Mercedes: Mission Possible

[Luciferous]

Well after looking at the new host of products from Mercedes, I reckon they're trying to do the impossible - cheapen the brand. That sad thing is they appear to be doing it. All the new styling appears quite Japanese-inspired (ML, new S-Class, CLS), and the sports cars (SLK & SLR) have a hideous overtly-phallic design theme running through them. It's like they've done focus group after focus group with fanboys and posers and this is the new design direction they've gone with. It looks expensive, but often borders on tasteless.

What do you guys reckon?

[Jonny Flash]

I've never been a big fan of Mercs. If i had to pick a favourite it would be either SL or S class. I think the CLS AMG looks good but i agree that they are cheapening the brand. I think the cars have always looked cheap and tatty. When you look at a car, it looks solid and sturdy (like the BMW 7 series - it looks solid). But Mercs look almost like plastic. Flimsy and unstable. I find that when I look at a lot of cars. They either look solid or flimsy. Its wierd.

[Matra et Alpine]

yeah good points.

Friend got a new C-class and whilst it looks nice there was always somethign about it I didn't like. Never could put my finger on it till tese posts.

Yep, it looks 'cheap' materials and style.

How do I break the news to her ??? :)

[McReis]

I've never been a big fan of Mercs. I think the cars have always looked cheap and tatty.

Do you actually like any car in the world? Or better, have you ever seen one or are in living in the desert? Have you ever sat your clumsy bones in a Mercedes? They are fragile and plastic? Thank god there are solid Kias around! :D:D:D

[ruim20]

Personaly i wouldn't buy a merc, mercedes doesn't have a single sports car... if your gona get all defencive about that... just remember that the SL weights something like 2 tons... about 4000 pounds! and auto gearboxes? hmmm sporty!

[Coventrysucks]

Personaly i wouldn't buy a merc, mercedes doesn't have a single sports car... if your gona get all defencive about that... just remember that the SL weights something like 2 tons... about 4000 pounds! and auto gearboxes? hmmm sporty!

The new SLK is good enough for evo to recommend...

[UCR]

The new SLK is good enough for evo to recommend...
Do they have a part time hairdressers shop?

[ruim20]

The new SLK is good enough for evo to recommend...

If you say, i believe you, i haven´t driven the new slk yet, could be a good surprise then, but in terms of stylling it doesn´t convince me for a bit.

it´s just when people say "mercedes" it remindes me of old people, yeah they're great cars for my parents... not for me, CLK DTM yes! nothing else thank you.

[Spastik_Roach]

The cars around mid 90's were the best I reckon. Built like tanks, looked classy, quality, and AMG Versions were as usual, very fast.

I agree that Mercedes is cheapening up its look of its cars. It just isn't right.

[UCR]

The cars around mid 90's were the best I reckon. Built like tanks, looked classy, quality, and AMG Versions were as usual, very fast.

I agree that Mercedes is cheapening up its look of its cars. It just isn't right.
Perfect, very true!

[McReis]

Personaly i wouldn't buy a merc, mercedes doesn't have a single sports car... if your gona get all defencive about that... just remember that the SL weights something like 2 tons... about 4000 pounds! and auto gearboxes? hmmm sporty!


Who talked about sportivness? I like Mercedes for the nice relaxed very fast cruisers. I like them with autobox. It's a nice car for those trips and days when you aren't in the mood for action or just can't. Not my style of car, but can't argue with their quality and skills. And as someone said the new SLK starts to be sporty. And the SL 55 AMG looks like it's quite a sports car. Not that I like a lot, but we can't judge cars based on our taste.
My father owns a 94 C280, and the way and speed with wich you cross the country is unmatchable by many more modern cars. It's confy and unfortunately, manual. The manual box of Mercedes is awful to use.

[B@$TARD]

I don't like Mercs and take it from me we have a Mercedes E-klasse because the dash is ugly and it handles like a small tank

[hec16]

I really don't care wha t you think of MB cars but all I have to say is that MB will always be a car with style and class plus it will be a car that will never fail you belive me I own a 190D 1985, 250 D 1992, and C240 2003
________
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[laxplayer98]

I really don't care wha t you think of MB cars but all I have to say is that MB will always be a car with style and class plus it will be a car that will never fail you belive me I own a 190D 1985, 250 D 1992, and C240 2003
Well put :D

my mom owns a 2000 E320 and it runs great the only problems we ever have with it are lights buring out. :D

[Matra et Alpine]

Hisorically they've been superb but since they went over-technical with electric motors for EVERYTHING there measurable quality has dropped.

In response M-B announced last year that they were designing OUT over 300 electronic parts.

So they're not perfect but they do have the courage to redesign to change things that are broken !!

[Dino Scuderia]

The new SLK looks hidious in person , the SL's look fabulous, the rest fall somewhere in between.

[ruim20]

Who talked about sportivness? I like Mercedes for the nice relaxed very fast cruisers. I like them with autobox. It's a nice car for those trips and days when you aren't in the mood for action or just can't. Not my style of car, but can't argue with their quality and skills. And as someone said the new SLK starts to be sporty. And the SL 55 AMG looks like it's quite a sports car. Not that I like a lot, but we can't judge cars based on our taste.
My father owns a 94 C280, and the way and speed with wich you cross the country is unmatchable by many more modern cars. It's confy and unfortunately, manual. The manual box of Mercedes is awful to use.

Mercedes says they're sports cars... and the SL... well those 2tons don´t convince me. you got to admit it's an incredible wheigt for a roadster hehehe :rolleyes:

[Luciferous]

I like to believe the whole uber-tourer idea - if it weren't every Merc copped a 250kph speed limiter....

Mercedes has admitted that the worst problems they have with reliability is the electronics, so maybe they are truly cheapening their product by cramming with dodgy electronics.

[Dino Scuderia]

I like to believe the whole uber-tourer idea - if it weren't every Merc copped a 250kph speed limiter....

Mercedes has admitted that the worst problems they have with reliability is the electronics, so maybe they are truly cheapening their product by cramming with dodgy electronics.

BMW are doing that too, shame.

[jcp123]

Yeah, the new line of MB's is not exactly great looking. I thought the whole line looked far better before the redesign. Too bad, since the pre-redesign S's were probably some of the best looking modern cars on the road, and the C class of that era was also very solid looking. Both are high on my list of modern cars that actually get my respect. Mercedes in general is one of my favorite brands, as well, owing to their great history, excellent quality, and some awesome classics.

As to the electronics failures...well...is it any wonder I've had it with that stuff? This is a perfect case in point with why I have had it with modern cars.

[ruim20]

The problem with electronics is hapening to the brands that use every recent
gadget, it´s just as Mercedes Boss said, they try to use every recent gadget and just isn't enough time to test all of them.

[ZeTurbo]

merc's are not the only ones having problems with electronics. bmw's and audi's quality numbers have also been droping in recent years cause of these gadgety crap.

but how about the biggest gagdet of them all? the iDrive system in BMWs? can you imagine the face a mechanic will make in 10years when that thing starts to malfunction???
the same goes to the engines with more and moreelectronics. pretty soon you will have your mechanic pluging an USB cable into your engine and saying that you need a new antivirus system.

[Luciferous]

Well at least you won't have to dismantle the car...