Easy As 1-2-3? YOU Rank The Premium German Car Companies And Give Us YOUR Outlook

BMW MB = tie for 1st place If BMW dose not do somthing about its lease speacials soon it has a lot of prestige points to loose. If they both merged what good is there to come out of the new company? (Chrysler/MB)

Audi not so distant 2nd place May need more carismatic styling over the to conservitve styling that atracts MB/ BMW drivers.

— upwards (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 2:50:10 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

BMW: ?
Mercedes ?
Audi ?

— DoctorC (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 3:53:54 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -6   

BMW 1st
Audi 2nd
MB 3rd
I disagree with that because I think BMW has style and performance at the same time. I think they push the book on styling because you have to think the 5 series when the new shape hit in 2004 I thought it was the ugliest 5 series I seen now most people are saying its a sexy car especially with the sport package on it the same goes for the 2002 BMW 7er I hated that car when it first dropped because they did stay true to the design from the mid-late 90's. It took about a year for it to grow on me and to see why BMW took that particular direction in design for the 5 and the 7 series. It was different,VERY BOLD than anything else that was out there. If you guys ask me Chris Bangle did a HELL of a job with the 5,6,and 7 series without a dount he put BMW on the map with his disticntive styling.

but if you look at MB you can see from each model since 1997 (the year which started the buggy eyed look) with the e-class until now you can see where they were going each time they remodeled their car. they were pretty much playing it safe as for audi I think almost all audis look alike pretty much no diferrentiation in design.....again they are playing it safe. and im not saying thats not working for Audi and MB because people are still buying them up.....but no one expected the 2002 7er or the 2004 5er to come out the way they did I thought at least it would be a continuation of the previous models but is was way off from what i was thinking. then again they pretty much have 1st place in the performance category also that includes all their basic models and the M models they always get high scores when compared to other cars in that category. I like all 3 of the Big 3 in germany in my own way but I just love bold look of BMW and of course their performance they are bringing to the game.

— B7FAN (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 9:13:49 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

i meant to say they DIDNT stay true to the 7er design from the mid-late 90's.

— B7FAN (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 9:15:39 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

yup, M-B, Audi, BMW

— njsidekick3 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 9:31:55 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

you know you guys are quick to deboost someone but you dont leave an explanation why. you dont state your argument or nothing just deboost. you should have to take a car enthusiast quiz when you hit the deboost button for some of you lame A$$e$ on here and I think you know who you are
I see how it is though you FAKE A$$ car enthusiasts!!!!!!!

— B7FAN (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 1:06:20 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

can any of you so called enthusiast back your deboosting up on my article or do you people just play follow the leader."will the real car enthusiasts PLEASE STAND UP" I was deboosted 6 times and not one comment you people are as FAKE as FAKE can get i though I was dealing with some real enthusiats here but you keep playing follow the leader and i will find a primary site with some real enthusiats.

— B7FAN (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 4:28:02 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

agree wit 001

— rumnyc (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 4:47:02 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

1.MB
than the rest.

— 528i (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 5:54:42 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Such generalization misses relevants details.

Compact cars:
1. Mercedes B-class (tiny outside and huge inside, stylish, smart)
2. BMW 1er (drives well that's it, fails anywhere else, cramped, ugly, pricey)
3. Audi A3 (if I want a Golf, I buy a Golf, not a Golf with an Audi badge and a 30% higher price)

Midsize cars:
1. BMW 3er | Audi A4 (BMW 335i, M3 and small diesels tech over Audi, Audi looks over BMW)
3. Mercedes C (not good enough but strong as the 250CDI twin turbo)

Large cars:
1. Mercedes E class (simply beyond the other two in terms of comfort, technology, safety, coupe looks good)
3. Audi A6 | BMW 5er

Flagships:
1. Mercedes S class | BMW 7er
3. Audi A8 (falls short of the others in virtually any way)

— MrBratwurst (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 7:18:19 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

1. BMW - M cars are reasons 1, 2 and 3 for their special appeal.
2. Porsche – the 911 is timeless. It makes you forget about what’s that other car….Pana…something.
3. Mercedes-Benz – probably makes the best looking cars (S, SL & CL class). When it comes down to writing the cheque, I’d still rather plunk it on the 3-pointed star. At least it holds its value. Something I doubt the next brand can.
4. Audi – if they only produced the R8, they’d be the best car company in the world.

— weaponX (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 8:03:54 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

1 BIMMER - Raw power, fun, excitement
2 AUDI - Gorgeous exterior, interior, handling
3 MERC - S-Class and CL-Class are the only ones that appeal to me

I kind of looked at which had the most models I could see myself actually purchasing.

