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My random ramblings about what's going on at Mercedes and BMW Design that I just had to get off my mind. Mostly because Mercedes is really starting to rapidly lose my interest. If you can be bothered to read it, and If it doesn't make sense or reads like rubbish, you can thank Microsoft Co Pilot. lol.
Also, excuse the thread title. It's clickbait!
Now on to it:
Neue Klasse Vs. Sensual Purity Gone Stale!
I have seen a few 5 Series over the last week or so, and while I still detest that car for its proportions, which I find far worse than the 7 Series, it has started to make me appreciate where BMW is going with the 7 Series and their ICE range, alongside what they are doing externally with the Neue Klasse.
I have to say that, out of the German manufacturers, BMW is by far the most interesting to watch at the moment in terms of design.
There are a few reasons for this.
First, the 7 Series shows that BMW has recognised the untidy elements of their previous designs, which are still very apparent in the current 5 Series. The grille is now properly proportioned and shaped, and appears stately rather than snouty. The bumpers are much cleaner, and the overall execution feels far more resolved.
Second, while the previous rear lights were beautiful, BMW clearly needed to bring the 7 Series in line with their newer ICE vehicles such as the 5 Series. That was a concerning prospect for me, as I consider the rear lights on the 5 to be an absolute miss, largely because I dislike the entire rear end.
However, on the 7 Series, BMW has evolved this design into something truly stunning and unmistakably BMW. They achieve the sense of width that so many manufacturers are chasing with full width light bars, but they do so in a far more imaginative and striking way. Imagine these lights applied to something like an M5 or a future 8 Series. Breathtaking. Proper concept-car presence on the road.
Third, BMW has clearly invested significant effort into studying their design catalogue and reinterpreting some of their most beautiful and classic elements in a modern context. The Neue Klasse exterior design demonstrates this perfectly. It is striking, fresh, and forward thinking, while still being undeniably BMW without appearing retro. From the grilles to the headlights to the sheet metal surfacing, there is something new and interesting to take in from every angle, and it is genuinely beautiful.
Mercedes design, on the other hand, feels like it has hit the panic button.
They have been forced into a complete reversal of their EQ front end design language, which we can now see in the GLC EV and upcoming C Class EV. While the grille itself is interesting and will likely become more appealing as they refine its light detailing and incorporate more metal elements into higher end models, the rest of the vehicle does not reflect that same level of thought. There is no real sense that any smooth or cohesive kind of design consideration has taken place across the rest of the car.
The light bar solution across the range looks entirely industry standard. Remove the stars and these could be from almost anyone. When you look at the GLC EV, GLE, and GLS, they are nearly indistinguishable at the rear. Completely generic. At least on the C Class, the light bar follows the shape of the body. On the others, it feels added on rather than integrated, with no real presence added.
More broadly, Mercedes appears to be going through a genuine identity crisis with its front ends. The grilles, viewed in isolation, are actually quite appealing and will probably improve over time. But they feel like a reactive attempt to inject character into a design language that has already started to go stale.
“Sensual Purity” can still produce something beautiful, but it is now predictable. The flat treatment of surfaces, including the tail lights, no longer feels refined. It feels expected.
The widespread use of gloss black trim across the front ends, including on the once majestic S Class, feels like a cost-driven workaround. It allows designers to graft new grilles and headlights onto bodies that were originally designed with cleaner, more resolved surfacing. And it shows. The headlights and grilles barely relate to each other. It genuinely feels like they were designed separately, possibly by completely different teams.
There is also very little connection to each model’s heritage. The GLE and GLS used to have clear identity and presence. Now they just look generic and slightly frumpy. The oversized headlights with integrated stars feel like a desperate attempt to show that some kind of design thinking has taken place, and their earlier attempt to differentiate models through the number of light elements is now just a mess.
They could not fit three stars into the GLS headlamps, so they stacked them. The GLE keeps them horizontal. The S Class has two, also horizontal. What exactly is the logic here?
The S Class headlights and tail lights do not escape this either. Yes, the internal graphics are interesting, but everything around them lacks elegance. The transition from the sharper forms of the pre-facelift model into these softer shapes is not resolved, largely because the underlying hard points have not changed. There may be an attempt to reference older rectangular S Class lighting, but the execution, especially when surrounded by large areas of black plastic, does nothing to convey sophistication.
The rear has taken an even bigger step back. We have gone from the beautifully resolved W222, where everything related and flowed, to a car with rear lights that are not only compromised in their basic design, but also share no relationship to the front grille, which is supposed to be the central element of the entire vehicle. It seems that simply adding stars to both was considered enough.
I sincerely hope they do not carry this approach over to the facelifted SL and AMG GT.
Then there is the EQS.
A flagship in name only when you look at the front end. It is effectively running a grille treatment from the new CLA. The continued sharing of key lighting elements across completely different segments, from A Class to SL, CLA to CLE, completely undermines its position. If Mercedes truly respected the EQS, it would have received a proper front-end reengineering to align it with the newer EV direction seen on the GLC and C EV. Instead, it looks like an entry-level product that has been scaled up.
