German Car Zone

I would greatly appreciate an explanation of how this is so shonguiz ...thanks

Hi Artist,
you are correct -- note that the bottom edge of the window now is level with the bonnet of the vehicle and the line where the A-pillar meets the body of the vehicle. It is a small detail, but it has caused me some anxiety as to why the designers chose to do it this way. Shonguiz suggests it is to to with safety regulations ...I await his explanation as I am quite perplexed about that.

BTW, I am not completely satisfied with my PS either -- I feel the curve of the windowsill could be better -- but it gives a general impression of my point.

However, Carlton was quite right in his observations about that line, it does have a logical connection with what is going on with the rear of the vehicle -- I guess I will get used to it.

yeah i get your point now..
it could be one of 2 thiings..
either its something to do with security.. or its a design feature that the MB designers feel is hot..

but then again its a darn small detail that most ppl dont even think about..
let me tell you what most ppl are like..
My friends GF sat in my C class.. previously she had been driven by me on several occasions in my S class..
Guess what she said the first time she sat in the C.. she said..
Nice car this one feels much more roomier than your last car..
Me and my friend wanted to throw her off the car at 100km/h..haha

LOL ....that's women for you


I know what you mean though Artist ...only people obsessed with cars like us really care about all the details.

Interesting ps there Rob, however like I said earlier raising door design causes a problem, body mass. If your going to change the door panels you would have to redesign the whole profile of the vehicle.


Remember this, The design work of a Mercedes vehicle is to function first, aesthetics next. it`s all there for a reason.

I was also observing the 7er`s whole design in comparison to the S. The cut in the A-pillar is also high
and it connects to the crease in the boot. The doors are still lower. The body doesn`t arch down like the S though

Thanks ^^^ ...and you are, of course, right about that.

Rob i am terribly sorry for this late reply, i completely forgot to answer but here it's: As you know, new Euro laws for pedestrians security are now much more strict and to make a car safer for pedestrians you have to do basicly this:

• Make the front end of the Car very vertical
• Group all the air cooling zones or make one single big zone on the front like Audi with its single frame
• And finally and this is what intersts us, you have to design cars with higher bonnets and then higher A-pillar. But when you do that the proportions of Wing-bonnet become loud and this is why mercedes uses that line you hate, it's here to avoid loud proportions

The is another aspect of this issue: most aerodynamic problems come due open cooling zones - open zone in the front produce turbulent air flow, leading to worse Cd / Cx drag coefficient. Car makers (incl. BMW) are working on solution to better the drag - with closing the grille when cooling is not necessary. So in the case when engine doesn't need extra cooling special lamellas behind grille net / bars close the opening, and so the aerodynamic drag is reduced.

And in such case a single grille, or big grille opening is a huge advantage - since it is easier to implement the lamellas.

Therefore BMW are heading towards huge twin-kidney grille.

Check this thread: http://www.germancarzone.com/concept...ai-2007-a.html (BMW presenting 3 interior design concepts at DESIGNMAI 2007)

BMW are showing some very interesting interior design studies in Berlin.


Btw, have you noticed the following terminology has been used when describing the design philosophy behind CS concept:

• "Layering",
• "Reduced design",
• "Tranquility",
• "New Luxury",
• "Coherency",
• "Evolution",
• "Modernity".

Time moves on and I have come to find this detail more and more interesting.