Profile of S-Class Buyer

[JohnH4260]

Most Popular Sports Cars Sold in Germany in 2007 (sorry about formatting) No./Model/Sold/Country of Origin 1: Audi TT 14375 Germany 2: Mercedes SLK 9714 Germany 3: Porsche 911 8507 Germany 4: Mercedes CLK 7932 Germany 5: BMW Z4 6213 Germany 6: Porsche Boxster/Cayman 4213 Germany 7: Mercedes SL 2102 Germany 8: Opel GT 1096 Germany 9: Chrysler Crossfire 1053 United States 10: Jaguar XK 1046 United Kingdom 11: Audi R8 851 Germany 12: Nissan 350Z 501 Japan 13: Corvette C6 489 United States 14: Ferrari F430 487 Italy 15: Aston Martin V8 Vantage 373 United Kingdom 16: Ford Mustang 332 United States 17: Maserati Granturismo 281 Italy 18: Aston Martin DB9 196 United Kingdom 19: Ferrari 599 GTB 168 Italy 20: Honda S2000 149 Japan 21: Maserati Quattroporte 128 Italy 22: Morgan 92 United Kingdom 23: Lamborghini Gallardo 89 Italy 24: Wiesmann Roadster 85 Germany 25: Mercedes SLR 73 Germany 26: Maserati Coupé 69 Italy 27: Lotus Elise 68 United Kingdom 28: Cadillac XLR 56 United States 29: Exige/Europa 50 United Kingdom 30: Wiesmann GT 50 Germany 31: Ferrari 612 Scaglietti 38 Italy 32: Maserati Spyder 36 Italy 33: Aston Martin Vanquish S 31 United Kingdom 34: Dodge Viper 21 United States 35: Porsche Carrera GT 8 Germany 36: Lamborghini Murcielago 5 Italy 37: Lexus SC 2 Japan

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[JohnH4260]

Top Brand and Model Rankings Among Various Groups in 2007. The index calculates an owner's response to vehicles with an overall emotional response on a 1,000-point scale.

Asian Buyers:
Favorite Luxury Brands
Mercedes-Benz — 909
Audi — 909
BMW — 906
Favorite Luxury Models
Mercedes GL-Class — 931
BMW 3-Series Coupe — 925
BMW X5 — 920

Black Buyers:
Favorite Luxury Brands
Lexus — 938
Mercedes-Benz — 918
Infiniti — 913
Favorite Luxury Models
Infiniti FX — 952
Mercedes R-Class Wagon — 942
Chrysler 300C — 941

Hispanic Buyers:
Favorite Luxury Brands
Mercedes-Benz — 922
BMW — 918
Acura — 911
Favorite Luxury Models
Mercedes E-Class — 955
Infiniti G35 Sedan — 940
BMW 3-Series Coupe — 933

[usctrojans1]

Who was your source?

[JohnH4260]

Originally Posted by usctrojans1

Who was your source?

Autospies.com

[JohnH4260]

Overall Luxury Vehicle Sales 2006 and 2007.

Audi / 90,116 / 99,128
BMW / 274,432 / 298,033
Mercedes / 248,080 / 255,026
Porsche / 34,227 / 34,672
Acura / 201,223 / 182,368
Infiniti / 121,146 / 128,742
Lexus/ 322,434 / 335,976

Total / 1,291,658 / 1,333,945

[JohnH4260]

For Carmakers, High Performance Equals High Profit

Premium Price Tags
High-performance models typically tack on tens of thousands of dollars, sometimes more, to the price tag. For example, the base Mercedes E350 sedan costs around $52,000; its AMG counterpart, $86,000. Further up the food chain, the Mercedes S550 sedan stickers for around $87,000. The AMG version, the V12-powered S65, costs double that at $194,000. Today, AMGs make up about 10% of sales for Mercedes-Benz USA. Total U.S. unit sales for Mercedes-Benz in 2007 were a record 253,316. The company doesn't report AMG sales separately, but that suggests around 25,000 AMG models sold.

