New W212 E-Class Sedan & Estate Thread II (Spy pics & info)

[coolraoul]

Originally Posted by SDNR

Which is a good thing


You're not alone.

I am irritated with this new Benz styling ...the superficial retro moldings over the rear wheel arches are just ghastly.

Eye-catching, populist styling over idealogical integrity. Sure, there are a lot of Mercedes metaphors in this design -- no mistaking it as anything other than a Merc -- but the way they have been applied and interpreted lacks authenticity for me ...MB's character has changed.

Where is the progressive pragmatism? ...this is a short-term fashion design -- and going by the grotesque tackiness of the Sex and The City / GLK campaign, Mercedes is obviously quite happy to compromise its illustrious heritage [of being a progressive industrial design leader] in favour of cheap throw-away styling gimmicks.

I can see where you're coming from. The GLK/Sex and the City pissed me off big time, too, as a result I don't like this vehicle.
And honestly, the GLK is exactly what you said: a marketed trendy car, will be as quickly forgotten as the show...

However, if you look at the W204, you'll see it's not tacky, not trendy, not overstyled. I hope the W212 will be like that; only concern is: how will this wheelarch look like? For me it's not a gimmick, but a way to enlighten the design of the rear 3/4: the raising windowline makes the amount of metal a tad too big at he rear, this wheelarch is here to break that impression of undersized rear wheel.

I kind of agree with you for the GLK; the W204 is the proof that MB also makes superb, clean vehicles. I certainly hope the W212 will not appear overstyled and too trendy.

What bothers me is that some seems to see the W212 as a longer, lower GLK. The GLK shouldn't be seen as the epitome of MB's new design (even if it's one of the first Wagoner design)! The GLK is a trendy vehicle with a trendy design. The W212 will not be like that.

[Sayyaaf]

I used to love retro styled cars but I guess Rob is right here ... we need our own styling direction of the current age we are living ... its like we are broke with ideas and thats why we are going back ...

[Sayyaaf]

raoul: the c class is a very modern design but honestly ... the resemblence between the new C class and the Holden (Chevy) caprice is scary .. specially the front ! it made the C look generic ...






My point here ... am not saying that MB is copying or anything .. there is no possible way they are copying since both cars came around the same time .. but my point is .. MB has always been a trend setter in style ... and if a mainstream car manufacturers are coming with something close to what they are doing ... then MB should have revolutionized their designs and come up with something new .. yet very modern and classy and certainly has BENZ heritage .... the new C .. the next E .. certainly look like a benz .. but not unique or stylish enough as a BENZ should be ...


Same applies to BMW .. if they want their cars to look a BMW .. just draw any car with long bonnet .. short overhangs .. the Hoffmiester kick, high boot and kidneys .. and there you go .. a BMW .. they needed some kind of new style direction to distinguish them from mainstream car manufacturers .. they came up with the flamed surfaces and revolutionized their cars even though some of them (I admit) looked ugly in their V1 versions ... the next generation will definitely look better but some (who liked V1 bangle designs) will find them boring I guess ... not adventurous enough

[SDNR]

I don't hate Retro design ...but it is not progressive. It is not guided by principles or technology, it purely about styling.

The Retro trend suited the US car industry ....somehow it fits better with American cars and the American auto-culture. I love some American cars for their excessive styling.

Overall, the W212 is not a Retro design but it is obvious that Mercedes is styling its vehicles to give them more 'emotional impact' and a more dynamic appearance ...and making subtle references to historical models.

I do like the W204, the rear is not so successful for me, but I like overall car.

I am willing to give this car a chance ...and I certainly expect it to be the leader in its class.

[SDNR]

Originally Posted by Maserati

the resemblence between the new C class and the Holden (Chevy) caprice is scary

GM has very much been an influence -- look at what Opel and Cadillac have been doing for the past decade.

The Holden Caprice is a good looking car I think.

[coolraoul]

Originally Posted by Maserati

I used to love retro styled cars but I guess Rob is right here ... we need our own styling direction of the current age we are living ... its like we are broke with ideas and thats why we are going back ...

The W212 has nothing to do with neo-retro in the sense of a New Beetle. It's a fundamentally modern vehicle in its surface treatment and design. It's only using some design cues that you found on older MBs. They want to make clear that MB is focusing on the brand's hard principles now, the impeccable engineering enhanced by a design evoking glorious ancestors. It's only an hommage, not a neo-retro design.

Originally Posted by Maserati

raoul: the c class is a very modern design but honestly ... the resemblence between the new C class and the Holden (Chevy) caprice is scary .. specially the front ! it made the C look generic ...

I wouldn't call it a "scary resemblance". And the C looks so much better it's a joke. Anyway, the proportions and design of the C is very Benzish, very traditional. Nothing tacky or overstyled here. I'm sure the 212 will have the same kind of traditionally modern appearance, but will add a lot of road presence to it.

[coolraoul]

Originally Posted by Maserati

raoul: the c class is a very modern design but honestly ... the resemblence between the new C class and the Holden (Chevy) caprice is scary .. specially the front ! it made the C look generic ...






My point here ... am not saying that MB is copying or anything .. there is no possible way they are copying since both cars came around the same time .. but my point is .. MB has always been a trend setter in style ... and if a mainstream car manufacturers are coming with something close to what they are doing ... then MB should have revolutionized their designs and come up with something new .. yet very modern and classy and certainly has BENZ heritage .... the new C .. the next E .. certainly look like a benz .. but not unique or stylish enough as a BENZ should be ...


Same applies to BMW .. if they want their cars to look a BMW .. just draw any car with long bonnet .. short overhangs .. the Hoffmiester kick, high boot and kidneys .. and there you go .. a BMW .. they needed some kind of new style direction to distinguish them from mainstream car manufacturers .. they came up with the flamed surfaces and revolutionized their cars even though some of them (I admit) looked ugly in their V1 versions ... the next generation will definitely look better but some (who liked V1 bangle designs) will find them boring I guess ... not adventurous enough

Here you are showing a greay Classic C180, against a black full-loaded sporty version of the Holden. Yet the Benz looks much better (even if the Holden certainly is an attractive-looking car)...

And one point: Benz was never a real trendsetter in terms of design. never (bar some exceptions). They had perfect proportions, enormous road presence, but their look was traditional. Take a W123, 124, 126... All superb cars. All very very traditional. Even the coupes were hardly a modern art work for their time. No revolutionary new ideas here!

It's only a recent move from Benz to create some "trendsetting cars" like the CLS, and to draw softer, more sporty cars in the 2000's order to attract younger customers.

[SDNR]

Originally Posted by coolraoul

They want to make clear that MB is focusing on the brand's hard principles now

Originally Posted by coolraoul

...the impeccable engineering enhanced by a design evoking glorious ancestors. It's only an hommage, not a neo-retro design.

I like the way you described this with your typical flare for thought-provoking expressions.

The problem for me is, Mercedes design would better continue the legacy of its "glorious ancestors" not by looking back, but rather by progressing forward ...pushing auto design forward. Carl Benz invented the Modern automobile ....Mercedes-Benz should represent the very limits of automotive development ....both technically and aesthetically.

[The Artist]

This thread is about the W212 not MB design
and please can we wait until the car is unveild..
How can you discuss something you cant even view clearly?

[justanthony]

Originally Posted by The Artist

This thread is about the W212 not MB design
and please can we wait until the car is unveild..
How can you discuss something you cant even view clearly?

Ive been wondering the same thing myself