Vs Audi A7 vs. BMW 5-series vs. MB E-Class design discussion

[K-A]

Lol. In theory, I am a "hater" of the A7. I say "in theory" because its very style, a hatchback, especially attached to a 4-door, making it some Wagon/Coupe hybrid is VERY much not an attractive site to me.

However, it's just not ugly at all in person, it's in fact very nice. I think a good color combo, and some slight but tasteful "clean up mods", it would look pretty damn hot. The biggest deal breaker is that rear portion and shutline jam back there.

I want to say, I was SWEATING bullets when I parked the A7 next to my E. I like the F10 more than the A7, but I understand why the F10 owner said he felt his car looked "bland".

I was so proud of the (at least my particular) 212's design for more than holding its own against such a non-conservative or traditionally shaped car, that being alien to the eyes at this point, is not tiresome yet, but fresh and intriguing if anything. The fact that it outshined the A7 to me, and some people I showed the pics to, makes me appreciate the design more-so.

I understand why M-B made this mismatch of styles in a sense, on the car. They gave it a traditional and timeless, classic, stately 3-Box shape, and then funky'd it up with a bunch of lines and aggressive creases which seem at odds with the cars shape to some. However, I feel this was a very calculated move. In an era of all these new shapes and "segments" coming out, I felt M-B wanted to celebrate and maintain the 3-Box with this car, but make it looks dynamic and alive enough to look fresh, modern, and inspiring when next to one of said new-funk designs. I think this is why I've grown to love it so much, as I LOVE Sedans and traditional 3-Box shapes, but the 212 can still look sporty and slick, and dynamic/aggressive when it needs to, and/or when you accentuate it with slight modifications/clean-ups and Options.

That is what makes it polarizing to some, and questionable to some, and a masterpiece of balance and characters to others.

On the F10's side, I think the car is not confused at all. I think it is just as balanced as they get, save for the front. I think it's a pure design through and through, and like the W211, won't have much backlash from the enthusiast community, but unlike the E60, it won't have as a fanatical following either. I think it isn't as inspiring or dynamic as the W212, and won't stand up to more aggressively "new" designs such as the A7, CLS and such as well, but will always be something that anybody who's eyes appreciate harmony, or any enthusiast who appreciates well done design and architecture, always gets a positive approval.

The 212 is a design to me that's fun to look at, as sometimes it looks incredible, and sometimes I think to myself "WTF, am I just mad?". I find that to be kind of fun, and when it wants to impress me, BOY does it. It's a car that you can see on the road a ton, and it just gets more enjoyable to see. Serious design balance needed by M-B to do that, as an E/5 Class of car NEEDS to remain timeless and un-tiresome.

The 5'er to me looks incredibly bland and forgettable when not equipped right, yet not BAD or questionable, aside from how hefty/top heavy and ungainly it can appear. With the right options (which it does need to me, very much), it just looks so well resolved and executed, without really doing anything other than pleasing your eyes in the purest and simplest way possible to "Wow" you. I appreciate that about it. This is not to say that the design isn't dynamic or aggressive or sporty, as the nuances and overall design have that as well, and with the right packages, they start to leap out at you more-so.

That's my little inspired write up.

 

[Zafiro]

The 5'er to me looks incredibly bland and forgettable when not equipped right... With the right options (which it does need to me, very much)...

I feel the same about E-class. It's the same with those basic E-class I see here in Sweden. Need at least 18" inches wheels and AMG package without it E-class looks ordinary, in fact it doesnt look elegant.

This view is my biggest issue with the car. Not good at all particulary from the reardoor to the rear end.

 

[HighestOfHigh]

^The line that goes around the rear fender does bother me and it does seem more boxy towards the rear.

The E-class is really a car that you either like it or you don't. I've been on both sides. It was such a huge departure from the W211, which was so round, smooth and elegant. The W212 is much more distinctive, but the hard edges take some getting use to. I hated it when it came out. After seeing it on the street and at the car show I can live with it. Not to mention the design further distances it from the CLS, which makes better sense now.

 

[Human]

In short:

The A7 is ugly.

The F10 is perfect in the eye of the typical BMW 5 Series buyer and the same applies to me (who is not the typical sedan buyer) We BMW enthusiasts got what we wanted and BMW has definitely listened and delivered bringing back the essence of the old E39.

The E-class is IMO perfect and as I said numerous times before - I love Mercedes-Benz always have, always will and the E-class looks EXACTLY like an E-class should look in it's current model, as expected by the Benz E - buyer

Now that is the short and the long of it folks!

 

[martinbo]

The A7 suffers the same affliction of all the slopey fastback types - in profile (dead side-on) it looks disproportionate. Which is a shame because in any other view - head-on, front 1/4, rear 3/4 - it looks fantastic in the tin.

 

[HighestOfHigh]

The A7 is ugly.

How so?

Honestly, when the A7 came out I was blown mostly because of the rear shape. Seemed too hatchback-ish. Still could never consider it ugly. I really don't think there is any Audi I consider ugly because they play it safe with their designs.

