to ramp up, big time [blkhemi] by lexusguy

Sep 18, 2006 (5:43 pm)

Replying to: blkhemi (Sep 18, 2006 1:08 pm)
Yes folks, Toyota will beat Ford worldwide. They also said that that there will be a major shift towards Eastern Europe and China, areas that GM absolutely dominates. By 2010, if GM stays on it's steady pace and Toyota's output actually works, Toyota would become #1, reports suggests.
 
Ford is in big, big trouble. They are slashing (another?) 30K jobs, and closing several more plants as part of "Way Forward 2.0, Mulally addition". They still depend much to heavily on the F-150 and their trucks. The market is going to drop out right under the Explorer. Expedition? Fuggetaboutit. Mercury is done for. Literally no new products until something like 2012.

#19011 of 24723 Toyota recalls by tagman

Sep 18, 2006 (6:47 pm)

With all this talk of Toyota becoming number one and turning into a GM or beating out Ford, let's not forget that in just the last two years alone, Toyota has had two major recalls totalling a whopping 1,750,000 vehicles worldwide. These recalls were not minor as both of these recalls were due to potential steering failure!
 
But, interestingly, nobody thinks about it. They only remember the Ford Explorer's tires, which Ford didn't even manufacture!
 
Toyota can do no wrong it would seem, even when a colossal 1.75 million cars worldwide could have lost their steering!
 
Go figure.
 
TagMan

#19012 of 24723 Re: Toyota recalls [tagman] by lexusguy

Sep 18, 2006 (7:12 pm)

Replying to: tagman (Sep 18, 2006 6:47 pm)
But, interestingly, nobody thinks about it. They only remember the Ford Explorer's tires, which Ford didn't even manufacture!
 
Its not as if Ford had no clue that tire problems could happen. They didn't want to pay for safe tires.
 
As for Toyota, read the Edmunds article, Perception is reality. People are willing to give Toyota the benefit of the doubt that they are serious about fixing the recent quality issues, because of their sterling Toyota = quality reputation. The domestics made junk for 20 years, so its a bit harder for them to say "you gotta listen to us, I know we've said this every year for the last 20 years, but the cars really are good now.

#19013 of 24723 Re: 2007 Acura MDX interior shots [dewey] by merc1

Sep 18, 2006 (9:18 pm)

Replying to: dewey (Sep 18, 2006 12:14 pm)
Was that article written before or after they tested the BMW335i?
 
Before, of course.
 
M

#19014 of 24723 Re: Toyota to ramp up, big time [killerbunny] by blkhemi

Sep 19, 2006 (2:44 am)

Replying to: killerbunny (Sep 18, 2006 1:25 pm)
All of this info can be found in today's WSJ. Toyota has not surpassed GM as of yet. There is some major work left to do before that happens. But they are on track to pass Ford this year.

#19015 of 24723 Re: Toyota to ramp up, big time [lexusguy] by blkhemi

Sep 19, 2006 (2:53 am)

Replying to: lexusguy (Sep 18, 2006 5:43 pm)
So intially Ford was to follow the plan of GM and shutter or downsize several plants and layoff 30k workers. Now they're to double that under Mulally?? What is going to be left of this company?
 
And you're right. The products are very far and few between. They just don't produce cars people want to buy. No one says I want that underpowered and overwhelmed Five Hundred when they can have that spiffy new Camry, Accord, or even Impala. The same for the for the Zephyr(MKS). For 33k, there are at least 20 cars to be had at that price that is a more attractive deal. Even with the massive 8k off, I'd still be hard pressed to take it over an Accord, Camry, or even a Sonata, even with the MKS' supposed better interior.
 
The Explorer, the SUV that ruled the world, has fallen off so far that the company is now said to make an off-road model due to the Ford Edge being the more desired model. With all of this money spent in '06 to make the Explorer explore better, then why not create the Edge as the new Explorer in the first place??
 
And even the F-150 line is a major letdown. They're going to let SRT walk all over them in a category that SVT made hot with the Lightnin. The new Harley-Davidson Ford should've never seen the light of day.

#19016 of 24723 Re: Toyota recalls [tagman] by blkhemi

Sep 19, 2006 (2:58 am)

Replying to: tagman (Sep 18, 2006 6:47 pm)
Tag, I'm well aware of this company's recent surge in recalls. This is the sort of thing that happens when we try to outpace ourselves without double checking all of the screws and bolts, so to speak.
 
1.75m vehicles worldwide to be recalled is a lot for any manufacture. Toyota has to remember to put it's quality first or people will walk away. Fast. In this day and age, people are not as willing to take second bat with every company either matching or exceeding another company's quality until another company 1-up's it.
 
Hyundai, does it ring a bell anyone?

#19017 of 24723 2009 BMW 5 Series by dewey

Sep 19, 2006 (7:22 am)

The British mag Car has some of the rumored details and pictures(certainly not official) of the upcoming 5 series.
 
Based on the pictures below it appears BMW's future will lack Bangle's influence and be substituted with blandest of bland styling.
 
This picture looks alot like the current e90 3 series:
 

 
And the rear-end of this 5 series looks a lot like a Hyundai Sonata:
 

 
The most interesting specs are the following:
 
BMW hasn't forgotten about environmental initiatives, though. The diesel engines should get urea injection – as Mercedes is pioneering – to cut nitrogen oxide emissions. A stop/start system and upshift indicator for six-speed manual versions will help reduce fuel consumption, and the engines should be biofuel- and synfuel-compatible. Brake energy-regeneration, in combination with adaptive alternator control, should also save up to 10 percent more fuel too.
 
Link below for more 2009 5 series specs:
 
2009 5 Series

Messages Page 1902 of 2473

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