Over the past few years, Mercedes has changed their game. Gone are the days of being an exclusive luxury brand to now being a car company whose cars are littered about on every street you see today. However, many still regard Mercedes as a luxury car brand and many still associate the brand with power and prestige. This is despite Mercedes cutting down on the quality and reliability of their vehicles over the years. It seems nowadays more and more people want a prestigious brand than a well-built car however, that being said though Mercedes do make well-designed interiors. Are they still top of the luxury game though?
Why Mercedes Stopped Making “Overengineered” Cars?
The term “overengineered” was used to describe every single new Mercedes car up until 1996. Most models that started their generations before 1996 were well-built and had engineering genius but that all came at a huge cost to the company. In 1996 through the accounting department was on its last straw. They wanted the brand to make more profit and that involved fighting with the world-class engineers who were not prepared to budge. The W140 S-Class model for example cost $1 billion back in 1992 to develop and each car was built without caring about cost whatsoever.
The accountants proposed a plan that would slash the cost of vehicle development by two-thirds. Many engineers were angry with this with some even resigning. The first casualty out of all of this was the W210 E-Class which was awful. Then came the even worse W220 S-Class which had rust issues. It was obvious that Mercedes wanted to become a mainstream brand rather than something that the “elite” could afford hence the introduction of the A-Class and the W203 C-Class. Customer service was struck as well with Mercedes now being close to the bottom of customer service league tables. Before they were right at the top.
By chopping down on build quality though ironically Mercedes managed to sell more and more cars. With the help of better financing and loans for cars, Mercedes began to dominate the market. Another thing Mercedes did which would have never been done pre the mid-1990s is that they actually outsourced manufacturing and opened up new factories outside of Germany. One of these factories is located in Vance Alabama USA.
By not “over-engineering” cars Mercedes has managed to really boost its profits over the last few years. The quality may not be there anymore in their cars like they used to be but the stigma of the reservation for the elite has gone.
But Mercedes Still Does Luxury Right?
Yes, they do but in a different way. It is more to do with the image their cars provide nowadays rather than handbuilt engines and hydraulic windows. Of course, cars like the CLA are going to have budget interiors since it is a relatively cheap car. However, the Maybach S650 on the other hand will have an interior most suited to its 6 figure price tag. It all really depends on the model as Mercedes are more likely to make their more expensive models much more luxurious due to standards and competition from rivals.
If we take at some of their latest models we do see that the idea of luxury for their consumers has really shifted perspectives. It is no longer amazing build quality or “bullet-proof” engines but rather the latest technology such as touchscreens, voice activation, start/stop, self-park, etc. Even in the cheapest Mercedes models such as the CLA, it is evident that consumers care more about technology than ever before with the main primary focus on luxury being how many gadgets or gizmos does a car has.
Mercedes sure does top its class in terms of luxury in the budget sedan sector. The CLA compared to the likes of the A3 sedan, is in a different league altogether. Sure inside it doesn’t feel as nice but the technology is insane. Self-parking, ambient lighting, and more. Sure it depends on the spec of the car but higher models like the CLA 35 or the 45 are extremely nice inside. Build quality won’t be ever as high as it was back in the day but that is the same with most manufacturers.
In actual fact, it’s the build quality outside which has really improved. Mercedes are known to nowadays make some of the safest cars ever and it shows that they actually care about their consumers. Let’s face it their cars are stronger than most American, Japanese, or American cars. The whole priority of build quality for Mercedes has changed.
Engine-wise is where Mercedes lets itself down. Unless it hasn’t been made by AMG, it’s a V12 or a V8 it is most likely not the best. Its rivals take Mercedes from here as let’s face it the engines are not the smoothest nor fastest. The 2.0 diesel is a prime example of this as it sounds and feels like a tractor. The inline-6 engines are ok but even they need a lot of improvement to really reach its competitor’s levels.
All in all, though Mercedes cars do have the luxury. Sure other manufacturers may make nicer looking and feeling interiors but ultimately Mercedes are the ones who pioneer in technology. technology is a new luxury. Consumers would rather the latest gadgets like car play than a car with a handbuilt interior.
A Celebrities Best Friend
Yep, that is true. You are more likely to see a celebrity in a Mercedes than a BMW or an Audi. It is again the status quo. Mercedes are the Apple equivalent in the world of German cars as it’s all about the badge. Mercedes could launch an absolutely woeful car like the W220 S-Class and still get all the hype about luxury as the 3-pointed star has built a base on eliteness and luxury. BMW on the other hand has built theirs on the driving experience and Audi on being boring.
Let’s face it. Mercedes were once the equivalent of Rolls Royce in the 1930s with Adolf Hitler having many. Mercedes has always been trendy being talked, sung, or rapped about by celebrities or other people of influence. The dream for many is to own a Mercedes regardless of the model. They want to feel like a celebrity or so by saying that they own a Mercedes. That they own a car from the same brand who made Kylie Jenner’s G-Class.
Vladimir Putin travelled in an S-Class for a long time and so did many other world leaders and many still do so today. The status symbol of Mercedes is still there and it doesn’t matter who comes along Tesla, Nikola, etc they will never steal Mercedes’ status crown.