The Berger Project

I was on a blogging roll and then I started to get swamped. Once I can get my X-Wing out of the swamp (using the force), I will be back in action.

Until then, may the force be with you.

In December, a Gallup poll found that 86 percent of Americans said they would vote for a well-qualified candidate who was a woman (of course, that percentage has been in the 80s for much of the last three decades). Ninety-three percent said the same of a well-qualified candidate who was black; 93 percent of a Catholic candidate; and 91 percent of a Jewish one.

I would vote for any of the above, would you?

Source

Being in Germany/Europe I have seen more than my fair share of luxury cars. I also recently landed upon this article about the most prestigious car brands.

Here is my take on the various luxury brands out there:

Tier 1 - top of the line, ultimate luxury

1. Maybach - the classiest of the three. I would have to choose a Maybach to be driven around in, over the next two.
2. Rolls Royce - so classic, but rather old fashioned by new (see Mercedes down below).
3. Bentley - becoming very cool with super high luxury sports cars like the GT, but still number three.

Tier 2 - the elite for the average person (talking about the higher end models, not the entry level 3/C/A4/IS)

1. BMW - Their tag line says it all, ‘the ultimate driving machine’. BMW’s are great, model after model has lead the rest of the industries design (even if people have hated the designs when they were released).
2. Audi - Audi is a major force to be reckoned with. The R8 is one the the most amazing cars ever released, the A5 is gorgeous, the Q7 (though last one in) has pushed the luxury SUV market further out there. I expect that Audi can be my number one in just a few years.
3. Mercedes - Old school (see Rolls Royce). The new S is an amazing top-of-the-line vehicle and the new C is a bit more cutting edge, but the brand is old, boring, and a poor value for the price.
4. Lexus - The car that parks itself is rather cool as well as all the hybrids. The ride is the smoothest you will ever experience, but that’s it.

Tier 3 - more affordable brands, more mainstream

1. Jaguar - It is a shame that Ford sold Jaguar.  Some would say that Jag is tier two, I would have said it was #5 in tier three until the XF. The XF is the nicest Jag ever. Let’s see what happens next.
2. Infiniti - First the G35 coupe, the new G35 sedan, the M, and now the FX. At this rate, Infiniti could be a even more major player in this tier. But first they need to release a higher-end/larger model than the M.
3. Cadillac - I can’t not include Cadillac, but the brand is older than Mercedes in my mind. The CTS helped a bit but then you have the DTS. Yup I didn’t forget the Escalade, but that is not at the core of the brand.
4. Tied for 4th: Acura and VW - Acura’s are more upscale than Hondas, and VW is less than Audi but that doesn’t really offer an identity for either.

Sports Cars - to me these just don’t fit in the lists above, but probably be tier 1.5

1. Aston Martin - If 007 drives one then I can drive one too. They are just gorgeous. Perfect.
2. Maserati - I am torn to stick this as #4 in tier one, or put it here. The cars are brilliant, but they have been a bit stagnant the past few years.
3. Ferrari - Black or red, enough said.
4. Lamborghini - Yellow or black. #2 because the designs are a bit to out there for me.
5. Porsche - To be honest, I am just getting tired of the brand. The Cayenne didn’t help, we will see how the 4 door Panamera will work out.

What do you think? Where did I go wrong, where am I spot on?

It’s been busy, so here is a quick look at some things I have been reading:

• Where does Google Go Next (Fortune)
• The Shape of Things To Come (WSJ)
• What Do You Know (Seth Godin)

I’ll add more as I land on interesting things…