Mercedes begins subscription service in Germany

Mercedes-Benz has introduced a ground-breaking vehicle subscription service that covers the cost of insurance, maintenance, repairs and even tyre wear for up to 36,000km a year.

Launched in Germany, the new Flexperience service has been designed to challenge the traditional ownership and leasing model.

Subscribe to the new service and customers can select and drive up to 12 new vehicles a year for one fixed monthly rental rate.

As part of the deal, customers have the choice of four models: the A-Class, C-Class, E-Class and even the luxurious S-Class limo.

As part of the service the users can select the engine, colour and interior options.

According to a spokesperson for Mercedes, the advantage of the Flexperience is the flexibility it offers. If you subscribe to a C-Class wagon but want an S-Class Cabriolet for your wedding day you can use the app-based service to upgrade — at extra cost — to your perfect car.

Mercedes says such requests can be made at "short notice", although multiple requests for a convertible on a Friday afternoon ahead of a sunny weekend might see some users disappointed.

Although it sounds perfect for enthusiasts with a short attention span or those who like to treat themselves to a more luxurious set of wheels every now and then, Mercedes has yet to officially announce pricing for the annual subscription service.

If the German trial proves successful, a similar pilot program will be launched in the US before being rolled out to other markets.

Addressing concerns that manufacturer-backed subscription services exclude dealerships, the new Flexperience scheme is managed by two of Germany's biggest dealers.