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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 2423 of 2473

#24219 of 24723 Re: Breaking News [blkhemi] by brightness04

Mar 09, 2007 (9:31 am)

Replying to: blkhemi (Mar 08, 2007 6:52 pm)
So packaging, as you say it, has everything to do with why MB stopped using I6 designs in the early '90's. So the 96-'03 I-6 TurboDiesel was not an inline design. Your posts are getting more irratic by the minute . . . Hope this quick tutorial helps.
 
The 96-03 turbodiesel simply had an old design. The first modern production MB V6 was put into 1998 C280 gasoline car about a decade ago. The decision to switch from I6 to V6 for packaging was made in the early 90's; it took years to work out an entirely new engine design. While I'm willing and eager to learn something new every day, considering the relative knowledge base involved between the two of us, I don't think gratuitous personal insults helps your argument.
 
Sorry to hear that, but you must adhere to the strict mainatenance guidelines set forth by BMW in order to acheive maximum longevity out of the engine.
 
I changed oil every 3000 miles at the dealership. There was no free maintenance program back then.
 
Mabye that's why the Toyota 3.0L V6 never has this problem, oh wait, I think it does in SOME cases, not all.
 
Regardless whether Toyota did or did not, how does that help with your argument regarding BMW easily lasting 200k miles? For what it's worth, one of my two 5 series also had a complete transmission breakdown shortly after 100k miles.

#24220 of 24723 Re: BMW sets 2006 profit record [lexusguy] by jlbl

Mar 09, 2007 (9:39 am)

Replying to: lexusguy (Mar 09, 2007 8:26 am)
Yes, in Europe BMW should be worried about Audi. Audi is getting a bigger share of the cake year after year.
 
Yet Audi has taken 30 years to overtake MB and blow into BMW ear. I remember when at the end of the Seventies of the last Century Audi was seen as a mere third thought well behind MB and BMW. Audi has been perseverant all that time, no doubt.
 
Audi success here has also taken advantage of its smart management of its racing division, IMO. Audi has not only built winning cars for Le Mans but also for national and intra-european Series. To the latter, with cars based on modified street models. This gives Audi a label of appealing sportiness and glamour which is much like that of BMW but blended with more glowing interiors.
 
I wonder whether Audi is preparing a better selling strategy in the USA or it is patiently waiting to some opportunity in the future.
 
Regards,
Jose

#24221 of 24723 Re: BMW [tagman] by brightness04

Mar 09, 2007 (9:42 am)

Replying to: tagman (Mar 09, 2007 9:11 am)
I certainly hope BMW sticks around for a long time, and continue to provide us consumers with fabulous deals (two somewhat conflicting wishes
 
BMW can afford to be an "also-run" in the 7 series market segment. Heavy discounting on brand new X5 is also marginally okay since it's not their core competence. Some of the mistakes with regarding the 3 series however are very problematic because that's BMW's core competence. Take for example, the run-flats, it's a clear case of making packaging a higher priority than handling; run-flats simply do not make for good handling. That compromise would have been fine with 7 series HELC, and X5 SUV/SAV, but 3 series?? If the platform is that desperate for packaging requirement, the company should have considered plunking down more money and work on a shorter engine instead of adopting those poor-handling run-flats . . . while they still have the money.

#24222 of 24723 The High End Germans on the lots by blckislandguy

Mar 09, 2007 (10:14 pm)

Yeh, I know it isn't the most elegant piece of econometric analysis, but just for chuckles I compared asking prices on Cars.com for the 7 Series vs. the S Class. I set the parameters at a max spending level of 45K and the vehicle must be within 500 miles of Block Island.
 
When the dust had settled the pricing seems to be the same between brands. Options didn't seem to count for much, although colors did. For just under 45K you could pick up a well whipped 05 S Class with 50,000 miles from a variety of NY metro area leasing companies. Some AWD and some RWD. It didn't affect the price. For the same price you could get an '04 with only 30-35,000 miles from a legit new car dealer and for, again the same price, you could get a Starmarked '03 S Class from a MB dealer. Naturally, the white and gold colored S Classes were cheaper.
 
The 7 Series came out to be priced the same as the above, maybe a $1000 or so less. They seemed to have less mileage though and fewer were for sale by leasing companies. (Maybe more are privately owned or more reliability problems kept them from racking up the miles?).
 
Curiously, there wasn't much room between a used S Class and a used optioned out E Class such as an E500 AWD of the same model year. If you were willing to spend a couple of thousand dollars more and "forgive" maybe 10,000 additional miles you could buy an S Class for the same price as an E Class. As a side note (I think the economists call it a "lema"), buying a new E Class seems foolish with lots of used '06 E Classes out there at 45K asking when MSRP is roughly 57K with leather and a roof. The vast number of E Classes sold in the East and the narrow array of colors and options turn them into a commodity item when used.
 
YMMV

#24223 of 24723 Could it be??? by blkhemi

Mar 13, 2007 (4:54 pm)

Is it true? Ford sold a stake of Aston Martin to some private investors this week?
 
This could the start of the big deluge.

#24224 of 24723 Re: Could it be??? [blkhemi] by lexusguy

Mar 13, 2007 (6:32 pm)

Replying to: blkhemi (Mar 13, 2007 4:54 pm)
I'm not surprised, supposedly Aston has been on the block for awhile. I'm pretty sure they still plan to keep the rest of PAG in house.

#24225 of 24723 Re: Could it be??? [lexusguy] by tagman

Mar 13, 2007 (7:44 pm)

Replying to: lexusguy (Mar 13, 2007 6:32 pm)
I thought there was one of those large corporate designers that was interested weeks ago?
 
TagMan
 
Edit:
 
Well, I guess not... this says otherwise:
 
link title

#24226 of 24723 Re: Could it be??? [blkhemi] by jlbl

Mar 14, 2007 (2:55 am)

Replying to: blkhemi (Mar 13, 2007 4:54 pm)
I've read (yesterday) that Ford sells Aston-Martin to a group of investors lead by David Richards. News also said that the main reason is to get fresh money ($ 925 M) to refloat Ford itself. Ford Motor Co. will continue however having an Aston-Martin share of $ 77 M.
 
Regards,
Jose

#24227 of 24723 Re: Could it be??? [jlbl] by lexusguy

Mar 14, 2007 (3:40 am)

Replying to: jlbl (Mar 14, 2007 2:55 am)
News also said that the main reason is to get fresh money ($ 925 M) to refloat Ford itself.
 
Unfortunately thats only a small fraction of the $12B the restructuring is going to cost, and thats *if* way forward Mulally edition actually goes anywhere.

#24228 of 24723 Re: Could it be??? [lexusguy] by tagman

Mar 15, 2007 (6:59 pm)

Replying to: lexusguy (Mar 14, 2007 3:40 am)
Interestingly, Ford will maintain a $77 million investment in the company.
 
Here's the story:
 
link title
 
Good thing we defended Kuwait with operation "Desert Storm"... now Kuwait-based Dar and Adeem Investment Co. can be part of the purchase.
 
TagMan

Messages Page 2423 of 2473

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