SL & ML to receive major facelifts

[Smithee]

http://www.motoring.com.au/reviews/...ercedes-benz-e-class-2013-launch-review-34969

According to an article in motoring.com.au, Mercedes design chief Gorden Wagner did not like the design of the E class and similarly does not like the designs of the SL and the ML either and intends to put these two vehicles through major facelifts as well.

Here is part of what the article states -

"For all his talk of liking the E-Class when it was launched, Benz’s design chief, Gorden Wagner, has sure rushed through its facelift… And what a facelift it is -- the car has had changes to every piece of sheet metal bar the roof. (Wagner isn’t a fan of the ML or the SL, either, so expect similarly hasty reskins for them, too.)"

 

[Monster]

And the SLK as well? Personally I think the front end looks like a mess.

 

[HUTSUTAo]

Change for the better!

 

[LaArtist]

Good news..both of them plus the SLK look to soft..

But i really love the Pre and post FL E class though

 

[mini_cooper4]

Is this for real ? A design chief not liking the design of cars unveiled just 1 year ago ? Where was he back then ??

 

[Smithee]

Is this for real ? A design chief not liking the design of cars unveiled just 1 year ago ? Where was he back then ??

The SL was designed by Pfeiffer and the design had been frozen for 2 years as MB moved to the all aluminium chassis for the SL. This also meant that Wagner was severely restricted with the design of the SLK, which made him quite unhappy.

In any event Wagner in general, is breaking away from Pfeiffer designs.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Well MB reportedly has the longest lead times between design freeze and production amongst the Germans. So the cars in question could have been Frozen 4-5 years ago, in which case Pfeiffer was probably still very much in charge. Once again it seems that the transition from Pfeiffer to Wagner was very mismanaged.

What I wrote in the MLC thread where an early FL for the ML was speculated:

"Ayayaya, if the ML facelift reports are on point, then there have been some serious issues within the MB design department. The whole transition from Pfeiffer to Wagner seems to have been incredibly mismanaged:

- Firstly the GLK and E-class sit in-congruently within the line up. Overly angular and hard edged, this design theme is abandoned as quickly as it started. The GLK receives a substantial softening of it's edges and E-class receives a massive FL to bring it into line with the incoming new models.
- Secondly the SLS is labelled a 'missed design opportunity'.
- The blunt looks of the SLK are lamented because they were forced to make it look like the SL, which sat on ice for over 2 years.
- The SL's looks are quietly unloved by a few within the design department, and information is leaked that the front and rear were designed by two different designers.
- Now the ML is reportedly heading for a rushed FL because

To me it seems that Pfeiffer had his way with a lot of the designs, and in his twilight years as head commissioned and oversaw some designs that were less than on trend and not particularly beautiful or pretty like the designs of the previous models. Wagner had been earmarked as his successor and had very strong ideas about freshening up MB's designs, however for whatever reasons, Pfeiffer got his way for the most part until he left. Wagener has now gone about scrambling to alter the designs signed off under Pfeiffer to bring them into line with the more expressive and organic vehicles now coming out.

This is however all conjecture and speculation on my part, and I doubt we'll ever get to know the real reason behind the turmoil at MB design.

I just hope from here onwards, there is some consistency and no major about faces model to model. Judging by what we have been seeing post 2012, I think they are on track."

 

[Tumbo]

Great news. Bot of them, especially the ML, are not good looking cars.

 

[mentir]

That's good news as far as I'm concerned. Oddly, for the previous generation R230 SL, I thought the facelift was a step backwards, changing for the sake of change. In this case, the current R231 SL failed to appeal to me. It's not aspirational the same way the R230 was when it was launched. Based on what I percieve to be a success with the E-Class facelift, I hope the R231 benefits as well.

 

[Levi68]

What is happening a Mercedes is not acceptable: too many "mistakes" for such a large and prestegious company.

While I didn't like the facelift of the previous generation SL, it is a good news, new SL might get an extented facelift, expecially the front. Looking forward to the result. But then there is yet the SLC, I hope they get that one right from first try.