why does it get bigger and bigger?

[The Boss]

Ok..

heres some Food for thought..

As every model gets replaced by a new one, over the last 20 years, the interiors ad exteriors are getting bigger and bigger... the interior at a faster rate than the exteriors due to better packaging etc etc...

But we all have pretty much stayed the same size.. and our roads have not got much bigger and the width restrictions on roads are in the same place and are the same size...

i mean, do manufacturers always have to increase the size of their cars with every model.. like the new s class, so huge, u could get lost in the damn thing...

is that really luxurious.

I KNOW YOU ALL HATE ME GETTING OFF ON W124 TALK... BUT HEAR ME OUT.

The w124, one of the most successful models of all time... was perfect..

so the new model came out in 1997... great car, quality issues, but alot bigger, then the next model was out in 2002/3 great car, bigger again, less quality issues, new one out last week, bigger again, even more space, perhaps to old s class space.. great, but have we all changed so much we need this new space??? i mean, we can still only fit 5 people in a 4 door car unless u have a Fiat Multipla

 

[renault12ts]

W124 perfect or not. Would there still be a Mercedes if they had not replaced it?
Some would say the S211 is smaller, in some respects, than the S210.

 

[wemorgan]

I don't think it's down to needing more space as such, but more to do with offering the customer more. We all like a good deal, so to entice W203 customers to buy a new W204 more space is offered, as well as other enticements.

I'm not so familiar with MB cars, but in other brands the car width has not changed much over the years. Mostly cars are becoming taller and longer.

 

[Chattonmill]

How is the 124 perfect

 

[BTB 500]

AFAIK the size increase is largely to pass new safety/crash test requirements.

Which would you rather be in if crashed at 50 mph or T-boned at a junction - a W124 or a W221 ?

Which would you rather your child was hit by at 30 mph ?

Etc.

 

[neilrr]

They have to design cars for ALL markets, including gargantuan Americans.

 

[d w124]

Ok..

we can still only fit 5 people in a 4 door car unless u have a Fiat Multipla

The w124 500 series can only take 4 people inc driver

 

[grober]

Safety space

They have to design cars for ALL markets, including gargantuan Americans.

Think neilrr has hit it on the head. In the USA and most western society people are getting physically bigger. The safety aspect mentioned by BTB500 also has a lot to do with it. Doors and door frames need to be bigger to accommodate side and curtain airbags. They in turn require a few more milleseconds to deploy effectively facilitated by a few more centimeters of cabin space. The latest facet of this is revealed by the new bonnet lines of recent models to comply with new pedestrian impact regulations.
The W124 beautiful car tho it is, and with state of the art safety in its time is sadly deficient in side impact protection by modern standards.

 

[Bill_33]

Another view

Old Mercs, pre C Classe, were designed for "big fat Bavarians" - no offence to them.

Maybe post W124s were designed for B.......F.......citizens of the US.....who (then) seemed to dominate the export thinking of some Euro car makers.

Mr USA has been "leashed in" - and while the trend continued, it now seems to be reversing as far as most motor manufacturers are concerned, as we are all told that we must save energy, save the world and be ultra PC

Cynically this will be acceptable - (until the next western boom), then back to Laissez-faire consumerism for all in "The West"

 

[The Boss]

valid points.. true,w124 would not be as safe today as newer models.. and true technology needs space.. so whats the point of having wifi, when it cant be used lol..

locate all the hardware offsite

 

[bpsorrel]

Good point, just take a look at the growth of Ford's mainstream family cars, from MK1 Cortina to latest Mondeo! What a huge difference in size!! The new Mondeo is probably larger overall than the Granadas and Scorpios which were the supposed luxury versions! And compare the old Ford Pop with the new Focus! LOL! Could get 2 Pops inside probably!

 

[Peter DLM]

They're just following the constant demands from the car buying public for safer, more comfortable and toy laden cars to fit their ever bigger asses into. This can't be achieved without the cars being bigger.

I walked by an old Jag XJ6 the other day, it was dwarfed by the hatchbacks and superminis around it, especially in height.

 

[bpsorrel]

I walked by an old Jag XJ6 the other day, it was dwarfed by the hatchbacks and superminis around it, especially in height.

Yeah, but wasn't it an elegant car!!! I think the first gen XJ6 was the best of them all, beautiful, perfectly proportioned lines. The latest version looks ungainly by comparison. Be interesting to see what the NEW XJ will look like - launches next month I think..

 

[KillerHERTZ]

The new shape Fiesta (3 door) is only slightly shorter than my W202

 

[Shude]

I walked by an old Jag XJ6 the other day, it was dwarfed by the hatchbacks and superminis around it, especially in height.

You'll notice that the MB c-class and bmw 3-series are criticised for rear leg room since they started with the first of each model back in 70s/80s and it's carried on to today!

I'm used to looking out of the side window on my W202 to see the wheel bolts of SUVs but these days even the superminis have window lines up near the roofline of my car, and it's on stock (but worn!) sport suspension - my car ain't that low surely? Nope, new cars are simply massive.

 

[The Boss]

Woudlnt it be nice to have cars from 10/15 yrs ago made today with all the modern safety stuff.. with latest gadgets and toys, but simplified to what is exactly needed, ie.. minimalist but useful none the less..

ie.. w124/126 build quality
s class technology
more compact tighter sizes,
feel more intune with the car as you are aware of the edges and sides and corners etc
clean simply lines

perhaps like how a phone should be.... to make a call with a few gadgets .. not what they are doing these days with absolutly everything and anything.. i mean.. whats next with phones.. will they fold out into a make shift bed cause you missed the last train home.. hmmmm lol

 

[wemorgan]

ie.. w124/126 build quality
s class technology
more compact tighter sizes,
feel more intune with the car as you are aware of the edges and sides and corners etc
clean simply lines

sounds to me you're after a Honda:

[YOUTUBE]uyN9y0BEMqc[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Shude]

Woudlnt it be nice to have cars from 10/15 yrs ago made today with all the modern safety stuff.. with latest gadgets and toys, but simplified to what is exactly needed, ie.. minimalist but useful none the less..

The good news is that a 140 S-class from 15 years ago has most of the modern safety stuff in it as it was pioneered there! It also has the same, if not superior build-quality to 124/126 models.

 

[Chattonmill]

I'm still left wondering why if 124's are so fantastic you are selling the 'Best' one in the country to buy a completely different Make

 

[Frank O' Phile]

1st Gen honda civic:- length 139.8" wheelbase 86.6"



8th Gen honda civic:- length 167.3" wheelbase 103.7"
(using hatchback variant, source: Wiki.)

How's that for growth. Started as a compact and is now a family car.
Has any car grown more?