BMW and Mercedes are the two most iconic German luxury carmakers that have been in constant war over the luxury car market for decades. BMW is a brand known for its more youthful approach because BMW primarily focuses on driving dynamics, technology, and futuristic design.
Mercedes is the classier brand of the two and most Mercedes models are known for their unbridled elegance, superior levels of comfort, and the badge. Comparing these two is like comparing Samsung to Apple because they are head-on competitors, they dominate the luxury car market, and have both been around for quite a while.
BMW is Samsung, a more daring, inventive brand that does not get nearly as much shine as Mercedes, the Apple. As far as enthusiasts are concerned, they are always likely to go for a BMW because a BMW is a driver’s choice, while the general public likely prefers Mercedes because of what it is.
Mercedes is the more successful brand because it sells way more cars than BMW and it started offering cars on a larger scale way before BMW did. These two have been neck-in-neck for a really long time now, but we are going to separate facts from fiction and tell you why one is better than the other.
BMW – The driver’s choice
BMW was founded back in 1916 in Munich Germany and it became a major automotive brand a few decades ago. Nowadays BMW manages to sell more than 2.2 million cars each year which earns them a revenue of 112.24 billion euros. The most popular BMW models are the BMW 3-Series, the BMW X1, the BMW 5-Series, the BMW X5, and the BMW 7-Series.
BMW is not only in the car-making business because they once were a major player in the aero-engine industry, especially during WW2. BMW also makes motorcycles and they used to hold the world record for the world’s fastest motorcycle back in 1937 when a BMW on two wheels managed to reach 174 miles per hour.
It’s also worth mentioning that BMW almost went bankrupt in the 1940s and 1950s and it was almost devoured by Mercedes. However, BMW managed to avoid being devoured by Mercedes because a wealthy private investor stepped in at the very last moment.
Nowadays BMW is a successful premium luxury car company focusing on luxury and technology. It may not be the Spartan performance car brand it once was because people want luxury more than speed.
Mercedes – “THE” luxury car brand
Ten years after BMW was founded, Mercedes came to be thanks to a few wealthy individuals who wanted to make the best cars the world has ever seen. Also counting more than 2 million cars sold each year, the Mercedes brand manages to earn a revenue of 167.69 billion euros which made it a more successful brand than BMW, at least in 2021.
The most popular Mercedes models are the Mercedes Benz C-Class, the GLA, the GLC, the E-Class, and the mighty S-Class. Karl Benz, the brand’s father is actually the one who invented the first car back in 1886 and is also the first person to ever have a driver’s license.
Mercedes is now focused on making luxurious, elegant, classy cars designed for those who want to be noticed, but also want to enjoy the most comfortable experience. Mercedes was the world’s most inventive car brand by far as old S-Class models pioneered most of the features we see in luxury cars today.
Mercedes was also struck hard by the end of WW2, but the company managed to survive thanks to great post-WW2 cars such as the Mercedes 300SL.
Conclusion
Mercedes is the more successful brand and it enjoys better recognition in the industry. BMW is not far behind in any way, but it simply does not make it to compete with Mercedes to the fullest. Mercedes typically takes the win when it comes to dynamic cars and cars that are closer to the “entry-level” segment.
On the other hand, Mercedes usually enjoys a much better market reception when it comes to the high-end car market, especially when you consider that Mercedes manages to sell two S-Classes for every BMW 7-Series sold. BMW makes more exciting and youthful cars, but Mercedes is the one that takes the cake as far as stats and facts are concerned.
FAQ Section
Who makes better cars BMW vs Mercedes?
When it comes to who is making better cars, it’s difficult to give a straight answer. To closest thing to a straight answer would be saying that BMW bests Mercedes in certain segments while Mercedes bests BMW in others. For example, the BMW X7 bests the Mercedes Benz GLS in most regards, but the Mercedes Benz GLA bests the current BMW X1 in most regards.
This means that these two brands are able to trade punches for days and the reality is that the newer model typically wins over the older one. This means that whoever makes newer comparable models is the one who makes the better car in each category, except for high-end categories.
Who makes more reliable cars BMW vs Mercedes?
Comparing brands for reliability is difficult as it usually means that you need to take into account how reliable millions upon millions of cars are while also comparing them between each other. However, most online sources state that BMW manages to make more dependable cars overall, but the differences are rather marginal.
Either way, these can only serve as somewhat of a reminder that BMW manages to make more dependable cars, but this is not enough for you to pick BMW over Mercedes. Maintenance costs are expensive with both brands and it’s the same story with replacement parts and service costs.
Who makes better sports cars BMW vs Mercedes?
When it comes to making sports cars, BMW is the way to go because BMW models enjoy a more driver-oriented appeal in every segment there is. Some models like the BMW M3 are always going to enjoy more praise than the comparable Mercedes model, the C63. This is even more apparent now when Mercedes went for a 4-cylinder in the C63.
All in all, BMW makes better sports cars, but Mercedes makes better high-end sports cars and supercars. Mercedes has vast experience in dominating the F1, but that only plays significance with cars such as the Mercedes Project 1, a multi-million dollar hypercar.