[IK6SPEED]

Mercedes-Benz stole BMW's crown in US luxury-car sales for 2 consecutive years - now BMW is planning a comeback


http://www.businessinsider.com/us-lu...C%20Disengaged

[jmg]

Mercedes finally made an entry level SUV that's appealing, that's why. The old ML classes looked cheap and awkward. The GLE now looks, dare I say it, masculine.

[uniqueMR]

Wait till 2019/2020 for BMW comeback

[Maynard]

Good - now perhaps they will stop trying to be a luxury car maker and get back to 'The Ultimate Driving Machines'. I think the luxury car market is about to take another Lexus-style hit from the Koreans anyway. (OK, I know this is bad for the company overall, and I actually think BMW makes a better luxury car, but I also know my tastes are way skewed from anybody buying a serious MB).

[seetohey]

Originally Posted by Maynard

Good - now perhaps they will stop trying to be a luxury car maker and get back to 'The Ultimate Driving Machines'. I think the luxury car market is about to take another Lexus-style hit from the Koreans anyway. (OK, I know this is bad for the company overall, and I actually think BMW makes a better luxury car, but I also know my tastes are way skewed from anybody buying a serious MB).

Agreed that BMW needs to get back to The Ultimate Driving Machine.

[Chihuahua]

The solution is more compelling cars, not just more cars.

[c63er]

When it comes down to the product vs product, the BMW lineup as it is now stands no chance against Mercedes in the USA. Bmw has been living for a long time off lease rates, nothing more. A product that was actually compelling to buy would turn this around immediately, but the cost of creating a good car like the e46 is too high and BMW is more interested in lowest possible production cost and fooling customers with more logos, a million "special" editions and low lease rates. Anyone who thinks the current crop of bmws is superior to benz has their head in the sand.

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by c63er

Anyone who thinks the current crop of bmws is superior to benz has their head in the sand.

Yep, 100% this.

[pz619]

Fine by me. I rather be driving a fun and well sorted car, not the best selling car.

PS - someone tell BMW they need to fix their steering. Heavier steering =/= steering feel.

[///M Ryder]

The title of this thread is all wrong......BMW gave MB the glory by producing cars that have no soul. BMW must get back to making cars that enthusiast can't live without. When BMW dipped into the SAV segment some of us thought that was the end. Surprisingly the company faired well but they seem to have lost their "Ultimate Driving Machine" genes a few years later. With today's regulations and Government BS I think BMW has become ok with the lack luster cars and the ///M -arketing they have become famous for........Phil

[The Automotive Enthusiast]

My S5 Coupe is scarily better to drive than a 4 series. A rebadged VW...better to drive than a 4 series. Looks better too.I love my what Mercedes and Audi are doing. They are hitting it out of the ballpark with their designs. Mercedes has the S Coupe, the GT-S line-up the C Coupe, and the GLC and which all look fantastic and drive like pretty well.

Audi is doing well with the new A4/S5, R8, and A7/A8. It's no wonder they were the only German manufacturer that grew last year.

[The Automotive Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by pz619

Fine by me. I rather be driving a fun and well sorted car, not the best selling car.

PS - someone tell BMW they need to fix their steering. Heavier steering =/= steering feel.

See, there's the thing. They're even using the same dang Bosche electric steering unit that Porsche uses in the GT3. They just can't seem to tune it properly.

[aerostar]

Base 3 series fucking sucks.

And X1 is god awful.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by Mo@BMWofFairfax

See, there's the thing. They're even using the same dang Bosche electric steering unit that Porsche uses in the GT3. They just can't seem to tune it properly.

Might that have more to do with the weight distribution?

[Mingwan]

"BMW plans comeback."

moments later

[yco]

i love M cars.. not every single BMW actually.. but in recent 3-4 years especially Merc's interior and exterior is way much better from quality to whatever optioned car you have.. and i believe thats the key point cause ordinary buyer's %90 judges the car from the way he feels inside and the way it looks.. if you re buying an ordinary BMW not buying an M these days for able to look and function better interior cost absurd.. easy to check go and see a base priced Merc and BMW.. base priced BMW feels like you re sitting on stool with a wheel.. but Merc' is not.. this is not my first M car and hopefully not the last.. you can not take your car to track every weekend.. if a day exists that i give up on M cars.. i d consider Merc' as well especially if its not an M.. and this feeling like mine is the thing that BMW should fix..

[Gamb1t]

Mercedes didn't steal the crown. They won it fair and square. People vote with their wallets.

[oolas3]

It's all relative. At every price point, I would choose something else over a Mercedes.

Being the sales leader does not equate to being the better car.

[oolas3]

Originally Posted by Mo@BMWofFairfax

My S5 Coupe is scarily better to drive than a 4 series. A rebadged VW...better to drive than a 4 series. Looks better too.I love my what Mercedes and Audi are doing. They are hitting it out of the ballpark with their designs. Mercedes has the S Coupe, the GT-S line-up the C Coupe, and the GLC and which all look fantastic and drive like pretty well.

Audi is doing well with the new A4/S5, R8, and A7/A8. It's no wonder they were the only German manufacturer that grew last year.

S5 is a very mediocre car. Understeer, not fun in the curves, and a tired design language.

[ASAP]

BMW made too many nonsensical models to appeal to absolutely everyone and completely lost their way. They also no longer follow the ultimate driving machine philosophy, couple that with the lease deals going away... i imagine 2018 will be even worse than 2017. I think the M cars are still solid but the regular cars built on runflats are completely lost.

[The Automotive Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by oolas3

S5 is a very mediocre car. Understeer, not fun in the curves, and a tired design language.

1. The B9 S5 does not understeer as much as you think. Steering is a tad light but the car grips and moves. Audi has done a fantastic job with the rear sport differential.

2. Have you driven one?

3. BMW's design language isn't 'tired'? Have you seen the rear end of 8 series? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. A subjective topic.


Update: I'll post some statistics when I get home tonight.

[pz619]

Originally Posted by oolas3

S5 is a very mediocre car. Understeer, not fun in the curves, and a tired design language.

Respectfully disagree. The rear sport differential really makes it a great handler. F32 rolls with an open diff (my car too actually). Interior of the B8 was perhaps a bit tired but the exterior was classy. Overall stacks up very well against the F32, if it doesn't exceed it.

Prior to getting the F22, I drove the B8 S4 and F32 435i. While perhaps offensive to some, I found the B8 to be the better driver's car.