I will throw my loyalty aside and admit it: Mercedes-Benz has been making some of the best cars in Germany for more than a century.
Not only Germany but the whole world by the way. I also don’t think that is under discussion, regardless of how much cubic centimeter you like under the hood or how much Waifu Cushions that you have in your bed.
It is an opinion that I have maintained for years, but it was really cemented during my visit to the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany last November.
After all, no other manufacturer can claim to be the one who invented the car, right?
It is incredible how many legendary and as new Mercedes-Benz icons are collected under one roof, from the earliest examples of pick-up trucks to a trio of SLS and even a Sauber C9 as part of the Motorsport display. The range of vehicles produced by Mercedes-Benz is simply amazing.
Speaking of motorsport, seeing the switch from the national racing color from Germany to silver before my eyes was a reminder of how much influence Mercedes-Benz always had on the car world. ‘White Arrows’ sounds a bit cool, but the ‘silver arrows’ has much more a ring.
Where else could you see a 6.9-liter V8 SEL parked next to an Argentinian bus? Or how about a Mercedes-Benz Actros car transporter with a SEC, SE and 220 cars on his back?
Mercedes-Benz has a huge reputation for both luxury and reliability in the world.
Who would have thought that Idi Amin and Carmela Soprano both loved the three -pointed star, isn’t it?
And that is before we even take into account the technical powerhouse that is AMG. The Foresight Mercedes-Benz had to buy the well-known tuner, was incredible, and it led AMG to create a bona fide performance car range at Mercedes-Benz, which led to F1 dominance.
What about Maybach? Turned over from a whole but forgotten brand in a real Rolls-Royce rival … then fail, although reborn as a hugely successful sub-brand under Mercedes-Maybach.
BMW Purchasing Alpina stands up in me, but I can’t help the Büchloe brand in the near future will just be a trim level …
The highlights of my visit to the Mercedes-Benz Museum were the pre-war cars, especially the sports models. I have seen the ridiculous quantities that they have sold at an auction over the years, and their successes at events such as the prestigious Pebble Beach competition d’Elegance, but it was never so logical for me.
Brands such as Bugatti, Delahaye, Duesenberg and Hispano-Suiza have an incredible allure because of their reputation in the upper echelon of the car industry in its forming years. However, Mercedes-Benz makes vans and trucks and compact cars but I was absolutely enchanted when I saw their early models personally.
Huge and impressive, with stunning curves from every corner and incredible details both inside and out. When I stood next to them, I felt like a Hollywood star -or maybe a bond -villain.
There is an indescribable sense of quality that exudes old Mercedes-Benz models. It is almost as if every car in the museum has been carved out of granite or tungsten.
Let me tell you this way. I was lucky to use a 560 sec for a few months to use, and the experience stayed with me. The control was heavy, the doors even heavier and the view of the hood was presidential. What I kept the most, however, were the air openings.
There is no thin small button to adjust them; Instead, move the entire metal ventilation -mounting up and down to steer the air flow, and the plastic blades have their own special slide show.
If an air-vent can be so exaggerated, think about how robust the cars were under the skin, right?
Mario Christou
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