Are BMW and Mercedes luxurious car brands in Germany?

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Alwin E

I used to drive a Toyota and will maybe buy a (used) Volkswagen (or shortly VW, as we say) this summer. But many people I know drive BMWs and Mercedes. They're considered good, high-quality cars, but not necessarily luxury. Except the Porsche (or still better, a Ferrari) which are status symbols only (and whose drivers usually have another car for ordinary weekday use), Germans have a rather rational approach towards buying a car. It should be a long-lasting, good-looking, high-quality one, and it should be fit to the tasks it has to fulfill. So many families have two or more cars: Daddy needs one to represent for his company (Mercedes), a family limousine for the weekend where all the kids & luggage fit in (Audi or something), and momma needs a small car for shopping during the week and bring the smaller kids to kindergarten (Seat, VW, a small Ford). Those who live in rural areas sometimes have SUVs or Landrovers to climb snowy or muddy hills in winter.

BMW and Mercedes are considered some kind of luxury in Germany, depending on the model. They have high-class expensive models as well as moderately priced ones which are bought by many people due to their reliability. If you were here, you'd soon learn to differentiate between a "standard BMW" and a "posh one".

Most Germans also stay true to the brands they first bought, so once a BMW, always a BMW, or once a Mercedes, always a Mercedes. -- I think it's a shame that Audi never was really recognized internationally as a good car. Most Audis are reliable workhorses. My brother-in-law owns a 14-year-old one which never had big repairs, although it was a family and transportation car.

Of the 5 brands you mentioned, here's my ranking for "luxury" in the public opinion:
1. Porsche
2. Mercedes
3. BMW
4. Audi
5. Volkswagen

(btw, there is "Ford Germany" too. My first two cars were Fords, a Fiesta and an Escort. I still like Ford, but buying Japanese seemed, at one point in time, more reasonable to me.)

Postman Bernd

I just say : "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz? My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends. Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends, So Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?"

Nana

No they are not considered luxury cars
Mercedes and BMW have a large scale of different cars only some of tthem are considered luxury.
For example S class Mercedes or BMW 7

Nana

Porsche is considered luxury
Mercedes and BMW some models are luxury
Audi and Volkswagen no luxury

The Postman

No we all drive around with them it is not considered luxury at all?

Heidi V

Yes, but if you go to some cities in Germany, you will notice that even the police drive BMW. Maybe that is because we are so rich here. :-)

Nan

Germans like them too, because they considers themselves the master race

DER ALTE FIRZ

BMW's, Mercedes Benz', Volvos are all used a taxis in germany.
BMW & MB are sort of like our Buick and Ford brands.

By the way, it is actually 'thumbs down'.

Thomas t

That depends on the specific car model
A Mercedes A-Class is not a high-class luxury vehicle
Same with the BWM 1 or the Audi A3

But of course, the Mercedes S-Class, the BMW 7, the Audi A8 or the VW Phaeton are high luxury cars.

But when you take the average of cars, then Mercedes, BMW and Audi are pretty on the same level. VW is cheaper

fliege52000

BMW and Mercedes are very good cars, but also expensive. Good quality, and looking great. Like most the German Cars.
Audi is the same, Porsche also. Volkswagen the prices starts 25.000 Euro and going up and up.

frackledJJ

I'd say it goes something like this:

Volkswagen - Audi - BMW/Mercedes - Porsche

VW also has expensive cars, but is not regarded as relying on that branch for most of its business. Audi has serviceable cars at a high medium price. There is not much difference between Mercedes and BMW in price nor in reputation. All of their models are regarded as high quality, though some of their models are also considered crazy expensive and unpractical. Rich peoples fun cars. Mercedes has the reputation to have very sturdy and durable motors, which is why they are used by many cap companies.
Porsche's are - well, Porsche's. Great to look at (unless it is the price tag you got in front of you), and only that. No normal person can afford a new one, though older used ones I hear come pretty cheap.

The German countries, who supply the cars for their police squads, always have deals with the local car manufacturers, so Bavarian police has a lot of BMW cars, Baden-WÃ¼rtemberg police has a lot of Mercedes, and some Porsche's (yeah! aren't those guys lucky?) and also some VWs (because Porsche is the main stockholder of VW), Hessen has a lot of Opels, Niedersachsen has a lot of VWs...

Most inexpensive and reasonable, out of the choices you gave, would be a smaller VW, I guess.
But there are also a lot of foreign cars sold and driven in Germany. (think Japanese, French, Italian, USAmerican...)

pat z

All I have ever wanted was a Porsche 911. That's luxury enough for me!

lard

they are regarded as higher standard but not especially as luxurious car brands. it depends on the type (e.g. BMW 1 and 7 Series).
Audi is like BMW and Mercedes, they also offer a wide range, from relatively cheap cars to expensive cars.
Porsche is the most likely kind of such a brand because its a sportscar brand most times more expensive.
Volkswagen is no luxurious car brand, they are like low-midend cars of the price.

Bellagio78

YEs, they are higher standard in germany too. But u don't have to be really rich to get one. I think Porsche is specifically sports cars so maybe it's the most expensive. But you can have quite expensive BMW and Mercs too.
Audi ist a bit less. Sort of Middle Class, but also can be pricey
Volkswagen is the 'people's car', so it's the cheapest

Richard K

Mercedes-Benz and BMW cars are, indeed, considered luxury cars in Germany.

Porsche and Audi, too. Volkswagens are not regarded as luxury cars even though they are very well-made.

Mercedes-Benz cars are probably considered the most luxurious saloon cars. Porsches are Germany's finest sports cars.

David

Yes they do count as luxery also many people think of people that drive mercedes snoobs but thats not meant siersly though..b

RDG78

When I was over in Germany (granted, this was 25 years ago now), Mercedes-Benzes were the majority of taxicabs; and BMW"s were the predominant police cars. These are hardly high-class vehicles.
I don't know how they regard Audis.
Porsches are regarded as rich men's toys there, as they are any place.
Volkswagens ( the name means "people's car") are the most affordable of the five you've named. Even they're getting expensive these days.

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