Was just reading the blurb on the release of the new Mercedes E-Class. Reams of blurb covering the new dash, the materials used in the cabin, the ability to lock/unlock the car with your phone, the apps that you can install and run on the main screen such as Zoom (is this a good idea in a car ???), automated comfort etc etc etc. Twenty Seven articles about how proud they are of this new vehicle and all the great things it does.
However, try to find the specifications on the engines, the performance, the handling ... they're there but at the very end and without any detail whatsoever.
This is the car as consumer appliance not as a vehicle. I want to buy a car that performs in a certain way and, only if that suits, will I then consider if the cabin is a nice place to be and there are enough idiot gadgets to play with. The primary functions of a car are to move, to go around bends, to accelerate and to brake.
Perhaps I've become a dinosaur, perhaps that is what the modern motorist cares about. The car as little more than a device such as a washing machine, dishwasher or games console aimed at transporting you from point A to B with minimal involvement or passion. However, not me, I used to like Mercedes and had a couple of their AMG models; I doubt I'll buy any more if this is the direction of travel.
