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Mercedes-Benz Considers B-class for US
To quell rising demand for more fuel efficient vehicles in the US, Mercedes-Benz is considering importing next-gen versions of the B-class as well as an all-new baby SUV positioned below its M-class. The news comes from the CEO of Mercedes’ US division, Ernst Lieb, who spoke with reporters from Automotive News.

However, it’s still early days for any final decision. Mercedes will instead focus on sales of its new C-class sedan over the next several years with the B-class only arriving in 2011 at the earliest. The existing model is currently midway through its life cycle and it would make little sense to introduce that car to the US now, says Lieb.

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Mercedes-Benz Considers B-class for US



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dumpstydumpsty - 5/21/2007 12:17:39 PM
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I think the B-class will do well if the MLK (or whatever the small SUV will be named) does well...which it should, then interested consumers will definitely be "open" to the 5-door wagon.

It all should depend on marketing and execution of interior content for both the MLK and B-class. The Mini has done so well because it DOES NOT look cheap and many of the consumers are satified with the installed interior content. If buyers are left "wanting" more...then the B-class will fail in the US.

Not to forget fuel consumption...the B-class should be an entry-luxury "darling" having usable space for "stuff" and great gas milage with small, reliable engines. Also, a diesel option can only be a plus. The US divisions don't see the importance of marketing diesel in the US. I has come a long way and offers the "torque hungry" public a alternative to the usual gasoline powerplants.

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huu76huu76 - 5/21/2007 2:21:37 PM
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The drive for exclusivity continues down market. It doesn't sell that well in Canada. You get the equivalent of a Mazda 5 but get to pay $15,000 more for it, and that's before you add any options.

The diesel for cheapskates might do OK. I think it'd be hard to justify a gas version unless you absolutely have to have the Star to feel like a somebody.

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MBKingMBKing - 5/21/2007 3:03:27 PM
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Even if you had to have the Star to feel like somebody, the B-class would not be the place to get that feeling, it's just so baby. This car would probably not do well.

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Will_Will_ - 5/21/2007 4:27:36 PM
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Mercedes should quickly jump on the hybrid bandwagon and put one in the B-Class before they ship it here. Can you imagine how well it would do here in the U.S. if they did that? A hybrid AND a Mercedes badge! Americans would eat this up.

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S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 5/21/2007 10:29:55 PMView My AgentSpace
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That's actually true... and it would get 50+ MPG, easily.

I think that more in Mercedes fashion would be a diesel-hybrid. That might even get 60-70MPG! That would be pretty amazing.


EnnNorakEnnNorak - 5/21/2007 5:01:49 PM
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I've seen the B in Canada and it is a very well packaged high-quality smaller vehicle (but not too small). The only thing it needs is a more powerful engine and a conventional 7-speed automatic transmission instead of the dreaded CVT. I don't know what the Mercedes pricing guys are smoking but, by the time you price up all the desirable options on a C, you will find that the better value is in the C-class.

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huu76huu76 - 5/21/2007 5:23:31 PM
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EnnNorak,
Wow, they must have chopped the price of a B-class. It starts at $31,000 now, used to be $34,000. That 2.0L 138hp engine is really sad though.

But anyhow, the pricing guys probably figure that the B has a lower base price, so it'll attract some ppl who want the badge but can't really afford it.

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EnnNorakEnnNorak - 5/21/2007 11:14:10 PM
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The engine on the B is a real deal-breaker for me and if you move up to the more powerful turbo version and add a few goodies to make it more C-like then you might as well buy a fairly basic C instead. I went through a couple of "build your own" exercises and came to the conclusion that the B is not for me.


LexusKindaGuy12LexusKindaGuy12 - 5/22/2007 12:16:18 AM
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looks pretty sharp tho

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DeboDebo - 5/24/2007 9:17:34 PM
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Now why couldn't they get to make the "R" class look like this??.

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mmeeccmmeecc - 5/25/2007 10:28:35 AM
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So far, everyone posting here is completely off. The whole idea of the B-Class is not power and blowing doors off at the track. This is a european concept in engineering and design. The idea is to make a compact car, with tremendous interior space (did anyone sit in a B-Class?), be fuel-efficient, decent build quality, and most of all, be insanely safe. That's all. It really seems that everyone here lives in a dreamworld where they want their cars to have 800hp, look super sexy, go 400mph, be environmentally friendly, do 100mpg, and do some serious offroading, all in the same package. Go luck to all you "couch" car engineers, who I'm sure could do a better job than everyone else, you should send in some job applications....

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