E-Class (W212/C207/A207) Mercedes W212 E-Class Facelift: Renders, Spyshots, Etc

[MAJESTIC]

BMW's marketing team should hire K-A. It's nothing short of amazing to see a Mercedes-Benz owner disrespect the company so bad. I have never seen such negativity of Mercedes since I first came to German Car Fans about a decade ago. Back then it was Mercedes-Benz fans vs BMW fans. Now it's Mercedes-Benz fans vs. K-A and the "I hate lines" crew.

It saddens me!

Hahaha @ "I hate lines crew" and your other "line twins".... Those names crack me up soo much! But it is true K-A is confused... one minute the E is the best looking and the truest Mercedes, the next minute he is screw the E and MB's ill attempt to design a timeless car. I'm quite the confused spectator and still trying to figure out why he isn't driving an F10 M-Sport.

 

[deity]

I actually disagree with the comment about MB's having no uniform design in their headlight units. For me, it's different enough that it doesn't seem like they are simply larger or resized versions of each other, but also not so similar that they are far too alike.

ML:

SL:

GL

C:

GLK:

A:


Granted, this is not the entire lineup, but I do feel that there's enough of a family resemblance between the cars.

 

[K-A]

Your whining and bitching about what started the company to begin with.

It`s called revolution and revolution is what founded Mercedes since the company started.
Bruno Sacco started most of these radical changes that began with the W126 S-Class
The W140 S was also a sudden break-away from the W126. Then came the W220 S-Class
-which was also a complete break away from the W140, (a complete change up, headlights and all from the previous model) yet the identity and pure Masterfulness of the S-Class was all there. I`m using these examples to show that Mercedes is the Master of revolutionary design. This is it`s DNA.



The revolution continues at Mercedes.
if you believe constant design milking is a way to identify an automotive brand than thats your opinion, but it holds a very weak argument. BMW is your company because thay are expert design milkers. Evidently they believe the same thing you do.

That's false. M-B never relied on fashionable gimmicks to pass their designs off. Save for the W210 maybe, with its 4-eyed face, however even that was a design first in how they incorporated it.

M-B's designs right now have no identity, they're jumping all over the place, heavily relying on gimmicks. W212 is case in point: First the "Ponton" is "in", then all of a sudden, they eradicate it. M-B never did stuff like that before, especially on one particular model. The W126 WAS a revolution, in true ways, no gimmicks. M-B's these days don't lead in design, save for the CLS concept which in itself did revolutionize automotive design and has been copied again and again. Aside from that, everybody's copying BMW and Audi right now, and nobody M-B.... why? Because M-B was left behind in design and is still clinging to an ideology started by Bangle back in the early 2000's.

I love the W212 design, but if M-B basically tells me that they don't, with a complete "fix" (too extensive to even call it a facelift IMO), then what confidence does that inspire me to the design? They're not making it to be timeless, clearly.

BMW and Audi are doing what M-B used to, in terms of design strategy, and guess what? It's working great for them, as even being below M-B in quality, they're rapidly gaining market share, especially outside of the U.S. That's not to say that I love them more through and through, as I still like some M-B's more, but IMO they're thinking much more cohesively and clearly in design.

Deity: That's what I was saying exactly. The "torch" look is new, and maybe will be something they try and make "their own" identity, but compare them to the W221 LED's, W212 LED's, and CLS LED's, still very different, i.e no distinction. BMW thought very smartly with the halo's and sticking to them and evolving upon them, because it's an unmistakable trait that is "their own".

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

Whether M-B did rely on fashionable gimmicks in the past is kind of debatable because I have one word for you guys: Tailfins.

Many American cars (i.e. Cadillac) had them as did the W109 M-B. M-B claimed to have was used that design element for aerodynamic purposes, but nonetheless it's a gimmick. Now we, at the present, do not view it as a gimmick because we have appreciate it as a classic Benz. But I'm sure, at the the time, there were some detractors.

Personally, I'm not terribly fond of wayward lines because, as a kid, M-B's design were resolute and well-defined. That's my barometer when it comes to M-B's designs. But that's not to say Benzes made before were always granite-looking and slab-sided. M-B's of yore had more curves and details, i.e Pontons, etc.

Now will these upcoming Benzes be classics in the making? Don't know. It depends if the general public is willing to be challenged and if they are willing to understand that good design is both timeless and dynamic, boundary-pushing yet accessible. I'm looking forward to the car's release, that is if it'll ever be released!

PS: I'm also not fond of the whole "reverse light on the bumper"....but that's a whole 'nother can of worms.

EDIT: For some reason I was thinking this was the S-class thread, but apparently it's not. Oh well....

 

[K-A]

Whether M-B did rely on fashionable gimmicks in the past is kind of debatable because I have one word for you guys: Tailfins.

