EQS [Official] Mercedes-Benz EQS

[Design FIRST]

My hopes remain high that M-B will "get it right" with their numerous new product presentations in the near-to-midterm future (2026 through 2029).

Of course, their German competition is not sleeping. I suspect that the upcoming NKL BMWs will make a big impact on the market. Not to mention VAG with its alliance with Rivian, the results of which benefitting all of their corporate brands. It could turn out to be a "really big thing". And we certainly should not forget what the Chinese can (and will) bring to the table.

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

Not to mention VAG with its alliance with Rivian,

I can't remember any successful alliance of sharing technologies between German and US companies. All standards are different, it's so hard to match them perfectly.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

If they car had only looked better, it would have sold better. That shape is just terrible. Looks good from the front coming straight at you, but then you see the sides. Yuck. They're actually pretty good EVs and get good range, but that price and look make it an impossible sell. I wonder if they real changes next year will move the sales needle any? The dealer here had so many of them sitting around it wasn't even funny.

M

Looks like they've resolved the hood panel gap. lol

 

[Design FIRST]

I can't remember any successful alliance of sharing technologies between German and US companies. All standards are different, it's so hard to match them perfectly.

Certainly, Rivian should be far more competent than VAGs own Cariad (which has been nothing less than calamitous). And in the case of Rivian, the global focus, also seen in the structure of its R&D personnel and the case in point R&D sudsidiary in Serbia, is arguably more pronounced than it had previously been in the past with "America First" types of U.S. partners.

 

[Rolf]

The EQS is not a bad looking car in real life but it has some fussy details and the over rounded rear end spoils the car and makes it far less attractive than the S-class. The interior strangely also doesnt appear that large considering it is a 5.22m long car.

The next generation EV S-class will be a far more convincing car than this sharing its design with the next gen ICE W224 S-class

 

[Centurion]

The EQS is not a bad looking car in real life but it has some fussy details and the over rounded rear end spoils the car and makes it far less attractive than the S-class.

You just call it ugly in like 25 words.

 

[tennmb]

If they car had only looked better, it would have sold better. That shape is just terrible. Looks good from the front coming straight at you, but then you see the sides. Yuck. They're actually pretty good EVs and get good range, but that price and look make it an impossible sell. I wonder if they real changes next year will move the sales needle any? The dealer here had so many of them sitting around it wasn't even funny.

M

The problem is the EQS is not the target market for EVs. Sure, 10 years ago, when Tesla was getting $120k for their garbage. Then, an EV was a novelty that the wealthy wanted to flash. Now, not so much. Here comes the EQS. The looks don't bother me, but there is no question, it doesn't resonate with your traditional German car buyer. It really is an amazing vehicle. I've taken one on a long trip and the range is amazing. I was pacing 429 miles and documented the trip. The issue is that the price is just absurd. Mercedes had to offer insane incentives, and even with that, dealers had to go into the loss column to move them. I have a co-worked who is leasing an EQS450 for less than $400 a month. Yes, you heard that right. I leased my wife an EQB for that, and he's driving a lux EQS for the same payment. The supply of these to our area (Southeast) has come to a crawl. We have ZERO in the production que for the balance of the year. Zero. Zilch. Pretty much everything is going to Cali and states that have additional incentives on EVs.

 

[Rolf]

Even the Chief Designer admits he made a F up and the EQS and should have been launched in 2031 lol.

Mercedes EQS launched '10 years too early', says design chief
Electric streamliner is too radical and doomed by comparison to S-Class, Gorden Wagener suggests

EQS gained a more traditional 'grille' as part of its 2024 update

The Mercedes-Benz EQS arrived “10 years too early” for its radical styling to be accepted by buyers, according to its designer.

The electric saloon was launched in 2021 as the flagship in a new line of Mercedes EVs but has failed to generate as many sales as its combustion-engined counterpart, the S-Class. A significant reason for this struggle has been its progressive design – such that Mercedes introduced a more traditional-looking grille as part of the car’s 2024 update, to appeal to the more conservative buyer.

“I think the EQS is probably 10 years too early,” Mercedes-Benz design chief Gorden Wagener told Autocar.

He suggested that the car had perhaps been doomed by comparison to the combustion-powered S-Class, despite having been developed to a different brief.

Wagener said: “It's a very, very progressive car and, of course, it was not originally designed as a chauffeur limousine. That was not the intention.

“Many people in this class expect a long hood [bonnet] and status from a chauffeur car, and the EQS is different there. It's a completely different car.

“Maybe we should have marketed it differently, more like a futuristic CLS, S-Class Coupé or something like that.”

As previously reported by Autocar, the EQS’s struggles have prompted Mercedes to unify the model and the S-Class for their next generation: both will be replaced by a pair of ICE and EV models badged and styled as S-Classes.

