Mercedes is on a bit of a roll. Recent sales statistics show that the once old and stodgy brand is selling its revived and desperately fashionable products like hot cakes. I’ll immediately admit that I’m not a huge fan of this decidedly successful transformation, chiefly because I have a garage full of old, stodgy Mercs.
I hate pointless things. Nay, I detest anything that misses its point or purpose. Like a screwdriver being used as a chisel, creative minds studying tax law or that gigantic 4×4 on the school run. My latest test car, this pearly white convertible Mercedes S-Class, had me wondering at first – what the hell is the point of it?
Some car reviews almost write themselves or, better still, will be written for you by other people. When Mercedes-Benz’ press fleet brought me their range-topping V-Class luxury MPV for testing, I initially panicked about what to write… until the first passengers climbed aboard. All I had to do was listen and take notes…
The latest Mercedes two-door with its miserly Diesel might be a unique offering…
Do you remember Auntie Mabel, the one who always kissed you on the mouth and wrote Christmas cards until last year? Well, she certainly remembered you in her final wishes and hence you now find a lovely bulge in your bank account. So, why not get yourself a swish new coupé like the Mercedes-Benz E220d?
Tata is reeds ‘n dekade of twee of meer ‘n vertroude naam in Namibië. Eers deur ingevoerde vragmotors uit Indië en later die bekendstelling van ‘n reeks bakkies en motors in suidelike Afrika. Die eerst Tata-bakkies wat hier vanaf die vloer gekoop kon word, was die Telcoline. Die naam van hierdie voertuig vertel eintlik die geskiedenis van die motormaatskappy.
In die laat vyftigerjare en vroeë sestigs was daar seker een motor wat almal se verbeelding aangegryp het; die DKW. As dit nie vir sy uitstekende vertonings op die renbaan en in tydrenne was nie, was dit ten minste die half outydse bakvorm en dan daardie “put, put, put” klank van die tweeslagenjin as hy luier.
Presented in 2013 for the first time, the GLA was introduced as a new compact SUV range to the A-class Mercedes line-up. Becoming considerably popular in China, USA, Germany and Great Britain, the manufacturer has made quite an impact as the GLA proves relatively small from the outside, yet is spacious in design. Combined with the versatility of the model on any terrain, it is understandable that Mercedes have sold over 2 million if these models. Four years after the first GLA was launched, what can you expect from the new GLA facelift? Is it worth it and has the GLA range undergone considerable changes?
There are cars with lots of history, there are cars with a few generations of ancestors, and then there’s the Mercedes-Benz SL. The drop-top from Stuttgart with “Sport Leicht” on its rump can trace its ancestry back further than most modern automobiles.