Quote:
Originally Posted by SDNR  ^ That's what I'd like to know 
Actually, to be absolutely honest, I think it all comes down to the market.
Take the S class interior for example, it is so middle-class in terms of its aesthetics. This is primarily because the vast majority of the market has very middle-class taste.
This is not a criticism ....it is just the way it is.
When I use the term 'middle-class' or 'bourgeois' I am not speaking specifically of socio-economic status -- but purely about the tastes which make up the widest group of consumers who will own an S class.
I will be more specific and suggest that it is predominately tailored to the middle-class tastes of an affluent North American market. This is the market which dictates that the interior must still contain wood (for example) ...but also dictates the subtle retro elements which make very direct emotional connections with the observer.
This is a very good example of what I would call 'bourgeois taste' -- this represents the widest market for a product like the S class. It is very status-conscious ...containing archetypal elements which have deep-rooted cultural references to affluence and preconceived notions of 'good taste'. 
Designers are influenced by what is happening at the very highest levels of culture -- a lot of compromises have to be made when translating these influences into a mainstream product.
So you've really got a situation where you are trying to balance the high-culture ideals of the designers concepts with the much more conservative and predictable tastes of the market. |
Thanks Rob. Once again I really got a lot from your explanation there. Previously when you used the term 'middle class' I always assumed you were making reference to socio economic status. Now its making much more sense to me.
I've just been noticing over the past few weeks that even on the sets of US TV shows, this sort of 'style' or 'design' is prevalent and used to convey a sense of affluence. It's appealing, but its certainly isnt cutting edge, like the interiors of most luxury cars.
I would say all 3 germans are still very much taking into account this market when designing their interiors, Mercedes perhaps to the greatest extent with the S-class interior. It's a shame they just aren't pushing the boundaries a bit more. Sometimes the market has to be educated/trained