Peculiar-looking Mercedes-Benz EQS flagship came "10 years too early", according to its designer | Autocar

Electric streamliner is too radical and doomed by comparison to S-Class, Gorden Wagener suggests

www.autocar.co.uk

 

[klier]

Wagener said: “It's a very, very progressive car and, of course, it was not originally designed as a chauffeur limousine. That was not the intention.

“Many people in this class expect a long hood [bonnet] and status from a chauffeur car, and the EQS is different there. It's a completely different car.

“Maybe we should have marketed it differently, more like a futuristic CLS, S-Class Coupé or something like that.”

This man is so lost holy shit.
If anything, he should be glad they didn't give it an iconic name.

 

[Design FIRST]

Actually, I am having a difficult time pinpointing "ahead of their time" vehicles that met the unit sales objectives of their manufacturers. The Citröen DS/ID of 1955 immediately comes to mind. Or the original BMC Mini of 1959. Both formidable sales successes. Maybe some "envelope" or "Ponton" bodied cars of the late 1940s/early 1950s...but otherwise...?

 

[AbsoluteUnit]

This man is so lost holy shit.
If anything, he should be glad they didn't give it an iconic name.

Nobody is going to walk into an interview saying "Yeah its actually really ugly".

The coping is just standard corporate double speak of admitting they f#cked up, without having to use those words.

 

[Merc1]

There is a concerning level of denial and defiance at Mercedes. First it was the customer's fault for not understanding the 4-cylinder AMG models, and even as they dump it they say it's a good engine and the brilliant concept. Now this? No the EQS wouldn't have been accepted 1- years from now either. It doesn't look like a Mercedes. WTF is wrong with these people?

M

 

[Rolf]

There is a concerning level of denial and defiance at Mercedes. First it was the customer's fault for not understanding the 4-cylinder AMG models, and even as they dump it they say it's a good engine and the brilliant concept. Now this? No the EQS wouldn't have been accepted 1- years from now either. It doesn't look like a Mercedes. WTF is wrong with these people?

M

You nailed it to the point. I notice that Mercedes Benz are not in touch with what their customers want and keep making silly excuses for their poor strategic mistakes with their car designs (EQ range mainly and possibly the new CLA), engine and power train choices for the AMG models (C63 4 cylinder) and lower EQ models (poor range and charging performance of EQA and EQB) and quality issues (just recall a million cars and then this will be fixed).

They are looking very weak with their strategic plan and out of touch with their customer preferences.

 

[Merc1]

It's as if that no one working there now was working there during the glory years. They've seemingly forgotten, or the current group doesn't know what makes a Mercedes, a Mercedes.

M

 

[Swissbob]

It looks like there’s a competition at Mercedes Benz who’s gonna develop the most unsuccessful car in the history of this company.

We have the EQS(especially the EQS53 AMG), the C63SE and now we’re getting the GTXX and the AMG GT XX SUV.

I guess the race to the bottom will be very tight, the GT XX might somehow win this race.

 

[Swissbob]

BTW I found in the German magazine (manager Magazin )the production numbers of 2024 ( 30000 EQE and 6000 EQS).
60000 EQS/year were originally planned.

In 2024 581 C63SE were sold on the German market.

BMW sold 3908 M3/M4 in 2024 on the same market.

Audi RS4/RS5 2449.

 

[Rolf]

BTW I found in the German magazine (manager Magazin )the production numbers of 2024 ( 30000 EQE and 6000 EQS).
60000 EQS/year were originally planned.

In 2024 581 C63SE were sold on the German market.

BMW sold 3908 M3/M4 in 2024 on the same market.

Audi RS4/RS5 2449.

Those EQE and EQS yearly numbers are really pathetic and count for only 10% of yearly E-class (approx 300K) and S-class (approx. 60K) cars produced. Imagine how many of those production cars are not been sold and stuck on dealers floors or in their car parks.

Wow I am shocked that only 581 C63SE were sold in Germany in 2024, gees that must be a fraction of the numbers for the previous V8 W205 model as those were seen in large numbers especially the gorgeous coupe. No wonder Mercedes are dumping the 4-cylinder and replacing it with a straight 6.

 

[Swissbob]

For comparison: 564 Ferrari 296 were sold in Germany, 1045 SL, 1320 AMG GT, 9664 911s.

 

[AbsoluteUnit]

Those EQE and EQS yearly numbers are really pathetic and count for only 10% of yearly E-class (approx 300K) and S-class (approx. 60K) cars produced. Imagine how many of those production cars are not been sold and stuck on dealers floors or in their car parks.

Wow I am shocked that only 581 C63SE were sold in Germany in 2024, gees that must be a fraction of the numbers for the previous V8 W205 model as those were seen in large numbers especially the gorgeous coupe. No wonder Mercedes are dumping the 4-cylinder and replacing it with a straight 6.

Presumably sold to dealerships

 

[Swissbob]

I guess a new generation S Coupé and convertible would be probably more popular.