Many American cars (i.e. Cadillac) had them as did the W109 M-B. M-B claimed to have was used that design element for aerodynamic purposes, but nonetheless it's a gimmick. Now we, at the present, do not view it as a gimmick because we have appreciate it as a classic Benz. But I'm sure, at the the time, there were some detractors.

Personally, I'm not terribly fond of wayward lines because, as a kid, M-B's design were resolute and well-defined. That's my barometer when it comes to M-B's designs. But that's not to say Benzes made before were always granite-looking and slab-sided. M-B's of yore had more curves and details, i.e Pontons, etc.

Now will these upcoming Benzes be classics in the making? Don't know. It depends if the general public is willing to be challenged and if they are willing to understand that good design is both timeless and dynamic, boundary-pushing yet accessible. I'm looking forward to the car's release, that is if it'll ever be released!

PS: I'm also not fond of the whole "reverse light on the bumper"....but that's a whole 'nother can of worms.

True about the tail fins. If I'm not mistaken, M-B got some flack for that from purists, and then did an "about face" and completely eradicated it with sober designs immediately afterward. History will probably repeat itself.

Lines and curves are great, I prefer them to slab sides and square designs. However, it needs to be done harmoniously, timelessly, individually, and "right" to me, if you decide to go that route.

 

[Gianclaudio]

Great point about the tailfins!

 

[Sonder]

interesting, i quite like the new headlights, they realy are a litle robo-style, futuristic - not bad! so they look a litle like this photoshop:

but i dont like the facelift interieur....why curves again?? i loved the cubic cockpit!!

 

[PHYBENZ]

 

[K-A]

interesting, i quite like the new headlights, they realy are a litle robo-style, futuristic - not bad! so they look a litle like this photoshop:

but i dont like the facelift interieur....why curves again?? i loved the cubic cockpit!!

That looks like it's gonna pretty much be it. Very "Robo Future". Nothing dates a design more than its (always false, as by definition it isn't the future if it's already happening) interpretation of the future. I'll say this facelift will guarantee that in the coming years the at least facelift W212 will look insanely dated do to this "Robo-Future" effect (those types of designs always date the fastest and most), especially compared to more organic offerings.

 

[HighestOfHigh]

^K-A, I'm sure you will love it.

 

[K-A]

Hopefully. I won't buy it, not because of any other reason than I've had two W212's already and just feel I gotta try something else, but I guess we'll see.

 

[HighestOfHigh]

Hopefully. I won't buy it, not because of any other reason than I've had two W212's already and just feel I gotta try something else, but I guess we'll see.

That's right. I forgot that you were waiting for the CLS facelift with the extra headroom package.

 

[vios1]

E63 Facelift pics:

http://www.gmotors.co.uk/news/2013-...d-for-the-first-time/2013-mercedes-e63-amg-2/

 

[K-A]

You guys, a tear just ran down my cheek. Look closely at the first, second, and last photo; they eliminated the emblem on the hood. They have the logo in the grill with one bar running across.

That's all just trickery by the chamo. The front of the hood is covered by thick plastic cladding, therefore they just have the Star off and are covering it with that, and then the whole grille setup is clearly a fake.

I don't think M-B would ever ruin the dignity of the E with a now-generic "everyone has it" Star grille.

 

[MAJESTIC]

I would love to see the reaction of MB fans if they moved the E Sedan's Star to the grille.

But I agree with K-A, it is pure camo trickery.

 

[Monster]

You guys, a tear just ran down my cheek. Look closely at the first, second, and last photo; they eliminated the emblem on the hood. They have the logo in the grill with one bar running across.

That's all just trickery by the chamo. The front of the hood is covered by thick plastic cladding, therefore they just have the Star off and are covering it with that, and then the whole grille setup is clearly a fake.
I don't think M-B would ever ruin the dignity of the E with a now-generic "everyone has it" Star grille.

Well I think thanasi has a point there, if you look behind the mesh covering the front grill you can see there is only one horizontal bar running across the grill. This might be only reserved for the AMG models.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

The emblem in the grill was a home run for the C. The E appears to be getting bagged for being 'staid' against the A6 so I'm certain MB will be moving the star to the grill for sports variants. I have no issue with it, as long as they still offer Elegance and Avantgarde variants like they do on the C.

You can't argue with what the market wants. The strategy was hugely successful with the C, and they will exploit it on the E to give it a fighting chance against the A6 and 5. The worldwide sales data does not lie and the E is lagging. You don't expect MB to stubbornly stick to a strategy to please a certain few fans at the expense of market success.

 

[Keyonte]

Its obviously going to get the same face as the CLS 63 with the big black plastic finished star

 

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

Its obviously going to get the same face as the CLS 63 with the big black plastic finished star

I don't think I mind that. I LOVE the CLS lights.

 

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

Has anyone else noticed the calipers are gold? Carbon Ceramics being offered as an option now?

I also see a wid(er) nav screen. That's welcome.