German Car Zone

Minus the S class i would say MB, with their rediculous line-up, its easy to see they have all their bases covered.

I wasn't implying you have anything against Asians at all, I was referring to the car industry and those that buy the cars (no racism was implied at all - I am, and I'm sure you are above that).

With regard to your comment, concept cars are concept cars. I mean Japanese cars that can turn them round are simply a concept - they are trying something new and gauging if people are interested in them, they are showcasing their technological advancment, just like BMW and Merc put pre-safe or night vision on their cars. Japanese cars are simply a bit more wacky, more fun, and try solve the simplier problems in life like parallel parking. So I feel that you can't base japanese or asian designs on their concept cars.

1. Audi - I just love Audis design language. Extremely elegant and just bold enough. That said, I'm waiting for the first Audi to knock me off my feet. The concepts are always so promising, but the reality just doesnt quite make it. However the future looks bright, and I'm sure the designs are just going to get better and better. I'm dying to see the new TT and a4.

2. Mercedes - Mercedes is the most confused about its design direction I think and has the least coherent range of the three. Though all their cars are attractive enough with a few standouts and a few that are ok if slightly unimaginative. I expect things to imrpove quite a bit over the next few years.

3. BMW - A close call here. Some are stunning, some I find grotesque, but none could be accused of being boring. Really strong design language across the entire range as well. As with the others 2 there is room for improvement, and I'm sure they'll just get better with years to come.

Audi: Their design is more of less flawless. Neutral and fresh design which can more or less not be called ugly(except for the rear of the Q7). With the A8, A3 sportsback and A6 Audi has showed that they are capable of designing good looking car. Even though they look great they lack that "hotness".

BMW: With their new design car BMW has produced cars that don't look like nothing else and the design of the cars are totally subjective. While one thinks the Z4 is hot the other doesn't. It is good that BMW is moving forward and presents a new design element in every new car. While new design is good I personally think that BMW should tone down some of the Bangle design becasue sometimes it is simply too much on the eyes.

Mercedes Benz: MB latest car the ww221 has showed that MB's design team seem to be confused. The new S has the rear of the MM, but the front light of reminicent of the older S plus four bulky wheel arches . The car is a bit over designed and it seem to me like MB has spent too much time on the drawing board. As for the other models in their line up the new cars like the B, E, ML and S are very fresh and elegant looking car. Besides the new S class it seems like MB knows what they are doing and are IMO going in the best design direction.

Well, her goes:

1. BMW, Bangle ofcourse. By the late 90s only the 3er and Z8 were great designs, the FUGLY FL 7er and the hidious E39 5er were awfull to my eyes. I was very mad about the E39 5er back that since the previous was perfection in my eyes.
Anyway thank God, Bernd Pischetsrieder and Wolfgang Reitzle were ousted and the conservative design lock had fallen.
2. Audi, well the make the same car in diferent sizes.
Anyway, the A6, S8 and particulary the B7 RS 4 have caused a great shock in my eyes, that has made Audi rise in my eyes a lot. They (with Porsche) are second only to BMW in my eyes and that also goes from the design point of view.
3. MB: a lousy SLR, a super hidious S klasse have made MB fall a lot in my eyes.
Thank God for the great CLS, and good/ very good SLK AMG/ M AMG.

BMW's old styling (last body styles E38, E39, E36, E46) were somewhat "coors light", appealing to everyone but still lacked what makes BMW's special today.

I honestly love the S8 with Audi. I also like the new A6 and the RS4. They are too conservative with their designs. They may find themselves behind the times in a couple of years.

Mercedes, well. Umm. They are appealing to look at but their styling is nothing special, nothing out of the ordinary in any way. I like the SLK. My main issue with mercedes is THE DAMN nomenclature they use. It pisses the hell out of me. How the hell can I keep track of all that. They have a C class but then a CLK (which has nothing to do with the C class) then they have the CL (is this the convertable or is it the CLK) and then to add on top of that they have the CLS. ummmm. Who acid using pot smoking idiot comes up with this naming?!

What sort of acid using pot smoking idiot can't figure it out?
The K simply stands for a smaller derivative of another car in their line up, ie. the SL and SLK are both roadsters and the SLK is just a smaller derivative. Same goes for the CL and CLK both are coupes the CLK is just a smaller version. As for the CLS, well it's certainly marketed as a coupe hence the CL badging, so I can only imagine that the S stands for "sedan", "sport", or "sexy".
BTW, I'm rather sure I remember the K stands for a word in German I just don't remember... Was it "Kompact" or something along those lines?

No arguments from me

I 100% agree with all of this

Yes, generally I would agree with you on that.

I do think you are quite correct about that Luw.

I will put them in this order :
1)Mercedes-Benz
2)BMW
3)Audi ( the only car I love is RS4)

As always this type of poll brings out the fans of each of Germany's luxury car makers.

I personally think Mercedes was the best overall in design because they kept the same language from one model to another with enough difference for you to be able to tell them apart - in most cases. Now with this new S-Class I'm not so sure I like where they are going. I like everything about the new S except those damn wheel arches. They are simply too big, especially at the rear and we all know that once Mercedes introduces something like that on a model like the S-Class it won't be long before all of their cars have something similar. God I don't want to think about that. The current CL, CLS, SL, W220, is where the Mercedes magic is. I like the new SLK and the CLK has been transformed into something desirable with this last facelift, but quite frankly I'm worried about the next CL, C, and E. These wheel arches could work on a coupe, but on a sedan..NO. Mercedes, leader in the past and really had a secure position in the world when BMW first came out with their new look in 2002, but now they feel the need to get radical - a miscalculation imo. Conservatively elegant with a nod to the past and a look to the future is what Mercedes' are supposed to be, not radical fad statements. All Mercedes had to do is stick to the traditional imo. Now if this new S takes off all over the world then I guess MB will be convinced the wheel arches and what not are the way to go. I don't want the car to fail, but I don't want those wheel arches to show up on the next so what to do. The current E isn't a cutting edge and radical as the A6 or 5-Series, but it has those traditional good looks imo. There is nothing to get used to or explain, it just looks good.

BMW - I don't like the Bangle look overall, but I do like the new 3-Series a whole lot. They got it right, but it took them to ruin the 7-Series and muck up the 5-Series to do it. I'm one of the few that thinks the Z4 is hot too. I like.

Audi - IMO, will be the style leader of the future. The A8 is a masterpiece. The facelifted A4 looks like a totally new car - well almost. The A6 is wide, agressive and looks the part. Not a weak link in their whole lineup. Audi's emerging dominance over MB/BMW in styling will depend on the A5 Coupe (Nuvolari) and the LeMans Quattro in addition to me seeing the Q7 in person at Detroit. I think Audi can do it while BMW and Mercedes duke it out as to who can be the most radical.

M