Mercedes Confirms $30M Manhattan Store

German carmaker Mercedes laughs in the face of Detroit 3 and confirmis plans to build a new store in Manhattan, with total investments going to as much as $30 million. The new building will be located on 53rd street, The Car Connection wrote today, replacing the current Mercedes shop on 41st street. Mercedes says the new shop is due to open in 2011, with authorized dealerships across the United States investing nearly $1 billion for a brand new design.

Basically, Mercedes aims to improve the image of its US-based dealerships by imposing a specific design in all shops across the United States. According to the same source, the German manufacturer claims that interested buyers often make analogies between the image of the dealerships and the global brand so, more eye-catching shops obviously means increasing sales.

Mercedes' new store will also service Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and smart models, covering 330,000+ square feet. “In New York City, people can find the best of the best the world has to offer. Our discerning customer base will find the new MB Manhattan location more convenient and user-focused as we accelerate to the future,” said Blair Creed, general manager of MB Manhattan.

Mercedes' expansion in the United States is somehow understandable, taking into account the consequences of the global economic crisis. In general, US customers are now looking for more fuel efficient cars, detrimental to high engine power, attributes that are often provided by European cars. Because of that, Mercedes aims to cash in on the US market, bringing their models closer to local buyers and providing a wider range of services, starting with selling cars and ending with support and periodical vehicle inspections.