Mercedes E-class design review: ‘complete lack of design intelligence’

Bruno Sacco is one of the key people who created the unique Teutonic look for Mercedes-Benz. The Italian entered service in 1958 at the age of 24. In 1975 Sacco took over the scepter within the design department of Mercedes. There he introduced a design philosophy based on two principles: vertical affinity and horizontal homogeneity.

The vertical affinity required that new models should not make their predecessors look outdated. While the horizontal homogeneity required stylistic links between models in the lineup. This philosophy meant that from the 190 ‘Baby Benz’ to the S Class and SL, all carried the distinctive sculpted visual identity – and the models were a logical successor to their predecessors.

Also, despite the air of Germanic superiority that surrounded his cars, Sacco was willing to take risks. In his view, innovative technology had to be combined with an equally groundbreaking design. The plastic side cladding of the 1979 W126 S-Class and the triangular taillights of the 1993 C-Class illustrate this: visionary work at the time.

Through stylistic references to the glorious past, all Mercedes-Benz models would celebrate the brand history for decades and also direct the brand towards the future. Subtle, relevant and strategic changes were applied in model iterations. With only sublime and intelligent interventions. In this way, Mercedes-Benz showed how its top products could only be brought up to date with small, accurate steps. Gross changes were reserved for uncertain manufacturers.

Around 2000, the grotesque decline of Mercedes-Benz began. Generic dna made her entrance with stylistically slack volumes. Everything based on fleeting stylistic fashion trends. Nor did the aim of addressing a young audience in any way legitimize this course. The baby was thrown out with the bathwater.

The new E-Class, with a complete lack of design intelligence, blindly follows this path. Mercedes Design stoically ignores all significant brand history and essential heritage design elements. As if Coca-Cola is switching to bright yellow tetra suits.

The down the road graphics, the face of the E-class, consists of anonymous blobby headlights that stumble upwards in steps. The whole is linked to an equally shapeless grille.

Around is the surfacing weak and the graphics of the greenhouse and DLO are equally meaningless. This car is not recognizable by anything and it is in no way innovative in terms of design. The design corrupts Mercedes-Benz’s efforts over the last 100 years. Here is a sleep-inducing anonymous car, which communicates the diametrically opposite of what Mercedes-Benz pretends.

This Germanic is by no means Teutonic and the design remains silent about subcutaneous technology. Moreover, the E-class is designed in an extremely risk-avoiding way and there are no stylistic references to the glorious Mercedes-Benz past: as if designed in a vacuum. With the sad double star in the rear lights as the low point, the new E-Class is a car of empty words. One that completely frustrates the Mercedes history.