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Here's how Detroit is selling more luxury vehicles than Germany and Japan

Now there's an attention-grabbing headline, eh? Although the answer to the riddle - pickup trucks and SUVs - might be somehow deflating, the numbers involved deserve a going over. According to TrueCar's figures (click on the table to enlarge), six of the year's ten best-selling vehicles in the US that sell for a transaction price above $50,000 are body-on-frame, and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the only foreigner to crack the top five. Every enthusiast knows that pickup trucks are 'Murica's most popular vehicle by a colossal margin, and there have been plenty of reports about the popularity of luxuriously appointed trucks and SUVs, but compare these figures from TrueCar: 70 percent of Chevrolet Tahoe sales have a transaction price above $50K, and The Bowtie is expected to make $3.9 billion in revenue on 66,945 predicted high-dollar sales; 95.1 percent of E-Class sales break $50K, so the German company will make $4.0 billion on 67,006 predicted sales in that pricing sphere. It's about the only time you'll see the Tahoe ranked right next to Mercedes' bread-and-butter sedan. Ram is ahead of those two with $4.2B coming from $50K-plus sales. The Ford F-Series does almost as much revenue as the next three combined, with an expected $10.8 billion coming from sales of trucks over $50K - more than a quarter of the model's total sales, when a base F-150 can be had for about $26,000. Yes, the Germans make a lot more money on fewer sales, but considering the comparison, the bottom line isn't too troubled by such facts. Weighing like-for-like, the full-size Ford walks it in every category; elsewhere, the Chevrolet Silverado outsells the Ram, but the Ram outsells the Chevy by 6.7 percent above $50K. And for all the flak GMC takes over swapping out grilles, the Sierra also outsells the Chevy in the well-appointed segment, 16.1 percent of sales versus 11 percent – the Professional Grade brand is a huge profit center for The General. You'll find more info in the TrueCar press release below. TrueCar finds pickup trucks far outsell premium brands among top 10 vehicles over $50,000 Ford F-Series pickup sales over $50,000 surpass combined BMW 3, 5, 7 Series luxury car sales SANTA MONICA, Calif. (December 10, 2014) - TrueCar, Inc., the negotiation-free car buying and selling platform, finds mainstream pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles dominate U.S.

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff takes a stake in Aston Martin

LONDON — Mercedes Formula One boss Toto Wolff has taken a stake in British sportscar maker Aston Martin, whose executive chairman Lawrence Stroll runs the Racing Point F1 team, according to company filings. A Mercedes F1 spokesman said Wolff's move was purely an investment on the Austrian's part and would be diluted by a rights issue on Monday from 4.77% to less than 1%. "Fully diluted following the pending rights issue, this investment will represent a 0.95% stake in the company," he added. "It is a financial investment and Toto's partnership and executive role with Mercedes are unaffected by the transaction." Swiss billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli has also bought a 3.38% stake which will be similarly diluted. Wolff previously had a 16% shareholding in former champions Williams but sold that after he joined the Mercedes team, where he serves as principal and owns 30%. Canadian billionaire Stroll, whose son Lance drives for Racing Point alongside Mexican Sergio Perez, is close to Wolff. The Silverstone-based team — to be renamed Aston Martin next year — use Mercedes engines and gearboxes. Mercedes-Benz's parent Daimler also has a small stake in Aston Martin. "It's clear that Aston are now Mercedes' B team," the Daily Mail quoted one Formula One insider as saying. Wolff's future at Mercedes has been the subject of some media speculation, with the 48-year-old linked variously to senior management roles with Liberty Media-owned Formula One and at Aston Martin. His Aston Martin shares were bought from Yew Tree Overseas Limited, a vehicle controlled by Stroll who acquired a roughly 25% percent holding in Aston Martin with a consortium of investors. Mercedes have won the past six Formula One drivers' and constructors' titles but have six times world champion Lewis Hamilton out of contract at the end of the 2020 season, which has yet to start due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hamilton, who has also been linked to Ferrari, had told reporters before the global crisis changed the sporting and financial landscape that his decision would depend on Wolff's plans. The Briton is now expected to stay at Mercedes, with a radical overhaul of Formula One's sporting and technical regulations postponed to 2022. Related Video: Motorsports Aston Martin Mercedes-Benz

2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC one-ups old GLK in every way

Meet the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, the latest in the automaker's increasingly impressive run of new or significantly updated (and occasionally renamed) vehicles that's included the immensely good C- and S-Class, and the upcoming GLE-Class – formerly known as the M-Class crossover. Unlike the GLE, which you'll be reading our First Drive on shortly, the GLC is much more than a mid-cycle refresh, representing the second-generation of Mercedes' compact crossover. While it represents a more significant update to the former GLK than the GLE does to the ML, the new GLC shares its looks with the larger vehicle. It's a handsome take on Mercedes' latest design language, featuring a similar rectangular, two-slat grille in the fascia. The greenhouse has hints of C- and S-Class in it, and is the best way of viewing the 4.6-inch stretch to the wheelbase. The taillights, meanwhile, take their inspiration from the S-Class Coupe and AMG GT. The new cabin isn't just prettier, it's more spacious, too. The C-Class and S-Class also serve as inspiration for what is a remarkably attractive cabin. While Audi has long served as the standard for interior design, with the C, S, and now the GLC, Mercedes can stake a claim to Ingolstadt's crown. Like the C-Class, the center stack is a wide, curving design that terminates in the controller for the infotainment system, while a tablet-like display sits up high. Leather, wood, and aluminum cover most every surface we can see in the initial batch of photos, while cool, blue accent lighting adds an extra dose of style. The new cabin isn't just prettier, it's more spacious, too. Thanks to the longer wheelbase, there's an extra 2.2 inches of space for second-row passengers. There's more room for cargo, too. Mercedes claims 20.5 cubic feet – non-SAE, it should be noted – behind the second row, up from 16.5 in the current GLK. While the GLC will be offered with a range of gas and diesel powertrains, US consumers will be offered the GLC300 first. Counterintuitively and like the C300, the entry level CUV uses a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. While we expect 4Matic to be the popular option, Mercedes will also offer a rear-drive-only model. There's no mention of additional powertrains beyond the launch model, although we'd expect the GLC to follow the C-Class' example and add a GLC400 powered by a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6.