Mercedes squeezes past Audi for No. 2 global premium brand position in first half

+1

That's very true. I'd like an RS5 cabrio, but would pass on an A1/A3/A4. I had an A6 and it was an awful thing to drive, numb steering with hard suspension is not a good combo. But I wouldn't say no to an R8 :) MB have some great cars, but their A/B classes are not for me. BMW HAD some epic cars but now they're falling behind on the syling front. The next 6-Series will look awful and so will the next 3. BMW can't solely rely on their M-cars to carry the brand.

I would copy that comment you said about going against reviews and opinions not mattering, especially with the comment you just made about BMW. Do you know how many people on this forum bashed Bangle for his designs? Yet despite all this negative feedback, BMW has done great with those cars. If you ask me, the Internet is the very last place an automaker should look for feedback on their cars, as most of the people bashing the design and other aspects of the car can't afford one. Also, you're on crack if you think BMW is relying on their M cars to carry the brand.

+1. from each segment i have a favourite and whilst Audi and Merc make up most of them BMW do get a look in too. so it happens that BMW are my least favourite of the 3, but i can understand why people go for them.

early 90s were the end of the golden age. they can't engineer cars like that again--this is a business after all and the japanese have flooded the market.

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"Audi climbed 19.1%, Mercedes soared 15.2%, and BMW gained 14.1%. witch means that more and more people choce Audi instead of Merc or bMW" LOGIC FAIL. Let's say Audi sold 1 car last year and sold 2 this year, that means their sales increased 100%. Let's say BMW or MB sold 6 cars last year and 8 this year, their sales went up 33%. Who sold more cars? Percentages don't equal totals, that's why Audi advertising themselves as the fastest growing luxury marque doesn't mean that they're selling more. When you're in 4th place for so long, it's easier to be the fastest growing brand lol. Oh, and I'd take boring comments over assinine ones.

haha great, an ad hominem to compound your lack of understanding of percentages. go get an education "duud"!

"adaptive driver, adaptive dampening, active roll" and "brake drying" are all things Mercedes came to market with before any other automaker, they're called Active Body Control (ABC) and Sensotonic Braking. That's something I'd expect an "automotive consultant" to know. Do you really think you can come on here and talk out your rear end and nobody's going to notice? I can list of a dozen or more things the new E has that no other car on the road has--it's a technological tour de force. You say that BMW has superior research and superior engineering? A true automotive enthusiast would know that the boys in Stutgart have come out with EVERY major technological advancement in automotive history dating back to oh I don't know . . . the invention of the car! Let's see here, we have the air bag, the supercharger, direct injection, satellite navigation, Active Body Control, Sensotronic self-drying brakes, traction control, stability control, anti-lock brakes (ABS), brake assist, three-point seat-belts, seat-belt pretensioners, laser-guided cruise control, the crumple zone, drowsiness monitors, in-car digital television, the world's first diesel powered engine, that is just scratching the surface kid. WTF has BMW come up with? When you total your M3 tailgating someone on the expressway wearing your Oaks and sporting your gelled hair, you can thank MB when you walk away safe and sound. Til then, GTFO. MB is King. Respect for BMW, Audi, Jaguar, and Lexus too because that's the way real car guys roll.

"BMW is leading for very good reasons, superior research, superior engineering, superior marketing. The only thing BMW is subpar is advertising." Superior marketing but subpar advertising? You lost all credibility well before that little gem.

I suggest you change your short name before writting such things ... Sorry but this Panamera is just a total fail ... Please swap to Carrera and I post I agree with you...

in case you are interested, i have a 997 turbo sitting next to my panamera 4s in my garage.. and let me tell u... i get more compliments and jealousy from my p4s than turbo.. and people who say negative things about panamera share one thing in common - they are poor and miserable and can't afford the panamera and all they do the whole time is envy and bad mouth others.. so anyway... good luck to u and have a nice day.. hope some day u can afford ur own porsche..

Not the same at all. As a matter of fact this quote was taken from an article in Autoweek: "Oh, and then there is the world-class interior, which puts BMW to shame and gives Audi a run for its money." This interior that they are refering to is from the new Cadillac CTS-V Coupe! Check it out folks: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100709/CARREVIEWS/307099999