here we go again, my mother's new car!

[powervette]

Before I present You my mother's new car, I would like to make a short list of cars available for the same price of around 24 thousand Euro:

3,5 Chevrolet Aveos
1 Chevrolet Evanda + one Aveo
loaded Chevrolet Captiva
base Opel Antara
base Cadillac BLS/ Loaded Saab 9-3
two Dodge Calibers
Opel Astra OPC
Volvo V50
Volvo S40
Opel Astra Twin Top 2.0 200 Hp Turbo
Opel Vectra 2.8 Turbo
Opel GT (Saturn Sky Red line)
Loaded Ford Focus ST
new Ford Mustang V-6 (with all taxes included)
Loaded Audi A4
Audi A3 2.0 Tdi DSG
base Peugeot 407 Coupe

and many more...

And now it's finally time for the black beauty. It's a Mercedes B-Class B200 CDI SPECIAL EDITION (!). I knew it was coming when I saw my sister's A-Class in the garage, but I wanted to make You car-lovers a second surprise. I planned to write in this post that at least the interior is better than in the A-Class. But it ain't really much better. The interior materials used in the cabin resembled materials of a car I once sat in. But I wasn't able to recall what car I had on my mind. Now I know - Chevrolet Evanda. Evanda has many soft surfaces inside and I have nothing against its' interior but the problem is that premium Mercedes costs around 35% more than Evanda...
I remember that one of our influential members defended Mercedes by saying that small premium cars today are a good thing, they provide comfort and luxury and do make sense unlike many big SUVs. Sorry mate, after what I recently saw in my parents' garage, I can't agree with You. I don't feel luxury in this car that looks like a Honda FR-V rip off.

Moreover, for the price of 24 thousand Euro THERE'S NO LEATHER WRAPPED STEERING WHEEL (maybe that's what 'Special Edition' is all about

[Bravada]

This is basically an A-Class, but a lot more expensive. Perhaps the only Mercedes ever to get almost unanimously negative reviews and purchase recommendations.

I feel for you...

[91 s-10baja]

I think the Special Edition = Floor mats............LOL.

[powervette]

I remember I skimmed C&D review once and they praised the B-Class. Now I found this : http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/ly/06b-class.htm and stopped reading the review after I saw this sentence : 'That cabin is one of the nicest in the Mercedes line-up, even when stacked against the ultra-luxe fittings of an S or a CL'.
No comments.

[MrJamesMc]

24.000 Euros???!

that's 33,124.70 USD

A base 2008 CTS costs that much.
Seems expensive to pay that much for a small car like that.
Not to get off the subject, but I wonder how the new CTS will sell there.

[Bravada]

Not to get off the subject, but I wonder how the new CTS will sell there.

My sales projections:

3

[tomprice]

I presume that predicted sales figure means you, I and paul8488 will be buying one in order to support Cadillac through another year of torturing the market......

[GMCSonoma]

Originally Posted by Bravada

My sales projections:

3

Why only 3? Because it isn't as butt-arse awful as this MB???

I feel for you Powervette, hopefully your Mom's garage door will be closed on your visits home so your eyes don't burn & ache!

[paul8488]

Originally Posted by tomprice

I presume that predicted sales figure means you, I and paul8488 will be buying one in order to support Cadillac through another year of torturing the market......

I'm game! I actually like it... just not the price! We can have a meet somewhere inbetween Poland, England, and France...

[Old Dood]

I would like to ride in one and see how horrible it is...if that is the case. Some cars surprise you...

[tomprice]

Originally Posted by GMCSonoma

Why only 3? Because it isn't as butt-arse awful as this MB???

Because it's a Cadillac, and they never have sold well in Europe.

I hate to say this because as much as I like *some* of Cadillac's cars (XLR, SRX, CTS-V) the rest are grossly inappropriate for the type of cutstomers who buy A8s, S-classii, 3ers and C-classes.

Maybe, just possibly maybe a bit maybe maybe maybe maybe possibly the new CTS might possibly just start to start to start to start to turn things around.

A good example is Lexus - though they haven't repeatedly tackled and failed in the European market, they still aren't a huge player alongside the C-classes and 3ers most people buy. Alright, they do enjoy some decent sales figures now but it has taken them a good ten years to get this far.

So I'd say GM will have to either pull the plug now and leave the Cadillac brand to private importers, making them exclusive and rare in the process, or soldier on for a good 15, 20 years until they finally get a goot solid foothold they can build on.

Seriously, the CTS won't be the revelation you are all expecting. It's probably going to be the fourth or even fifth generation CTS that has a chance of gaining some decent sales.

[genjy]

That Special Edition floor mat is hilarious.

Don't you forget it's the Special Edition! Ever!

[Bravada]

Why only 3? Because it isn't as butt-arse awful as this MB???

Actually, it's almost as awful... I sincerely don't know what you see in it. The side view is borderline revolting. It's ALL wrong. The nice front end won't save it.

I presume that predicted sales figure means you, I and paul8488 will be buying one in order to support Cadillac through another year of torturing the market......

I might consider buying a Cadillac baseball cap, but I am still hesitant if I want to help Caddy that much (they are including those in European sales numbers anyway). I'd buy a Buick Park Avenue gladly though, actually even a Buick Sail.



(not a Lucerne or LaCrosse though)

[powervette]

It's ALL wrong. The nice front end won't save it.

Exactly the same should be said about the car in your avatar.

[Bravada]

Originally Posted by powervette

Exactly the same should be said about the car in your avatar.

I am afraid you must have made a typo or something. The car in my avatar is the Audi A5, a car of PERFECT proportions (and a very nice butt too), but with a questionable front end...