Mercedes-AMG chief on the LFA, IS-F, CTS-V: "don't know", "nobody cares"
12-05-09, 08:42 PM
#1
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Mercedes-AMG chief on the LFA, IS-F, CTS-V: "don't know", "nobody cares"
http://blogs.motortrend.com/6573022/...s-v/index.html
What AMG's Dev Chief thinks about SLS, SLR, LFA, and CTS-V
Posted November 2 2009 10:11 AM by Edward Loh
Read more: http://blogs.motortrend.com/6573022/...#ixzz0YsebHw0r
MT: So how about the Lexus LFA? Do you think it is an SLS competitor?
TM: Actually I don't know. It is quite hard to calculate how good that car is... I saw it on the Nordschleife for the 24 hours race. Ahh. I don't know. It's not a competitor, because they are talking about what, 500 cars? That's what I read in the press kit. I don't think so. It is too expensive. It's not a competitor. No.
MT: Performance wise?
TM: Maybe it's fast on the race track, I don't know. But if you have 9 years of development -- well, okaaaay. You have fully carbon fiber everything, and nobody cares about the money you invested in the car... But I don't know, maybe it's fast. It could be, but it is such a small market.
We're not nervous about that car.
You know, when the C63 hit the market, everybody asked me about that Lexus, ah...IS... I don't know what it's...
MT: IS F?
TM: Yes. IS F. And it was not a problem -- never, ever. It never won a comparison or anything else.
MT: Did you ever have one in as part of your test fleet?
TM: I had the chance to look at one. And then I drove one a year ago or so. But it's a different car. The IS F is a car like the C55, which we had 4 or 5 years ago...
MT: What do you think of the Cadillac CTS-V against your E63.
TM: Good question. I don't know. I never drove one. Never had the opportunity to drive the CTS-V...What I heard is that for this fantastic Nordschleife time they used the Pilot Sport Cups. This tire has never, ever been on my car [E63].
If we developed that tire for our car -- put that tire on our car -- it would be less than 8 minutes as well.
MT: So for E63 development you didn't have a CTS-V?
TM: No.
[We discuss for a moment the positioning of the CTS and CTS-V -- how Cadillac has sized and marketed the vehicle in the space between the traditional German sports sedan segments, somewhere between the C- and E-class Benzes and 3- and 5-Series BMWs.]
TM: In Germany, I don't think we have any customer who would think about E63 and CTS-V. I think they would think M5, E63, maybe Jaguar, the new one, XF-R, or Audi RS6. I think that's what they are thinking about.
Maybe it's a good car, but I never drove it. I think maybe it's a good deal in terms of pricing, but in Germany, Europe, nobody cares about the CTS-V.
Posted November 2 2009 10:11 AM by Edward Loh
Read more: http://blogs.motortrend.com/6573022/...#ixzz0YsebHw0r
MT: So how about the Lexus LFA? Do you think it is an SLS competitor?
TM: Actually I don't know. It is quite hard to calculate how good that car is... I saw it on the Nordschleife for the 24 hours race. Ahh. I don't know. It's not a competitor, because they are talking about what, 500 cars? That's what I read in the press kit. I don't think so. It is too expensive. It's not a competitor. No.
MT: Performance wise?
TM: Maybe it's fast on the race track, I don't know. But if you have 9 years of development -- well, okaaaay. You have fully carbon fiber everything, and nobody cares about the money you invested in the car... But I don't know, maybe it's fast. It could be, but it is such a small market.
We're not nervous about that car.
You know, when the C63 hit the market, everybody asked me about that Lexus, ah...IS... I don't know what it's...
MT: IS F?
TM: Yes. IS F. And it was not a problem -- never, ever. It never won a comparison or anything else.
MT: Did you ever have one in as part of your test fleet?
TM: I had the chance to look at one. And then I drove one a year ago or so. But it's a different car. The IS F is a car like the C55, which we had 4 or 5 years ago...
MT: What do you think of the Cadillac CTS-V against your E63.
TM: Good question. I don't know. I never drove one. Never had the opportunity to drive the CTS-V...What I heard is that for this fantastic Nordschleife time they used the Pilot Sport Cups. This tire has never, ever been on my car [E63].
