A GST of hot air

One of the quirks of Dixon, everyone's favorite REFR promoter, is an inability to let go of any hope of SPD market acceptance, regardless of how thoroughly it has been shown to be a dry hole.

Such is the case with the Mercedes GST, now known as the R-Class. In particular, Dixon is stuck on one feature of the vehicle, a five-square-foot "panorama sunroof".

Ever since Setra used the term "panorama roof" to describe TopSky at the time when that feature involved SPD light control, that term has become the trigger for a knee-jerk reaction from REFR promoters. "Panorama roof"? SPD. Has to be. Can't be anything else. You have five seconds to tell me what else it could possibly be. Tick tick tick bzzzt. Sorry, you lose, I win.

Of course it's a complete waste of time to point out the fact that Mercedes already has non-SPD-based sunroof light control in its far more upscale Maybach. Because apparently that technology is so frightfully expensive that it can only go in "price is no object" vehicles like the Maybach. As opposed to the bargain price SPD sells at, you see.

And don't even try to bring up the little inconvenient fact that, by everyone's acknowledgement, nobody is producing SPD film for commerical use anywhere. And that it's only about another month before production begins on the 2006 model year vehicles, including the R-Class. I've heard of "just-in-time" delivery, but "just-in-time" R&D?

I almost hope Dixon shows up at the annual meeting to ask about the Mercedes R-Class/GST. I think by now even Smiling Joe will tell her to give it up. I doubt she'll listen to anyone else.