Which of the 3 big Germans is going the best direction in the design?
What is your opinion?

My opinion:

1. Audi - Their brave move with the single frame grille was really something special. At first I was sceptical, but now I really love it! Sure the models look alike eachother a bit, but I believe that the future models like R9 (Le Mans) and A5 (Nuvolari) will be off the hook.

2. MB - Love their current design, but lately I have seen cars like the B-Class and the S-Class live and I think they are going the wrong way. They look to japanese for me.

3. BMW - Bangle bangle bangle...

1. BMW - they dare to be bold and gets away with it.
2. Audi
3. Mercedes

I totally agree with you on Mercedes....Their current design is awesome but I think the future is bad, not just for them but generally for the whole car industry...Asia is influenting too much, they are going too fast. I dislike all these Japanese future-cars and crap, that's not way to go, I think that car-design shouldn't go much further, it's cool how it's now.

Audi has a nice future, maybe the best from these 3...we have to see their next model 'sports hope'

and BMW - you never know LOL

Definitely BMW. It seems that BMW sparked the sudden design change for everyone (IMO of course). I mean around 2002 when the 7 series came out, car designs were not as bold. Now look at them!

Many companies, such as Lexus, are starting to use BMW design elements, and in my opinion thats a good thing. I like bold designs and different designs that make your head turn, and Chris Bangle started a revolution for the better (IMO), and the sales numbers back that up.

One thing I've noticed about BMW designs is that you either love them or hate them, very rarely there is an in between. Even so many people take time to learn to like them. Take for example the guys over at M5Board. They hated the 5 series when it first came out. Now they can't stop gushing over it. In my opinion that is a good thing, its makes sure there is no 'mediocre' design, i.e. there is no 'safe' middle ground... the designs challenge you. Thats my take on it anyway. It was these designs that made me like BMW over the other Germans (which I still admire, regardless).

Now for my list (my opinions again):
(1) BMW (Reasons above)
(2) Mercedes (Their designs are becoming far more bold, especially the CLS and the new S-class... there interesting to look at, at some angles, there are things to hate and things to like... they are head turners as much as the next BMW. Their old designs, e.g. W211 E-class are a bit dull for my tastes)
(3) Audi (in my opinion the least bold and most 'safe' and probably most dull in terms of design. Aside from the RS4, which is really made 'bold' by its bodykit, when I see a A8, A6 or A4 on the road it doesn't attract my attention. This maybe why people want the car, but this is a poll about opinions. On top of that I like the shield grill, but thats really the only bold thing about these cars. Problem with the shield grill is that it makes all the cars look the same. There has been a number of times when I mistook an A6 for an A4, and a A8 for an A6 etc, and I (if I must say so myself) tend to have an eye for detail when it comes to cars. Undoubtedly they make good interiors and good cars as much as the next Germans... but design-wise I don't get impressed by the designs.

Well thats my take.

1. Audi. I find their design quintessentially German, something that used to be true of the other two as well. Sporty, understated elegance is, IMO, still the way to go. Current Audis will look good and modern for years to come - something that might not be the case with some other designs.

2. Mercedes. I'm really worried about Mercedes at the moment. The new S and the new M are not what I'd call attractive design. The older designs are much more distinctive and attractive, IMO.

3. BMW. It should be no surprise the new design direction is not to my liking. Somehow I feel now that Bangle has been replaced by that Van Honkytonk fella as the main designer the designs seems to have toned down somewhat but they're still a far cry from the design purity that made BMW great.

What makes you not like the Asia car industry? I mean what is it about Japanese cars which are so bad?

Fact is that I feel the Germans, European cars etc need to move towards 'Asian' designs (or designs that appeal to Asians) simply because thats where the money is nowadays. If you look at Japan and China, these countries economies are growing phenomenally. I mean (unless someone can prove me wrong), I would suspect that the Chinese market is the fastest growing or one of the fastest. Undoubtedly, the American and European industry are important, but the Germans have already established themselves and a customer-base in those countries.

I must disclose that I am Asian, so therefore I have a bias in this argument.

I'm fan of complex design - design that makes you think. Simple design can be done by everyone, complex one is a work of genius. Conterporary premium brands have to show complex and dynamic design - to stand out from non-premium brands. More and more regular brands are using hi-tech features, powerful engines, quality material. So design is becoming more and more a factor of distinctness (between regular and premium brands).
Nowdays all the premium brands (BMW, MB, Audi, Lexus, Infiniti, Cadillac, Jaguar, etc) aims to be luxurious & sporty at the same time. And design is the best way to express sportiness and luxury. So ...

BMW - the best design for sporty premium brand: brave, complex, brlliant details, absolute dynamic.

MB - new models (SLK, CLS, ML, S, R) are showing MB design is heading towards more complex design, yet staying elegant. Amazing details.

Audi - too conservative (despite new grill); side panels are way too simple for sporty premium brand. Details are nice, but too simple. I hope Audi will excercise more brave design in the future (new TT, new A4 and A5 will reveal future Audi design). Their slogan is: "Vorsprung durch Technik" after all - so I hope their design will also follow that motto.

1. MB.. cause i cant find any car that doesent look good in their line up today.. and that was not the case some years ago..
2.BMW.. cause they make cool bold designes.. some are supernice.. and some are just plain ugly...but still they are diffrent..
3.Same design diffrent sizes..

Let's clear the thing about Asia or Asians: I don't say I don't like the Asian people like you, I said I don't like their industry..Why?? You answered your question. The main reason is the FUTURE...Look at all these Japanese/Korean concept cars. They can turn around themselves, they have some weird things on them that can be understood just by their ingeneer, and at the end, look at the design of those machines (I personally can't call them real cars)...That's what I don't like...It doesn't matter if it's Asia or America of Africa...you get it??
The money is there but it's not really that much in the auto design.