Mercedes-Benz

Rodriguez poses on Mercedes-Benz

We like pictures of fast cars, and we like a gossip story about a celebrity. Here we have both! Michelle Rodriguez’s latest Instagram pic looks like a still shot out of her Fast & Furious movies.

The 35-year-old actress posed with a rifle tucked under her left arm while she kissed the muzzle of a handgun in her right hand. “Ready for the chaos boulevard of broken dreams… Monopoly where’s the suicide door @alecmonopoly,” she captioned the pic. Alec Monopoly is a New York City graffiti artist that uses the Monopoly man in many of his works.

Michelle used a sepia-toned filter for the photo where she’s dressed in khaki cargo pants, black work boots, a white snow helmet, black leather jacket and sunglasses. She sat on the hood of a black Mercedes-Benz convertible.

The star of movies like Avatar and S.W.A.T. is currently filming the seventh installment of Fast & Furious. The cast lost its lead Paul Walker in a fiery crash last November.

Michelle broke up with her supermodel girlfriend Cara Delevingne in May. The couple, with a 14-year age gap, was first spotted kissing at a basketball game in February.

She confirmed her relationship with Cara and gushed about her new girlfriend at the time.

“It’s going really well. She’s so cool. When we started hanging out I just thought she was awesome, and we have the best time together,” Michelle told The Mirror.

“She’s hard though. You wouldn’t want to mess with her in a fight.”

With Michelle’s new toys, Cara might not want to mess with her ex.

Source: http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/152994/1/Michelle-Rodriguez-Poses-With-Rifle-And-Handgun-On-Top-Of-Luxury-Car#hd1VmpE15B0GrzKQ.99

Luxury car growth is never ending in North America

Luxury Car growth world wide is going from strength to strength with some promising figures already emerging for 2014. North America are not alone in their appreciation of luxury and style, but here lets take a look at who is performing well in the States.

U.S. auto sales turned out to have an incredible month of sales in May. The news was good almost universally (except for the VW brand), but the luxury car market just seems to have no end in sight in North America. What we have not done was to break out sales prices and incentives in the luxury market as a whole.

What is obvious is that the luxury market just keeps on chugging higher and higher once you look at the sales data.

Can some of this be attributed to new model launches? In some cases. Still, the numbers just look strong by almost every account. We took a look at North American sales of Porsche, BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Jaguar, and Land Rover for the month of May. Even the used luxury market looked strong when the companies discussed it.

Porsche said that its May sales of 4,609 vehicles was bumped by the mid-May launch of the 2015 Macan S and Macan Turbo (1,263 units). Porsche said that this beats last year’s record sales number by 17.3 percent. It was also the best ever sales month for Porsche in the U.S. Porsche even went on to say that its two-door sports cars and Panamera have continued strong sales performance gains from 2013, and that the demand for Cayenne still outstrips the supply. Porsche even went on to say that its Approved Certified Pre-Owned vehicle sales in May were up 17 percent at 994 units.

Mercedes-Benz said that May was the company’s fifth record sales month Of 2014, with its Mercedes-Benz brand sales up 7.7% to 26,617 units. Total sales were represented as being up over 8% to 29,570 units if you blend the Mercedes-Benz, Sprinter and smart model lines. The group’s top sellers in May were its C-, E- and M-Class model lines, with the E-Class up over 25 percent to 6,168 vehicles. Its high-end flagship S-Class volume of 2,173 was up over 82% from the same month last year.

BMW Group U.S. also posted a record May for its BMW brand, in part from the launch of the BMW i3. BMW and MINI combined sales in May were up over 13% to 35,331 vehicles, but sales of BMW brand vehicles rose by more than 17 percent in May for a total of 29,602 vehicles. The BMW i3 has now officially launched, with its first month’s sales totaling 336 units. BMW Pre-Owned Vehicles also rose by 14 percent to 18,064 vehicles. Management even talked up this summer –

“This will be the summer of BMW with the new M3 and M4 on sale this month and the new X4 and 4 Series Gran Coupe coming in July.”

