Great explanation. I've always thought the same thing regarding the resemblance to the Sonata. I think Mercedes tends to market it as more of a sports sedan than a touring/luxury car like the S Class or an E series.

Cramped rear seat too. I doubt many Mercedes customers want to pay S Class money for a car that's got that level of rear space.

Airmatic suspension is the only potential issue I see here. Otherwise it's a screaming deal.

Not surprised, particularly at the Wisconsin plates. I don't know why, but it seems like my local rednecks have a thing for this kind of push bar. Most of the time I see them on older Rangers and S10s, usually with cheap body lifts and bald-ass tires. I have yet to see one on a small car like this Toyota here.

Most of Volvo's engines are straight 4/5/6

I'd be a little worried about that rear suspension though...only so much you can do with that much weight on it. Driving it in windy weather or up even the slightest hills must suck pretty bad

I just hope enough people buy them new so I can find a good used one 5 years later.

I'm kind of divided on this issue. I know the dealers have been the face of carmakers among communities for decades, but on the other hand, it's an industry that desperately needs innovation.

Yeah I was mainly referring to the professional series like LeMans.

It would be extremely difficult to build a good dealer network, which is one of the most important things needed to sell cars in America.

I'm sure they could be fairly competitive if they took themselves seriously and had a good backer.

It's funny because these were the guys that got racing started in the first place. It was the wealthy guys with money to burn that got motor racing where it is today. Kind of sad that they're now considered a nuisance.

Yeah, the R-Design is an appearance package while the S60R/V70R are dedicated performance cars.

Gentleman drivers, as they're known, correct?

My guess is that they were a lot like Vector, in that they teased us with hot supercar prototypes but then disapeared when the orders didn't show up.

When will this stupid trend of blacked-out trucks end? Sure, it looks nice the first few times you see it, but when every John Q. Redneck does the black treatement to his coal roller, it gets old fast.

Again, that is one shitty vinyl.

"Hey I can be a supercar just like you guys! Amiright?"

That might quite possibly be the worst vinyl wrap I've ever seen.

This reminds me of the local Audi dealer that uses a fleet of Chevy HHRs as parts delivery vehicles