"Mercedes AMG customers and Audi S model customers clearly are happier with their vehicles, are stronger brand advocates, and earn almost three times more than their non-AMG/S cohorts," said Alexander Edwards, president, automotive, for San Diego-based market research firm Strategic Vision.

How much more? Median household income for all Mercedes owners is $170,004, for instance, but $392,756 for AMG owners, Edwards said.

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyl...mpaign_id=yhoo

[04S430]

Originally Posted by JohnH4260

Information on the average annual income of the 2007 S-Class buyer. Source:
http://www.autobytel.com/content/sha...le_id_int/1075

"Mercedes says the typical buyer of the completely redesigned 2007 S-Class pulls down around $300,000 a year. With a base price of just over $86,000 and with loaded models selling for six figures, you would think sightings of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class would be about as rare as seeing Paris Hilton in the camping aisle at Wal-Mart..."

$300,000 this year??? I lost well over 100,000 this year. Am I alone?

[Ferri]

The aforequoted profiles here ignore the younger demographics for the S Class: single males circa late twenties early thirties with income at or above $120K/year. The advent of cheap credit has opened the S-Class club doors to many more people than in the past.

[04S430]

Originally Posted by Ferri

The aforequoted profiles here ignore the younger demographics for the S Class: single males circa late twenties early thirties with income at or above $120K/year. The advent of cheap credit has opened the S-Class club doors to many more people than in the past.

Don't sign your life away just to drive an S class.

[JohnH4260]

2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Sedan Total Quality Index Score = 938

The Total Quality Index Score (1000 point scale, higher is better) is calculated using multivariate statistical techniques that create weights from the correlations of all aspects of the vehicle ownership experience including product, reliability and dealership (independent variables) against multiple outcome measures (dependent variables) which include the following:

Satisfaction with the complete ownership experience
Perception of quality
Owner reported delight
Future purchase intent
Emotional attachment to vehicle

The weights derived from this procedure are then used to transform measures of experience into a 1000 point scale to facilitate comparisons between vehicles. The scores typically range from 750 to 900. Generally, scores over 800 are terrific, although in some segments a score in the low 800's is not very competitive and a score over 900 becomes the epitome of excellence.

http://www.strategicvision.com

[04S430]

Originally Posted by JohnH4260

2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Sedan Total Quality Index Score = 938

The Total Quality Index Score (1000 point scale, higher is better) is calculated using multivariate statistical techniques that create weights from the correlations of all aspects of the vehicle ownership experience including product, reliability and dealership (independent variables) against multiple outcome measures (dependent variables) which include the following:

Satisfaction with the complete ownership experience
Perception of quality
Owner reported delight
Future purchase intent
Emotional attachment to vehicle

The weights derived from this procedure are then used to transform measures of experience into a 1000 point scale to facilitate comparisons between vehicles. The scores typically range from 750 to 900. Generally, scores over 800 are terrific, although in some segments a score in the low 800's is not very competitive and a score over 900 becomes the epitome of excellence.

http://www.strategicvision.com

Ya,Ya, what else. You are driving me to another XO.

[JohnH4260]

Customer Delight Index (1000 point scale, higher is better)

2007 Mercedes-Benz S-Class score is 830.

Customer Delight focuses on the product experience, customer loyalty and commitment to product. Creates a significant emotional response in personally meaningful ways, according to Strategic Vision, Inc.

[Eurosport]

so approx. 25,000 AMGs sold in US in 2007...
very exclusive what can i say, no wonder they don't like releasing AMG sales separate from total sales.

[AMG_Fred]

$300,000 can not be the average income for the w221 buyer. I believe people pulling $1 million+ are skewing the average. There are so many people buying there cars when they can barely afford it... Somehow, it just doesn't add up to me.