Audi said that this was its best U.S. May sales in the company’s history, and second-best any-month tally period – with it being the 41st consecutive U.S. sales record. Its sales rose to 16,601 powered both by the new entry-level model, A3, and by the brand’s high-end cars. Diesels accounted for 11.5% to 28.2% of sales.

Jaguar and Land Rover have shown that May sales rose 17 percent, to 5,840 units (according to USA Today) – for the best May unit sales report since 2007. The Range Rover Sport redesign had record May sales of 1,496 units for a gain of 35 percent. Sale of the crossover Range Rover Evoque rose a sharp 59 percent to 1,196 sales. Jaguar sales were up 14% in May, led by its F-series sports car coupe and convertible and by the XK sedan.

Source Is There No End to Luxury Car Sales Growth in America? – 24/7 Wall St. http://247wallst.com/autos/2014/06/03/is-there-no-end-to-luxury-car-sales-growth-in-america/#ixzz33khuqNoI

Bookings have commenced for Mercedes India on upcoming models

We like to keep up to date on the luxury car market across the globe, especially India and China where they take luxury very seriously! Mercedes are making big waves in India at the minute and it doesn’t seem to be relenting any time soon.

Mercedes Benz India has commenced bookings for two of its upcoming models – the new GLA compact luxury SUV as well as the diesel version of the S-class, the S 350 sedan.

The Mercedes GLA compact luxury SUV is based on the front-wheel-drive MFA-platform that also underpins the A- and B-class. The SUV is comparable in size to the Audi Q3 and is expected to go on sale in India around the festive season. Mercedes dealers are currently taking orders for only one variant of the GLA, the GLA 220 CDI diesel. Mercedes Benz had showcased the GLA SUV at the Auto Expo 2014 earlier this year.

The Mercedes GLA 220 CDI is expected to come with a 2143cc diesel motor good for 167bhp. This is the same motor that does duty on the Mercedes A-class hatchback where it is detuned to put out 107bhp. The booking amount for the GLA 220 CDI is Rs 50,000 with deliveries being promised around September-October 2014.

Mercedes Benz has also started taking bookings for the diesel-powered S-class sedan. The S 350 CDI will be manufactured locally and will officially launch on June 5, 2014.

The Mercedes-Benz S 350 CDI will have similar equipment levels as the locally-made S 500, although it will skimp on certain features available on the range-topping version. The Burmester sound system will come without 3D surround system and there’ll be plain leather upholstery instead of nappa. The rear seat will be a bench instead of two individual seats. The S 350 CDI won’t have centre-armrest mounted tables for the rear passengers, nor chilling and heating cupholders. It will get a normal reversing camera instead of the 360-degree unit on the S 500. The Mercedes night-vision package also won’t be on offer on the S 350 CDI.

Mercedes is expected to price the S 350 CDI at around Rs 1.25 crore (estimated, ex-showroom). The Merc S 350 is a fair bit more expensive than direct rivals like the A8 L 3.0 TDI (Rs 1.12 crore), BMW 730Ld (Rs 1.02 crore) and the recently launched, locally assembled Jaguar XJ 3.0 TDI (Rs 92.1 lakh). The premium Mercedes is asking for over rivals can be put down to the fact that the S 350 is a whole generation ahead in terms of tech on offer. The booking amount for the S 350 CDI is Rs 5 lakh with deliveries being promised by end-June or early July.
Source http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-news/mercedes-s-350-cdi-gla-suv-bookings-commence-386483.aspx

Are luxury cars more affordable in todays market?

Do you think you can afford a luxury car? The luxury car market is going from strength to strength even through the recessions we have seen of late. More people are looking to invest in luxury cars, but don’t quite have the budget.

If you’ve been casting envious eyes on those Mercedes and BMWs in the office parking lot, you may be wondering if you could fit a luxury car into your budget. Luxury brands have been reading your mind and indeed have brought out more affordable models. But make sure you calculate all the costs that come with owning a luxury car — not just the purchase price.

