Mercedes-Benz was the first German carmaker to enter India in 1994. But the brand was synonymous with luxury and status-signalling well before the 90s with numerous film stars, businessmen, and politicians flaunting their grey-market Mercedes cars imported from Europe. This kind of brand recall and reputation meant that the first Mercedes car to launch in India, the venerable E-Class, became an instant and enduring hit.
But glitz and glamour apart, Mercedes-Benz cars are known for their precision engineering, evolving yet classic design, and technological innovations. And despite being the world’s oldest continually operating car manufacturer, Mercedes-Benz doesn’t suffer from calcified thinking. For instance, when it realised the value of a third-party tuner such as AMG, it warmed up to the operation before eventually buying it out. This resulted in the birth of one of the most storied names in the performance car industry.
Today, Mercedes cars in India are available across different body styles, from hatchbacks to sedans, SUVs, coupe SUVs, coupes, and even a convertible. And while these cars are expensive, they’re not inaccessible. So, if you’re in the market for a luxury car, here are five reasons why we think it should be a Mercedes-Benz.
1. There’s a Mercedes-Benz for Everyone
It’s Mercedes-Benz’s stated goal to have car designs that create fascination as well as a brand identity. Judging by the Mercedes cars that have come out over the years, the brand certainly succeeded at that aim. A Mercedes car from across ages uses basic elements from the brand’s ‘design pool’. For instance, the typical Mercedes grille is instantly recognisable, though it might have changed in proportion.
This design approach has also spawned the widest range of luxury cars in India, each distinct from the other and appealing to a wide section of buyers. For instance, the A-Class Limousine, in both stock and AMG clothing, strikes a balance between sportiness and elegance. Go higher up the sedan chain, however, and Mercedes cars veer more towards elegance, ala the C-Class, E-Class, and S-Class.
The story repeats itself with SUVs as the GLB, GLE, GLS, and G-Class have the boxier proportions of a traditional SUV while young’uns such as the GLA and GLC Coupe take the sportier approach. Moreover, you’ve got the entire AMG line-up comprising cars that not only go fast but look the part as well.
2. Mercedes-Benz: A Byword for Luxury
Many adjectives are associated with the Mercedes-Benz tag but none more so than ‘luxury’. Mercedes cars have become synonymous with luxury because of their feature-laden, richly crafted, spacious, and technologically advanced cabins. And as with the design, this aspect is apparent right from its most affordable offerings.
Take, for example, the A-Class Limousine whose interior comes with a panoramic sunroof, faux leather, high-quality plastics, soft-touch materials, walnut wood elements, 64-colour ambient lighting and tech goodies such as twin 10.25-inch instrument and infotainment displays and Alexa-enabled connected car tech!
Higher-end Mercedes cars are nothing less than a tour-de-force of luxury with features such as biometric-based seat profiles, front and rear seat massagers, lounge or reclinable rear seats with ottomans, a detachable or retractable infotainment unit at the rear, multi-zone climate control, adaptive air suspension, Nappa leather upholstery, and even a 4D music system that transmits bass frequencies through the rear seats to make you ‘feel’ the music.
3. Usually Fast, Sometimes Furious, Always Elegant
Performance is the most overlooked part of the Mercedes-Benz arsenal, and not just of the straight-line kind. The slowest of Mercedes cars will do the 0-100 kmph dash in just over 8 seconds with a top speed of 230 kmph. At the top end, you have something like the GT which does the same run in 3 seconds with an over 300 kmph top speed. Mercedes also offers a range of powertrains on its cars, from traditional in-line 4-/6-cylinder engines to much more powerful and exciting V6, V8, and even hybrid engines. There are full-electric options too but at the premium end of its range.
There’s also the AMG option if you want something more furious than stock Mercedes cars. The A35, the AMG variant of the A-Class Limousine, is over 3 seconds quicker than the stock car to 100 kmph while being ‘limited’ to a 250 kmph top speed. Besides outright acceleration and top speed, AMG cars also offer better dynamic performance than their stock counterparts.
But in either guise, Mercedes-Benz cars offer a driving experience built around excellent stability, a comfortable ride, predictable steering feedback, and composed handling that hits the sweet spot between cushy and sporty. This characteristic is yet another reason why Mercedes cars appeal to people of all ages.
4. Mercedes Cars Give You a Taste of the Future
Mercedes-Benz cars constantly push the envelope in terms of technology, whether it involves powertrains, features, luxury, safety, and even eco-friendliness. A good example of the latter is Mercedes-Benz’s announcement to offer a pure-electric version of all its models by 2025. In fact, the company plans to sell only electric models in certain markets by 2030.
You can expect these and many other futuristic innovations to trickle down to other Mercedes cars in India, starting with the new E-Class. The brand’s most successful car will use a lot of recycled materials, making it the first Mercedes car to do so. It will also offer MBUX Superscreen, where the dash houses a central 14.5-inch infotainment with two 12.3-inch infotainment and instrument units on either side to give front-seat passengers an immersive multimedia experience.
Mercedes-Benz was also among the first car manufacturers in India to offer ADAS features such as auto braking, lane change warning, collision warning, and active bonnet. In this way, when buying a Mercedes, you buy into not only the automotive legacy but also the future of automobiles.
5. No Better Way to Let the World Know You’ve Arrived
The three-pointed star is one of the most famous logos around the world. But it has a special place in Indian hearts for all the reasons above and more. Nothing tells the world you’ve arrived in life like a parked Mercedes-Benz car in your garage. In a society where personal vehicle ownership is an aspiration, owning a Mercedes car is the ultimate affirmation of your hard work and success in life.
And the prestige associated with the Mercedes-Benz name isn’t a uniquely Indian phenomenon either. Interbrand, considered by industry mandarins as the definitive judge of brand equity, ranked Mercedes-Benz as the world’s most valuable luxury car brand, well ahead of its peers such as BMW, Audi, and even Tesla.
Conclusion: Bring Home the Three-pointed Star
In India, Mercedes-Benz is by far the most popular luxury car brand, by perception as well as raw sales numbers. With a wide range of body styles, propulsion systems, customisations, and prices on offer, you can easily bring home a car with the three-pointed star that best suits your needs, preferences, and personality.
