Koma

iTrader: (3)

Not exactly correct. The CLK was C class based, the E class coupe that replaced it is actually E class based.

LexFather

A5 in basic form is a FWD 4 cylinder car. Germans are very good at making up names and making them seem higher than they are. A basic GS coupe would be V-6 with RWD.

Koma the new E-class coupe is still C-class based.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

the e coupe is based on the current c class platform

Gojirra99

Ummm, that's not correct at all, the E-class coupe is actually a CLK replacement, and is still based on the current C-class platform.

mmarshall

Why market it as an E-Class then? Doesn't make sense.


BMW does the same thing (in reverse) with the 550 GT....they market it as a 5-series despite the fact that it is done on the 7-series platform and drivetrain.

Gojirra99

You have to ask Mercedes and BMW

mmarshall

Come on, Andrew. It's easier to get a straight answer out of a politician than a auto-marketer.

LexFather

B/C its genius Mike. Sell a car based on cheaper parts but make it look like a more expensive car and badge it as such and charge the more expensive price (=cash cow). Most buyers don't know or care and its not like the cars are bad or anything.

mmarshall

Anyhow, back on topic, one possible reason why we haven't seen more Lexus coupes (and coupes in general) is the oft-held belief by auto marketers (yep, back to those people again) that coupes, especially larger/more expensive ones, don't sell much during recession-periods. Expensive coupes are often looked upon as cars that are not really needed, but impractical, personalized toys for their owners. When times are tough and money is tight, of course, prospective new-car buyers generally don't have as much to spend on frivolous vehicles as during boom-times.

mmarshall

Yes, I'm aware of that practice. We saw a lot of it with domestic automakers back in the late-70s/early-80s when fuel-mileage standards forced a quick down-sizing of the auto-industry. Automakers, looking for a quick, cheap way to do that, simply took names off of their former large-cars and slapped them on their mid-sized models, and made those mid-sized models their new flag-ships. Perfect examples were the Pontiac Bonneville, Plymouth Fury/Gran-Fury, and Ford LTD.


But, with the vehicles we're discussing in this thread, that quick, El-Cheapo practice didn't need to apply as much. With today's technology, fuel-mileage tricks, today, are not as dependent on downsizing as they were 30-35 years ago.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

yup cost is the only thing i can think of