And honestly, who even cares anymore where the EQS SUV or EQE range goes from here?
With Gordon at the helm, “Sensual Purity,” which once gave us some stunning vehicles, now feels like it has reached a dead end. The emphasis on softness and purity has led to forms that feel overly bulbous and lacking in tension.
Instead of evolving its design philosophy properly through a serious study of Mercedes’ heritage, as BMW has done, Mercedes has resorted to throwing stars at anything that will take them.
I strongly suspect that Gordon’s control and ego have played a role in this stagnation, especially when you hear statements that Mercedes design has been resolved for the next decade.
That said, I would not completely write them off. Mercedes has pulled itself out of worse situations, and with the size of their lineup there is room to recover. But realistically, I do not expect to see anything properly resolved until closer to 2029.
In contrast, BMW’s current approach feels deeply considered. They have gone back, studied their catalogue, and reinterpreted key elements in a way that feels both modern and authentic. From grilles to lighting to surface treatment, it is cohesive and, in many cases, genuinely beautiful.
Porsche is right on a knife’s edge. The existing cars are still good to exceptional, and there are flashes of quality in the EVs. But with the financial situation they find themselves in, it feels like they are about to be dragged straight into the VW parts bin black hole and then into that broader galaxy of “gentrification,” where everything starts to feel sanitised, shared, and just that little bit diluted.
As for Audi, I genuinely do not even have the energy to unpack it right now. That probably says everything.
Coming back to the 7 Series, BMW has done what should not have been possible. They have taken a pig and turned it into a plus-sized model. The proportions are still compromised, but the execution, detailing, and depth of design resolution, not only on this vehicle, but across the entire range deserves real credit.
The “canyon” surfacing, seen from Neue Klasse through to the ICE cars, is an example of this. It ties the entire brand together, and is beautifully resolved and coherent across the entire range.
And if you took this exact design language and applied it to a properly proportioned BMW flagship, something in the lineage of the E32 or E38, it would be game over. The S Class would look like it belongs several segment below. Because while the S still has beautiful proportions and inherent elegance, too many elements are poorly resolved, and the detailing is no longer leading anything. The overall quality and depth of execution of exterior design is now far behind what we see on the 7. At this point, it feels like the model is starting to worry she is looking old and has resorted to far too much filler and make up.
We could go on endlessly about how both brands arrived here, and how BMW has once again outmanoeuvred Mercedes, but as it stands right now, BMW is by far the most interesting German manufacturer when it comes to exterior design IMO.
I just wish their interiors matched what they are doing on the outside, but that is a completely different discussion.
Also, excuse the thread title. It's clickbait!
Now on to it:
Neue Klasse Vs. Sensual Purity Gone Stale!
I have seen a few 5 Series over the last week or so, and while I still detest that car for its proportions, which I find far worse than the 7 Series, it has started to make me appreciate where BMW is going with the 7 Series and their ICE range, alongside what they are doing externally with the Neue Klasse.
I have to say that, out of the German manufacturers, BMW is by far the most interesting to watch at the moment in terms of design.
There are a few reasons for this.
First, the 7 Series shows that BMW has recognised the untidy elements of their previous designs, which are still very apparent in the current 5 Series. The grille is now properly proportioned and shaped, and appears stately rather than snouty. The bumpers are much cleaner, and the overall execution feels far more resolved.
Second, while the previous rear lights were beautiful, BMW clearly needed to bring the 7 Series in line with their newer ICE vehicles such as the 5 Series. That was a concerning prospect for me, as I consider the rear lights on the 5 to be an absolute miss, largely because I dislike the entire rear end.
However, on the 7 Series, BMW has evolved this design into something truly stunning and unmistakably BMW. They achieve the sense of width that so many manufacturers are chasing with full width light bars, but they do so in a far more imaginative and striking way. Imagine these lights applied to something like an M5 or a future 8 Series. Breathtaking. Proper concept-car presence on the road.
Third, BMW has clearly invested significant effort into studying their design catalogue and reinterpreting some of their most beautiful and classic elements in a modern context. The Neue Klasse exterior design demonstrates this perfectly. It is striking, fresh, and forward thinking, while still being undeniably BMW without appearing retro. From the grilles to the headlights to the sheet metal surfacing, there is something new and interesting to take in from every angle, and it is genuinely beautiful.
Mercedes design, on the other hand, feels like it has hit the panic button.
They have been forced into a complete reversal of their EQ front end design language, which we can now see in the GLC EV and upcoming C Class EV. While the grille itself is interesting and will likely become more appealing as they refine its light detailing and incorporate more metal elements into higher end models, the rest of the vehicle does not reflect that same level of thought. There is no real sense that any smooth or cohesive kind of design consideration has taken place across the rest of the car.
The light bar solution across the range looks entirely industry standard. Remove the stars and these could be from almost anyone. When you look at the GLC EV, GLE, and GLS, they are nearly indistinguishable at the rear. Completely generic. At least on the C Class, the light bar follows the shape of the body. On the others, it feels added on rather than integrated, with no real presence added.
