New S-class is low on class

[Jesda]

Lame. Looks like someone stretched a Ford Focus.

More pics:http://www.cnn.com/2005/AUTOS/....htmlh ... e/....html#

[The Mic]

Looks alright to me. Keep up the good work Mercedez.

[Jesda]

OH HELL NO!

[Bubba1]

OH HELL NO!

A good friend of mine has a 2005 S500. You may not love the looks, but it's still a classy vehicle.

[elwesso]

A classy POS!

[Mr1der]

indeed

to hell with German Cars.

(except Porshe)

[vicQ45]

holy crap what happened to that thing's a**?? s*** f*** damn balls!

[Jesda]

A good friend of mine has a 2005 S500. You may not love the looks, but it's still a classy vehicle.

OH HELL NO!

[MinisterofDOOM]

OH HELL NO!

I agree on both counts.

MB is not longer classy.

German cars suck. To hell with ALL of them, even Porche. Let's see...Mercedes Benz makes crap like that, Volkswagen makes crap like this, Audi makes volkswagens that are reasonably good looking, BMW makes some of the worlds ugliest poo molded into a motor vehicle...

And NONE of them are reliable.

Why are german auto makers so popular again?

[Bubba1]

Why are german auto makers so popular again?[/QUOTE]

Because they offer very refined, good driving, technically advanced cars. Unfotunately, all that refinement/technology is complex and expensive, so they are more likely to have problems than a less complex Toyota. Gotta realize that the people that buy $120,000 S500's are not as concerned about reliability as people that buy $25,000 Altimas.

For example, the S500 front seats are both heated and air conditioned, and have 30+ separate motors to adjust to fit the driver. Plus the seats adjust back automatically for extra room when the owner holding the key card simply touches the door handle. Then it adjusts automatically to preset positions/settings when the card holder closes the door. Amazing stuff.

Is that stuff necessary? Gosh, of course not. But to an ultra upscale luxury car buyer, they may want all that stuff. My friend buys a new S500 every 3 years or so and he loves them. I personally wouldn't buy one, but I think they're wonderful cars. Incredible cars for a road trip. You gotta drive them to understand how special they are. I wouldn't call a low end MB classy, but the high end ones are absolutely classy.

And you're wrong about Porsche. Same deal, You gotta drive them to understand and appreciate them. I've driven or ridden in several, including a Carrera GT. Trust me they don't suck. They are awesome machines.

[vicQ45]

Why are german auto makers so popular again?

Because they offer very refined, good driving, technically advanced cars. Unfotunately, all that refinement/technology is complex and expensive, so they are more likely to have problems than a less complex Toyota. Gotta realize that the people that buy $120,000 S500's are not as concerned about reliability as people that buy $25,000 Altimas.

For example, the S500 front seats are both heated and air conditioned, and have 30+ separate motors to adjust to fit the driver. Plus the seats adjust back automatically for extra room when the owner holding the key card simply touches the door handle. Then it adjusts automatically to preset positions/settings when the card holder closes the door. Amazing stuff.

Is that stuff necessary? Gosh, of course not. But to an ultra upscale luxury car buyer, they may want all that stuff. My friend buys a new S500 every 3 years or so and he loves them. I personally wouldn't buy one, but I think they're wonderful cars. Incredible cars for a road trip. You gotta drive them to understand how special they are. I wouldn't call a low end MB classy, but the high end ones are absolutely classy.

And you're wrong about Porsche. Same deal, You gotta drive them to understand and appreciate them. I've driven or ridden in several, including a Carrera GT. Trust me they don't suck. They are awesome machines.

[/QUOTE]

hell yea, but that new s-class is hideous on all levels of hell. not much is sexier than a top-of-the-line jag, bentley, or aston martin. if you cana fford a 100k+ car then you can afford another when it breaks ina few years. they still suck for reliability though, nothing's gonna change that

[Bubba1]

[/QUOTE]

hell yea, but that new s-class is hideous on all levels of hell. not much is sexier than a top-of-the-line jag, bentley, or aston martin. if you cana fford a 100k+ car then you can afford another when it breaks ina few years. they still suck for reliability though, nothing's gonna change that[/QUOTE]

I'm not thrilled with the rear of the car either, but I'm also not their target demographic. neither are you. So our opinions mean little to them. I'll betcha they sell a bunch of S classes. People in that demographic don't buy cars based on looks alone. Want more proof? look at those big Bimmer sedans. But ugly and they've sold a bunch of them.

