Topic: Mercedes-Benz 2013 B 250 Price Announced

[Autos_Editor]

Mercedes-Benz Announces Pricing and New Powertrain for the All-New 2013 B-Class

Read More...

[tpl]

Looked good until the run flat tires were mentioned.  At the price point mentioned it can certianly be cross shopped against the Focus ST and GTI...and I will so do next year.

[sailor723]

Looked good until the run flat tires were mentioned.  At the price point mentioned it can certianly be cross shopped against the Focus ST and GTI...and I will so do next year.

It will be interesting to see if RFT's are spec'd for Canada. My ML diesel came with runflats the first year of Adblue (they used the spare tire space for the urea tank) but then was switched to reg tires and a can of sealing goop with a 12V compressor. Sales guy told me it was due to customer complaints about the ride with the runflats.

[redman]

Although a better looking vehicle then is predecessor, does anyone really care about the "B" series MB in N.A. ? Shouldn't this car have been labeled a smart car ? The perfect car for the wanna be MB driver. I think it devalues the name MB. You can't be a premium car company brand and a "value" car brand within in the same name plate. The marketing in N.A. just doesn't make any sense. M.B. should stick to what it does best and maintain the M.B. image & not water it down.

[tpl]

I don't see why M-B cannot be a full line car company in NA. They have been selling the A series with some success in Euland for years...I rented one back last century and a nice little car it was too.   (This was AFTER the fixes so it could pass the moose test.)

Even M-B will be forced to sell small cars if they are going to be even close to meeting the 2017-2025 CAFE regulations.

[quadzilla]

People complain that we don't get enough Euro cars. People complain when we get different Euro cars. 

I'm looking forward to the new B250 and would place it on my next car list. Looks like a functional and not so boring car to drive.

[sailor723]

Although a better looking vehicle then is predecessor, does anyone really car about the "B" series MB in N.A. ? Shouldn't this car have been labeled a smart car. The perfect car for the wanna be MB driver. I think it devalues the name MB. You can't be a premium car company brand and a "value" car brand within in the same name plate. The marketing in N.A. just doesn't make any sense. M.B. should stick to what it does best and maintain the M.B. image & not water it down.

In some ways I agree. I think they should have built the Smart brand along the lines of what BMW has done with Mini with multiple models .....2 seater Smart like they have now plus MB A & MB B class branded as "Smart' and offered in various configurations including a small CUV or raised AWD 5 door hatch. Price points for the line ranging from high teens to mid/high 30's.... Separate showrooms but common service like BMW/Mini stores

[Fobroader]

Although a better looking vehicle then is predecessor, does anyone really car about the "B" series MB in N.A. ? Shouldn't this car have been labeled a smart car. The perfect car for the wanna be MB driver. I think it devalues the name MB. You can't be a premium car company brand and a "value" car brand within in the same name plate. The marketing in N.A. just doesn't make any sense. M.B. should stick to what it does best and maintain the M.B. image & not water it down.

I agree, this should have been called the Smart forfour or something, a B class merc, come on, who are you kidding? If you want to impress your neighbors, buy a proper Merc. My dads buddy bought one of these around the same time my mom bought her SX4.....the SX4 is roomier, has awd, the interiors arent that different and it was a hell of a lot cheaper....plus you dont look like a fool that cant afford the real thing.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

If they can sell the Sprinter, they can sell the B series.



The idea that MB can't sell a cheaper car is weird. I think the only people offended are the true brand whores that like to think of themselves as being ever so much better because of the pricey stuff they buy.

[Fobroader]

If they can sell the Sprinter, they can sell the B series.



The idea that MB can't sell a cheaper car is weird. I think the only people offended are the true brand whores that like to think of themselves as being ever so much better because of the pricey stuff they buy.

Their commercial vehicles have always been a staple, between their Actros H/D truck, the Uminog, Sprinter van and Gelandewagen military trucks they have always had a commercial vehicle section. A Unimog or Sprinter isnt the same thing as a B-class.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

A Unimog or Sprinter isnt the same thing as a B-class.

You have very sharp powers of perception! 

[Fobroader]

A Unimog or Sprinter isnt the same thing as a B-class.

You have very sharp powers of perception! 

You brought up commercial vehicles   

[Sir Osis of Liver]

A Unimog or Sprinter isnt the same thing as a B-class.

You have very sharp powers of perception! 

You brought up commercial vehicles   

Commercial Mercedes are fairly recent developments in the US. Unimogs were imported almost as one offs, they didn't import their vans until the tie in with Chrysler and most of the heavy stuff was sold as Freightliner.

