The lowdown
The name says it all – Mercedes-Benz World. Situated next to the historic Brooklands race circuit and museum in Weybridge, Surrey, this multi-million pound group of designer buildings is Mercedes’ shiny new experience centre. Sitting in 60acres of parklands, it’s the ultimate one-stop Mercedes shop, with everything from a conference centre to an off-roading circuit. It joins eight other similar centres across the world, from Stuttgart to Singapore to Durban, but it’s easily the biggest and the only facility to have its own test track. With nine million potential customers living within an hour’s drive of Brooklands, Mercedes expects 300,000 visitors a year. It’s open seven days a week and entry is free. To save you the trek, we jumped the queue and had a look at the highlights…
Testing, testing
One of the key attractions will be the centre’s bespoke test tracks and off-road facilities. The test tracks were designed by MIRA, the Motor Industry Research Centre, and there are just under two miles of dynamic handling courses, including a wet skidpan and a 10-acre off-road circuit. There are 32 instructors on hand, all skilled drivers and many with motor racing experience, and the facilities have been designed to handle a dozen cars at any one time. It’s the ultimate test drive facility, with every model in the Mercedes range available to customers. And the handling circuits are not exclusive to those buying a car – there are a number of driving packages on sale, with prices starting at £25 for a ten-minute test session. Not cheap then…
Time travel
Mercedes has crammed a century of its motoring heritage into the centre, with the first car ever produced by Karl Benz in 1886 rubbing shoulders with the latest SL55 AMG. Other highlights include the iconic Gullwing and a multi-media exhibition of the SL range of cars. The history lesson extends outside to the original Brooklands racing circuit that surrounds the Mercedes site. Parts of this have been preserved, including the famous Brooklands banking and the Railway Straight, and are now open for the first time in 50 years.
Simulated factory tour
The ‘Build’ section of MBW uses sensory perceptive moving chairs and three-dimensional goggle to re-create the C-class factory floor. Strapped into the seats in front of a large cinema screen, visitors become the car as it passes along the production line, with the moving seats simulating the welding, assembly and spray paint sections of the factory.
Start them young…
Greenlaners will be able to get muddy in a bespoke 10-acre off-road course within the grounds, testing the GL and M-class vehicles under instruction from trained 4×4 specialists. Children shouldn’t get too bored either – those over 1.5metres tall will be able to drive either a Smart or A-class along the Railway Straight. Shorties will have to make do with the dedicated ‘kids zone’ which offers round-the-clock supervision and interactive problem solving lab. A bit like physics and chemistry, but more fun, apparently.
And the rest…
There’s more. On arrival you can watch an introductory film about Mercedes’ history and the Mercedes-Benz World in the on-site cinema. There are shops, a café, the Gullwing restaurant and display of films stills that have starred Mercedes cars. Early next year David Coulthard will open one of his five-star Columbus hotels next door to the centre. The 100-room hotel will feature a gym, swimming pool, hydro baths, relaxation room and sauna.