[vicQ45]

thee've sold then cause they're bimmers and benzes. nary anyone will disagree that that the last gen of bimmers looked much better. BMW and MB could put a big grill on 5:1 scale cavalier and call it a n S600 and rich people would still buy it.

[gniknave]

I don't think the front is half bad actually, but the rest of it can eat a d!ck. What kills me is that the S Class would sell even if it were in the same body as the current Q45. You know every rich ugly guy out there that can't get a woman without having the most expensive car is gonna buy one.

[Mr1der]

I personally have no desire to shell out that kinda cash on a car just to let people know I've got that kinda money to blow on a piece of s*** with features I'll never need/use....

the most used option on any vehicle I'll own will be manual transmission.

I'd rather buy an STS-V...or the Maserati Quattaporte....

[vicQ45]

I don't think the front is half bad actually, but the rest of it can eat a d!ck. What kills me is that the S Class would sell even if it were in the same body as the current Q45. You know every rich ugly guy out there that can't get a woman without having the most expensive car is gonna buy one.

much better wording there! so true. me ex-girlfirend's mom saw an e430 and said "thats the car we have right?" "no mom, we have a taurus" some people should not be allowed to breed...

[gniknave]

much better wording there! so true. me ex-girlfirend's mom saw an e430 and said "thats the car we have right?" "no mom, we have a taurus" some people should not be allowed to breed...

Hahaha, funny thing. I actually thought it was a new Taurus SHO when I first got a glance at it before I knew they had come out with a new S430.

[Bubba1]

I personally have no desire to shell out that kinda cash on a car just to let people know I've got that kinda money to blow on a piece of s*** with features I'll never need/use....

the most used option on any vehicle I'll own will be manual transmission.

I'd rather buy an STS-V...or the Maserati Quattaporte....

You realize a Quattroporte runs about $95,000. And that's a lower model than an S500.

Ev-eezy: The car owner you describe is more likely to own a new Lamborghini or Bentley, not an S500. S500's blend in too much.

[Mr1der]

I'm aware.

but it's so much better looking and has an sequential gearbox...and runs the 1/4 in a high 13.

I <3 the trident.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Because they offer very refined, good driving, technically advanced cars. Unfotunately, all that refinement/technology is complex and expensive, so they are more likely to have problems than a less complex Toyota. Gotta realize that the people that buy $120,000 S500's are not as concerned about reliability as people that buy $25,000 Altimas.

Oh, sorry. I didn't realize that the Jetta's MSRP was raised to $129k this model.

ALL german cars suck, not just the über expensive ones. That is NO excuse. Not an excuse for the horrible, terrible, I'd rather have a 6 year old Hyundai reliability, not an excuse for the ugliest collective of cars on the planet.

By this token, the Q45 could be a non-drivable heap of rust and rotten wiring, but it'd be okay because it had a high MSRP and dealer service and parts prices are jacked way up.

No, sorry. That just makes it all that much worse.

[elwesso]

German cars are so ugly you gotta love em.....

Thats the fact of the matter.. The germans just dont give a s*** what other people think, they go do their own thing, and people keep buying it. IN 10 years we may think thecurrect BMWs are hotness... Whatever.....

I dont know of any german car in certain price segments and class that was a complete sales flop.....!

I agree though, id rather have a functional car than spending 100k on a car just for the sake of saying you have that expensive of a car.....

[vicQ45]

Oh, sorry. I didn't realize that the Jetta's MSRP was raised to $129k this model.

heh. i wouldn't be surpirsed. that's the most overrated overhyped peice of s*** on the road today. the thing that still gets me is people associate vw with reliability! doesn't anybody do their homework these days? the days of the air-cooled superbeetles are long gone. bastards al of them

[gniknave]

Ev-eezy: The car owner you describe is more likely to own a new Lamborghini or Bentley, not an S500. S500's blend in too much.

I disagree. The Lambo is an enthusiast car. You have to know something about cars to want to buy a Lambo. Bentley is celebrity status. Celebrities can get a piece of a** without the car. The person I described buys what's popular by name because he knows nothing about what he's spending money on. His coworkers own an S-Class, so why shouldn't he? He's busy with his 6-figure salary and doesn't have time to frequent the places to pick up women. His car earns him the a** he needs.

