Mercedes-Benz is one of the staple premium brands in South Africa. Established in 1948, Mercedes-Benz is one of the largest automotive groups in South Africa with dealerships across the country and a presence in every province. Their efforts extend across both passenger and commercial sectors with the Daimler Group overseeing all efforts locally. The first Benz vehicle to be imported into South Africa was the 1896 Velo and official operations were established in 1948 when East London was chosen to be the official assembly site for Car Distributors Assembly.
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Over the years that followed, the East London plant became the first plant to manufacture Mercedes-Benz engines outside of Germany in 1973 and by 1986 was officially renamed to Mercedes-Benz South Africa. The plant continues to operate to this day and a recent 2018 investment of R3-billion ensures that the efforts will continue well into the future.
The East London plant produces both left- and right-hand drive C-Class models for local sales as well as international export.
Models
The Mercedes-Benz range of offerings is extensive with numerous sedans and SUVs offered in varying trim levels and with assorted engine options.
Hatchback
The A-Class model is available in both hatchback and sedan and is the smallest offering from Mercedes-Benz. It is followed by the B-Class which is one size up.
Sedan
The sedan range starts with the newest addition to the 4-door body shape, the A-Class sedan. From there it grows progressively with the C-Class sedan, E-Class sedan, S-Class and finally the Mercedes-Maybach luxury limousine.
Coupes
If you're looking for something a little more flashy, you could consider the 2-door coupe versions of the following; the C-Class, and E-Class. These are less suited for family use as ingress to the rear is somewhat compromised.
4-door Coupes
Ignore the anomaly that is a 4-door coupe, and opt for a more practical version of the 2-door offerings without sacrificing the style of a coupe. Here you would be looking at the CLA-Class, an A-Class-sized sedan with coupe-like styling.
SUVs and Crossovers
Undoubtedly the most popular choice for a family, a Mercedes-Benz Crossover or SUV will provide you with all the safety, convenience and practicality that one needs for a growing family. The range starts with the smallest, the GLA-Class. It is then followed, in order of size, by the GLB-Class, GLC-Class, GLC-Class Coupe (with 5-doors), GLE-Class, GLE-Class Coupe, and GLS-Class. One step further is the utilitarian-styled G-Class or G-Wagon. Mercedes-Maybach also offers a version of the GLS-Class.
Vans
For those with sizeable families, you may gravitate towards the Mercedes-Benz van line that consists of the V-Class and the Mercedes-Benz Vito. These multi-person vehicles (MPV) will seat as many as 8 persons and offer a flexible floor layout to allow for larger items to be carried as well.
Sportscars
You should be familiar with the high-performance division of Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG. Nearly all models in the Mercedes-Benz lineup are available in an AMG version. Choose carefully and you can get the best of both worlds, performance and practicality.
Mercedes-AMG is best known for the Mercedes-AMG GT, the 2-seater, 2-door sports car.
Running costs
Mercedes-Benz products are sold with a 2-year / unlimited km warranty and a 5-year / 100 000 km maintenance plan for peace of mind. Ownership costs out of warranty vary from model to model but Mercedes-Benz is widely regarded for having respectable service costs out of warranty when compared to other premium brands.
