“oxymoron”

Recently I’ve been looking around for a new car, so of course I have been thinking a lot about the different brands on the market and the models that they offer. But even before that, I have always been pretty updated on the topic out of pure interest.

One thing that would come as a surprise to most people is actually my lack of interest in Mercedes. Obviously they offer some really great models, my favorite being S class (it’s like a space shuttle in there…<333), E class (you can’t deny that they look awesome), and their high end sports line such as SLS (of course), etc. HOWEVER, their range of models priced anywhere from mid 20Ks to 120~K (not taking in account their sports models).. is what really killed it for me.

Funny enough, Elaine brought up the topic and had the class tweet about their opinions on Mercedes offering lower range models and whether or not that effects their image– Most people seem to think that it doesn’t actually effect them that much and it is a good way for them to expand the market. .. Although I do agree to some extent.. as in I have to admit they have been successful in introducing these lower range models such as the B and C class.

This Forbe’s article talks about the lower-end Mercedes C230 coupe and it also expresses the same concern: “Finally, an inexpensive Mercedes is an oxymoron, since the three-pointed star is all about prestige. A Mercedes is something people have always felt they had to work for; to “achieve” a Mercedes for a mere $26,000 might undermine the value of the brand.”

Here is the new C-class vs. old

You have to admit.. they have really worked on that model. The thing is.. you can also tell that they’ve shifted the particular model’s target market to the younger crowd. The older C class almost looks like a shrinked, cheap version of the S-class. The new C-class has a whole new look of its own.

It’s the fact that Mercedes is now everywhere on the road that really turns me off. Anyone that is determined to have a Mercedes could go with the C class or B class. In terms of the price and specs of these models, you could be getting a lot more value from models of other brands that wouldn’t cost nearly as much. (Price really is based on perceived value..)

I can see that Mercedes is making an effort to try out a variety, seeing what works for them. In Chloe Tarbet’s blog,  “Mercedes– New Image,” she shows Mercedes’ newest initiative in marketing– “The company has switched gears a bit (pun intended) and is focusing on building their reputability as a leader in car safety and innovation.”

Well.. that’s something new..