[1.2TSI7DSG]

Well, I have no money, but you can be poor and yet have a preference. I love Bentley!!!

[Mission_PGPX]

since this pole is about choosing the luxury brand which one can typically aspire to afford, my vote goes to Mercedes-Benz. As an enthusiast, I love BMWs and there is no match in terms of driving pleasure but here we are talking luxury, which is a different dimension all together. Majority of us would agree that entry level cars like A-class vs 2 series, C-class vs 3 series, GLA vs X1, If we have to pick luxury, comfort etc it would be Merc. Also consider this fact, that Mercs age much better than BMWs, May be BMWs are driven differently and that could be one of the reason.

Following typical luxury features:
1) Electrically adjustable steering wheel (C class vs 3 series)
2) Ergonomic seat adjustment control placement (seats are electrically adjustable in 3er also but you cant see the controls while changing the seat position)
3) Dual panoramic sunroof (has been standard on top of the line C class but is always a miss unless for 3 GT)
4) Service position of bonnet (opens upto 90 deg for easy access in C class)
5) NVH levels inside the car (I felt much better compared to 3 series atleast F30, G may have changed that)
6) Attention to detail: For example, interior lights, I use W204 C class which has separate bulbs and switches for reading lights (driver and passengers) and cabin light. This is something I would consider luxury.

Now coming to where BMW excels compared to Mercedes:
1) The mechanical side of a car : Engine gearbox combo is the best in industry. The steering accuracy and feel both, high speed stability and cornering confidence.
2) The gear lever, I find it luxurious compared to Merc, specially joystick travel and pressing P puts the car in Park.
3) I drive: Nothing can beat it, period.
4) Driver oriented Dashboard

AUDI, I would rate mix of both. The build quality, comfort, convenience etc are at par but it is mainly ignored due to not being able to remain on any one end of the spectrum. They should offer Quattro as standard across productline, that could change the game.

[RedTerrano]

Being a Pune resident, frankly speaking I would never shell out top rupee for a vehicle, which is sure to get damaged in our notorious traffic. However, in a fantasy world, I love these three (voted accordingly)

BMW: Can't put my finger on it, but among the 3 germans, I find beemers sexy. (Minus the latest obnoxious grille of course)

Land Rover / Range Rover: Love these behemoths for their ploughing power. (And of course love for Tata)

Mercedes-Benz: Not the sedans, but the G-Wagen. Tall stance and best suited for Indian roads, which can turn from well laid carpet to pothole menace in an instant.

[VinsWagen]

This can mean different to different people but for me, Luxury is how it feels and not how it looks or how it drives. BMW may be the best driver's car but that factor does not come under Luxury for me. Neither is reliability or safety. So without a doubt, Mercedes is the choice here if I would choose a car just for the Luxury quotient. It's mostly perceived notion and brand value but then they don't let themselves down in the real world either. I would choose it any day if I have to choose one for some VIP treatment, say while going to an event as a chief guest or being chauffered to a luxurious holiday location. (No harm and no ends to dreams). If I were to buy one for the keeps, then that may well be a Volvo or a BMW though. We really don't have to choose our life partners based on the glam and glitz alone, do we?

Voted for Mercedes. Growing up in India, Luxury = Mercedes = Benz. And all the others are mere wannabes who may or may not be better. I don't really care.

[penpavan]

I loved the BMWs until they got uglier. I own a recently bought Audi A4 and can't find a complaint yet. I think another pro that is missed in mentions in favor of Audi is the extended warranty and service packs they offer. They add real value to ownership.

[UltraViolence]

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

BMW: Can't put my finger on it, but among the 3 germans, I find beemers sexy. (Minus the latest obnoxious grille of course)

Land Rover / Range Rover: Love these behemoths for their ploughing power. (And of course love for Tata)

Mercedes-Benz: Not the sedans, but the G-Wagen. Tall stance and best suited for Indian roads, which can turn from well laid carpet to pothole menace in an instant.

You stole the words out of my mouth verbatim Even the fact that the BMW kidneys have turned into lungs now

However, there is one car brand which rules my mind and that is Maserati. It just pulls on all the right heartstrings.

[lamborghini]

At this price point, the heart ends up ruling more than the head.

But looking back at 2021, in order of priority - our first showroom visit was to BMW - there's no two ways about it. Brilliant to drive, with good reliability and build quality (by segment standards).

Next up was Audi & Lexus : again for being well equipped, with better / unique interiors compared to others, and of course fairly reliable (in the case of Audi & very reliable in the case of Lexus) and good VFM compared to others in the segment (current post discount pricing for Audis & Lexus scores on lower running and maintenance costs).

