After its 40 year reign as the undisputed king of the premium segment was ended in 2005 by BMW, it looks like Mercedes is now set to be relegated to third place by Audi. BMW will enlarge it lead over Das Haus by some 80,000 cars this year. Audi meanwhile is predicted to outsell Mercedes next year, in large part thanks to strong sales in China. Or at least that's what German 'Autoexpert' Ferdinand Dudenhöffer claims.

According to herr Dudenhöffer there are several reasons for the decline of Mercedes. For one Benz offers too many models which come to market too late or make little sense like for example the R-class. Another fact is that per model MB sells far less cars than its competitors. Due to the lacking quality in recent years Merc's once sky high reputation is tarnished and today Audi is the brand with the highest perceived quality. Quality and technical excellence are no longer part of the Benz image, meanwhile MB's foray into F1 isn't adding value to brand either.

Thanks to platform sharing with parent VW Audi is able to make a profit twice the size of the MB's while Audi's revenue is actually smaller. Also hurting MB is the fact that it is lagging behind in the eco department; BMW manages an average CO2 emission of 154 grams/km across its range versus an average of 175 gams/km for Mercedes.

Dudenhöffer has one final tip for Das Haus: scrapping the F1 program will cut costs by 300 to 400 million Euros.

Source:

Autoabsätze: Audi überholt Mercedes - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Nachrichten - Wirtschaft

 

I really hope Mercedes doesn't scrap F1. They build the best engines right now and have some of the best drivers. It'd be a shame to see the team go, even if Mercedes isn't taking anything out of the sport.

 

Can MB lend me a Free G55 AMG up to my spec, just to boost sales I dont mind if they lend me one lol

Stupid MB models:

R-class

C-class coupe

GL

ditch these,

Make a sporty suv similar to X6, improve the SL make it sportier and hire better designers the new e-class and clk( e-coupe) are hideous.

 

Does that e350 have the exhaust on the front bumper?

Odd looking design at best.

 

I don't know the sales statistics but I bet the 1 series and A3 provide major volume for BMW and Audi. Mercedes is only competitive in the midsize segment (C class) and up, the A/B class are disasters. That's gotta have a big impact.

And from my personal experience, MB has long lost the ironclad image it once had. Ask yourself this; when was the last time you heard anyone say that the car they lust after is Merc. Nowadays all I hear is people either dream of an Audi or BMW. The brand has lost its magic and the new cars aren't helping. I think almost all the new models are oddly styled and have cheap-ish interiors. I'm sorry but they simply don't feel like a $100k car (which is what a half decent one will set you back in Euroland). It's not just Benzes though, recent Bimmers lack this feel too IMO. I guess the thing saving BMW's ass for now is their superior handling - which is not as good as before though - and badge appeal. Audi has trumped them both in the interior department and has a less snobby image.

Then again, since China overtook the US as the largest single car market in the world, our (Western) sentiments regarding these brands perhaps are no longer the determining factors for either their succes or failure. Times they are a changing, that's for sure.

 

ahh forgot about the A-class and B-class, sorry but those cars just look like restaurants would use for homedelivery...ugly cars.

 

Maybe it's just me, but for as long as I could remember MB's gave me the "over 50" vibe. I'm only about half that age and would prefer to have Audi or BMW instead. Whatever they are putting in my water is working.

 

I will say this, the Mercedes S class is the daddy of all Luxo-sedans. all the other models aren't too amazing

 

I'm not completely won over by the any of the new body styles. The AMG engines are amazing, but I think a lot of people who want the sport models are going to BMW/Audi for the true manual transmissions.

Plus, I think Mercedes is marketing toward different age groups now. They used to strictly market to old money, which got them the sales of new rich. Now they try and market to both (see the loud styling of the C63), so the old money people don't want a kiddo car, and the new money people don't want what the old money people don't want.

 

I don't have a problem with the models, the designs, none of it... (except they need to embrace the concept of a proper manual... its not complicated folks)

I won't ever buy one because i'm not convinced that they are reliable yet (after they cut build quality back in the 90's) and the depreciation is laughable.

And I could even live with the depreciation if I thought it wasn't going to spend more time in the shop than on the road. I just know too many people with 02-08 merc's who have had horror story after horror story.