Car Court

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Severe price inflation: Three new cars for $3,089,000

Posted by Bambi B on September 8, 2004 at 19:12:59:
Mates,
For some reason, lately I've become the auto expert for all my friends buying cars. This has involved a bit of showroom haunting, test driving, and the delight of torturing salesman. I know how to adjust and drive everything now and could qualify for valet parking duty.
All fun, but the surprise is seeing the prices of the cruel and unusual supercars that get stuck in among the production stuff. Yesterday, I saw three new cars on showroom floors that alone totalled $3,089,000:
1. Mercedes SLR-McLaren- a base price of $500,000, but the dealer put a markup to $2,000,000- a "be the first on your block" try-on that I certainly didn't fall for! The SLR, I'm sorry to say, is a stupid looking thing - some kind of adolescent fantasy car. It reminds me of the silly car in "The "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" with junky extra details and silly proportions. To be fair, BMW could learn a lot though from the resolution of the squarish tail form into the rear wings.*** In two years there will be glassfibre kits to turn your 1989 to 1997 Ford Thunderbird into an SLR- the only complication is to add 4' into the bonnet length to start. No sunroof on the SLR either! I don't think the SLR will be popular and I predict dealer incentives and special deals in a year's time. Those spending the $2 million now will certainly look silly when all their neighbours are paying only $475,000 won't they?
*** I have to say the new BMW square tail is a great disspointment- and these tumours are growing on every model now. The new 645 is absolutely ruined.
2. Porsche Carerra GT- a base of $475,000 with a $300,000 dealer markup to $775,000. While I was looking at the new 997s-- a bargain at $75,000 ,the GT was sitting demurely in the corner- very convincing too! Quite amazing and there will be a lot of refugees from Ferarri.
BTW, the new 997 is a very nice evolution of the 996 too, though still with a crappy radio. When will German cars get decent sound?
3. Maybach 62- no dealer markup, this one is available for the regular $314,000. The Maybach- beautifully done for this kind of car, but that hood ornament looks like something off a BBQ grille and the grille is amazingly 1992 Lincoln Towne Car.
These all made the Infiniti G35 coupe that my attorney's son bought seem almost free at $38,000- that amount wouldn't fund 6 months insurance on the SLR. Is that the psychology- put out the $2,000,000 car and more people will buy C240s- "make mine the same colour as that one over there!"?
Gosh, 10 years ago, you could buy a nice house in Malibu for $3,000,000.
I have told my friends that the Porche GT is known to be a great Christmas gift idea.. Or, if the economy seems shaky- a Bentley Continental coupe at only $160,000 would be fine!
Cheers,
Bambi B
Beautiful Los Angeles- where the average freeway speed is now 13mph.