[AMG_Fred]

Originally Posted by cjf_moraga

What is it about this endless interest in the income of S-Class buyers? Two parallel threads now in 24 hours... OK you have/are considering a new S-Class ...you have to be on a good salary or have significant assets - we all got it...

Data like this tells you nothing.. the "average" figure has no bearing on the distribution of individual incomes... there will be a unrepresentative number of huge multi-million $$$ annual incomes and equally some who are a lot lower than $300K... these figures are as arbitrary and unrepresentative as is the stereotype that you are a 55 year old middle aged buyer... gasp!

Can we talk about the cars now?

Chris

Thank you, I was going to say something like this but didn't. The S-Class forums have been divided into two sections. The first half which deals with the actual cars, mods, and concepts whereas the second half of the topics deal with 'You shouldn't buy this car if you don't have an xxxxxx income' or just the matter of money. I guess it is true, the one religion that everyone will follow in the end is under the following of the Almight Dollar.

[trumpet1]

We also need to step back and ask the question, "How many people actually OWN an S class?". I don't own mine yet. I am only making payments. Until I actually have the ability to write a check for $140K and drive off, am I fully qualified to say I own an S class.

Then you have those who are leasing.....they don't actually own the car either....they are just driving around in a rented car. In my case, I'm just driving around in a financed car. A nice cash flow can get a lot of people into a car or house, etc, etc, that gives the illusion of ownership and extreme wealth. I'll be the first to say, it's a sacrifice for me to own my car.

For some though, it's not a big deal. I mean, that's kind of the truth in the matter.

[04S430]

Trumpet1; I can honestly say I own my car, same as I owned the previous ones, and anything else I have. No bank owns me! I hate them as a matter of fact; I do have one because modern times force me to deal with one.

Chris; you are right the "S" forum is devided. I for one, joined the forum to seek information on the 221. ( Remember good old NevadaJack? He helped me make up my mind about getting one, and I have no regrets about my decision.)
However, I have also found myself deviating from questions related to the technical, or modes aspects of the "S".

[04S430]

Originally Posted by 04S430

Trumpet1; I can honestly say I own my car, same as I owned the previous ones, and anything else I have. No bank owns me! I hate them as a matter of fact; I do have one because modern times force me to deal with one.

Chris; you are right the "S" forum is devided. I for one, joined the forum to seek information on the 221. ( Remember good old NevadaJack? He helped me make up my mind about getting one, and I have no regrets about my decision.)
However, I have also found myself deviating from questions related to the technical, or modes aspects of the "S".

Sorry, I should have addressed LnkPrKSoldier, and not Chris.

[trumpet1]

Originally Posted by 04S430

No bank owns me! I hate them as a matter of fact; I do have one because modern times force me to deal with one.

No one hates banks as much as I do. They cheat you anyway they can and somehow they are legally getting away with it.

[04S430]

Originally Posted by trumpet1

No one hates banks as much as I do. They cheat you anyway they can and somehow they are legally getting away with it.

At least in the States, there is still competition among a larger number of banks. Here in Canada, we have only approximately a dozen nation wide banks, thus a monopoly; and believe me, they behave as such. As to what they can get away with legally is probably a toss up as to which one can out do the other one.
Anyway, we are getting off topic! Just the same, it was good to vent off on this particular subject.

[JohnH4260]

The 2007 Total Quality Awards™

Buyers rated the following vehicles tops in their segments:
Segment Winner(s) / TQI Score
Small Car Honda Civic 882
Small Multi-Function Volkswagen Rabbit 880
Medium Car Saturn Aura 891
Nissan Maxima 892
Large Car Hyundai Azera 901
Small Specialty Under $25,000 Mini Cooper 911
Near Luxury Car BMW 3-Series Sedan 919
Luxury Car Mercedes-Benz S-Class 938
Convertibles Under $30,000 Mini Cooper Convertible 905
Convertibles Over $30,000 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible 930

[JohnH4260]

More than 26,000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans were sold in the U.S. last year, according to CNW Marketing Research in Bandon, Ore., but only 3,672 people bought its striking two-door equivalent, the CL-Class.

