Re: First Official 2007 C Class W204 Pics, Cont'd Thread 5.
the problem with this design is an issue of perceived quality, specifically in design
if i were to compute the total area of plastic in that dash it might very well be almost equal to the area in a comparatively specced 3er or A4, the whole issue is design and spreading
when you look at that picture of a lowly specced 3er posted by artist, you can see very little trim and a lot, a LOT of plastic, but there is a sense of perceived quality in design because designers AND engineers have teamed up to offer a better mix, that sweet spot compromise between cost and good design, given a car that will sell for as low as $25-30K cannot have an interior of a 7er let alone a rolls.
study the 3er interior or the A4 for what matters, their design elements across the dash distract from the use of plastics, and render a kind of life or appeal to an otherwise bland interior.
BMW interiors have 3 or more components right now, a thin strip up comprising the I-drive screen and the instruments binnacle, a trim strip, quite wide and of good quality, the dashboard in itself (withs switches), and the gear lever and its surroundings.
each of these elements has its own characteristics, curves, design, swoops, swishes, etc... that make it "good" even if "plastic", and the combination of all together make for a more impressive interior, design wise of course, although it is kinda plasticky by any standards
on the other hand, if you look at the C interior, you see the same amount of plastic but design wise you only see 2 elements, a single swoosh of black plastic comprising everything from nav screen, to major switching, to instrument panel and a second design element comprising the trim that extends down all the way to the center console and the gear lever
and this where the design fails, it might be livened up by colors, but it lacks that oddball good nature to it, it's too simplistic, even the 2 sections of design aren't imaginative, and very geometrical, they lack any particular personality to them, and in this particular case the sum is not greater than the parts
seems it has been a design trend at MB lately, all cars sport 2 designer elements in the interior, of course regardless of actual material quality which is top notch in S and CL at least
S has trim above, plastic/leather down, CL has plastic/leather in, and trim out, A has plastic in trim out, etc....
But as I said before, I wait for better pics before my final judgement on the C-class.