Interestingly, these 3 brands live up to a certain promise (though one that seems to be changing in the case of BMW):
BMW: Best driver's option in it's segment
Lexus: Comfort, peace of mind
Audi: Loaded to the gills with above average interior quality

Then comes the other players - again in order of showroom visits / priority
- Mercedes : Saw it as it was the market favorite. The E Class, apart from legroom which seems immense coming from a BMW 5 series showroom visit (but did not feel that much more than say the A6 / ES in chauffeur mode); did not have anything else that was enticing. Poor equipment levels, poor engines, average ride and handling, average NVH, creaky interior panels, etc. were a big let down. Doesn't help that their maintenance costs and niggles are higher than what we experienced with Audi & BMW. It would probably rank higher on the list however depending on criteria thanks to the launch of the baby AMGs & of course the S Class; but for our last purchase it didn't make the cut.
- Volvo : starting to feel a little dated, though they are lookers. Also the recent deletion of diesels & some equipment was a bit of a downer.
- JLR : Would love a Range Rover Vogue, but the rest of the models felt over priced. Rather buy a Porsche to keep the enthusiast in me happy.
- Porsche : Didn't end up checking it out just because the pricing : size pushed it out of budget though it scores very high on desirability. Hope to add it to the above 3 contenders.

[GoBabyGo]

Hello, being a typical middle class guy, I can, as of now, only dream of owning luxury brands. Currently, I am trying to get into 20-22 lacs bracket and eyeing MG Hector Smart Pro Petrol Manual. However, if I have money to buy, I will buy BMW 330Li in blue colour, eye closed. For reference I have only driven BMW & Mercedes of my colleagues, very briefly.

[vignesh207]

I voted for BMW because it has always been the enthusiasts car and the most fun the drive. BMW would remain my dream car always, until they decide to slap that ugly grill on all the cars.

Mercedes comes to a close second and it is the pinnacle of luxury, but off-late, their designs are getting more and more stunning and if BMW doesn't get rid of the ugly grill, Mercedes would soon top this poll.

[Arun Varma]

My choice is a Merc. I am not an enthusiast. I prefer comfort and I am a defensive driver. And for the skills I possess and the experience I value, a Merc fits the bill best. Of the Mercs, I would choose the E class.

[neo_narender]

Originally Posted by Aditya

Audi vs BMW vs Mercedes vs others

Hi,

Can you please do the General Pros & Cons for other brands too, I'd love to know your take on them as well.

My absolute favorite is BMW, particularly the M3 (All other M sedans as well), but for the regular models it'd be 330i & X5.

Porsche for their Macan, Cayman & Boxter.
Merc for its S-Class & G-Class & the AMGs E63 & the likes.
Audi for the RS7 & Q8.
Volvo for its Swedish minimalist design, I believe XC40 could be the perfect one car garage (for a small sized family).
Lexus for its quirky styling & class (almost like merc), RC F (not on sale in India I believe)
Land Rover for all their Range Rover lineup, especially the Velar in Black, gives the Mafia looks.

Looks like if i had the money to afford it, I would be in a pickle picking one to buy.

Neo

[kadanaJ]

Living in Mumbai, India, I would personally choose a Lexus.

Reasons:

• I feel that the main USP of the German brands is their brilliant drive. Most of that USP is wasted on our pathetic road infrastructure and traffic. There is nowhere in India that I am crossing 120kmph, let alone the 200kmph these German vehicles are designed for
• If I'm not enjoying the advantages of German driving dynamics, there is little point in paying for their ludicrous maintenance costs. From my understanding, Lexus is the most reasonable luxury brand in terms of service costs
• Long-term durability in a car is important for me. I prefer to buy new, and keep my cars for 10-15 years. A Lexus should easily last this long
• I am a huge fan of Toyota vehicles in general. What is a Lexus, if not a luxury Toyota?

[aamishdhingra]

Voted for Three Brands, quite logically the Audi, Mercedes Benz and the BMW.

Why?

Audi: For a more realistic point of view, the car is great to drive, not as spirited as the BMW and neither it is as comfortable as the Mercedes Benz. The Audi is a blend of both of them and is priced a bit realistically as well. Would prefer the more VFM - Q5 here.

BMW: Purely because if budget is no par, would love to get the "M" in my garage someday. Have driven the M340i and the M4 as well, absolute beast of a machine. Would prefer the M340i/M4.

Mercedes Benz: Only one factor to include this has to be their unmatched comfort. Whether the E or the top of the line S, the comfort is absolutely unmatched and is a different league altogether. Would prefer the S560/GLS600.

[koyomi_araragi]

Five years ago, I might have proclaimed BMW to be my favourite luxury brand but that's no longer the case after their ugly crimes against design.

For me, it has to be Porsche by a long shot. They've been keeping NA manuals alive with the GT3s and GTS 4.0s, and more importantly making an EV that enthusiasts and hardcore petrplheads like me waver in commitment to the Dino fuel.

[Siddarth_Ramani]

Lexus for me any day. I'm much too Indian to pay heavy amount and not expect reliability.