You wouldn’t be the only one considering so-called entry-level luxury cars — those with purchase prices often starting under $35,000. Growth in this segment has been a major reason that luxury vehicles have increased their market share in recent years, according to an April report from analysts at the National Auto Dealers Association Used Car Guide. “The data suggests that the growth was due almost exclusively to new buyers entering the market,” not habitual luxury buyers trading down to less expensive models.

One of the entry-level luxury models’ best financial qualities is high resale value. And that leads to a more affordable way to drive a prestige model — by leasing it. The NADA Guide report notes that entry-level luxury cars on average retain 48.8% of their original value after three years, more than other luxury segments.
“The lower the rate of depreciation, the lower the lease payment,” notes NADA analyst Laurence Dixon III. For instance, the Lexus ES currently has a lease deal for $349 a month for two years with $2,999 due at signing.

Whether you get a good lease deal or buy the luxury car, that’s only the beginning of your expenses. As with any car, insurance, fuel maintenance and repair costs still have to be paid. To see the differential in costs, let’s compare an entry-level Mercedes-Benz C250 (selling at an average of about $35,900, according to TrueCar.com) with one of the best-selling midsize sedans, the Toyota Camry XLE, the best-equipped Camry with an average selling price of $23,061.

Here’s a look at comparative costs to own these cars:

Fuel Cost — The Mercedes, like most luxury cars, requires premium gasoline, while the Toyota, like most mainstream brands, uses regular. The current national average for regular is $3.64 a gallon vs. $4 for premium, according to AAA. The Mercedes C250, with a rating of 25 MPG in combined city and highway driving would rack up fuel costs of $2,400 per year, according to fueleconomy.gov. The Toyota, with a 28 MPG combined rating would come in at $1,950. That’s an extra $450 in your gas budget each year.

Insurance — First-time luxury car buyers are sometimes startled at their bill to insure that car. Following our example, InsuranceQuotes.com gives the following comparison for the two cars being insured in Northern California. For an age 40 married man or woman, the monthly insurance bill would be $173 for the Mercedes and $130 a month for the Toyota Camry. That’s more than $500 a year in extra insurance costs. To compare the insurance costs of your current vehicle to cars you might buy, go to Insurancequotes.com and scroll down the right side to the section called Car vs. Car. You can get an estimate using your age and zip code.

Maintenance — Oil changes and other routine maintenance typically cost more at luxury brand dealerships. As a selling point, some luxury brands like BMW offer free maintenance for the first 50,000 miles on a new car. But in our comparison, Mercedes-Benz does not offer a free maintenance program for this model. Toyota, unusually for mainstream brands, does have free maintenance for two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Repairs — For repairs that go beyond standard maintenance, luxury dealers are also more expensive. You may be able to cut repair costs by avoiding dealers and going to independent repair shops that specialize, say, in German cars. But double check to see if that still meets the conditions of your warranty.

The comfort, style and prestige of owning a luxury car may in fact outweigh the extra costs for you. Just be sure you have an idea of those costs before you decide to buy or lease.

If you would like to experience a luxury car before going out and buying one, take a look at our website and see what we have to offer

Source http://www.cbsnews.com/news/thinking-of-buying-your-first-luxury-car/

Mercedes-Benz wins more awards in the UK than any other car manufacturer

Mercedes-Benz has yet again been one of the most awarded car manufacturers in the UK. Despite being German, the luxury car manufacturer has a huge fan base in the country and to be honest we can see why.

The Sonder Klasse (Special Class in German) has received more awards in 2014 than we can count with our fingers, with the latest to arrive earlier today.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was accompanied by the E-Class, with the two models being named “Best Luxury Car” and “Best Executive Car” respectively at the 2014 Fleet World Honors. 

Praised for the large array of safety systems introduced with its mid-cycle refresh in 2013, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class W212 was also complimented for its range of diesel engines, as we all know how pretty much all fleet cars in the UK are oil-burners. 