[Veriest1]

That thing is ugly but I thought the last S class was ugly too.

After '03 the BMW's are terribly ugly. '03 is when they decided to make the blinkers do that goofy turn up in stead of just being flat on the bottom. Z4's are hideous. Before that I think they look pretty good. I'm rather biased of course but I've never had any problems with their reliability. I put 85,000 miles on a Z3 over 4 years and never had a major problem with reliability while constantly using the upper rpms (tiny engine). The only part I had to replace because of breaking while driving was an upper radiator mount/clip thingy. It was 5 bucks and came off with a screw driver and installed without one.

On to my M3. It's a 96 with 120,000+ miles. The power windows operate flawlessly. It's gremlins are the common gauge problems BMW has had. The fuel gauge jitters every now and then and the temp gauge is intermittent (a light tap on the dash brings it back). It also needs a new clutch stop (factory one is plastic) and some bushings. I'm also thinking it's going to need a new LSD. Other than the guages there isn't anything that wouldn't happen to any other sports car. I just drove it a little ober 1250 miles in 2 days in the southern heat and humidity. No problems.

I don't know about the newer ones with all of the technological stuff on them but even just 5 years ago they were making some super cars.

[nismofly]

i like the E46 M3s, but thats it as far as anything besides a Porsche goes for me

i want an E46 that sounds like the GT cars, god they sound amazing...in interlagos blue

by the way jesda that second picture, the sort of top down one, makes it look like like a focus that met an sts

[nismofly]

i also decided yesterday to get my s13 painted bmw interlagos blue when i get my paint job...

[Bubba1]

I disagree. The Lambo is an enthusiast car. You have to know something about cars to want to buy a Lambo. Bentley is celebrity status. Celebrities can get a piece of a** without the car. The person I described buys what's popular by name because he knows nothing about what he's spending money on. His coworkers own an S-Class, so why shouldn't he? He's busy with his 6-figure salary and doesn't have time to frequent the places to pick up women. His car earns him the a** he needs.

The wealthier enthusiasts I know do NOT buy Lambo's. They buy Ferrari's and Porsche's. Much better support for racing/hi performance endeavors, and better built for rough use. Lambo's are dramatically styled, fast cars, no doubt, but you can't see out of them (Again, gotta drive one to understand.). And they and are actually quite fragile, finicky machines. Lambo really is more of an image car than anything else. A car to be seen in rather than to toss around a the track. And most of the guys that buy Lambo's have little clue how to drive them correctly.

Think about it from a different perspective. Most MB's have very similar looks. Top end and low end. Similar styling cues. Many times you have to read the badge on the trunk in order to figure out which model it is. That's not exactly flashy. So a S500/S600 is less likely to draw attention to itself than a distinctive flashy looking car like a Bentley, Rolls, or Lambo. If you wanted to buy an ultimate luxury car that costs more than an average house, that's more likely to blend in with the crowd, the S500 is actually a good discreet choice.

Does a $50K cadillac move you from point A to point B in high comfort? Of course, but there are people that crave a level of refinement above what cadillac offers and are willing to pay more to get it. It's their money to with as they wish. I wouldn't spend that kinda money on a car, but I have no issue with someone that wants to drop $140K on a car that canget you from point a to b the same as a $1500 240sx...

[MinisterofDOOM]

I agree that Ferrari is an enthusiast car and Lamborghini is a status symbol.

While we're on an anti MB rant, I have to say I HATE this thing:



First ever four door coupe my a**!

RX8! Current Maxima and Lexus GS (the first lexus I've ever found attractive)

And unlike the CLS, these cars are A) affordable B) reliable and C) not a** ugly. And at least two of them are fun to drive.

[Jesda]

I finally did see the CLS in person. It looked better than photos, but not by much.

[Bubba1]

[QUOTE=MinisterofDOOM]First ever four door coupe my a**!

Your a** is a four door coupe? That is a first! (j/k)

The CLS doesn't bother me that much, but I agree the turtle shell is kinda boring. I'm not thrilled with any of recent styling changes at all the German marques. Audi with the big mouth bass grill, BMW looking like they hired Pontiac designers from the 80's, and Mercedes looking like a cross between an old egg shaped Caprice Classic and a Toyota Solara. Of course Porsche doesn't radically alter the looks of any of their cars. I miss the ol' German functional "3 box" teutonic look.