MB is facing the same issue as everyone else. GenY isn't that enthusiastic about cars, GenX are struggling and the boomers are retiring and finding out just how broke they are. They need an entry vehicle that younger people have a hope of affording. BMW is doing the same thing with the next FWD 1 series, Audi are already there with the A3.

[sailor723]

I don't have a problem with MB dealers selling a B class from a brand perception point of view. I just think it would have made sense from marketing POV to make "Smart" something less than a one trick pony "orphan" brand. The way BMW has built the Mini lineup is a good example and I think MB could have done something similar with Smart in NA using variations of their "A" and "B" class platforms.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I don't have a problem with MB dealers selling a B class from a brand perception point of view. I just think it would have made sense from marketing POV to make "Smart" something less than a one trick pony "orphan" brand. The way BMW has built the Mini lineup is a good example and I think MB could have done something similar with Smart in NA using variations of their "A" and "B" class platforms.

Seems like it's been left to wither on the vine.

[Fobroader]

A Unimog or Sprinter isnt the same thing as a B-class.

You have very sharp powers of perception! 

You brought up commercial vehicles   

Commercial Mercedes are fairly recent developments in the US. Unimogs were imported almost as one offs, they didn't import their vans until the tie in with Chrysler and most of the heavy stuff was sold as Freightliner.

MB is facing the same issue as everyone else. GenY isn't that enthusiastic about cars, GenX are struggling and the boomers are retiring and finding out just how broke they are. They need an entry vehicle that younger people have a hope of affording. BMW is doing the same thing with the next FWD 1 series, Audi are already there with the A3.

Have you been in a B-series??? Honestly, thats not a MB, at all, in any sense of the word. the interior is crap, it doesnt handle properly, its expensive and honestly just a shameful thing to nail a MB badge to.

[johngenx]

GenY isn't that enthusiastic about cars...

This.

My students (mostly gr12) for the most part don't have licenses, have no desire to get one, and don't even think about cars.  They have bus passes and bikes and get around that way.  My daughter is counting down the days until next summer when she can get her learners license, but her friends are all blase about it.

The 18yr olds I know would rather take the bus so they can text/FB/whatever while going places.  Their phones/tablets are much more important than any car.

[Fobroader]

I don't have a problem with MB dealers selling a B class from a brand perception point of view. I just think it would have made sense from marketing POV to make "Smart" something less than a one trick pony "orphan" brand. The way BMW has built the Mini lineup is a good example and I think MB could have done something similar with Smart in NA using variations of their "A" and "B" class platforms.

I agree, the A and B class MB should be branded as a Smart product and leave the rest of the line up just as is, a premium brand that requiers buyers to be well heeled. Whats wrong with that, Ive never seen a cheap Ferrari, Porsche or Bentley thats willing to give up everything the brand is all about just to have the badge on the grill.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I don't have a problem with MB dealers selling a B class from a brand perception point of view. I just think it would have made sense from marketing POV to make "Smart" something less than a one trick pony "orphan" brand. The way BMW has built the Mini lineup is a good example and I think MB could have done something similar with Smart in NA using variations of their "A" and "B" class platforms.

I agree, the A and B class MB should be branded as a Smart product and leave the rest of the line up just as is, a premium brand that requiers buyers to be well heeled. Whats wrong with that, Ive never seen a cheap Ferrari, Porsche or Bentley thats willing to give up everything the brand is all about just to have the badge on the grill.

In the rest of the world, they're used to pedestrian Mercedes models used as taxis and service cars as well as the high end stuff. It's only in NA that they actively cultivated the high end reputation. They aren't nearly as focused on the high end as Bentley or Ferrari.

[Fobroader]

I don't have a problem with MB dealers selling a B class from a brand perception point of view. I just think it would have made sense from marketing POV to make "Smart" something less than a one trick pony "orphan" brand. The way BMW has built the Mini lineup is a good example and I think MB could have done something similar with Smart in NA using variations of their "A" and "B" class platforms.

I agree, the A and B class MB should be branded as a Smart product and leave the rest of the line up just as is, a premium brand that requiers buyers to be well heeled. Whats wrong with that, Ive never seen a cheap Ferrari, Porsche or Bentley thats willing to give up everything the brand is all about just to have the badge on the grill.

In the rest of the world, they're used to pedestrian Mercedes models used as taxis and service cars as well as the high end stuff. It's only in NA that they actively cultivated the high end reputation. They aren't nearly as focused on the high end as Bentley or Ferrari.

I know in Berlin an E class is just another taxi and everyone has a C class, but here, they are considered high end cars.