12 Jun 06
I sent my father for a drive in the Lexus this month, with fascinating results.
For the past 30 years, Dad has been a dedicated following of the three-pointed star. Back in the 70s, when he was blessed with a taut waistline and a full head of hair, he ploughed his hard-earned into a second-hand E-class. This was followed, in the 80s and 90s by a succession of new cars, as the business grew and Dad's hair receded.
By the late 90s, though, the three-pointed star was losing its lustre. Like so many Mercedes owners, my father had little time for gadgets or gizmos - he'd only just succumbed to the CD revolution - but he valued the cars' solidity and integrity. Our early 90s (W124) E-class was sensational, but the car that followed (W210 for Merc boffins) was a retrograde step. It was Matalan to the old car's Conran. The plastics were rubbish, but even this wasn't enough to shake Dad's faith and, after retiring, he swapped the E-class for a nearly new C270CDi, which he owns to this day.
Whatever their recent failings, Dad remains committed to the Mercedes brand - which makes his admiration for the Lexus all the more surprising.
