It all started with Facebook. More accurately, with an appeal to auto and golf fans by Mercedes-Benz on its Facebook page for ideas for the golf cart of the future.
Ander Lynge, the co-founder of golf cart manufacturer Garia, stumbled upon it and made his own pitch. The result: a partnership with Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz, and three years later, a golf cart not designed for the masses.
The luxury Mercedes-Benz Style Edition Garia Golf, which was unveiled this week at the British Open at Royal Toon, comes with everything the well-heeled golfer might want. There’s a fridge tucked under the bench seat, a rear spoiler that doubles as a golf bag holder, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen that lets the driver or passenger display the layout of the golf course and their current position as well as activate an electronic scorecard. The touchscreen is also central control for many of the cart’s functions, including changing the driving mode to sport or eco, operating the headlamps, windscreen heater, and wipers.
The golf cart has many of the details you might find in a modern luxury sports car, which was the intention all along. The electric cart even has a front grille with an air intake slot, a common feature on automobiles.
The cart, which has a range of 50 miles and can reach a top speed of nearly 19 miles per hour, is equipped with a Bluetooth connection and speaker system. It also has a carbon fiber roof, leather interior, and wood decor. There are areas for holding golf balls and bottles, of course, and high-end details like headlamps with chrome inlays and 14-inch wheels, which are large for this kind of vehicle.
In its marketing materials, Mercedes uses breathy language, describing it as a product that is both “sensual and pure.” It’s not clear what this sensual and pure product costs; Mercedes didn’t reveal the price. Garia is advertising a four-passenger version with some, not all, of the luxury features for $23,196. Expect the two-seat golf cart that Mercedes unveiled to cost more.
Mercedes is retiring robots from its production line:
A golf cart might not seem like a big deal compared with the rest of Daimler’s business. But the German company has a deep interest—and numerous sponsorships as evidence—in sports, notably golf. The company is the official car and patron of the The Open (also called the British Open). It’s a major sponsor of other pro golf events, including the Masters.
The golf cart is also another way it’s able to connect with its luxury clientele. The company has worked on other luxury products through Mercedes-Benz Style, its design-focused and lifestyle division. In April, Mercedes and Silver Arrows Marine introduced the Arrow460-Granturismo, a 46-foot-long yacht loaded with amenities. The division has also developed luxury lighting and eyewear, a helicopter, and an airplane concept with Lufthansa Technik.
