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High End Luxury Cars

24699 messages,  Last post on Nov 30, 2009 at 6:41 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.

#23219 of 24699 Re: Well, [dewey] by brightness04 Jan 25, 2007 (11:27 am)
Replying to: dewey (Jan 25, 2007 3:57 am) Can we focus on the subject matter and ditch the personal insults? You obviously tried to insult me with your "pie in the sky" accusation, then my number turned out to be very sound. Now from nowhere you are accusing me of relying on Google. I knew the 1800 number without consulting google; if I did rely on google, I would have given you the 2100 number for Mainland and HK combined as that's a number much easier to find on google. Projecting from one's own experience does not always work   75% growth for specific models in China is not impressive when a car is newly introduced. From a starting base of only a couple hundred cars in 2002-3, A8 can indeed garner high double digit growth for a few years; many other models from other manufacturers did the same thing. High per centage growth is easy when the base is small.   In a third world country, drivers of HELC are usually chauffers not the owners. Projecting US experience for HELC can be quite erroneous when we are talking about only a few thousand cars sold at this price level in a country of over 1 billion people. The number of HELC cars sold in China per million population is comparable to Ultra Lux like $300k Rolls and Maybach (not even the $170k Bentley) in the US. These cars are not usually bought by "hard working affluent individuals." They are usually purchased for livery/limo service or extremely wealthy individuals in personal fleets, even in the US. Overseas in countries like China, corruption is often the source of extreme wealth and power. In the case of Audi, corruption becomes all the more relevent as A8 is often a tool for bribary in order to sell A6 and A4 to publicly-funded vehicle fleets like department vehicle purchases. Replies to this message: dewey (Jan 25, 2007 3:56 pm) brightness04 (Jan 30, 2007 7:36 am)
#23220 of 24699 Re: Report of Incredible Porsche Profitability [designman] by tayl0rd Jan 25, 2007 (11:33 am)
Replying to: designman (Jan 25, 2007 10:19 am) I certainly believe it. Get this! The local Porsche dealer offered to sell me a Carrera GT for $125,000 OFF MSRP!! That was a few months before production ended. Of course, there was no possible way whatsoever that I could've bought it, but the salesman told me that they were wanting to move it out because it was costing them too much to have it in the showroom. He even told me to refer the offer if I knew anyone interested. Replies to this message: designman (Jan 26, 2007 10:27 am) tayl0rd (Jan 29, 2007 10:21 am) designman (Jan 30, 2007 5:10 am) and 3 more...
#23221 of 24699 Re: AutoWeek's review of the Audi R8 [tagman] by hpowders Jan 25, 2007 (11:35 am)
Replying to: tagman (Jan 25, 2007 11:22 am) The reviewer at 6'4" had to move the driver's seat FORWARD for comfort! Sounds like my kind of car!   The headlights have that aggressive "545" look, too!   In my current busy position of sitting here accruing interest and dividends, I somehow missed this article.
#23222 of 24699 Re: I'll go a round with you, Hemi. [merc1] by lexusguy Jan 25, 2007 (11:54 am)
Replying to: merc1 (Jan 25, 2007 3:07 am) Actually the GS400 used to beat all those cars except the 540i in most comparos back then.   Hmm, because the only comparison I can remember of the four, the GS was last. I don't remember if it was MT or C&D, but they didn't like it. Replies to this message: merc1 (Jan 25, 2007 9:11 pm)
#23223 of 24699 Re: AutoWeek's review of the Audi R8 [tagman] by houdini1 Jan 25, 2007 (11:59 am)
Replying to: tagman (Jan 25, 2007 11:22 am) Why would anyone build a great car like this and then put in "overboosted power steering with no feel and no feedback"? Replies to this message: tagman (Jan 25, 2007 3:58 pm)
#23224 of 24699 Brightness by dhamilton Jan 25, 2007 (12:07 pm)
"Roughly $50k US, after exchange rate".????????????   Try $64 US with no options. May want to find another calculator
#23226 of 24699 Personally directed posts by pat HOST Jan 25, 2007 (3:35 pm)
are being posted in invisible ink.   Again - high end cars and high end car subjects are the topic. The personally directed posts have no place here.
#23227 of 24699 Re: Well, [brightness04] by dewey Jan 25, 2007 (3:56 pm)
Replying to: brightness04 (Jan 25, 2007 11:27 am) 1) A8 can indeed garner high double digit growth for a few years; many other models from other manufacturers did the same thing. High per centage growth is easy when the base is small.   Is that so? Show me a HELC in Mainland China with the phenemonal volume and sales growth of the Audi A8? 75 percent growth for the A8 is amazing for this emerging market and there are no ifs and buts about it!   Audi is the market leader by some distance in the Chinese premium segment, and it is the fastest-growing premium brand,” states Ralph Weyler, Board Member for Marketing and Sales at Audi.   link title   2) These cars are not usually bought by "hard working affluent individuals."   BUNK! My wife's brothers are all business owners in China and are making a fist load of money. They dont have to rely on bribes for a livelihood. Your bureaucratic Maoist conception of China is dated by a few decades.   You want proof. Please note the following paragraph from Businessweek. Businessmen not Bureaucrats are mentioned as Rolls Royce owners.   , guess what? Rolls-Royce's sales are up 50% this year, about double the pace of China's overall luxury segment. China is now Roll-Royce's third biggest market after the U.S. and Britain, and the company's fastest growing one. A big reason is the rapid wealth accumulation in rich coastal markets such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, where newly rich businessmen are buying Phantoms loaded with expensive extras to get around town in style.   And I repeat most HELCs especially A8s in Mainland China are driven mainly by successful businessmen not bureaucrats. As in the case with Rolls Royces.   Also there is nothing wrong with being a high paid bureaucrat with a nice car as there is nothing wrong with a US executive with company cars. You make all government employed people sound like riff raff and rabble. In fact there are quite a few self indulgent corrupt types in the corporate world too. ( In USA and China) Replies to this message: brightness04 (Jan 30, 2007 7:36 am)
#23228 of 24699 Re: AutoWeek's review of the Audi R8 [houdini1] by tagman Jan 25, 2007 (3:58 pm)
Replying to: houdini1 (Jan 25, 2007 11:59 am) Why would anyone build a great car like this and then put in "overboosted power steering with no feel and no feedback"?   As time goes, there will be many reviews of this great car, the Audi R8. Initially, most all reviews are almost stellar. This must be one incredible car. However, it will never be perfect, as no car can be... and there will always be those that find different things to nit-pick about.   The general consensus is what I like to go by. The vast majority, in other words. So, after many more reviews are done, we'll have a darned clear picture of what the Audi R8 is really about. So far, it's a phenomenal car.   TagMan

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