Bring Back the Mercedes Grill

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Interestingly, figures from MB today show that Sales in Europe as a whole are up 7.5% with the UK 19.8%, so it would seem that the UK specs as far as MB are concerned is the way to go, they are after all only interested in the bottom line. If that means alienating some more traditional buyers in favour of a large increase in younger buyers, then that is the way it will go.

I wouldn't have thought it was difficult to have a choice of grilles as an option on the build list when ordering, after all you can specify other options.
 
Interestingly, figures from MB today show that Sales in Europe as a whole are up 7.5% with the UK 19.8%, so it would seem that the UK specs as far as MB are concerned is the way to go, they are after all only interested in the bottom line. If that means alienating some more traditional buyers in favour of a large increase in younger buyers, then that is the way it will go.

Oh dear once again:doh: -----this does not have to be an either / or situation :mad: more a win win situation. :thumb:

Give the AMG hotrodders their big star grille if they want it :cool: and patently they do ---but why not give the UK traditionalists the bonnet emblem and grill.:D Soon they will be telling us you can only have silver or black paintwork ----hang on a minute!!!!!:doh:
 
not yet..

i have gathered enough opinions from 5 stealerships that they know whats best..

i will share it with them in time.. :)

You will get a reply almost instantly from them, especially the main Twitter account. will be interesting to see what they say to you.
 
Indeed it will!

Maybe the answer would be for MB UK to make it a cost option. Win win all round then as the traditionalists will be able to have the classic grille and star and MB will make even more dosh! :D
 
Interestingly, figures from MB today show that Sales in Europe as a whole are up 7.5% with the UK 19.8%, so it would seem that the UK specs as far as MB are concerned is the way to go, they are after all only interested in the bottom line. If that means alienating some more traditional buyers in favour of a large increase in younger buyers, then that is the way it will go.

I wouldn't have thought it was difficult to have a choice of grilles as an option on the build list when ordering, after all you can specify other options.

Yes figures are up, and they are doing well..

someone recently told me that the cls was under performing because of the overlap in front design to the new e class with the badge in the grille..

either way, yes you are correct, they are interested in the bottom line, but i do not understand the harm of offering the se variant or luxury grille as an option.. It might cost them about a £1m in procurement and marketing, but it will more than make up the cost and keeps the choice open to all buyers, not just the youth or the ones whom want a streamlined look.

The star on the Bonnet is important for its historical links aswell as (me for one) buyers wanting it.

Most cars are bought on finance.. there will be a time when rates are up and finance less accessible, and when this happens, the finance agreements will end and we will be left with a load of toosh on the forecourts..

Im sorry, but a Vans grill on a 4 door saloon, i will say again, is hideous..

With finance deals as they are, the owners today are not the same demograhic as they were.. so yes we have to face the music, but atleast keep the choice for those whom dont want a V-class front end..
 
Agreed! As I mentioned earlier, the Sprinters in my town now have matching E classes in the drive! :D:D:D

Totally with you re the finance discussion. When the lease deals are no longer cheap (can't be too far off now) then the demographic buyer will change a lot I think. I predict the return of the classic front not long after... :D
 
soon they will be telling us you can only have silver or black paintwork ----hang on a minute!!!!!:doh:

you know the funny thing, the UK is not even getting the full colour spectrum of colours for the w205 as available in Europe.. seriously.. have we lost the ability to see colour.. or is everything just 50 shades of Grey.. ! not working for me.. sorry... arghhh.. the fustration, as this was a model i was looking fwd to...!

UK COLOURS
W205UK.jpg


Germany COLOURS
W205GERMANY.jpg
 
as a side note, a few months ago on the drive home I noticed I had not secured my bonnet properly after doing some work on the car. I only noticed because the star was moving up and down and as id already travelled 20 miles and was in the outside lane doing 80 mph it was a bit scary !! So without the star I may not have noticed til the bonnet blew up in my face. So the star may have saved my life !!!! :)

So another vote from me
 
Wow, only shades of black and grey. I guess the great buying public has caused that too - how many non black/silver MBs do you see? We really are a boring lot aren't we!! (says he with a dark grey and silver car - although SWMBOs is red! :) )
 
It does seem counter-productive to limit the choice of the consumer in an age when computer-managed manufacturing means that it has never been easier to build exactly what the customer wants.

Why not let a British customer have a star on the bonnet if MB can put one on the nose of a German car?

Why not let a British customer have a petrol V6 - or even a V8 - if it can be done for the RHD Japanese market?

And why create such absurd model choices that mean that if you even want a decent sized diesel you now can only get it in an "AMG" spec car and not the SE spec?

And, if this is all driven by the market, why is MB UK still offering comfort seats that cost £2000? Who is buying those? Surely, if you are likely to specify such an option, you are unlikely to want to stick it in a 2 litre petrol SE-spec car or, if you fancy a big diesel, an AMG-spec car (where you are actually – and I can hardly believe this –forced to pay extra on top of the leather trimmed SE spec to have the Artico-covered “sports” seats that you have had to pay extra for taken out to make way for your comfort seats).

The cost of actually offering choice is as little as the effort of putting the details into the brochure. Or, if that is too much effort, why not create a "Bespoke" service where customers can specify a car built to their desired spec (within the bounds of the manufacturing restrictions).
 
It does seem counter-productive to limit the choice of the consumer in an age when computer-managed manufacturing means that it has never been easier to build exactly what the customer wants.