— adamsaf723 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 9:21:17 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Generalizing these three brands is difficult, but here are my thoughts:

1) BMW has proven itself the leader of the three and the target of almost every competitor (whether from Germany, the States, or Japan). Their mainstay line up is very solid (3, X5, 7, Z4, M cars) and the forthcoming redesigned 5 and X3 should show great improvements as well. BMW is my personal favorite just because they are one of the few manufacturers that still offers 6MT's.

2) Mercedes has quietly been upgrading its product range. The S-Class is still the benchmark of pretty much every car. The new E sedan and coupe look great. The ML and GL have been solid sellers. The C is greatly improved (as a former C320 owner and current 328i owners, I would take the BMW anyday). The SL is getting a little old, but still is an incredible car. Plus, AMG is probably the best in house tuner out there (M may produce sportier cars, but AMG's presence throughout the entire line up is incredibly impressive). I feel Mercedes lost its way a couple of years ago with poor quality (my family had one of the first M-Classes built and it was perpetually at the dealer) and dillution of their range (see the R-Class). With their new products and improved quality (my parents' '05 ML350 has been bulletproof for example) their fortunes are looking up.

3) Personally, I have never been a big fan of Audi's. They have really turned their image around recently with the R8 and other srong designs. However, having trailed in third place for so long, expectations were set lower. It is ironic that Audi fans rag on BMW for its lease deals when so many of the A4's that are sold are with the four banger 2.0T and are based models. The A6 is bloated and forgettable. The A8 still looks great, but is awfully old (I know the replacement is forthcoming). The TT is much improved, but it still based on a VW platform and is still a chick's car. The A/S5 looks great, but it (like pretty much every Audi) is so front heavy. The Q5 looks great, but the Q7 is atrocious. The A3 is small and lame. Audi needs to keep working hard to continue its sales increases. However, like any popular fad, they risk burning out.

— HSCenterconsole (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 9:27:48 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Easy. Porsche is first. Mercedes second. BMW third. Audi/VW fourth and fifth. And that's how Germans consider the ranking as well.

— 204E60 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 10:36:18 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Theoretically, if I was blindfolded outside these 3 cars only allowed to touch them, or especially was blindfolded while driving, the most convincingly GERMAN car maker with GERMAN car values would go like this:

1. BMW
2. Audi
3. Mercedes

— schnell330i (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 11:03:01 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Performance- and quality-wise, Porsche could be the best, but it's relatively niche.

Of the major (and volume) 3, all factors considered:

Audi
BMW
MB

BMW I think is tops on performance, but these days, it seems they hire axe-men for their exterior designs. I don't universally dislike their designs (e.g. I LOVE the existing 5er, save for its headlamps), but they seem to have lost the design balance of aggression AND subtlety, something Audi is really rocking right now. MB, IMO, neither completely comes out on top design-wise nor performance-wise. Not bad at all, but just not consistent enough.

Right now, when BMW or MB is about to release a new design, I wait with bated breath to see if it will look good or not; with Audi, it's usually HOW GOOD it will look (more effort on their SUV rear designs, though).

But my dream car is a BMW engine/RWD in an Audi body.

— dotuno (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 12:24:49 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Audi
BMW
MB

— PerformanceGuy (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 1:03:00 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

OT: When does the new E-Class arrive in showrooms? Sometime this month?

— Deutschland (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 1:14:20 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Porsche
BMW
MB
Audi

— thstone (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 2:19:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

BMW-1
Audi-2
MB-3

— jibnayman1 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 2:25:10 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

The 5-series in that pic looks horrible.

— LexSucks (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 2:39:52 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

thanks 001, I read somewhere that they had moved up the arrival date but that information must of been false.

— Deutschland (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 2:43:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

BMW it looks the best, a drivers car except for the X3 they look good.

AUDI they look the same in different sizes but they look better than MB

MB hate the look of most of their cars, the interior in the C and new E looks really ugly, the S class looks dated old also inside.

— MPowerDK (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 3:20:37 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -7   

Leaving personal tastes and bias out of this - cannot change an ignorant fool, the ranking is simple: From a business perspective and which company has the most mojo going on right now is quite obvious. As BMW and MB sink in debt and are deeply mired in the red with sinking profits and futures not so certain, only one carmaker has the strength and the profits at this time to move forward in ways the others will not be able to as they try to stabilize their businesses. This puts Audi easily on top as the only profitable German premium brand giving the advantage on spending more on their business expansion and their R&D than BMW and MB. Plus, being part of the VW-Audi (and now Porsche) Group allows for advantages that BMW and MB can only dream of.

