Hello Readers,
There is a great television show on the Esquire Network called the Car Matchmaker with Spike Feresten. If you are looking for a new car or contemplating a car purchase, then Car Matchmaker may be for you! Click on the image below and find out what Car Matchmaker is about, and how you can be part of it!
People say that summertime is the best time to drive a convertible, and they would be right. I don’t usually like convertibles, but driving with the top down on a mountain road certainly sounds appealing, which brings me to the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E550 Convertible. The E-Class’s ancestry heralds back to the 1953 “Ponton” sedan, but it was not until the fifth generation that a convertible body style was added to the E-Class’s lineup. The next generation did not have a coupe or convertible body style, and the CLK model was introduced as a replacement. Funny thing that even though it was styled to resemble the E-Class, it was actually based off the C-Class. I had the opportunity to review a 2008 CLK350 Convertible, and while it was a nice car, it wasn’t anything special. The CLK was discontinued in 2009, right when the E-Class was redesigned. Now in its eighth generation, the E-Class’s lineup brought back the coupe and convertible body style.
Lexus is not usually known for “sporty” and drivers’ cars. When it launched the successful LS sedan in 1989, Lexus created a reputation as a dependable, luxurious, reliable brand. But Lexus was also perceived as a stodgy and unexciting company, which is corroborated by the fact that the average age of the Lexus buyer is around 60 years old. The 2001 IS (The IS was launched in Japan in 1998, Europe in 1999, the US in 2000 as a 2001 model.) was the Lexus’ attempt at creating a sporty image, and as a genuine competitor to the BMW 3 series, Mercedes C-Class, and Audi A4. The 2001-2005 IS did push the brand’s image in the right direction, but the IS itself proved to be too much of a compromise, trading the typical Lexus refinement for sportiness. The 2006 Lexus IS attempted to rectify the drawbacks of the older IS. The IS combined sleek design, typical Lexus refinement, and decent driving dynamics, which helped Lexus become a major player in the compact luxury market. Sick of the size and the fuel costs associated with her Honda Pilot, my mom was in the market for a compact and luxurious car. When it comes to cars, my mom sees them merely as transportation from A to B. She looked at the typical brands, BMW, Audi, Mercedes, and Lexus. It came down to the BMW 328i and the Lexus IS250. The IS won over the BMW because it felt more luxurious than the BMW. Continue reading
Hey guys! Looking for a new car? Not sure what to get? Ask me! I have no preference when it comes to advising new car buyers like car magazines do, and I always do my best to find a car that suits the shopper’s needs. Click on that Personalized Automotive Shopping tab at the top and fill out the form!
I look forward to hearing from you 🙂
– RNR
RNR Automotive Blog 