For the most part, my car history reads pretty much like a scrapyard inventory. It’s not something I’m particularly proud of, but it’s a fact I cannot deny. I have only ever sold one car as going concern and, apart from that blip, I have always been the last registered owner.

Saying that, I owned a nine-month-old burgundy, Renault Laguna for a spell between 1999 and 2001. It was the most luxurious to date and I returned it more or less intact to the lease company when the contract came to an end.

So, when I was given the opportunity to drive the latest Mercedes has to offer as part of a Press Day at the hugely impressive Mercedes World, in Surrey, I felt all my car sins had been forgiven.

Sadly, the cars were only mine for an allotted time of 20 to 30 minutes to drive around the byways and highways of Weybridge. I found it impossible to really get a real feel for how any of the three cars I drove perform away from the A roads, but I was able to appreciate to a small degree what it must be like to own a Mercedes.

Firstly, I put the low-profile four-wheel drive GLA220 CDI 4matic AMG through its paces for 10 minutes or so at an off-road course on the complex, built within the former Brooklands race track, ably assisted by instructor Cliff.

Despite being the same ride height as a regular saloon, it dealt admirably with wheel-deep water hazards, boulders and steep side-on inclines, admittedly at a crawl, but enough to prove a point of being able to deal with these difficulties regardless of its low skirts.

The standard model comes with a 7-speed automatic gearbox and can be yours for a respectable £31,035, but the price goes up as you decide which of the multitude of extras you add.

My next Mercedes' experience came in the sleek, head-turning CLA 220 CDI Sport. The tidy, but instrument filled full spec dash has a 5.8in tablet-style colour display with a useful and accurate sat-nav. A seven-gear automatic gearbox is jumpy, but in sport mode, via steering wheel mounted paddles, the throttle response and gearshifts sharpen up to give comfort and a little more oomph.

Extras include blind spot assist wing mirrors which alerts the driver to vehicles either side of the car and four-way lumber support and heated seats ensure full comfort.

The main downside is lack of headroom in the rear seats – anyone over 6ft would have a neckache in no time. Also the restricted visibility through the windscreen thanks to the huge rear view mirror assembly is an irritating obstruction at traffic lights.

Still, an impressive drive and, with a starting price of £29,355, brings luxury within reach.

While similar to the CLA 220, the E350 Bluetec AMG cabriolet also has the power to turn heads. The ride was pretty much the same as the 220, as was the jumpy gearbox, and includes the full range of accessories and luxury add-ons. Unfortunately the roof stayed up during my 20-minute spell due to heavy rain, which also put paid to any chance to test its agility.

With a standard price of £45,840 leaping to £53,875 with the extras on show in my test model, the cost of this little beauty is £44,000 higher than my most expensive car purchase to date and twice the cost of my first house, a three-bedroom, Victorian terrace. Sadly, this means I may have to wait a while before driving one of these off the forecourt.

In the meantime, I will have to wander dreamily around the showrooms at Mercedes World, which, by the way, is open to everyone and offers you the opportunity to freely look around the displays of vintage cars and a collection of Formula 1 cars - an ideal way for any car lover to while away a few hours.

You never know, you might even fall in love with a shiny new or used Mercedes and find yourself in this exclusive club. For details got to www.mercedes-benzbrooklands.co.uk/