Garia - The first real car on the golf course

You can’t call this a golf cart. Garia and Mercedes-Benz have cooperated and come up with the closest thing to driving an actual car from tee to green...

When Thomas Pieters received the Georg Jensen Trophy after finishing first in the European Tour, business man Lars Larsen, owner of Himmerland Golf and Spa Resort, entered the 18th green. And it says something about his choice of golf car that he caught the eye of everyone around him.    Garia only produces premium-class golf cars, but the Mercedes-Benz Style Edition Garia Golf Car takes that term to a whole new level. The cooperation between the two companies results in a vehicle which excels in both form and function.    But what makes this golf car differ from the rest of Garia’s luxurious fleet? The first thing to catch your eye is the design. Smooth carbon fibre is the primary ingredient and the entire composition just oozes luxury. The inspiration and most materials are taken directly from the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It’s simply not possible to miss the influence of the German car manufacturer.    “The people we target with this golf car have a customized lifestyle. Their car is customized and their golf clubs are customized, so why shouldn’t their golf car be unique? With our real sports car, we meet this demand,” Anders Lynge, Garia Co-Founder and Creative Director, explains.

MANY IMPROVEMENTS. But if we take a step closer and look at more than design, the Mercedes-Benz Style Edition Garia Golf Car has improvements on more than one level.    "This car mixes all of our experience and knowledge and takes it to a new level. We raised the level of design execution and the general quality with this car,” Lynge says.    Let’s get technical for a minute. This car only weighs 66 stone. A regular golf car usually hits 86 stone. That means quite a lot. First of all, the green keeper must be delighted, as the car puts less pressure on the grass. And the acceleration is increased, so you’ll be delighted as well. The decreased weight is because of the lithium battery in the Mercedes-Benz Style Garia.    But what does it go for? Acquiring this golf car will cost you £38,000. It’s in the high end of the price range, which Garia is quick to justify. According to them, they’re selling more than just a golf car or a vehicle. They are selling a concept, an idea and a brand.    “It’s the name. It’s the exclusivity. It’s a limited edition. A lot of work was put into the design of this golf car. All those thoughts are reflected in the price,” Anders Lynge explains.    The Mercedes-Benz Style Edition Garia Golf Car isn’t targeting your local country club, or indeed any regular golf club. It’s meant to appeal to individuals with a sense of style, exclusivity and luxury.    The philosophy behind it is clearly from elite car production rather than golf cart production. So, when looking at the price sign, it would be unfair to consider it as merely the price of a golf car.    Garia and Mercedes-Benz call it a “real sports car” in their description and rarely refer to it as a golf car. They’ve put work into making it drivable on roads and legal to drive in public. It’s not just a golf cart, but a multipurpose car for golfing. LAUNCH  AT ROYAL TROON. The “real sports car” was launched at The Open this year, where Garia and Mercedes-Benz tested the demand and interest. Since then, this limited-edition golf car has been seen in the United States and Denmark, where Garia showed it off.    A launch at Royal Troon really is in the spirit of golf, which satisfies both Mercedes-Benz and Garia. Mercedes-Benz has been a long time sponsor in the golfing world and their brand has a tight connection to golf and golfers. Making their way into the world of golf cars only makes sense at an event like The Open.    Presenting the car at Royal Troon is just as important to Garia. Co-Founder Anders Lynge is excited to show off the result of an important collaboration.    “This cooperation and product really establishes our position as the ultimate producer of luxury golf cars. We’re proud of cooperating with Mercedes-Benz and producing a revolutionary golf car,” Lynge says.    Garia and Mercedes-Benz are certainly aiming for a position in the world of golf cars similar to Royal Troon’s position in the world of golf courses.

 CONTROLLED BY COMPUTER. This premium-class golf car has yet another major point of distinction. Most features are controlled by a computer and can be programmed down to the exact details you need as an owner and a driver.    Actually, the whole golf car is controlled by this computer, which is navigated through an interactive display in the car. Even the fridge and its temperature can be adjusted through this tablet. In any other golf car, every switch and contact is wired individually so this is a big step up.    Add built-in WiFi and Bluetooth and you have a highly digitized golf car. You don’t see that every day. That, among other angles, features and details puts this vehicle on the absolute top of premium-class golf cars.    The Mercedes-Benz Style Edition Garia Golf Car can be pre-ordered now.