Best Designed Mercedes-Benz of All times! (Your choice)

[HighestOfHigh]

For over 100 years, Mercedes-Benz has made some extraordinary designed cars. Now it’s time to pick which Mercedes-Benz production car you think has the best design in their history. I’m sure it will be hard so everyone is allowed to have at least a runner-up.

Example –

Best Design Mercedes Model: The Mercedes-Benz SLR

Reason: It showed how extreme and detailed Mercedes-Benz could be. The design was instantly recognizable and the most creative.

Runner Up: The Mercedes-Benz W126

Reason: The powerful stance and the graceful design. The car had a magnificent presence that made it an instance classic.

 

[Human]

NO.1 SLS AMG

Runner/s up W126 S-class + Coupe

HoH this is more difficult that I thought! What about the W203 and the Gullwing and then there is the 500k...the 280 SL, 1980-89 SL...
all great designs!

 

[Deleted member 1071]

Several Mercedes-Benz cars are exceedingly impressive in terms of exterior design. Here are a few:

220SE-280SE 3.5 Coupe + Cabriolet (W111):

The epitome of luscious yet unpretentious elegance. Certainly one of the IT cars of the 1960s'. An automobile that affluent Europeans as well as North Americans aspired to own.

300 SL Gullwing coupe + roadster (W198):

Legendary in terms of design, engineering and technological advancement. In Gullwing coupe form, an absolute 1950s' hyper-sportscar.

280S-560SEL (W126):

Perhaps M-Bs' finest sedan ever. This car clearly pointed the way to the future when it was first introduced in the fall of 1979. Still visually very attractive.

280SL-600SL (R129):

Incredibly clean and precisely penned, monolithic and timeless in its' appearance. A Bruno Sacco masterpiece.

1938-39 540K Autobahnkurier Coupe:

The contemporary automotive embodiment of speed.

2004-2010 CLS:

This is the car that truly started to current 4 door coupe trend. Many liken its' exterior design to an overly ripe banana. I think that its' simply epic. It's the last M-B that really floored me-and it still continues to do so. I don't expect that from the new CLS. Nice as it is, it's already beginning to lose its' visual attraction for my eyes.

 

[mini_cooper4]

Gullwing 300SL
500K/540K
W100
W221

And if you still don't know I was probably one of the biggest MB fans of all times.
As you can see there is only ONE Benz left that I still appreciate and it's the mighty S.

Sometimes I really wish I was born in the late 50's... Makes me sad when I realize how boring the world is now... Music.. Cars... Towns... PEOPLE...

 

[LaArtist]

There are to many

I could go on all day

 

[Star&Car]

It's so hard,i just can't decide!

 

[ateekt]

Indeed a long list. Almost every car from that builder is special. Here's my (strictly revised) list.

 

[Sunny]

Jeesh, you all fail horribly.

SSK Trossi Roadster

and then SLR Gullwing.

 

[Nicks]

and then SLR Gullwing.

That's 300Sl. SLR has a similiar design, but based on W196 formula1 car.

Anyway, i agree. Gullwing is the best designed Merc ever

 

[Der Hofmeister]

Mind that is very hard to decide, with so many wonderful models coming to my mind.

I think these are (could be) my classic choices (for the modern ones, it'll take more to decide):

The 500 K Roadster

The W 196 R

The 300 d "Adenauer"

The Mercedes-Benz 600

The "Pagoda"

The Coupe of the W 111 Series

The SL of the 107 Series

The C 111 prototype(s)

The SL of the R 129 Series

The W 124 series

 

[purplehenk]

SSK Trossi Roadster

T80

 

[coolraoul]

In that order... Just a quick listing.

Mercedes 540K Spezial Roadster. Most epic car ever. It's not a car, it's art.
Mercedes 540K AutobahmKurier. Truly mesmerizing appearance. A spectacular apparition.
Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing. The sexyness made car.
Mercedes W111 coupe. All the 60"s glory and luxurious way of life...
Mercedes 300 Adenauer. Is such a fantastic-looking car still a sedan?
Mercedes W126. Perfect proportions, understated elegance.
Mercedes W124. The car that, for many, is the symbol of a Mercedes.


The Mercedes CLS and SLS, I can't judge yet, too modern, they didn't pass the test of time yet.

 

[Sovereign]

I would like to divide the Benz cars into two eras:

1. Pre 1950s as all the cars had a very different design language and my choice is
a. Mercedes SSK Trossi Roadster (very exotic and maybe the finest design from that era besides Bugatti Royale)
b. Mercedes W196 R (so advanced of its time, it still look futuristic)

What a beautiful few pictures of SSK Trossi posted here in this segment.

2. Post wwII ear cars:
a. Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing (the orginal supercar)
b. Mercedes W126 (Defines and represent the 100 years of Mercedes product design and development...so functional, simple and beautiful simultaneously....wouldn't be out of place as W222)

 

[HighestOfHigh]

Mind that is very hard to decide, with so many wonderful models coming to my mind.

I think these are (could be) my classic choices (for the modern ones, it'll take more to decide):

The 500 K Roadster

When you see a car like this, the only word that comes to mind is Magnificent!

 

[Gullwing]

When you see a car like this, the only word that comes to mind is Magnicent!

Or Magnificent?

Prewar SSK/540K
Post 300SL/300SLR
190SL
190E
G wagon

 

[K-A]

Man, this one is impossible. I agree with what everyone's posted so far. The Classics are spot on, although I don't recall seeing the masterpiece that is the 280 SE Coupe/Cabrio or SEL posted yet.

I'll just save some time and post a few modern E-Classes that some of you missed.

And, although this design is either hit or miss with me, when it hits, boy does it!

 

[Merc1]

Great thread, but there are too many to list.

I can't speak about too many pre-80's Mercedes cause I simply wasn't around to see them when they were new.

For me it could be any of the Sacco era cars. The W124 and the R129 specifcially. No modern Mercedes' design has been as iconic IMO. You knew what these cars were and they were simple, clean designs. Throw in the W126 and the W201 and you have the most legendary time in Mercedes' history since those designs of the 50's and 60's and the 20's and 30's before them. The 80's and early 90's in when Mercedes had it competely right on the design front. May god bless the W124 Series, for me the best designed Mercedes ever.


M

 

[Michael]

This is hard, because when you think about the best designed Mercedes a lot comes to mind. If one were to choose the best designed Mercedes, you'd have to look for something that embodies what Mercedes is. It would not only be an engineering marvel but also something so spectacularly beautiful that you'd pick it to resemble Mercedes for years to come.

Without thinking much I would pick the SLS as the best designed Mercedes. I think it probably takes everything that MB has learned throughout the years, both with respect to performance, designed and engineering and puts it all in one nice little package. It resembles luxury as well, in my honest opinion. So, as an iconic car I think the SLS will do.

Nevertheless, there is one car that comes close and I am not sure if it has been mentioned. That is the S class. Oh boy. When you think of luxury sedan, you think of S. You think of such perfection and beauty and you think of something that is safe. I think that is the second contender here.

The SLS and the S class.