Turning a long standing brand image in a different direction (up market in this case) isn't easy. Takes commitment, and resources............both of which would seem inconsistent with the rest of this story. Getting "lean and mean" is an old strategy that works for some, but fails for many more. The Craftsman lawn/garden tractor history is pretty spotty. Some models served well for the intended purpose and price point, others..........not so much. When we bought the house we're in now I had to redo most of the landscape, including an all new lawn. I rewarded myself with a JD tractor/mower. Within two years three of my neighbors had come over for a visit and ended up getting a green and yellow lawn tractor too. Quality sells. I would be surprised if someone with one of these new, higher end Craftsman units would have neighbors reacting similarly just because of the long developed reputation for lower end machines. In today's parlance "It's a viral thing...".