Well I'm sorry, this car does not look "dated" at all - in fact I truly believe it is a much more forward-looking design than that of both the BMW 7er and Mercedes S class. The only reason you think it looks dated is because it has been around longer than the S class. If we are to be objective about it though, this is overall, the best designed vehicle of the three - the other two are far too preoccupied with out-doing each other with superfluous styling in an effort to attract buyers in the all-important US market, who they assume want more "decorative" designs. The A8/S8 is a much more pure and sophisticated design altogether - and in time, I'm sure more people (if they are not too blinkered by bias) will come to realize just how excellent this car really is.