1. Audi 2. MB 3. BMW

— VISO (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 3:39:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

This thread was obviously intended to incite a "flame war", but I'll bite. I have owned two BMWs, a Benz and two Audis, so (inspite of my current handle) I think I'm qualified to offer an opinion on this subject.

Historically I have gotten a new car every 4 years on average. Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Infiniti, Jaguar, Lexus and Mercedes are the marques I pay the most attention to, especially the so-called "luxury sports sedan" or GT models. It seems that I tend to buy the brand that has most recently come out with a new model. That newest model will generallly have better power, interior room, handling, fuel economy than the competing model.
My most recent purchase has been the 2009 Audi A4 2.0 T equipped with the sport suspension, though the BMW 335i and Cadillac CTS were close competitors. I will probably buy the new S4 once it becomes available in the States, but if the other guys come out with a competing model that is roomier, better-handling, faster, more fuel-efficient, etc. I'll buy that. (Because of my height, headroom and legroom are especially important to me.)

— Audiphile (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 3:50:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

Actually the Germans dont excell in muliple things, they pick something and do it very well.

BMW

1. In Performance
2. Technology
3. Interiors


Audi

1 In Interiors
2. Performance
3. Technology


Mercedes

1. In Technology and Performance
3. Interiors

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 5:55:29 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

After MB everything else is just called a car. Safety, reliability, performance (especially if we talk about AMG models), luxury and rigid body. Now BMW has been proved not that safe but the last years they build some really cool cars. Audi's are copies of BMW and MB. My opinion. For me the list is
1)Mercedes Benz
2)BMW
3)Audi
The list can change depending on the models we're comparing each time and it's difficult to judge if you haven't owned the particular cars. (I'm a MB fan)

— andriko (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 6:12:42 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Porsche up.
Audi up.
Mercedes steady.
BMW down.

Do research and you'll find that incentives are higher the further down that list you go. Cool must = poor.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 7:37:27 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Big deal about safety, youre driving a hunk of metal that weighs a ton and a half. In all cars the chance of living through a head on collision is 10%. No cars are safe until we get the days of Demolition Man were you get foamed in a crash or I-Robot were the carbon frame is so strong survivl is almost guaranteed.

— HyundaiSmoke (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 7:44:36 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

If we are talking about the entire line of cars from top to bottom I'd say Porsche is consistently the best, even if it's not included in the question. All of their cars are high performers, well built and hold their looks and value over the decades.

Second place is really a toss up between BMW and Benz. BMW wins on performance throughout the lineup, and has more momentum in recent years and these days is generally "cooler". MB wins on having cars that are cherished throughout the years. The styling on the new E and S classes are classier which wins for the luxury class these cars are in but the bottom of the lineup has been weaker than BMW until recently.

Audi, despite coming on strong in sales and reputation would be listed as a distant third by almost
anyone who doesn't spend their time on sites like this. For those like ourselves Audi is giving BMW a real challenge in prestige, performance and their interiors are better too. They are decades away from a reputation among the masses that exceeds MB on class and prestige.

— 2nynbak (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 9:04:15 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

MB - down
Audi - down
BMW - Waaaaay down

Lexus - it has left the orbit :)

— sector (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 9:49:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

It's harder than I thought, each of those has cars that I love and cars that I dislike.

Like
Bmw: M3 and M5.
Audi: RS4 is amazing.
MB: SL65 and the Black Series are nuts. I'm also liking G-wagen

Dislike:
Bmw: Z series, 6 series, 4 door 3 series.
Audi: TT and A3
MB: E class and GLK.

— Skyboss (View Profile)

Posted on 6/9/2009 10:08:15 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

1. BMW - steady to slight decline. X6 and GT are not going to attract a lot of new buyers IMO. They need to bring over cars like the 123d/130i/320d/323d etc... at a reasonable cost to generate sales increases. Move focus back to cars and forget these minivan/X6 ideas.
2. MB - Steady as she goes. Overall a nice lineup. New performance cars are more focused than ever, good designs but nothing to stir up a lot of sales interests.
3. Audi - Up - on a roll with cars like the R8/R10, new V6 S4 etc... ahead of the game in focusing on smaller engines, lighter frames etc... good overall product - style, performance, cost, green/economy

— valhallakey (View Profile)

Posted on 6/10/2009 3:56:25 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

1 Porsche
2 Mercedes AMG cars only
3 Audi S cars only

BMW's are Busted Mercedes sent back to Weissach!

— pennfootball (View Profile)

Posted on 6/11/2009 2:13:25 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2