After buying a house, a car is probably the second biggest purchase that a consumer makes – unless, as is entirely possible with a car like Mercedes, the car costs more than the house.
Have the Germans used Mercedes.co.uk to reinforce its brand while at the same time offering a decision-making tool for potential buyers? The site is extremely thorough in ways you
would expect: models with price lists, performance facts, financing information and insurance and dealer networks. But what is even more impressive are the peripheral features and services.
Mercedes produces cars "designed for living and engineered to last." The shiny emblem sits boldly at the front of the car defining all that is great about the brand. The brand would have us believe that its product is not just a car but an experience, and this translates beautifully on the website. It is comprehensive and, as one might expect from an engineering company, offers obvious attention to detail. It is also quite absorbing, with sections including The World of Mercedes, The Story of Passion and Personal Collection.
Personal Collection is an exclusive concept. Having decided to choose a Mercedes car, you can arrange to collect it in person from one of the factories in Germany. Through the site you can reserve flights, four-star hotel rooms, taxis -- everything to ensure that you arrive in style. Once in Germany, you can visit the three factories (having already learned about each from the website) as well as the Stuttgart museum (offering a history on the first cars and classic motors). Can't afford to travel to Germany? Click on Classic Mercedes and be virtually transported to the Stuggart museum via vintage Mercedes models.
Once you have picked up the car of your dreams you can then enjoy the drive back through the German countryside, having mapped your route previously from the website –assuming of course that your new motor doesn't have a built-in navigation system.
In the Go To section you can immerse yourself in Mercedes detail (and yes, it lives up to the legendary German approach to detail). The virtual journey delivers information on personalities who have shaped the brand, profiles on the inventors and the racing drivers, and thoughts on how to deliver customer orientation and safety design features. Open the Motor Sports page and you are transported to a racing track where, through a timeline, you can meet racing drivers of the past.
Personal Collection is an exclusive concept. Having decided to choose a Mercedes car, you can arrange to collect it in person from one of the factories in Germany. Through the site you can reserve flights, four-star hotel rooms, taxis -- everything to ensure that you arrive in style. Once in Germany, you can visit the three factories (having already learned about each from the website) as well as the Stuttgart museum (offering a history on the first cars and classic motors). Can't afford to travel to Germany? Click on Classic Mercedes and be virtually transported to the Stuggart museum via vintage Mercedes models. 