I strongly suspect it's all down to costs. M-B UK would order a large quantity of cars in advance or commit to a certain number and if limiting options like grilles & colours adds to the bottom line overall in one way or another, it's fair to assume that's the route they'll go. Also, I'm sure M-B Fleet are happy when selling off used stock that have the 'sports' rather than the traditional grille and of course used buyers tend to be less picky about colour too.
 
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I strongly suspect it's all down to costs. M-B UK would order a large quantity of cars in advance or commit to a certain number and if limiting options like grilles & colours adds to the bottom line overall in one way or another, it's fair to assume that's the route they'll go. Also, I'm sure M-B Fleet are happy when selling off used stock that cars have the 'sports' rather than the traditional grille and of course used buyers tend to be less picky about colour too.

I agree entirely with what you say - and that is why virtually every pre-
owned car or demonstrator is in the AMG (previously "Sport") trim, but it doesn't explain why they have taken the choice away from those who wish to specify for a new build.
 
prprandall51 - You raise a further point that slipped my mind, but quite rightly, the spec combinations are bewildering at best.

I appreciate many like black interiors, but others do not..
I appreciate also that many like AMG styling, but it used to be a charagable option, where se, classic and avantarde were the variants, and then AMG stood out.. Now AMG seems to be the norm..

They are cashing in on the prestige aspirational affects of AMG upgrades having been limited to so few previously, that now, there is absolutely no aspiration as joe bloggs is in the same car as you.. and to be honest, the tides may turn, and where the feeling of wellbeing now exists based on how they were pitched previously, soon there will be no desirability or differentiation.. they need market differentiation!! Not this monogamous behaviour!!

the new BMW 3 series does it very very well

Mercedes need something like

Modern, Luxury and AMG Sport..

thats what i think anyway!!
 
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when selling off used stock that cars have the 'sports' rather than the traditional grille and of course used buyers tend to be less picky about colour too.

I was discussing this the other day..

could it actually be that those whom had the budget for a Mercedes previously are now the second owners, not the first, and many of the first purely are moving from an Vauxhall to a Mercedes as the price differentiation is so minimal monthly, but the actual ones, demographically whom could have afforded a Mercedes previously and may be cash buyers, are the ones whom buy the used ones, once the chav likes whom just jump to having anything with a star on it are out the way..

i could be wrong but could the 3 year difference between starting a lease and ending one create a market difference and thus those whom want a used car, still want something with some colour on it.. and perhaps the traditional front star...

I feel, for me anyway, things are just not right with Mercedes right now, and it angers me that i am also cornered in that nothing else had that Mercedes feeling, and the Jag bonnet emblem is a dated add on, but it was and is elegant, whilst the mercedes star on the bonnet really doesnt have that age stigma attached. does it?


I mean BMWs are recognied by their grilles. Audi are recognied by their grilles.

Mercedes were recognised by their grilles and also their star..

so if the star (lets presume) upright is too dated, then a standard saloon grille have been designed to be with out any large star, a smaller subtle one perhaps, or even just a plain standard grill, and a flat badge like the brabus badge or the likes..

personally, the more i think about it, the more it is about the huge sprinter star in the grille of a saloon.

The upright star possibly is just the added bonus, but the grille shouting out as it is.. makes me want to.. welll Vomit..

and its not even done that well.. more like a snout on the front of a PIG if i was to relate it to an animal..

The star often, psychologically or not, resembled the finishing touch to a cake, or a Christmas tree or whatever..

Maybe that is what is missing.. having that detail finishing touch.. that fleet buyers and those just looking for a motor dont care about.. but for which i do!

arghh!
 
, but it doesn't explain why they have taken the choice away from those who wish to specify for a new build.

You can bet there is some overall advantage for M-B UK, if it's not cost then it's practical for not offering the choice. Bottom line, bottom line...
 
I strongly suspect it's all down to costs M-B UK would order a large quantity of cars in advance or commit to a certain number and if limiting options like grilles & colours adds to the bottom line overall in one way or another, it's fair to assume that's the route they'll go. Also, I'm sure M-B Fleet are happy when selling off used stock that cars have the 'sports' rather than the traditional grille and of course used buyers tend to be less picky about colour too.
Explain why the MB UK "financial model" has to be so different from those in other MB markets ? Are the French the Dutch the Italian MB concessionaires all losing money by offering their customers more choice? :rolleyes:

Gottlieb Daimler--- Das Beste oder Nichts

Henry Ford--People can have the Model T in any color - so long as it's black.
 
Explain why the MB UK "financial model" has to be so different from those in other MB markets ? Are the French the Dutch the Italian MB concessionaires all losing money by offering their customers more choice? :rolleyes:

Gottlieb Daimler--- Das Beste oder Nichts

Henry Ford--People can have the Model T in any color - so long as it's black.

Where did imply or state that M-B UK were losing money? :dk: All I said was it's about costs, i.e. more profit!
 
Nobody would deny MB UK making a profit , but do they have to be so s*dding miserable with their car specifications in the process. Just smacks to me of a company run by people who aren't very interested in cars they sell. The danger with that is eventually their customers might lose interest too. :dk:
 
"There are two distinct designs for the front of the car - one with a three-pointed star on top of the bonnet, and a sportier look with a larger emblem within a bolder front grille. UK versions will come with the sportier look as standard; Mercedes-Benz says this is due to customer demand. The more traditional look will be offered in other markets and UK buyers will be able to specify it as an option. Mercedes-Benz has adopted the same approach for the latest E-Class."

Just read this in a trade publication. Don't think it's true though....
 

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