 

[Merc1]

Finally saw the A7 in person, ugly it is not. Side profile just isn't the best for the reasons Martin listed above. That said it looks better than the Panamera, most of the time.


M

 

[SKY]

This is nothing but amazing.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

In fact, the design community has received the A7 very favorably. Praise has been voiced not only by the usual suspect automotive press, but also by publications specialized in the area of industrial/automotive design. Offhand, I recall a positive evaluation by cardesignnews as well as an independant designer-panel evaluation published in a recent edition of Autobild.
Certainly, people will harbor their own perception of a given design and the affinity or aversion towards that design may be based on criteria that is for a large part subjective. Opinions that have been heavily influenced by a fanaticism which either unconditionally favors or ridicules the products of a given manufacturer. But there is also criteria in evaluating automotive design that is objective. And Audi has often fared quite well with regard to this. Attention to architecture, proportions, the depth of side glazing/depth of flank metal ratio, the use of detail to accentuate the architecture without appearing contrived or gimmicky, etc.

 

[K-A]

Human, you hit it spot on in regards to the 5 and E!

HOH: That E pic is stunning! That's what I've grown to love about the W212. You either "get" the design, and you have fun being interested in the different angles and elements coming out at you, from an otherwise conservative and understated shape (why people buy it for in the first place: Sedan), or you think it looks too funky and heavy handed.

I think that it holds up to the CLS in dynamism and detail sculpting this time around far more than the W211 did with the first CLS, however, it indeed does separate itself from the CLS in character very well. This time, the E is PROUD to be the confident and stately SEDAN, while the CLS is what it is (although less Coup-ish than before, in fact, the overall height of the new E and CLS is closer than it was last time).

 

[Merc1]

I was next to an E63 AMG on the highway today and it was growling and what not....wow. For the first time (it was Black/Black) the E-Class looked truly good and desireable. The AMG doesn't have the chrome strip at the bottom, which in turn doesn't draw your eye to that silly downward line at the bottom edge.


M

 

[NarutoRamen]

I won't lie, the front of the A7 is frakkin hot! It's the side profile and the rear I think are horrid. I mean, the panamera has a better rear execution than the a7...and some of u know how much I dislike the rear of that car.

 

[dekii97]

Thanks. It looks GREAT in person, although I still don't love the rear, and it had some very enthusiastic fans looking at it when I was there. It had the 310 HP Turbo V6, surprised at how quick and torquey it felt.

Here are pics next to my E. I must say, I couldn't be happier with how my car looks next to it. The A7 is great, but for my tastes I'm all the way with the E!! I think it fared more interestingly next to the A7 than the F10 picture did, IMO.

i believe that the e class looks way better than the a7 from the rear angle but in all the other angles the audi win by an inch but your mercedes couldnt look any better its beautiful good taste

 

[K-A]

Thank you very much Sir!

I appreciate the nice compliments. And yes, I cannot say how proud of my car I am for doing its thing right next to that A7 so well!

Funny enough, while cruising along today, I saw this little pairing, and I pulled out my Cell Phone to capture, lol:

 

[dekii97]

Thank you very much Sir!

I appreciate the nice compliments. And yes, I cannot say how proud of my car I am for doing its thing right next to that A7 so well!

Funny enough, while cruising along today, I saw this little pairing, and I pulled out my Cell Phone to capture, lol:

hahahahahha the mercedes look better the bmw looks to simple and not worth the money in my opinon i promist my parents the new mercedes e500 for there 60th bday thats like in 15 years lol

 

[NarutoRamen]

BTW...K-A, what tint do you have on your car? It's intense.

 

[K-A]

That's a nice gift Dekii, lol. And I agree, the W212 appears to be a class above the F10 in terms of "Premium curb-appeal" from some angles, namely the front, that's my opinion at least. The F10 does have a smooth and utterly classy, comforting cohesion that is second to none though. I really do love both for their own individual reasons. Usually depends on what mood I'm in.

Naruto: It's the darkest I could get on the back 3 windows (can't remember the percentage, 5 or 10% maybe), and the second to the darkest on the front 2 windows (I think 20%?). It's a non metallic Tint, just pure black.

The ONLY other mod I think I might like to do to my car is darken the headlights. But IMO there isn't a Tint I've seen clean enough and light enough to not look cheap and ghetto up there, not to mention I don't want to sacrifice even a percentage of light output. So my only option if I want to go that route is to get the E63 headlights, which are identical to mine, but have the inside housings painted in matte black as opposed to shiny chrome.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

Seeing the W212 and A7 in a direct side-by-side comparison clearly displays the evolution of the Bauhaus theme that Audi began to apply to the exterior design of its' cars in the mid-late 1980s'. Clarity defined by the use of sharp, straight lines, ovals and half-cylinders. Forms that are quite elementary but arguably timeless. The uninterupted "sweep" of the greenhouse, the bonelines on the flanks and the characteristics of the wheelarches present evidence of this particular theme. What many may consider "boring" will withstand the element of time well.
M-B, on the other hand, employs many styling elements that may be considered "Baroque". Very ornamental and certainly very often eye-arresting. But as time passes and the cars become more commonplace, more ubiquituous, what was once eye-arresting simply becomes exhausted and obsolete. Simple is often better. The W124 E-Class, the R129 SL and the W126 S-Class are automobiles that have become legendary and continue to excite many automobile enthusiasts. Clearly designed cars, devoid of superfluous or contrived styling elements.