More broadly, Mercedes appears to be going through a genuine identity crisis with its front ends. The grilles, viewed in isolation, are actually quite appealing and will probably improve over time. But they feel like a reactive attempt to inject character into a design language that has already started to go stale.
“Sensual Purity” can still produce something beautiful, but it is now predictable. The flat treatment of surfaces, including the tail lights, no longer feels refined. It feels expected.
The widespread use of gloss black trim across the front ends, including on the once majestic S Class, feels like a cost-driven workaround. It allows designers to graft new grilles and headlights onto bodies that were originally designed with cleaner, more resolved surfacing. And it shows. The headlights and grilles barely relate to each other. It genuinely feels like they were designed separately, possibly by completely different teams.
There is also very little connection to each model’s heritage. The GLE and GLS used to have clear identity and presence. Now they just look generic and slightly frumpy. The oversized headlights with integrated stars feel like a desperate attempt to show that some kind of design thinking has taken place, and their earlier attempt to differentiate models through the number of light elements is now just a mess.
They could not fit three stars into the GLS headlamps, so they stacked them. The GLE keeps them horizontal. The S Class has two, also horizontal. What exactly is the logic here?
The S Class headlights and tail lights do not escape this either. Yes, the internal graphics are interesting, but everything around them lacks elegance. The transition from the sharper forms of the pre-facelift model into these softer shapes is not resolved, largely because the underlying hard points have not changed. There may be an attempt to reference older rectangular S Class lighting, but the execution, especially when surrounded by large areas of black plastic, does nothing to convey sophistication.
The rear has taken an even bigger step back. We have gone from the beautifully resolved W222, where everything related and flowed, to a car with rear lights that are not only compromised in their basic design, but also share no relationship to the front grille, which is supposed to be the central element of the entire vehicle. It seems that simply adding stars to both was considered enough.
I sincerely hope they do not carry this approach over to the facelifted SL and AMG GT.
Then there is the EQS.
A flagship in name only when you look at the front end. It is effectively running a grille treatment from the new CLA. The continued sharing of key lighting elements across completely different segments, from A Class to SL, CLA to CLE, completely undermines its position. If Mercedes truly respected the EQS, it would have received a proper front-end reengineering to align it with the newer EV direction seen on the GLC and C EV. Instead, it looks like an entry-level product that has been scaled up.
And honestly, who even cares anymore where the EQS SUV or EQE range goes from here?
With Gordon at the helm, “Sensual Purity,” which once gave us some stunning vehicles, now feels like it has reached a dead end. The emphasis on softness and purity has led to forms that feel overly bulbous and lacking in tension.
Instead of evolving its design philosophy properly through a serious study of Mercedes’ heritage, as BMW has done, Mercedes has resorted to throwing stars at anything that will take them.
I strongly suspect that Gordon’s control and ego have played a role in this stagnation, especially when you hear statements that Mercedes design has been resolved for the next decade.
That said, I would not completely write them off. Mercedes has pulled itself out of worse situations, and with the size of their lineup there is room to recover. But realistically, I do not expect to see anything properly resolved until closer to 2029.
In contrast, BMW’s current approach feels deeply considered. They have gone back, studied their catalogue, and reinterpreted key elements in a way that feels both modern and authentic. From grilles to lighting to surface treatment, it is cohesive and, in many cases, genuinely beautiful.
Porsche is right on a knife’s edge. The existing cars are still good to exceptional, and there are flashes of quality in the EVs. But with the financial situation they find themselves in, it feels like they are about to be dragged straight into the VW parts bin black hole and then into that broader galaxy of “gentrification,” where everything starts to feel sanitised, shared, and just that little bit diluted.
As for Audi, I genuinely do not even have the energy to unpack it right now. That probably says everything.
Coming back to the 7 Series, BMW has done what should not have been possible. They have taken a pig and turned it into a plus-sized model. The proportions are still compromised, but the execution, detailing, and depth of design resolution, not only on this vehicle, but across the entire range deserves real credit.
The “canyon” surfacing, seen from Neue Klasse through to the ICE cars, is an example of this. It ties the entire brand together, and is beautifully resolved and coherent across the entire range.
And if you took this exact design language and applied it to a properly proportioned BMW flagship, something in the lineage of the E32 or E38, it would be game over. The S Class would look like it belongs several segment below. Because while the S still has beautiful proportions and inherent elegance, too many elements are poorly resolved, and the detailing is no longer leading anything. The overall quality and depth of execution of exterior design is now far behind what we see on the 7. At this point, it feels like the model is starting to worry she is looking old and has resorted to far too much filler and make up.
We could go on endlessly about how both brands arrived here, and how BMW has once again outmanoeuvred Mercedes, but as it stands right now, BMW is by far the most interesting German manufacturer when it comes to exterior design IMO.
I just wish their interiors matched what they are doing on the outside, but that is a completely different discussion.
