The Merc is a blend of the past and the present, with a little sprinkle of the future. While the bimmer is future with a nice touch of the past.

I think we've all given Audi a bit too much credit prematurely. If you look at the R8, in no way does it represent 'Vorsprung Durch Technik'. There's nothing about the design that say's it was influenced by technical requirements or the application of new technologies. Even the LED's have been implemented for the sake of seeking attention, not for technical advancement. It's all a bit too try hard and tacky, and even then the car doesn't take your breath away.

Also, look at the new ‘Cross Coupe’ concept, it's carries on with the existing Audi design language, but in no way is it as thoroughly resolved as their current range. It also bring NOTHING new to the table in terms of design.

AUDI hit a masterstroke when they applied the BOLD grill to a somewhat staid design language and range of vehicles. It provided the perfect balance. Their dilemma now lays with evolving a range of worthy successors and moving the design forward. And it’s clear they are struggling with this greatly. The A5 is a nice looking car, great looking even, but it's design is in NO WAY pure Audi. It also sits rather incongruously with the R8, TT and the new Cross Coupe concept. While some have said it represents an emotive evolution to the current design language, isn’t it a case that Audi’s current design language draws interest, appeal and emotion from its cool and crisp aesthetic…not misplaced curves and creases.

The shooting brake concept was also extremely unconvincing and had scant appeal. There’s a reason why it was CANNED. A vehicle that was also supposed to represent Audi's design future!!

Most of us are guilty to this, but I believe we’ve all be tooting Audi’s trumpet a bit too much and perhaps even prematurely.

much like when i said previousely that the audi concept of rectangualr lights surrounding a gaping grill can only go so far.
audi are hitting the limit of how creative you can be with the design langauge they have oversued so extensively
their trademark design elemnts are too obvious and too massive, moreover too essential to their full design to be molded or modifeied extensively
it\s not like the kink or the merc grill, where the first is not open to reinterpretation but does not massively influence a whole design, and the second which can be redrawn in a trillion ways
audi has put itself in the corner of design, they need to find a way back
they can keep their grill, but they totally need to reinterpret their language
i am not a particular fan of the R8, it is interesting, but not cohesive, it does not ocnform to a aprticular design direction audi will be taking, it is a mishmash of very normal audi concepts with some "adventureous" twists
the cross coupe whatever it may be has only proven this, da silva is pushing this concept to the extreme, is it a lack of vision or sheer idiocy on behalf of management, i do not know, but i do not see how this can be stretched further one generation down the road, much worse if one thinks 2 generations down the road

we must also consider that audi is also not in the position to pull a BMW, it does not have the market credentials to pull soemthing that risky, but it can develop and evolve its lines instead on playing on how many parallelipeds one can imagine around a grill, and whether the emblem wil be on the grill, above it, etc.....

just my 2 cents

and coming back to the ocean drive and CS
well the concept here is radically different, MB has already introduced us with the design langauge it will be using the coming decade
it is the S class design reinterpreted for various models
big, brash, in some ways vulgar, not always cohesive, but perfectly conveying the classical MB cliche of "the paycheck in my mont blanc wallet is 10 times as big as yours" more so than ever even.
the OD concept, is a reinterpretation of the S class design, refined where it was at lacks and with added value of a "radical" age old idea of chopping the roof off a 4 door.
it might eb a purported range topping flagship, but it sits perfectly within the currently established MB tradition

as for the CS, well it is a whole different can of worms here
the CS as opposed to the OD and audi, is introducing a new design language primarily, by showing us cues from eveyr major upcoming BMW model (7er, X6, F5 etc....) and also ushering in the diea of a range topping sleek sporting panamera and rapide competitor that will bridge the gap with RR (knwoing bangle i am inclined to think that the seraphe will share some fleeting cues with this also to render everything full circle whilst loosing none of the RR genes BMW have established so well)
the CS design is unto itself an adventure, a showcase of bold ideas and lines that have not been attempted before on mainstream vehicles, (the 2 hump roof, the sleek roofline, the butt etc...) this takes the idea of the bagle butt to another level, it\s not just about reinterpretting an idea, or revolutionizing it, we are looking into introducing whole enw concepts, like the side skirts and the very interesting concave convex progressions above the wheel arches
don't take the BMW as a whole, although it is a great case unto itself, see it as its parts, every design elemnt, which will progress into perfection and cohesion in the hands of a lebanese guy, or syrian woman, in their respective model designs

and here lies the fundamental difference between all 3 concepts

Sleek roofline and butt not atempted before ?!
6er, 7er, z4 coupe, 8er.

yes, if you study the curvature on the roofline, it is holistically different form the CLS, and more akin to a 90's 8er, i think that on a 4 door, this the first time such a roofline is applied
and the butt, well it's odd, bizarre, sexy, and new, i haven't seen it before except on the H2R which was breaking ground

I belive the Citroen C6 (and some previous models too) and the Rover SD1 use this formula too.
But it's roots go back to the Kamm prototypes of 30s/40s.
Basicaly the roofline went down and at one point a cut was applied.

my bad then, but no one has had the balls to do it nowadays, in such a controversial way

Well the thing is that some big markets, like USA and Germany, prefered the conventional 4 door sedan, and the Kamm back/Coda tronca was left to 2 door sport cars.

This was what I wrote before the posts disappeared. Thanx to Rob for saving the posts

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So this is the new Design direction BMW are going. I'm happy that it's an evolution from the flame suface theme. It's sleek and more muscular than the currrent desgign language. I like that.

Now to talk about the design elements: I like everything about it except for the front. I always like the idea of a large front grill, because I believe that large grills are the key for a undeniable presence. best example for that is Rolls Roys and old Benzes. But I hoped for a more V-shaped grill, than this rectangular out line. The lights are.. well.. not what I would do. I hink slimmer lights would do it much better. But anyway.. this is a concept and designer like to play with shaped and elements to messure the public reaction.
Actually although I don't like the front very much, it was the direction I was expecting BMW to go to in the future. Those of you who say one of my interpritations of the X6 would know what I'm talking about.

The side design is great, what I don't like is the -for BMW standards- long front overhang. Otherwise it's brilliant. The shoulder line is really cool and was expected from BMW for some future model.. I thought maybe the Z8 or Z4 successor would get a similar thing.
IMHO the Hofmeister Kink ruins the coupé-like roofline. For a so-called 4-door coupé a flowing roof line into the rear is a must, to emphasize the characteristics of a coupé, but I'm aware that this couldn't work with BMW as the H-Knik is a main design element for a BMW just like the kidney grill.
Though I think they could have left the upper line of the side windows chrome-less. this was the roof line won't be very influencd by the sape of the windows. What I mean is an L-shaped chrome strip that starts from the point where the upper window outline meets H-Kink, runs underlining the windows and ends right under the side mirrors.

Now coming to the best part: the ass.. i mean the rear!
It couldn't look better IMO.. it's just perfect. i like the fact that BMW are returning to the L-shaped rear lights as a main design element. Very strong and beautifully modelled rear design. It also has the hight I miss in the front.

The interior is really nice. What I like the most is that it will ende the era of the angular ugly interiors BMW are offering now.. I could never like them or classify them as luxury or even sporty interiors!

Final score 8/10