The sight of a pristine W124 E420 or E500 continues to please me. In time, the A7 or A6 may make a similar impression. I seriously doubt that the sight of a W212 will have that effect in 16 years time.

 

[Human]

How so?

Honestly, when the A7 came out I was blown mostly because of the rear shape. Seemed too hatchback-ish. Still could never consider it ugly. I really don't think there is any Audi I consider ugly because they play it safe with their designs.

When I saw this image the first thing that hit me was the side view mirrors! See pic.

The why of it:

I am not a fan (totally not my taste at all) of the Audi alien face nor the A7's disproportional really ugly rear. The typical loooooooong front and rear overhangs on Audi's is just appalling to me. The Mercedes CLS was the first and still is the best looking and best executed 4 door coupe of them all (The 5 GT and Panamera both appeal to me in the GT/Hatch designs) The 5GT has the 'different' but purposeful design and the Panamera looks like a true sporty GT IMO.

You know what HoH, in the end it boils down to personal taste. And me, maybe I am the exception here - loving the odd or rather strange designs i.e. Ferrari FF, I mean just look at my garage...an X1 and a X6 And man does the X6 please my eye every time I enter my garage!

 

[K-A]

Seeing the W212 and A7 in a direct side-by-side comparison clearly displays the evolution of the Bauhaus theme that Audi began to apply to the exterior design of its' cars in the mid-late 1980s'. Clarity defined by the use of sharp, straight lines, ovals and half-cylinders. Forms that are quite elementary but arguably timeless. The uninterupted "sweep" of the greenhouse, the bonelines on the flanks and the characteristics of the wheelarches present evidence of this particular theme. What many may consider "boring" will withstand the element of time well.
M-B, on the other hand, employs many styling elements that may be considered "Baroque". Very ornamental and certainly very often eye-arresting. But as time passes and the cars become more commonplace, more ubiquituous, what was once eye-arresting simply becomes exhausted and obsolete. Simple is often better. The W124 E-Class, the R129 SL and the W126 S-Class are automobiles that have become legendary and continue to excite many automobile enthusiasts. Clearly designed cars, devoid of superfluous or contrived styling elements.

The sight of a pristine W124 E420 or E500 continues to please me. In time, the A7 or A6 may make a similar impression. I seriously doubt that the sight of a W212 will have that effect in 16 years time.

I have no doubts that the F10 will age well and gracefully. All but the blunt front end I think will look modern, and then classic, for many years to come (or forever).

Regarding the W212, the jury is still out on timelessness. On one hand, in theory, you're completely right, eye-arresting designs, with strong details usually don't age well. However, I think M-B's "plan" for this car was to make it look revolutionary to the brand, but fuse in many classic M-B character elements (it reminds me of an evolution of the W126 inside and outside, in terms of character and charisma very much, my assumption that M-B did that intentionally).

Right now it's at the stage where people are starting to "get" the design, and are falling for it as they see it show off its dynamics in different personal elements. Of course, there are also those who don't or never will "get" it, or don't think there's anything to get, therefore they'll never be on board.

Whether it becomes a design that was too brand-revolutionary, trendy, and superfluous for its time time (a'la E60, although E60 was a trendsetter, to be fair), rendering it to be hugely popular initially, then an eye-sore and dated-design later, or something that masterfully uses its dynamics when necessary (to impress), but remains mostly an understated and sophisticated design as they become commonplace, allowing it to age gracefully and timelessly, but keep an enthusiastic presence and look eternally (this is in fact the task that designers of the legendary Benz and Bimmer Sedans are faced with.... Walking a fine line, which calls for a perfect design), we will see.

The thing that the W212 has that IMO is working for it, even with such a fussy design, is *CONFIDENT, STRAIGHT, CRISP, LEAN* lines.

The CLS, as gorgeous as it probably is (it's been eating away at me, to be honest), is something far more funky to the eyes, as the lines have cross personalities, with a wedge persona, and a character line that is reverse-wedge, and doesn't start at a solid point. This I think is what may make that an eye-sore after being viewed very much (very arresting initially, but not as conservative as an E-Class, hurting the CLS's longevity factor).

Then you have the new A-Class, and upcoming W222, with will have NON-Straight lines, and very fussy details, which can be disasterous to timelessness. IMO if there is a Benz that will be timeless that is coming out in this gen, it will be the W212, and the W204, at least that's what I think (until I see the others in person).

Me, being someone with some stake in it at the moment, I'm gonna be on the cheerleading sidelines, and assume and think that the W212's design is enough of a masterpiece that it will cross the two elements: Eye-arresting, and gracefully and conservatively, timelessly aging. Funny thing is, last generation the roles were reversed.... And IMO right now, if you put an E60 next to a W211, or an E65 next to a W220, the Benz Sedans look timeless, and elegant, while the Bimmers look like "yesterdays news" eye-sores.