BMW and Mercedes are the most popular German brands of luxury cars and their rivalry started more than 100 years ago. Which of the two manufacturers do you prefer: Daimler AG or BMW?

Mercedes-BMW rivalry

Mercedes-Benz overtook in 2016 BMW as the world's biggest selling luxury car brand. This is a great milestone for the Sttutgart-based manufacturer. This is the first time since 2004, that Mercedes outsold its ancestral rival BMW and also the first time Mercedes-Benz cars went past the 2 million mark ($ 2.23 million). 2016 was also good to the other two major German rivals. Audi and BMW also broke their own record. Audi sold $1.87 million (+3.8%) and BMW $2.3 million cars (including Mini and Rolls-Royce, +5.3%). Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have been in direct competition and led the luxury car segment worldwide for many years. From January to the end of September 2018, Mercedes sold 1,715,087 while BMW managed to register 1,566,216 units. This seems to consolidate Mercedes leadership.

Audi has experienced an enormous growth over the last 2 decades and even surpassed Mercedes in terms of global sales some years. However, we have decided to focus our debate on the rivalry between BMW and Mercedes-Benz. In fact, 2016 maked the centennial of the technological and commercial rivalry of the two German iconic brands. Their competition started with the creation of the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke in 1916, exactly 30 years after Karl Benz'invented the Patent-Motorwagen and Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach designed a gasoline powered stagecoach engine. The continuous competition for supremacy in the luxury segment pushed the two automakers to innovate and create top quality cars. Join our discussion and tell us which of the two brands is the best and why.

BMW vs Mercedes-Benz

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG , best known as BMW , is a German motorcycle, engine and car manufacturing company, which is headquartered in Munich. It was founded in 1916 as an aircraft-engine manufacturer, but after the First World War, the company was forced by the Versailles Armistice Treaty to stop this activity, and shifted to motorcycle and then automobile production in the 1920s. BMW has produced many successful luxury cars and is still one of the big players in the market. The firm also owns the Mini and Rolls-Royce brands.

, best known as , is a German motorcycle, engine and car manufacturing company, which is headquartered in Munich. It was founded in 1916 as an aircraft-engine manufacturer, but after the First World War, the company was forced by the Versailles Armistice Treaty to stop this activity, and shifted to motorcycle and then automobile production in the 1920s. BMW has produced many successful luxury cars and is still one of the big players in the market. The firm also owns the Mini and Rolls-Royce brands. Daimler AG is a German bus, truck and luxury automobile manufacturer, headquarted in Stuttgart. Daimler AG is the producer of the iconic Mercedes-Benz cars. This brand was first used in 1926 after merger of Benz & Cie (founded in 1883 by Karl Benz) and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (founded 1890 by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach). The brand Mercedes-Benz combines the last name of the maker of the first gasoline powered automobile, Karl Benz's Motorwagen (1886), and Mecedes, the brand Daimler used for its cars. Daimler AG is one of the best-selling luxury automakers in the world and also owns the brand Maybach. Mercedes is also successful in Formula One.

BMW and Mercedes-Benz are the most popular German brands of luxury cars. Both of them have earned the reputation for high quality, powerful and well-designed cars. BMW and Mercedes-Benz and are the preferred choice (and a dream) for millions of consumers worldwide.

Watch these videos with some of the best BMW and Mercedes-Benz cars

BMW vs Daimler: which manufacturer do you consider more prestigious? What are the main differences between the cars they produce?

BMW vs Mercedes-Benz: which of these two German car brands is better? Vote and let us know the reasons for your choice!