[got-rice]

Wanting fake rich buyers?

 

[GLI Dan]

In for later.

 

[antilock]

One other thing that gave the C230 a cheap feel was it was an unwelcomed hatchback, something a Benz buyers seem to dread along with the manual transmission that's gotta be tough to sell a lot of Benz buyers on.

 

[Mazda 3s]

Is it just me or does the narrator sound disinterested, like he'd rather be anywhere else? He talks so matter of factly as to say "I'm just trying to get my check, what the hell am I talking about anyway"

 

[elite.mafia]

Is it just me or does the narrator sound disinterested, like he'd rather be anywhere else? He talks so matter of factly as to say "I'm just trying to get my check, what the hell am I talking about anyway"

Sounds pissed off for some reason.

 

[Taco1933]

I get what they’re trying to do, they just seem a tad pricey for what they are. The very cheapest A class right now stickers for just over $35k, and you wouldn’t want that one. If my my budget was hard capped at $40k, I think I’d get more from an Accord. If it wasn’t, the C Class starts at around $43k and is better in pretty much every way.

 

[BsickPassat]

the BMW 318ti eventually got succeeded by the 1-series, which BMW still sold in the US, but in more US-friendly equipped with a trunk, instead of a hatch body, which is now called the 2-series.


were they technically failures? I don't think so, BMW and Benz used those cars to test the waters for the US/Canada market and went on from there.

At least we don't get:

 

[CTK]

German automakers are really testing the power of their brands

I get that luxury cars in general are a bit irrational and indulgent, but I can't understand why anyone would buy a CLA or 2GC over literally anything else for the money. $299 a month for that glow in the dark 3 pointed star...................

 

[E365]

*didn’t watch the video*

I drove a BMW 318ti for about 12 years. I remember seeing the sales numbers when I was regularly on the 318ti forums and it actually sold pretty well. Sounds like they just wanted to keep an upscale image for the US and not sell cheap hatchbacks.

 

[MGQ]

German automakers are really testing the power of their brands

I get that luxury cars in general are a bit irrational and indulgent, but I can't understand why anyone would buy a CLA or 2GC over literally anything else for the money. $299 a month for that glow in the dark 3 pointed star...................

To be fair they are full-line manufacturers in most of their markets, not just the ultra-luxury image we have of them here.

 

[KARMANN_20V]

Couple notes:

Mercedes and BMW unlike many other manufacturers are not part of a conglomerate that already has other high volume, lower cost offering brands (no Smart doesn't count).

The E36 ti and C202 may have been viewed as flops in their day, but the current offerings (such as the 1 & 2 Series and A/CLA) would not be as successful especially in NA of it wasn't for the lesson learned from back then. If I can take anything from the video is that failure leads to

 

[Mike!]

One other thing that gave the C230 a cheap feel was it was an unwelcomed hatchback, something a Benz buyers seem to dread along with the manual transmission that's gotta be tough to sell a lot of Benz buyers on.

Can’t believe someone would make a video with that title now about two hatchbacks that “failed” (I mean, not really? They probably sold more than a Crosstour or Saabaru) twenty years ago, when there’s much more recent examples of M-B, Audi, and soon to be BMW succeeding in the entry-lux space. CLA changed that story forever.

 

[zmt2]

the BMW 318ti eventually got succeeded by the 1-series, which BMW still sold in the US, but in more US-friendly equipped with a trunk, instead of a hatch body, which is now called the 2-series.

The 1er is also basically a platform mate with the E9X 3 series. They share a lot of parts and you can get the "big" engine in it, which is awesome. Interior appointments are a small step down but not really far off from the 3 series in any way that most people would notice. I dunno how that strategy or the pricing compared to the contemporary C230, but... there's a reason why I own the "cheap" BMW

 

[puma1552]

the era in which those entry level cars were first introduced also wasnt known for quality

 

[NoDubJustYet]

Meanwhile, they've been selling cheap cars across the world with seemingly zero issues.

 

[Fined]

Ahh quoting Jalopnik, eh? The pinnacle of automotive journalism..

At least we don't get:

The active touring. Very popular over here. What an awful stick jab in the eye!

 

[88c900t]

the era in which those entry level cars were first introduced also wasnt known for quality

That's absolutely true, with the Kompressor in particular. That said I feel like the Kompressor and 318ti have more credibility than the wrong wheel drive models today.

This was Jaguar X type's problem as well, despite the fact that the 3rd gen Mondeo was an excellent car at the time. A real luxury car isn't transverse-front drive.

German automakers are really testing the power of their brands

I get that luxury cars in general are a bit irrational and indulgent, but I can't understand why anyone would buy a CLA or 2GC over literally anything else for the money. $299 a month for that glow in the dark 3 pointed star...................

299 isn't much these days. I don't blame anyone for leasing a tarted up econobox for that.

 

[6cylVWguy]

It would be interesting to hear the perspective of the brands themselves because I suspect the way us Americans view these companies is very different than how the Germans running things view them. I mean both Mercedes and BMW have a very long history of offering very low equipment and pitifully small/underpowered versions of vehicles like the C and 3. You ever ride in an E-class taxi? Not exactly a plush, luxurious experience. It doesn't really get a lot more "euro" than small and/or low spec cars with a "fancy" badge on the front.

 

[Karl_1340]

This Matrix/Vibe rip off is still on sale in Canada.

 

[JackStraw79]

Yikes, just terrible.

They started out by seemingly understanding real luxury cars with images of Bentley, Bugatti, and Rolls Royce, and then go into making a story about a car brand selling an entry level car for 20% less than it's most popular model, and that being the leap from "luxury car" to "cheap car from a luxury brand".

If you think a $35k A-Class is a cheap car or an average car, than a $43k C-Class can't be a luxury car. Doesn't work that way. Mercedes Benz makes luxury cars that cost $100k+, as well as construction equipment, vans, taxis, sportscars, premium family cars, and near premium small cars. Been happening for decades. I wouldn't call their growth or attempts at introducing different models in different markets "failing".