If we developed that tire for our car -- put that tire on our car -- it would be less than 8 minutes as well.
MT: So for E63 development you didn't have a CTS-V?
TM: No.
[We discuss for a moment the positioning of the CTS and CTS-V -- how Cadillac has sized and marketed the vehicle in the space between the traditional German sports sedan segments, somewhere between the C- and E-class Benzes and 3- and 5-Series BMWs.]
TM: In Germany, I don't think we have any customer who would think about E63 and CTS-V. I think they would think M5, E63, maybe Jaguar, the new one, XF-R, or Audi RS6. I think that's what they are thinking about.
Maybe it's a good car, but I never drove it. I think maybe it's a good deal in terms of pricing, but in Germany, Europe, nobody cares about the CTS-V.
12-05-09, 09:18 PM
#3
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The usual douchebag German interview in response to Japanese/American brands. He is right the LFA is not SLS competition b/c its a complete level above the car. Maybe he needs to be reminded of how the SLR fared/failed so he can be more humble.
This arrogance is what makes the competition catch people off guard. I guess he never heard of the GT-R either
What is is saying without saying it is they are relying on IMAGE, not on credentials. More power to them, they do indeed have the better image here. However to basically dismiss the IS-F and CTS-V is ridiculous. The IS-F would destroy a C55.
And hey douchbag, the IS-F lapped the faster then the C63 on the EVO test track.
This arrogance is what makes the competition catch people off guard. I guess he never heard of the GT-R either
What is is saying without saying it is they are relying on IMAGE, not on credentials. More power to them, they do indeed have the better image here. However to basically dismiss the IS-F and CTS-V is ridiculous. The IS-F would destroy a C55.
And hey douchbag, the IS-F lapped the faster then the C63 on the EVO test track.
Last edited by Gojirra99; 12-05-09 at 09:45 PM. Reason: OS-F typo LOL
12-05-09, 09:38 PM
#6
Lexus Fanatic
This is the very mentality that got Lexus to beat them in less than a decade. They are so damn smug. Make them more reliable Hanz and remember that arrogance is what created Lamborghini for Ferrari and it let Lexus steal massive amounts of your sales
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12-06-09, 12:07 AM
#8
Lexus Champion
I know he needs to promote and support the company he's working for. However, he should never underestimate his competitors
A word advice to him: Read up on Sun Tzu and you'll understand why
A word advice to him: Read up on Sun Tzu and you'll understand why
12-06-09, 12:54 AM
#10
We haven't seen the interview and don't know the tone or expressions of this guy but to say "I don't know" so many times, that just seems odd.
All I can tell from this interview is that this guy is smug and lives in another planet. He only comes to Earth for interviews?
All I can tell from this interview is that this guy is smug and lives in another planet. He only comes to Earth for interviews?
12-06-09, 08:48 AM
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The usual douchebag German interview in response to Japanese/American brands. He is right the LFA is not SLS competition b/c its a complete level above the car. Maybe he needs to be reminded of how the SLR fared/failed so he can be more humble.
This arrogance is what makes the competition catch people off guard. I guess he never heard of the GT-R either
What is is saying without saying it is they are relying on IMAGE, not on credentials. More power to them, they do indeed have the better image here. However to basically dismiss the IS-F and CTS-V is ridiculous. The IS-F would destroy a C55.
And hey douchbag, the IS-F lapped the faster then the C63 on the EVO test track.
This arrogance is what makes the competition catch people off guard. I guess he never heard of the GT-R either
What is is saying without saying it is they are relying on IMAGE, not on credentials. More power to them, they do indeed have the better image here. However to basically dismiss the IS-F and CTS-V is ridiculous. The IS-F would destroy a C55.
And hey douchbag, the IS-F lapped the faster then the C63 on the EVO test track.
You don't only have Lexus, but Infiniti, Cadillac and Audi as well.
p.s. As if the C63 won any comparisons vs the M3
I do remember however the IS F thoroughly spanking the C63 in more than one.Douche.
12-06-09, 08:57 AM
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