[JohnH4260]

ROAD & TRAVEL Magazine Announces 2008 International Car of the Year Awards Winners.

* International Car of the Year: Honda Accord Sedan
* International Truck of the Year: Chrysler Town & Country
* Pick Up Truck of the Year: "Most Athletic" GMC Sierra Denali
* Sports Car of the Year: "Most Sex Appeal" Audi R8
* Sedan of the Year: "Most Dependable" Honda Accord Sedan
* Luxury Car of the Year: "Most Respected" Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG
* Minivan of the Year: "Most Compatible" Chrysler Town & Country
* Entry Level Car of the Year: "Most Spirited" Volvo C30
* Crossover of the Year: "Most Versatile" Buick Enclave
* SUV of the Year: "Most Resourceful" Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

[JohnH4260]

Automobile Magazine 2008 All-Stars List.
Seven of the ten cars are carryovers from last year (or was 2007 that good?).

BMW 3-series
Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet Malibu
Infiniti G35/G37
Lotus Elise
Mazda CX-9
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Porsche Boxster/Cayman
Volkswagen GTI
Volvo C30

All-Star: 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class By Amy Skogstrom

Like goldilocks, we know when something is just right. We complain when a car is too big or too small, too hard or too soft, and we don't hide our displeasure. But when a car is right, we're moved to celebrate it. And so today, we celebrate the Mercedes-Benz S-class.

Two iterations ago, we lamented that the S-class had become too heavy, too complex, and too expensive. Mercedes answered those complaints with the next-generation car by scaling down the size and scaling back the price. So what did we do? We judged the car guilty of moving too far downmarket; it showed obvious signs of cost-cutting and had lost some of its Germanic solidity. So Mercedes went back to the drawing board and in 2006 introduced the current-generation luxury sedan. And this time, they got it just right.

Today's S-class is dripping with luxury accoutrements and high-tech accessories, from a full-leather interior to a hands-free communication system to a fourteen-speaker stereo. It has power everything, radar-guided cruise control, adaptive damping, and more comfort and convenience features than the presidential suite at the Waldorf.

But the S-class is more than just the sum of its equipment list. The S-class rides and handles in a way that belies its size, with taut steering, perfect driver feedback, and an athletic demeanor when the going gets curvy. Available with a quartet of engines that range in ability from supremely competent to mind-blowing, the S-class is the world's most versatile luxury car. In a segment with no shortage of excellent competitors, from the Lexus LS460 to the BMW 7-series, the Mercedes-Benz S-class stands out, because pretty much everything about it is just right.

[F_Porsche]

Originally Posted by JohnH4260

For Carmakers, High Performance Equals High Profit

Premium Price Tags
High-performance models typically tack on tens of thousands of dollars, sometimes more, to the price tag. For example, the base Mercedes E350 sedan costs around $52,000; its AMG counterpart, $86,000. Further up the food chain, the Mercedes S550 sedan stickers for around $87,000. The AMG version, the V12-powered S65, costs double that at $194,000. Today, AMGs make up about 10% of sales for Mercedes-Benz USA. Total U.S. unit sales for Mercedes-Benz in 2007 were a record 253,316. The company doesn't report AMG sales separately, but that suggests around 25,000 AMG models sold.

"Mercedes AMG customers and Audi S model customers clearly are happier with their vehicles, are stronger brand advocates, and earn almost three times more than their non-AMG/S cohorts," said Alexander Edwards, president, automotive, for San Diego-based market research firm Strategic Vision.

How much more? Median household income for all Mercedes owners is $170,004, for instance, but $392,756 for AMG owners, Edwards said.

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyl...mpaign_id=yhoo

I have to doubt that 25000 AMG were sold in US alone. THIS link tells us that AMG build around 20000 cars last year!! So that won't really add up.

I saw Lexus sold only 2 !! SC last year in Germany, anyone know how many they sold in the US?