Lots of Chrome in France

[Londonscottish]

I'm currently on holiday in France and, on the way down, couldn't help but notice how many Mercs, BMs and Audis here have been bought in "business spec" ie with silver wheels and chrome trim down the sides and on the front and rear. Like they have been for decades.

I can't understand why MB UK seems to be determined to stop all of this. When I was in MB Colindale recently I couldn't help but notice how many brand new cars in the showroom had black wheels, black window trim, nothing on the boot and some sort of vajazzle grille.

When I look at other marques, everything from Passat Estates and Volvos to Conti GTs, they get plenty of silver and chrome inside and out. So what's with the blacked-out MB look?

Some chrome, earlier.

 

[SpikyMikey]

The manufacturers know what we want; which is apparently a murdered out SUV with ridiculously big diamond cut wheels.
Personally I like a bit of chrome - especially on dark coloured cars.

 

[clk320x]

Can’t remember the specifics but from reading posts on here before apparently the average age of buyers in the U.K. tends to be younger and therefore they prefer the more sportier styling - hence they don’t offer the elegance grill on the E class over here etc.

 

[Red C220]

I looks aggressive innit......

The UK buyer demographic has changed over the years. No longer my cup of tea when it reached a point I was no longer able to order a car without privacy glass.

 

[Steveml63]

Black is probably cheaper to make as well!

 

[Londonscottish]

Can’t remember the specifics but from reading posts on here before apparently the average age of buyers in the U.K. tends to be younger and therefore they prefer the more sportier styling - hence they don’t offer the elegance grill on the E class over here etc.

TBF the one thing I wouldn't mind losing is the Elegance grille. I prefer the Sports version. But even the latter seems ro be way too subtle now and now eveything in the UK now either comes with a vajazzle or guppy fish front end.

What ever happened to restraint? This was one of the things that drew me to MB's in the first place - fast but you wouldn't know it.

 

[Dippo]

Can’t remember the specifics but from reading posts on here before apparently the average age of buyers in the U.K. tends to be younger and therefore they prefer the more sportier styling - hence they don’t offer the elegance grill on the E class over here etc.

Did the older generation stop buying because they didn't like the specification, or did MB UK change the specification because the buyers were younger?

 

[Will]

What ever happened to restraint? This was one of the things that drew me to MB's in the first place - fast but you wouldn't know it.

To be fair I’m sure if you go back a generation people were saying similar 20/30+ years ago.

Spoilers and body kits, Quad exhaust tips, noisy exhausts and shouty aesthetics nowadays.

Years back it was S class type vehicles with large V8s and hidden exhaust tips behind the bumpers - ‘speak softly, but carry a big stick’

Times have changed, and you have to move with the times.

 

[clk320x]

Did the older generation stop buying because they didn't like the specification, or did MB UK change the specification because the buyers were younger?

I think they wanted to appeal more to the younger audience.

 

[Tonye]

Also in France at the mo

 

[Tonye]

View attachment 144213Also in France at the mo

 

[neilrr]

The change to the interiors has put me off look of the newer cars - plastic chrome & plastic carbon fibre just looks cheap IMO..

Prefer the wood look myself.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I'm currently on holiday in France and, on the way down, couldn't help but notice how many Mercs, BMs and Audis here have been bought in "business spec" ie with silver wheels and chrome trim down the sides and on the front and rear. Like they have been for decades.

I can't understand why MB UK seems to be determined to stop all of this. When I was in MB Colindale recently I couldn't help but notice how many brand new cars in the showroom had black wheels, black window trim, nothing on the boot and some sort of vajazzle grille.

When I look at other marques, everything from Passat Estates and Volvos to Conti GTs, they get plenty of silver and chrome inside and out. So what's with the blacked-out MB look?

Some chrome, earlier.

View attachment 144210

Oooof, nice pad. Whereabouts are you?

 

[ChrisEdu]

I'm currently on holiday in France and, on the way down, couldn't help but notice how many Mercs, BMs and Audis here have been bought in "business spec" ie with silver wheels and chrome trim down the sides and on the front and rear. Like they have been for decades.

I can't understand why MB UK seems to be determined to stop all of this. When I was in MB Colindale recently I couldn't help but notice how many brand new cars in the showroom had black wheels, black window trim, nothing on the boot and some sort of vajazzle grille.

When I look at other marques, everything from Passat Estates and Volvos to Conti GTs, they get plenty of silver and chrome inside and out. So what's with the blacked-out MB look?

Some chrome, earlier.

View attachment 144210

It cos we is gangsta in da Ook, innit!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Did the older generation stop buying because they didn't like the specification, or did MB UK change the specification because the buyers were younger?

I’m not sure that ther older generation stopped buying Mercedes, more likely that younger generations started buying in much greater numbers, pulling down the average age. I suspect that trend with persist as pension pots weaken relative to where they might have been years ago.

At work, the youngest people who think they’re a bit spesh, cool, hip and trendy and write “going on Love Island boss” on their personal development plan - girls with very black eyebrows and boys who look at their own reflection a lot - almost all drive Mercedes.

The very very young (<21) buy used and the very young (>21) tend to buy new. The W204 C-Class has been very popular with them for some years, especially white Coupes. The A-Class derivatives, and especially the CLA, tend to be popular (new and secondhand).

Twenty years ago I remember a 27 year old buying a Mercedes ML and C-Class, and pretty much everyone (young and old) was surprised that a 27-year old would buy a Mercedes and commented that they were an “old man’s car”. It’s incredible how quickly that has changed.

I’m sure those whipper-snappers at work - in their “Benzez” - smile at me in my Smart ForFour. Little do they know that it’s actually a partially de-badged Mercedes-AMG Smart Forfour Black Series Premium Plus Night Edition powered 125 Navi by Brabus.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I looks aggressive innit......

The UK buyer demographic has changed over the years. No longer my cup of tea when it reached a point I was no longer able to order a car without privacy glass.

It’s amazing how different cars which came with privacy glass look when they have standard glass. Mercedes “blue” glass from the noughties, and fitted to Avantgarde models was the best glass ever IMHO.

 

[HappytalkAgain]

I’m not particularly keen on black wheels but I certainly prefer the gloss black Beltline strip. I think the chrome looks very dated. For this reason alone I think the optional Night/Black Pack is perfect.

As far as I’m aware the chrome Beltline strip is standard. So maybe more factory order buyers pay for the option.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Black is probably cheaper to make as well!

More likely doesn't need to be kept clean

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Methinks it's a British fetish, not restricted to MB.

Agreed, Continental Europeans aren't as keen

Here's the Press car for the new Beemer M2

 

[SpikyMikey]

Methinks it's a British fetish, not restricted to MB.

Agreed, Continental Europeans aren't as keen

Here's the Press car for the new Beemer M2

View attachment 144216

I see on the G87 that BMW have chosen to apply the ugly stick to the rear as opposed to the front