BMW/Mercedes US Production (Model) : 2017-18

Both of these companies make some vehicles in the US. So which models do they assemble? Let's find out.

BMW: Various SUV models are all that they do, totaling about 350,000 units in 2018. In comparison, 310,000 vehicles were sold in the US. That makes it a net exporter from here. For the past two years the total has dropped slightly.





USA Production - BMW


Model
2018
%

Mercedes Brand Grobal Prod Car/LCV By Nation : 2011-14

Mercedes production data for 2011 was not provided so I sourced what I could as best I could. Therefore gaps in 2012 do not represent nothing doing, but that I don't know for certain. Like BMW, production went up from 2.0% to 2.2%, coming in 13th and one behind the arch rival premium marque.

Mercedes has a broader spread of manufacturing facilities than its Bavarian competitor. That said 63%

Volvo V40 CC D4 vs Mercedes GLA 200 CDi

Premium compact SUVs are catching on. Many want the versatility that they offer combined with a little class, at the expense of value for money. Still the prestige of the badge is worth it, they tell me. These two were put head to head in the NZ Autocar magazine, so what did they find. First to summarise the combatants.

V40 Cross Country D4. NZ$63,000. 2L 4 cyl diesel, 6 speed auto.

GLA 200 CDi

Renault/Nissan Daimler

An existing plant in the same area as the new one

One cooperation deal that has flown under the radar for me is this one. Since 2010, Renault Nissan and Daimler Benz have been working together in various ways, especially with smaller cars. Now they will share a plant in Mexico, building compact vehicles about 500 km above Mexico City at Aguascalientes.

This makes sense as smaller vehicles are

Mercedes Benz CLS Shooting Brake 2013

Is this the ugliest car to be released this year? I cannot believe all the money MB would have spent on this, and this is the prettiest they could make it. They are trying to make a wagon shape look sporty. What they created was this bizarre monstrosity. The even more amazing thing is that some people will buy it because of the badge and the fact that it will be a quality vehicle. Why can't you

Daimler Production:2008

Daimler (or Mecedes Benz to the great unwashed) has been holding it's world market share of late. In 2005, 2.2% (1,350,000) and in 2008 2.3% (1,516,000). Of the 2008 figure, 1,240,000 were cars and 276,000 LCVs. 81% of MB production was in Germany in 2005 and it is now 74%, so not a vey international company when it comes to where the cars are produced. In 2008, the country breakdown:

Germany

Where They Sell. Case Study: Germany

Four brands considered: VW, Daimler (M Benz), BMW & Audi.

VW: It’s home market share from 2001 forward has been between 19 to 20% and West European (WE) share 10 to 11%. It’s home market / WE split is about 40/60. It’s home sales are about 20% of world sales, and sales outside WE are 55%. A well balanced sales mix which minimizes it’s risk. Presently it’s home market is in slump but it isn’t

Was It Smart?

The original idea behind the smart car was that the vehicle would be easy to drive and park in congested cities. It is short enough to allow it to be parked facing the kerb. The car started selling in 1998 with initial sales encouraging. This led to an expanding of the smart car brand with the introduction of the Roadster and Roadster-Coupe in 2003 and the Forfour sedan in 2004. Smarts were

Maybach

In the 1920’s Karl Maybach started making expensive limousines. During World War II, Maybach built tank and boat engines. After the war, the German economy could not support a premium automobile and production never resumed. Only 1,800 were made over 20 years which wasn’t too shabby for the time I’d imagine. The brand disappeared until the 21st century when Mercedes Benz resurrected it to be the

Ugly Cars (In My Eyes Anyway)

They say beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, meaning each individual sees beauty differently. What constitutes ugly is the same. When I look at a car, I immediately get a positive or negative impression. I find German cars tend to be ugly as the design brief seems to put too much emphasis on a practical aspect which over rides aesthetics. So here are some examples of German automotive