Audi, BMW, Mercedes and VW really need to up their game as the car industry evolves

The most deliciously unpredictable business of the last half century? That’ll be the global automotive industry, which has altered beyond all recognition since 1974.

In those 50 years, the former No.1 car-producing nation that is – or was – the USA has proved that it ain’t what it used to be, while Australia inexplicably expunged itself as a car-building country. Never mind – the likes of China (from nowhere to No.1) plus tiny South Korea (the new No.5) have quietly stepped in to replace them. And then some.

On the face of it, troubled manufacturers such as Rover and Daewoo died a natural death. Or were they cruelly murdered by a combination of bankers, clueless politicians, aggressive unions and – in Rover’s case – dodgy directors?

We also lost icons like the Jeep Cherokee on its 49th birthday and the Volkswagen Beetle after a production run of well over half a century. RIP both.

These important, somewhat sad, but in some respects inevitable changes demonstrate that nothing lasts forever. Every dog has its day. Let’s move on and raise the game, blah, blah.

But few, if any experts, analysts or consumers dared to forecast the unthinkable: that Germany – arguably the mass manufacturer of the greatest, most desirable and durable real-world cars from the 1970s to the 2010s – would take a massive step backwards in quality, credibility and value come the 2020s. But that, evidently, is what it’s done.

Until recently, Germany’s three best-selling premium mainstream brands had a real whiff of prestige, class and exclusivity. But not any longer, I fear. They’re to be admired for climbing up the sales charts and raking in the healthy profits necessary to keep them alive. But BMW and Audi comfortably outsell Ford in the UK. And Mercedes thrashes Vauxhall. Put another way, these ‘upmarket’ brands have become common as muck.

Split the 32 marques in the 2024 Driver Power survey into four divisions and BMW sits close to the bottom of Division 2. Mercedes and Audi (plus the sub-premium VW) do even worse as they languish in Div. 4, beaten by ‘lesser’ (or maybe not) Spanish, Czech, Romanian, British, French, Korean and American brands. Also, every Japanese marque is either ahead of, or way, way ahead of Audi, Merc, BMW – and VW.

Evidently, Audi has almost rock-bottom scores for value for money. Merc is considered woefully poor in areas such as running and servicing costs (and, incidentally, of the large and diverse bunch of friends, family and associates I have, those with Mercs complain the most to me about their cars and what they describe as appalling aftersales service when faults crop up). BMW is better, but it too scores badly for overall value and servicing costs (with borderline premium VW among the worst for quality and reliability).

These giants haven’t yet lost their reputation for making the greatest, most desirable and durable real-world cars. But if they don’t rapidly up their game in vital areas such as running and servicing costs, quality, reliability and value for money, they soon will.

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