“The E-Class got a major facelift last year that included adding a huge amount of clever safety kit as standard and improving quality all round. So it’s now a very different car and it shows in the success it has had in fleet. The hybrid diesel is the best hybrid on the market and the traditional diesels are now extremely competitive too.” said Steve Moody, Editor of Fleet World Magazine, who organized the awards event.

Its larger brother, representing the top of the range when it comes to Mercedes-Benz luxury sedans and usually featuring technologies that will trickle down on other cars in the future, was commended for the smooth blending of luxury, refinement and comfort. 

“The S-Class is ubiquitous, and the new model is only set to make it more so. Mercedes just understands the luxury market perfectly, so you get unmatched levels of refinement comfort and luxury. Its clever new active ride suspension makes a mockery of potholes while options such as Burmester sound system and a whole menu of different types of massage make it the ultimate car in which to work and relax.” said Steve Moody.

In case it wasn’t obvious by now, both the current generations of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the E-Class are their segment leaders when it comes to fleets in the United Kingdom, a fact which somewhat explains the number of awards that they are receiving from various British magazines on a monthly basis.

Source http://www.autoevolution.com/news/mercedes-benz-s-class-and-e-class-win-more-awards-in-the-uk-81530.html

BMW and Lexus over take Mercedes-Benz in Luxury Car ranking

Lexus and BMW have showed impressive growth figures and have taken over from Mercedes-Benz in the ranking of overall Luxury Car brands in the US.

Luxury automakers have been exceptionally busy over the past year: new designs, new vehicles, new agencies, new advertising, new marketing executives. In spite of the activity, posturing and jabbing in the ring, Lexus and BMW — Floyd Mayweather-like — seem to have taken the purchase-consideration lead in the late rounds so far this year, at least among the 1,200 or so consumers polled by marketing firm YouGov BrandIndex in an online survey.

The firm says Mercedes-Benz, which has consistently ranked among the top three luxury car brands in overall brand health this year, hasn’t gotten commensurate purchase consideration and is behind among all luxury brands.

By contrast, Lexus started the year behind Infiniti, Audi and Mercedes Benz, with only 6% of U.S. car buyers saying they would consider the brand in February. That metric is up to 16% now for the Toyota Motor luxury brand.

BMW’s purchase consideration surge with potential buyers began two weeks before Lexus, rising from a 9% in early February to a virtual tie with Lexus at 16% now, per YouGov BrandIndex, which reported that the lift happened around the time of the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Perhaps not coincidentally, BMW had a big presence on the U.S. Bobsled sled team, having helped design the sleds and getting branding on the sleds and racewear and gear.

Sales have been strong for both brands. In April Lexus saw a 23% gain and BMW was up 8.5%, year-over-year. Year-to-date through April, Lexus was up 20.8% for its cars and 14.3% for its trucks; and BMW was up 10.7%.

“Lexus and BMW really separate from the pack,” says YouGov BrandIndex CEO Ted Marzilli. “That’s about three full months in the lead for BMW and about five to six weeks for Lexus.”

The firm’s study suggests that Infiniti, which has totally revamped its marketing and product, has the opposite challenge as Mercedes: while Infiniti is beginning to see a resurgence of purchase consideration, which has taken them from the bottom of the YouGov ranking to around the middle, their brand health has been near or at the bottom of the luxury car group for the year so far.

Marzilli tells Marketing Daily that BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz all scored well in advertising awareness, and that this awareness metric also indexes strongly (no surprise) for people who are in the market to buy a car.

But advertising alone doesn’t account for BMW and Lexus’ pole position. Perceived value, he says, plays a major role. He says that metric boils down to “A preconceived notion that it’s either too expensive or reasonable for what you get. Or they could be responding to a TV ad they saw this weekend, or new models. That may be what resonates.”

In the study, whose data is garnered from a poll of consumers who are in market to purchase a car over the next 12 months, Acura, Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz were measured on “Index,” the research firm’s score of brand health based on the firm’s component scores of quality, value, impression, satisfaction, reputation, and willingness to recommend; and on purchase consideration.

Source – http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/225119/bmw-lexus-lead-in-luxury-auto-consideration.html