Mercedes-Benz S-Class Dominates Luxury Segment

[Kowalski]

More than 50,000 new S-Class sedans delivered to customers worldwide since market launch in September 2005
Source: www.worldcarfans.com

• US and Germany top performing sales markets for the luxury sedan
• S-Class is also the world market leader among diesel-powered luxury sedans

Only eight months after the European premiere of the new S-Class, sales of the sedan have topped 50,000 units. “The new S-Class has been met with great response worldwide, and our flagship vehicle claimed its position as the world’s best-selling luxury sedan immediately following its market launch in September 2005,” says Dr. Klaus Maier, member of the Mercedes Car Group Management Board responsible for Sales and Marketing. “The car’s innovations in particular have been groundbreaking for the automotive industry, and they are the primary reason why the S-Class has maintained a unique status within the luxury segment for decades.” The vehicle’s innovations include several new safety features, such as Brake Assist PLUS with radar sensors, the anticipatory occupant protection system PRE-SAFE with an expanded range of functions, and a night-vision assistant equipped with infrared technology.

The new S-Class got off to a particularly successful start in its home market of Germany. In the first five months of 2006, the number of customers who opted to buy the top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz model exceeded the combined total of those who purchased the two competing German cars. The new Mercedes-Benz flagship model has been available in the US, its main sales market, since February. S-Class sales have been far stronger there than the figures posted for its German and Asian competitors. Only one month after the market introduction of the Diesel-variants in February, the S Class had regained its internationally leading position in the market for diesel-powered luxury sedans.

The most popular S-Class engine variant is the S500 (Sold in North America as the S550), which has been the choice of more than 40 percent of all customers since the vehicle was introduced.

[RamJet502]

They are the best looking premium luxury cars that money can buy in my opinion. I'd gladly put one in my garage.

[Quickening]

Because they are amazing. Anyone that doubts them needs to go see it in person, its just great. I also saw my first one driving down the road about a wekk ago, almost had a heart attack, I was like hmm big black sedan..O ****************! S550!!!

[Strapping.Young.Lad]

My dad and me test drove one.
Simply the best car ive ever been in. Bettr than Phantoms and Arnages.

[mgescuro]

Cadillac has sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much catching up to do, it's not even funny.

I've been seeing new S-Classes left and right here. Simply amazing.

[Bravada]

That's what you get for decades of establishing a nameplate. You can even make the car look goofier than a Hyundai on steroids, give it a haphazard collection of details for interior, an alien steering wheel and the worse column shifter since the days of Daewoo Chairman and it will still sell. GM has a lot to catch up, for sure.

[Kowalski]

Originally Posted by Bravada

That's what you get for decades of establishing a nameplate. You can even make the car look goofier than a Hyundai on steroids, give it a haphazard collection of details for interior, an alien steering wheel and the worse column shifter since the days of Daewoo Chairman and it will still sell.

Now you've just made yourself look stupid...tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk...at least is much better than your precious Carisma...

Why don't you just shut your mouth and stop spilling so much rubbish?

It's the best car in its class and is selling well. Kudos to Mercedes.

You don't like it? Fine...so leave it well alone, enjoy your Omega. And never, ever post such a preposterous statement about such a great car as this particular one.

End.Of.Story

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by Bravada

That's what you get for decades of establishing a nameplate. You can even make the car look goofier than a Hyundai on steroids, give it a haphazard collection of details for interior, an alien steering wheel and the worse column shifter since the days of Daewoo Chairman and it will still sell. GM has a lot to catch up, for sure.

Yup. That was essentially the point of my commentary about GM's premium brands never being more than "also rans."
Why GM’s Premium Brands Will Always be Also Rans

Establish the nameplate.
Prove to the customer and to the world that you don't skimp out on your top brand.
And the reputation builds from there.

GM hasn't done it.

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by Kowalski

Now you've just made yourself look stupid...tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk...at least is much better than your precious Carisma...

Why don't you just shut your mouth and stop spilling so much rubbish?

It's the best car in its class and is selling well. Kudos to Mercedes.

You don't like it? Fine...so leave it well alone, enjoy your Omega. And never, ever post such a preposterous statement about such a great car as this particular one.

End.Of.Story

Well... the S-Class does have controversial styling inside and out. And the column shifter, to me, looks flimsy. But I haven't tried out the new column shifter; nor have I sat in the new S-Class. Heck, I haven't ever driven an S-class. Closest I've come is the CL.

But the S-Class is king. NOthing has come close. Even when that thing was as fat as a pig in the early 1990s... it was still king.

[Kowalski]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

Well... the S-Class does have controversial styling inside and out. And the column shifter, to me, looks flimsy. But I haven't tried out the new column shifter; nor have I sat in the new S-Class. Heck, I haven't ever driven an S-class. Closest I've come is the CL.

I do agree with you actually.

But I've sat in the new S-Class and I can tell you, that the interior is superb and the shifter is far from flimsy. The materials are much higher quality than any other S-Class I've sat in.

The exterior styling is indeed controversial, but, so is the CLS. And guess what?

Both the CLS and S-Class are selling well.

They also were nominated to other "best design awards". Sometimes, you get used to the looks of certain things. I didn't like the S-Class when I first saw the poics, but, the more I see on the roads, the more I like it. Specially, the ones with the AMG package.

I haven't seen a S65 AMG yet. But I can tell that it looks very nice...

Originally Posted by mgescuro

But the S-Class is king. NOthing has come close. Even when that thing was as fat as a pig in the early 1990s... it was still king.

Fat pig from the 1990's?

You mean the W140?! Oh man don't say that! I love that car!

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by Kowalski

I do agree with you actually.
But I've sat in the new S-Class and I can tell you, that the interior is superb and the shifter is far from flimsy. The materials are much higher quality than any other S-Class I've sat in.
The exterior styling is indeed controversial, but, so is the CLS. And guess what?
Both the CLS and S-Class are selling well.

Yeah, I know the CLS and S-class are sellign well. It took me a while to warm up to teh CLS.

Originally Posted by Kowalski

I haven't seen a S65 AMG yet. But I can tell that it looks very nice...

Well.. theyr'e $190,000. Chances are, they will be super rare.

Originally Posted by Kowalski

Fat pig from the 1990's?
You mean the W140?! Oh man don't say that! I love that car!

Yeah... the W140. I like that car too.. but it was definitely a fat pig. THey had to trim it down mid-cycle.

[Bravada]

But the S-Class is king. NOthing has come close. Even when that thing was as fat as a pig in the early 1990s... it was still king.

Now I'm gonna say you're off base. The S-Klasse WAS king back in 1990s. The W140 was the epitome of what an S-Klasse should be. It was big and heavy, and that's the way it should be. I would love a W140. I also can hardly resist all those W126 you can get for soda and peanuts now

[grumbles]

That is pretty **************** impressive for such an upscale car.

I wonder how well the new LS460 will do this year, and LS600hL next year, when they're released, when compared to the S-Class.

I love the amount of technology in the S-Class (the nightvision camera is incredible), but one has to wonder how long it will all work like it's supposed to. The Germans don't have the best track record when it comes to electronics, especially when compared to the Japanese.

Does anybody know if it has HUD on the windshield?

[Butz]

I actually dislike the new S-Class! I hate everybit and piece of the exterior design and the interior looks like a redone BMW 7-Series.

[1BadPig]

It's #1 only because the BMW 7 Series is way uglier and people are too image conscience to drive the Audi A8. If I had the dough, I'd take the A8 in a heartbeat!