Does anyone view the 3 like the Mercedes C230?

[Fryode]

If this has been covered already, I apologize. I'm a n00b.

Tesla is a premium brand. That's written in stone. Mercedes (can't care enough to "-Benz") was the same way, but the C230 was accessible and kind of messed things up. My question is this: Does anyone think the advent of the Tesla 3 dilutes the clout of the brand? Is it more a matter of "Okay, you have your 3, but would you get an S if you had the means?" "Very Yes," "Sweet!" Or is the 3 more a matter of "The peach tree is bearing fruit. Pick and enjoy!"

I'm half-wondering if the "Boisterous-Vegan" MO (no offense to Vegans, other than the abrasive type) is a thing in the Tesla community. I can't imagine it would be with any car that can do a burnout (as any dream car should).

 

[patrick40363]

NO

 

[chargeshare]

Nope.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Not at all. Model 3 _is_ the brand. It's what they've been working towards for over 10 years.

 

[LaCostaRacer]

I don't think the M3 will dilute the Tesla brand any more than a 3Series BMW does for BMW. The C class Benz is a pretty nice car- even the lessor and FWD CLA seems to be holding its own. Some people like smaller cars and will buy even if the smaller car was more expensive.

 

[Craig9080]

"Boisterous-Vegan"

Quote of the Week. That is all.

 

[Fryode]

Not at all. Model 3 _is_ the brand. It's what they've been working towards for over 10 years.

That's the way I have always seen it. A Means To An End. (I'm not derogatory here. It's financial fact..)
My little Tesla loves the cars that share her namesake.

 

[Rilla]

I mean it will clearly shift perceptions of Tesla being a 1%-only brand to a more accessible one, but the range of vehicles they will have puts them more in competition with any premium brand like BMW or Lexus. That position is the best for Tesla to achieve its goals of mass adoption of EVs, since going further downmarket wouldn't really get people as excited, and staying at the Model S/X level would make it too unattainable for most people.

 

[Fryode]

Quote of the Week. That is all.

Almost-famous? Yay!

I mean it will clearly shift perceptions of Tesla being a 1%-only brand to a more accessible one, but the range of vehicles they will have puts them more in competition with any premium brand like BMW or Lexus. That position is the best for Tesla to achieve its goals of mass adoption of EVs, since going further downmarket wouldn't really get people as excited, and staying at the Model S/X level would make it too unattainable for most people.

I get the vibe of "I charge my phone every night." Who doesn't? "I unplug Tesla each morning." isn't new.

 

[Red Sage]

Does anyone think the advent of the Tesla 3 dilutes the clout of the brand? Is it more a matter of "Okay, you have your 3, but would you get an S if you had the means?"

NO. There is no 'dilution' whatsoever. Model ☰ is the very point of Tesla Motors. Not some afterthought.

The Model S is an awesome vehicle. So is the Model X. I don't need either. I might get a Model X for my Mom, though.

I want a Coupe. If it is a Model S Coupe or Model ☰ Coupe that arrives first, that's what I'll be buying. Especially if it has a 135 kWh battery pack, Falcon Wing Doors, and a Liftback.

 

[cwerdna]

but the C230 was accessible and kind of messed things up.

For those unaware, I believe the OP's referring to the C230 Kompressor hatchback: Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W203) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that when it was out, I thought was a joke. I didn't like the styling and it was slow, unreliable and overpriced.

Then there are vehicles like the Mercedes A-Class that they never brought to the US. I first saw one I believe at Tokyo Motor Show in 03. I didn't even know they existed since I'm not a Mercedes guy. It definitely didn't fit the image of luxury: Mercedes-Benz A-Class - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and I've heard other folks say that Mercedes would never bring it here since it would dilute/hurt the brand and its image too much.

FWD CLA seems to be holding its own

FWIW, the CLA has a poor reliability rating in Consumer Reports (no surprise, reliability is not one of MB's strong suits) and also pretty poor owner satisfaction result (http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/mercedes-benz-cla-owner-satisfaction.htm, need an online subscription to see it).

For the question
"Would you buy that car again?
Percentage of owners who would definitely purchase that same vehicle again. Owner-satisfaction Ratings are determined by the percentage of those who answered "definitely yes" to the question asked by the Consumer Reports Annual Auto Survey "Considering all factors (price, performance, reliability, comfort, enjoyment, etc.), would you get this car if you had to do it all over again?".", it got a 55% which is considered fair. It is tied for dead last in the "Luxury compact cars" segment (15 cars in there) w/the Infintii Q50. The highest in that segment is the Audi A3 with 80%.

Also, FWIW, CR listed these cons about the CLA, from their road tets If some/most of these a true, perhaps this might explain the low owner satisfaction ratings:
"

• Lacks the handling, ride, and refinement expected from a Mercedes-Benz
• Very cramped interior
• Despite good performance numbers, car can feel sluggish to drive
• Difficult driver visibility
• Really hard to get in or out
• Tiny trunk opening"

For reference, Model S #1 at The Most Satisfying Commuter Cars. It looks like it currently has a score of 97% for the above.

 

[Philcasi]

Quote of the Week. That is all.

"Cross fit junky" also would've been acceptable

 

[EXOTIC1]

CLA45 AMG looks great but it's not a typical Benz.
Very fast off the line (4 sec 0-60) but way better options for under 70k that won't rattle and ride harsh.
The C63 is a beast and the C450 is a solid DD as well.The C series are very well built cars and reliable.
My wife has had both and she's really happy about having a model 3 down the line.

 

[igotzzoom]

The 3 dilutes Tesla's brand image much less than the CLA does to Mercedes. I see the CLA as a step-up from a VW Jetta for those status-obsessed people that just absolutely must say "I drive a Mercedes." Granted, there's a bit of the status symbol thing going on with Tesla as well, but it's beyond just narcissism and crass materialism.

Sure, some will want a Model 3 for the "look at me" aspect, but some (myself included) are buying it because it makes a statement about where we'd like to see the auto industry and the country as a whole go. To me, there's little reason to get a CLA other than saying "I drive a Mercedes." They're cheaply made, cramped, and impractical. There's a dealer in our area that says "For the price of a Camry or Accord, we can get you into a new Mercedes-Benz." Frankly, you'd be better off in a Camry or Accord for the price, IMHO.