An Edmunds follower on Facebook wonders what's in the photo with his great-grandmother. One of our automotive editors thinks it's a 1939 Ford Deluxe. Do you agree?
Sure looks like it. On the bigger pic of this mystery car you can just make out the Ford emblem above the grille on the passenger side. Driver's side would have a De Luxe emblem above the grille.
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
It's funny, the local dealer is offering something like a $299 special on an absolute base model right now. You couldn't have leased a 4cyl 190E for that 25 years ago!
The best reason for having an entry one segment lower (Audi A4, BMW 1 series) is that those can serve as "bait" for new, more frugal, likely younger buyers, and allow cars like the C-class to move upscale in content and price, where M-B can actually make a profit.
CLA will arrive just as Audi and BMW add sedan versions to their smallest lines.
I bet it'll be a *HUGE* hit for M-B. Styling is a bit daring, but the younger buyers are most likely to accept that in a Benz. Traditional buyers move up to a C- or E-, and that minimizes cannibalization. Younger buyers are also least likely to even realize which wheels drive the car.
It IS brilliant, but Mercedes had better not cheap out on the car, or instead of winning future MB buyers, they will alienate all the young ones who spring for this entry level mode.
Mercedes has screwed up this entry-level approach before.
The A Class would be for someone like my mom, who likes the 3 pointed star but might not be able to spring $45k for a C Class, and just needs a car around town.
It's just to suck you into a good story over on Readers Rides. The owner has a nice flair for words (and for cars).
"the Sprite comes from a time when not very many cars could do the "ton," which is 100 mph. (Certainly not this one; you'd have to drop this car off a cliff to get it anywhere close to 100 mph.)"
It's a 1960 Austin-Healey Sprite Mark I, not the original color.
Comments
Indeed.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Duh.
:shades:
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Later came the spin-offs in Miami and NY. :P
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
It actually aged well.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Wasn't in the Barchetta that took the Hamster from Baghdad to Bethlehem on Top Gear?
Yep.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
An Edmunds follower on Facebook wonders what's in the photo with his great-grandmother. One of our automotive editors thinks it's a 1939 Ford Deluxe. Do you agree?
Carroll Lachnit
Features Editor
Edmunds.com
Nice car, I wonder what color it was.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Great episode btw...
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Velvet Red over Wicker Beige
2024 Audi Q5 Premium Plus Daytona Gray over Beige
2017 BMW X1 Jet Black over Mocha
Carroll
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
Yup, it's a late 60s/early 70s Triumph Vitesse IIRC these were not sold in the US but it's predecessor the Herald was.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
Mercedes needs this so that the C class can move upscale and away from the $300 lease specials.
The sedan will do well here, I bet, FWD and all.
CLA will arrive just as Audi and BMW add sedan versions to their smallest lines.
I bet it'll be a *HUGE* hit for M-B. Styling is a bit daring, but the younger buyers are most likely to accept that in a Benz. Traditional buyers move up to a C- or E-, and that minimizes cannibalization. Younger buyers are also least likely to even realize which wheels drive the car.
It's brilliant, really.
Mercedes has screwed up this entry-level approach before.
You mean like the R-class?
(sorry, couldn't resist)
I agree that the A-class should do well. Kinda like the ILX for Acura.
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
I'd probably take an A over an ILX...small awkward sedans don't do anything for me. Once a certain point is reached, a trunk looks wrong.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Agree. Just don't think the buyers will necessarily be young buyers.
Back to mystery car pics, here's a non-Mazda smiley zoom-zoom:
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
"the Sprite comes from a time when not very many cars could do the "ton," which is 100 mph. (Certainly not this one; you'd have to drop this car off a cliff to get it anywhere close to 100 mph.)"
It's a 1960 Austin-Healey Sprite Mark I, not the original color.
Hom many can you identify
Blighty ca. 1970. I will go with the easy car, MB W113 SL.
Anyone know the grey car behind it or the orange one?
The four=headlight car across the street looks like a Ford Capri Mk. I
2001 BMW 330ci/E46, 2008 BMW 335i conv/E93
4 light car looks like a Triumph 2000 to me.