How Mercedes-Benz speaks to a new breed of luxury consumers
Heart and Soul
The global luxury car market is booming, worth about €550 billion last year, and also becoming increasingly competitive with savvier, wealthier consumers expecting more from a wider-than-ever choice of supercars. Carmakers that can answer the desires of luxury consumers are those that will weather the tests of time.
Today the world’s leading luxury car brand is Germany’s Mercedes-Benz, having sold 2.34 million vehicles in 2019, outpacing its closest competitor by 8%.
In our increasingly digital world, longevity is the exception rather than the norm. So, the fact that Mercedes-Benz – dating back to 1926 – has maintained pulling power for new customers while upholding its traditional core values, is no mean feat. And, according to a new report from consulting firm Mckinsey & Co, there are several factors driving consumers’ luxury automotive purchases today.
Technology is king
A key deciding factor in a premium car purchase is superior technology. The recently refreshed Mercedes-Benz E-Class vehicle, considered “the heart of Mercedes-Benz" by its top designers, is a prime example.
The new E-Class is installed with the latest generation of multimedia systems including two large 12.3-inch screens. The instruments and media display are more easily legible in high-resolution and brilliant graphics, controlled by Touch Control buttons, while the surfaces are less susceptible to fingerprints.
In keeping with the latest technology, the new E-Class includes Mercedes signature Blind Spot Assist, supporting drivers on multi-lane roads. The system, included as standard on the E-Class line, provides both visual and audible warning signals that can help identify unseen vehicles in the driver’s blind spot. The E-Class uses proximity sensors to monitor an area of about three metres to the side and rear of the vehicle adding an additional layer of safety and technology to the car.
Safety technology is another priority for today’s luxury car buyer, and frequently cited as the main draw for Mercedes-Benz customers. Car manufacturers have traditionally been focused on “passive safety” or minimising the severity of damage to passengers in accidents. More recently, however, the notion of “active safety” has emerged, with the focus being primarily on prevention – sensing dangerous situations and trying to prevent damage or injury altogether.
As standard, the E-Class comes with a Pre-Safe system to protect occupants in the event of an impending accident, such as reversible belt tensioning. The Active Brake Assist senses vehicles ahead and emits a warning or even autonomous braking to prevent a collision or mitigate its severity. When leaving a parking space, the system is able to warn of traffic crossing behind the vehicle and can automatically apply the brakes in case of doubt. The E-Class’s Active Parking Assist and 360° camera has been updated to transmit a more realistic image to the media display with an expanded side view. All of these features work to prevent and mitigate accidents on the road in a more proactive approach to safety in its cars.
Bespoke aesthetics
The McKinsey report also highlighted the power of interior design, with consumers prioritising customised and personalised aesthetics more than ever.
A unique feature in Mercedes-Benz design is personalisation. Since 2015, the brand offered a Designo customisation programme with made-to-order options, allowing Benz buyers to browse colour palettes of the history books and rediscover classic paint colours dating back to the 1950s and ’60s, even adding the option to choose colours from other manufacturers. As of this summer, this option has been extended to the E-Class, S-Class and AMT GT two-door model. The E-Class exterior body is available in 11 classic colours from metallic, non-metallic and Designo swatches.
And it’s not just the physical aesthetics that can be personalised, the car’s internal technology can likewise be rendered more subtle according to personal taste; with a choice of four different screen styles ranging from hi-tech sport to discreet, where all displays are reduced to the bare essentials.
The colours of the seats and cushions come in different combinations including vegan, embossed or soft Nappa leather with diamond quilting. Even the seats themselves can automatically adjust to the driver’s body shape.
A proud legacy
Another important consideration for the luxury consumer is the power of brand. It is the carmakers with a strong story that will catch the eye of consumers. Mercedes-Benz has a vivid history which can be traced back nearly a century. When vehicle production resumed after the Second World War, the first car to be made was the 170 V model, originally introduced in 1936 as a vehicle for rescue services, police, commerce and trades. It was soon followed by a saloon version as the first post-war Mercedes-Benz passenger car, and in 1946, the first iteration of the E-Class was launched. Its engineers consider it a perfect example of the brand’s enduring appeal and it remains the marque’s best-selling model in its long history, with 14 million sold worldwide.
This year, as it approaches its 75th birthday, the E-Class Saloon is getting a makeover. After undergoing a far-reaching renovation, the model arrives in Hong Kong showrooms this autumn, with the E-Class Coupé and Cabriolet getting a refresh soon after.
And over seven decades since it first rolled out of the factory in Sindelfingen, Germany, E-Class customers remain some of the most devoted fans of the Mercedes star. For a luxury brand, retaining this kind of loyalty is the holy grail and a clear commitment to the product itself.
Sustainability
Finally, in a post-Covid-19 future, environmental concerns will start to take greater precedent than ever for luxury consumers. According to consultancy group Bain & Co, consumer concern about sustainability and social issues is set to continue, consolidating the importance of environmental and social governance.
Enlightened brands are making the switch to a more sustainable focus ahead of time, and Mercedes-Benz is already putting in place the processes towards electrification. Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that by 2022 it will offer at least one electric model in each model series, aiming for more than 10 electric vehicles by 2025.
By 2022, the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen Plant plans to be fully carbon neutral. Staying true to its mantra “the best or nothing” fans of Mercedes-Benz will no doubt have much to look forward to.