By: Dale Munatswa

Catching the attention of a classy and fabulous woman is not easy. Fairly it will take a man more than just good looks. Perhaps the latest version of a BMW or Benz will do the trick.

Character is everything. It is what makes the image of people. Certain objects, also known as ‘toys’ can actually enhance this image, this character. Usually, the price and the looks of the toy will determine the extent of this enhancement. This draws the focus to two of the latest SUV’s from two competing rivals of all time. In most cases, they need no mention but for the sake of continuity mentioning them won’t do any harm. The BMW’s X6 and the Mercedes-Benz’s GL-Class.

The course of time is failing to come up with a champion between these two rivals as they still fight against one another like the Salvatore brothers in vampire diaries. Without doubt, the BMW has managed to win the hearts of the young at heart and perhaps flamboyant while Mercedes Benz is mostly associated with well matured and well established people.

The two SUV’s are so far, arguably the best BMW and Mercedes Benz vehicles to be released this year. They both have excellence performance and features, but there always has to be one winner at the end of each race.

A car’s appearance makes it appealing not only to the owner, but also spectators on the road. One will take pride in having a small crowd of spectators and admirers of a car at a parking lot or on the road. The BMW X6 just does exactly that. It has a much slimmer body than the Mercedes-GL-Class. This makes it easier to get a parking spot at a crowded parking area with the X6 than with the Mercedes. One cannot help it but to take some time off whatever they will be doing to gaze at a passing Beemer with its 20” wheels which take the eyes and brain to a place unknown. Ladies love to have their minds blown away by such features

On the other hand, the GL-Class has a monstrous look on its face which gives the impression that it does not fear anything. This Mercedes has more space, due to its greater head and leg room than the BMW. Passengers in the backseat of the Mercedes-Benz GL class will find pleasure in sitting in the car for a longer time than those in the BMW X6. It also has a larger capacity for both passengers and cargo.

Features on both vehicles include, Bluetooth, heated seats, and power glass sunroof. However, the X6 has a remote controlled power glass sunroof, full LED lights and 20” tyre upgrades. It is rather obscured to customise a Mercedes-Benz-GL-Class. The car will not change much, but perhaps one would be adding value to it. Pimping a Mercedes-Benz is like cutting a Paul Smith suit right at the elbows, cutting the trousers at the knees and calling it style. Its doable and at the same time its ridiculous.

Performance is essential in every vehicle. When buying a car one should, by all means try to avoid any possibility of being humiliated when overtaken by a rather unpleasant looking vehicle on the freeway.

The X6 has 3.0L x drive 35d Diesel Engine and the Mercedes has the same engine but with 350cdi 4matic just to drive it a little bit further. This means that with the Mercedes, one will make fewer stops at the gas station than with the BMW because of its minimised fuel consumption and tank size. The BMW X6 has lower torque than that of the GL-Class so transmission of the GL-Class is way better than the BMW’s.

One is capable to pull heavier loads with the X6 than with the GL-Class since the previous has a higher horse power than the latter. With this kind of performance on the road, it is important that the driver of the car stays in control of it, that is it should be easy to handle. Shockingly, against the reputation for Benz’s vehicles excellent turning effect, the BMW X6 has a larger turning radius than the GL-Class.

BMW’s rival of all time,The Mercedes Benz GL-Class. Pictures courtesy of Google.

It then all comes down to the cost of the car. There are a lot of factors to consider when calculating the overall cost of a vehicle. The basic consideration is the Manufacturers Suggested Retailed Price (MSRP) the BMW X6’s MSRP is more expensive than that of the Mercedes-Benz GL class. This is mainly because of the latest technology features included in the car, such as the gear lever panels on the steering.

Another consideration is the destination charge, which is a standard charge for transporting the vehicle to the dealer from where it is manufactured. In this case both the Mercedes-Benz GL Class and the BMW X6 have similar destination prices. So not much comparison can be put on the price and affordability of the two vehicles.

It is by no doubt, that we are the ultimate decision makers for what we believe in. As much as technology is concerned, the war between BMW and Mercedes-Benz will never end. There are no two people with the same mindset, and therefore perceptions. It is, however, wiser to own both vehicles than one, and be the character your intended lady desires at any point in time.