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Weekly Recap: Jaguar takes a leap with price cut, new strategy

Jaguar was one of the famous automotive props and plotlines in the now-iconic drama Mad Men. There's a scene where the show's protagonist, Don Draper, deftly undercuts an influential Jaguar dealer by indicating that get-me-in-the-door local radio spots would be an effective way to sell cars like the slinky E-Type. The British executives think this is folly – Draper knows they will – and his advertising strategy wins out over the dealer's approach to move the metal. Jaguar's not doing that, but half a century later in the real world the company is launching plans to make its cars more attainable to new and younger customers like Millenials. These aren't coupons, but this is a leap for Jaguar, which has long banked on sexy styling and its rich motorsports history to overshadow its past mechanical flaws. Put simply, Jaguar is addressing the reasons why people, especially the younger set, don't buy its cars. The 2017 XE will start at $35,895 when it launches next spring – which makes it an attractive buy for a successful, relatively young person. When it's time to move up, the redesigned XF will be more attainable, coming in at $52,895, which is $5,275 less than the 2015 model. The flagship XJ sedan and the enthusiast-oriented F-Type sports car will also get thousands of dollars worth of added standard features, and Jag is actively pitching them as a better value than their competitors. "The Jaguar brand is on the eve of a major transformation that will see it dramatically increase its presence in the United States luxury marketplace with an expanded lineup, pricing focused on the core of the luxury market, and an all-new ownership package with best-in-class coverage," Joe Eberhardt, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover North America, said in a statement. The brand's quality and reliability dings have also lurked in the back of buyers' minds for decades, though that's an outdated notion. Jaguar placed third in J.D. Power's Initial Quality Study in June and was the top-ranked luxury brand in J.D. Power's Customer Service Index in March. Not content, the company is rolling out an enhanced program called Jaguar EliteCare that launches on 2016 models. It offers a five-year, 60,000-mile limited warranty, the longest among its competitors, with free scheduled maintenance during that period. The plan also covers roadside assistance and connectivity features.

2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 PHEV offers the best of both worlds it's ready to conquer

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class just keeps growing – both in terms of dimensions and in terms of variants. Nevermind the S-Class Coupe for a moment and focus only on the sedan: in North America alone, you can get the big Benz in S550, S600, S63 and S65 spec, and at the Los Angeles Auto Show this year, Daimler has rolled out the new Maybach version as well. But if it's a more environmentally friendly way to woosh around town in serene luxury that you're after, you'll want to look at the new S550 Plug-In Hybrid. Joining Daimler's growing range of battery-powered models alongside the E400 Hybrid, B-Class Electric Drive and Smart ED (the latter soon to be replaced by an all-new version), the S550 PHEV is the German automaker's first plug-in hybrid. It was first announced over a year ago and made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year, but now the US-spec car is making its North American debut in LA. Promising "the performance of a V8 and the fuel consumption of a compact model," the S550 PHEV pairs a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 to an 80-kW electric motor, the S550 PHEV packs a combined 436 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque to reach 62 in just 5.2 seconds, top out at 130 miles per hour or drive up to 20 miles on electric mode alone. On the European combined cycle, it'll return an impressive 84 miles per gallon, all the while never skimping on the luxury. Scope it out in our gallery of photos from the show floor in LA and delve into the details in the press release below. First PLUG-IN HYBRID with a star: S550 PLUG-IN HYBRID The new Mercedes-Benz S550 PLUG-IN HYBRID blends an ultramodern hybrid drive configuration with the unique innovations and the luxurious equipment and appointments of the S-Class. The luxury sedan impresses with exceptional dynamism and efficiency. Thanks to standard pre-entry climate control it also offers unique climate comfort. The first certified three-liter luxury sedan in the world is a further milestone on the road to emission-free mobility. "The S550 PLUG-IN HYBRID is the first luxury sedan with the performance of a V8 and the fuel consumption of a compact model. The greatest challenge in this is to translate efficiency into superior performance. In this respect there is a highly interesting parallel with our successful Formula 1 racing car, which likewise has a turbocharged V6 engine and a high-tech hybrid drive," says Prof. Dr.

2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE priced from $52,025

Mercedes-Benz released its full 2016 model year lineup and pricing details, and we've learned that the M-Class-replacing GLE will start at $52,025, including $925 for destination. The German automaker confirmed a few changes to the rest of its lineup, as well. For the GLE, that $52,025 price gets you the base GLE350. The GLE350 with 4Matic all-wheel drive starts at $54,525. The rest of the GLE range consists of the diesel-powered GLE300d 4Matic at $53,425, the GLE400 4Matic at $65,525, the GLE63 AMG at $100,875, and the range-topping GLE63 S AMG at $108,025. Mercedes will also offer the GLE500e 4Matic plug-in hybrid, but exact pricing for that model has not been released as of this writing. The GLE models start hitting dealers in August. Pricing for the BMW X6-fighting GLE Coupe – available in GLE450 and GLE63 forms – is also unknown. Elsewhere in the range, Mercedes-Benz will offer a new, diesel-powered C300d 4Matic, which goes on sale in February 2016. We already know the C-Class gets a new C350e plug-in hybrid model this year, which will arrive in September. Finally, the C400 has been killed, replaced by the C450 AMG Sport. Pricing for these new C-Class models has not been released. The small SLK roadster will receive a refresh soon, where it will be renamed SLC. In the meantime, the base SLK250 is now the SLK300, and comes with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Finally, Mercedes confirms the CLA will get a special "Edition: Orange" model, available on the CLA250 and CLA250 4Matic, limited to just 750 units nationwide. A host of other, smaller updates are available across Mercedes' model range. Read all about them in the very detailed press release, below. Related Video: MERCEDES-BENZ ANNOUNCES 2016 MODEL YEAR PRICING AND PRODUCT UPDATES The unprecedented product offensive continues with a host of exciting new models June 12, 2015 - MONTVALE, NJ -- Mercedes-Benz USA today announced pricing and model year changes for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz product portfolio. The company continues to expand its highly desirable model range this year with the addition of the awe-inspiring new Mercedes-AMG GT S, the ultra-exclusive Mercedes-Maybach S600, the sporty and versatile GLE, the sleek and stylish new GLE Coupe and the highly anticipated new GLC that will succeed the popular GLK when it arrives in U.S. showrooms in late November. In addition, smart will also welcome a redesigned smart fortwo that will launch in the U.S. market in September.