Hot! Mercedes-Benz, What's Next?

[Design FIRST]

... because I find it hard to believe Audi, a once sensible company, would put out something that is just such an absolute disaster.

Around the time that COVID reared it's ugly head, it appeared that Audi AG started attempting to navigate an extremely difficult stretch. And that not very successfully. Adding to the malaise that followed Dieselgate, were a CEO and a sales/marketing director that often presented themselves as individuals that did not seem to like automobiles. This tainted the corporate environment and alienated a good many highly talented young automotive industry professionals, including those working in the design departments.

Now, there is some evidence that Audi may be exiting that very rough patch of it's history. Good for them should they succeed. I'd love to see them back.

 

[Mick Briesgau]

The highlight for me is the front, with a grill that reminds me of the S class W108/109.
@Ozy was so kind to post a picture of it in post #6693
Imagine what this new typical Mercedes like grill will look like on a limousine.

As far as the interior is concerned, I like it. Do hope however, it looks and feels as great irl as it does in pictures.

 

[Shellshock]

Its just the frame...the centre grill is just displayed...so i bet hackers can make it with a lot of audi logos or something else

 

[Shellshock]

I wonder if that interior display is just an miss-leading info and is not just one display like its shown on their official server

 

[SCOTT27]

That grill should have launched with another car, A sedan or coupe with a new design language would be better to show off the grill. The GLC is too current.

 

[klugscheisser87]

That grill should have launched with another car, A sedan or coupe with a new design language would be better to show off the grill. The GLC is too current.

I even have the feeling it was an afterthought when the design was already done, as the rest of the car except the grille and the rear light could be any Benz from 2018.

 

[Rolf]

I wonder if that interior display is just an miss-leading info and is not just one display like its shown on their official server

On the Mercedes website they have a hi-resolution pic and it's all one display.

The instruments have the scenery blended in behind the dials and the climate and other widgets are also on a layer on the scenery.

Personally, I really like this setup, it vastly better than the new iX3 which only has a large central screen and tiny band at the lower end of the windscreen that a passenger cannot watch their own video or game entertainment on.

The new interior looks excellent and the only thing I could really fault is that they didnt launch the car with a brand new steering wheel. This AMG 2 spoke unit is old hat now and came out about 6 years ago. Its quite unusual that Mercedes has not launched a new steering wheel in the last 5 years

 

[Jonathan19]

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[Centurion]

Tail light graphics are stunning. Nicest quad circle lights that I have seen in a while. Ferrari style. The front is too much capyabara for me. Make the body beige and the grille brown and boom! There's the animal.

Unfortunately I don't consider the huuuge screen to be luxury. It's advanced but luxury is not about features, it's about the feeling of ease and being looked after. That setup together with the ambient lighting is as relating as sitting on time square at night or at work staring at two screens showing stockmarket charts.

 

[AbsoluteUnit]

Tail light graphics are stunning. Nicest quad circle lights that I have seen in a while. Ferrari style. The front is too much capyabara for me. Make the body beige and the grille brown and boom! There's the animal.

Unfortunately I don't consider the huuuge screen to be luxury. It's advanced but luxury is not about features, it's about the feeling of ease and being looked after. That setup together with the ambient lighting is as relating as sitting on time square at night or at work staring at two screens showing stockmarket charts.

I think its at least good they've got zonal brightness control across that display, so you can dim the bullshit that you don't want to see.
They've had pretty sophisticated ambient lighting controls for a while now.

 

[Matski]

Unfortunately I don't consider the huuuge screen to be luxury.

"Screens are not luxury" Gorden Wagener, February 2025

 

[AbsoluteUnit]

"Screens are not luxury" Gorden Wagener, February 2025

Unfortunately, the supply chain for this product was in place probably 3-4 years ago. They can't change it on a whim. I reckon some of the extended life for some elements of MB interiors, such as the fact that the steering wheel hasn't been updated in such a long time, is that they're pivoting what they probably originally had planned for the updated wheel (amongst other things), which requires time to build the supply chain and manufacturing tooling.

 

[SCOTT27]

I remember when someone mocked the supersized Kidney Grilles…Good Times.

 

[sbd]

"Screens are not luxury" Gorden Wagener, February 2025

My understanding reading the interview is that he was arguing that screens on their own are not luxury as they are now employed everywhere by all types of manufacturers. Therefore you have to focus on creating luxury in other areas, materials, craftmanship. I didn't think he wasn't saying screens have no place in a luxury vehicle.

 

[klier]

That setup together with the ambient lighting is as relating as sitting on time square at night or at work staring at two screens showing stockmarket charts.

First laugh of the day here, LOL

What we need again are proper pop up screens, like the Bugatti Tourbillon or Audi TT concept. Imagine if the iX3 screen also folded away when not needed. That's true luxury.

 

[AbsoluteUnit]

First laugh of the day here, LOL

What we need again are proper pop up screens, like the Bugatti Tourbillon or Audi TT concept. Imagine if the iX3 screen also folded away when not needed. That's true luxury.

That or have a trim piece that covers it up with the push of a BUTTON.
God I miss buttons.

 

[klier]

That or have a trim piece that covers it up with the push of a BUTTON.
God I miss buttons.

Continental GT remains an all time highlight with its screen that can fold into either a wooden panel or these three gauges. Just splendid.

God I miss buttons.

If only for the HVAC. The most basic of basics should have proper buttons.

The iX3 for example has some virtual on screen BS just to change the air flow from the vents......who the actual f#ck thinks that's a good idea instead of a freaking physical manual slider in the actual ventilation unit itself.

 

[Matski]

Unfortunately, the supply chain for this product was in place probably 3-4 years ago. They can't change it on a whim. I reckon some of the extended life for some elements of MB interiors, such as the fact that the steering wheel hasn't been updated in such a long time, is that they're pivoting what they probably originally had planned for the updated wheel (amongst other things), which requires time to build the supply chain and manufacturing tooling.

All true.

God I miss buttons.

There was a time when this comment would have been met with some waffle about Blackberry phones and iPhone market share, from the Tesla cultists.

My understanding reading the interview is that he was arguing that screens on their own are not luxury as they are now employed everywhere by all types of manufacturers. Therefore you have to focus on creating luxury in other areas, materials, craftmanship. I didn't think he wasn't saying screens have no place in a luxury vehicle.

I take it to mean that the presence of screens doesn't inherently infer luxury, which I would agree with.

What we need again are proper pop up screens, like the Bugatti Tourbillon or Audi TT concept. Imagine if the iX3 screen also folded away when not needed. That's true luxury.

Lol, early 2000's DIN Flip up screens are not true luxury... but I partially agree. Screens are great for delivering information, so when you don't need that info, having it folded away (or on a HUD) allows for other, better styling opportunities. The touch functions of the screen could/should be migrated back to physical controls, with their own tactility, and the contribution to the perception of quality that physical interaction brings.

 

[Matski]

who the actual f#ck thinks that's a good idea

 

[klier]

Lol, early 2000's DIN Flip up screens are not true luxury... but I partially agree.

No the early 2000s pop up screens aren't luxury by today's standards. But the Conti GT one is, and the way the new Audi TT concept folds away its screen is luxury these days. It needs to be done in a way so that it isn't visible in any way when not in use.

I indeed wasn't thinking about the pop up screen of the first gen X3:

LOL ouch

There was a time when this comment would have been met with some waffle about Blackberry phones and iPhone market share, from the Tesla cultists.

They're awfully silent these days aren't they?

Good riddance.