Mercedes to major on ‘respect’ as it merges ICE car and EV design

Mercedes will bring S-Class and EQS together into one bold new model line Brand's design boss says bold, recognisable styling will be key to standing out from the “sea of sameness” Mercedes-Benz will emphasise “respect” with a new design language for its future models, as it refreshes its line-up and moves to unite the styling of its electric and combustion cars. The move is part of a drive to differentiate upcoming Mercedes models from their rivals – especially important as its core segments swell with new entrants from less established marques – and to strengthen their desirability as luxury products. Design boss Gorden Wagener told Autocar at the Shanghai motor show that “the worst part of new design trends is having no identity” and Mercedes wants to avoid its cars falling into what he calls “the sea of sameness”. That is particularly important in the premium segments, where cars must be more than just transportation devices, he said. “I think when it comes to luxury, you start a love affair with the car. You attach emotion to it. You don’t just want to have an appliance that gets you from A to B.” A Mercedes should not, he said, “be like a fridge - something you need”, because “luxury is something you want, not what you need", adding: "We don’t build appliances on wheels.” Therefore, going forward, Mercedes will “put more emphasis” on respect in the design of its vehicles, “because that’s what people expect from us when they buy a Mercedes". “You deserve some respect. You’ve made something out of yourself and you’ve been successful in life, so you deserve some respect for that.” Some of the cues Mercedes will deploy to achieve this were previewed by the outlandish Vision V concept – which Wagener described as “damn sexy” and “very close to production” – at Shanghai. “When you look at the front, you see that this car offers a lot of status and respect," he said. "And this is one aspect of the brand: one is love, one is respect.” Key to achieving this is the “iconic signature grille that nobody else has”, Wagener suggested, which allows Mercedes to “stick the cars out from the sea of sameness on one hand, and the other thing is that when you have this huge illuminated panel, you tailor to that analogue luxury appeal on the street”. He added, though, that implying respect with a bold vehicle design doesn't necessarily mean installing bigger and bigger grilles but rather emphasising the shape and recognisability of the front end. “You see a lot of big grilles out there, and this alone is not necessary. Respect probably has to do with the sublime. When you look at buildings, churches, temples, they have to have a deeper meaning, and this Mercedes grille is probably the best known around the world, so it has a meaning that many people associate with a lot of things - and no other brand has that.” Crucially, this new approach will apply to both ICE cars and EVs in the future, as Mercedes will no longer design cars differently according to which powertrain they use. The EQE and E-Class, for example, will be brought closer in line, and the EQS is set to simply be replaced by an electric derivative of the next S-Class. The new CLA and upcoming GLC likewise will be all but identical whether specified with ICE or electric power. “We will definitely move away from that,” said Wagener about having two design languages at the same time. “There’s no point, just because it’s a different transmission. “In the first generation, we did purpose design because it was special and people want to show they are driving electric cars, and to make them a bit different, more aerodynamic and futuristic-looking.” But now, he said, "it doesn’t really matter. What matters is the brand: Mercedes. So we will put the emphasis on that, emphasis on the respect, and the identity of the front to make Mercedes stick out. "For me as a designer, I don’t care if it’s electric or combustion; it’s a Mercedes. “We opened the zipper to do purpose design for combustion and electric, and now the zipper will close again."

Comments

automobile news

Top UK airport plans car park fees hike in blow to summer holidays

Comments

Similar News

New Mercedes-Benz VLS to be ultra-luxurious ‘S-Class van’

New Mercedes VLS to be ultra-luxurious ‘S-Class van’

Starbucks and Mercedes-Benz partner to build EV charging network. First up: the West Coast

Mercedes-AMG to reveal bespoke electric super-saloon in June

Pope Francis's incredible car collection - £380k Mercedes EV to very ordinary 80s Renault

Mercedes G-Wagon with incredible royal link and extravagant chestnut suede interior goes on auction for huge £135,000

Mercedes to launch by-wire steering and yoke wheel in 2026

Wild Mercedes V-Class concept turns MPV into space-age limo

Mercedes-Benz revives 1980s icon with rugged looks and powerful engine

Mercedes-AMG CLE 53

New Mercedes-Benz G-Class harks back to 1980s ancestor

How Mercedes F1 boffins are rewriting the EV battery rule book

‘My Mercedes was a complete write-off after it was chewed through by rats’

'We tested every single Mercedes-Benz on sale – this is the best one'

Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 2025 long-term test

Mercedes-Benz priming 'Little G' as £70k entry G-Class due in 2027

2026 Mercedes-AMG C63 to drop PHEV four for new PHEV six

We were shocked to come back from holiday to find council had taken our £22k Mercedes & SOLD it… don’t make same mistake

Mercedes-AMG SL 55

automobile news

Top UK airport plans car park fees hike in blow to summer holidays

April 2025 car tax changes costing drivers almost £5,500 per year

Ferrari 296 Speciale revealed with 868bhp and radical aero set-up

Drivers risk £5,000 fine and nine points for common footwear mistake

‘I’m a car expert - this is the best first car for under £5k’

‘I’m a mechanic - these are four ways to quickly identify a reliable second-hand car’

Used car dealer shares feature-packed luxury performance saloon for £1,500

Isuzu D-Max pick-up goes electric with full-time 4WD

DVLA issues urgent message to every driver over 70 years old

'I'm a driving expert - never touch this dangerous car component on a hot day'

UK defence firms warn workers 'don't charge phones in Chinese electric car'

BMW to reveal future of reinvented Alpina brand in 2026

Audi A6 E-tron and S6 E-tron review

Willys Jeep vs Range Rover: how has off-road capability changed?

Drivers told common gearstick move could leave with 'empty bank accounts'

New Citroen C5 Aircross revealed with concept styling and EV option

Drivers face being ‘disqualified for one year’ if they break major DVLA rule

‘I’m a mechanic - this indestructible car brand is most reliable on road’

Jeremy Clarkson revealed one car he regretted buying - 'Want my money back!'

Greatest car transformations of all time… from Aston Martin’s glitzy DB4 revamp to Fiat’s whole new look

Older driver rules 'need to change' as UK blasted 'worst in Europe'

The best MPVs and people carriers – driven and tested

The once popular feature quickly vanishing from new cars as EV sales rise

Chinese brand shares cheap EV that looks like a Land Rover with retro feature

Certain drivers face £550 fine for driving in London this week due to little-known rule

Thousands of drivers face tax hike of over £7,000 if they own specific type of popular vehicle – check if you are hit

Stunning Porsche 911 Cabriolet and £100k cash prize up for grabs in Omaze Early Bird Prize Draw

Huge car blaze sparks chaos on crucial motorway used by 110,000 drivers a day with black smoke seen billowing into sky

'I'm a used car expert - this 80s model is the perfect starter classic for £5k'

Brits urged to remove three items from car to avoid £4k repair bill

New Mercedes-Benz VLS to be ultra-luxurious ‘S-Class van’

Former Vauxhall boss named Nissan GB MD

Used car buyers warned over brands with highest number of owners

New Mercedes VLS to be ultra-luxurious ‘S-Class van’

Volkswagen ID 3 to get another extensive facelift

I live in one of the world’s smallest cars – I couldn’t afford to retire if not… but toilet situation is a disaster

Drivers with older cars could face 20% rise in costs if UK slaps tariffs on China

Volvo V90

Used car selling giant with 91,000 motors to close in weeks over ‘heavy losses’ with staff facing axe

Three ‘most reliable’ electric motors revealed including 145-mile range hatchback and sporty coupe

BMW: joy of driving will survive autonomous car era

Little known car brand backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos reveals highly customisable compact pickup at bargain price

BMW Vision Driving Experience is a radical quad-motor test mule

Are Tesla Superchargers really open to other EVs in California? It's complicated

EV truck maker Rivian warns the state of more layoffs

EVs and hybrids are twice as likely to hit pedestrians as gas cars, study shows

Skip the DMV visit. You can now complete these services online

California voted to ban new diesel trucks at ports. Why did L.A. and Long Beach just add 1,000 more?

Irvine-based EV maker Rivian gets $5-billion lifeline from Volkswagen

John DeLorean built the 'car of the future.' Then came the briefcase full of cocaine

Refueling a hydrogen car in California is so annoying that drivers are suing Toyota

Judge approves Fisker bankruptcy plan favored by car owners

Go phish! Scammers target FasTrak system users with threatening texts

Editorial: Five reasons to keep the federal tax credit for electric vehicles

Wildfire took an Altadena man's neighborhood and his Corvette dream

Starbucks and Mercedes-Benz partner to build EV charging network. First up: the West Coast

Most reliable used car brands: Discover the UKs most trusty motors including a Mini for just £60 a month

Iconic car brand launches its 1st ever hybrid campervan in UK with ‘mini-kitchen’ & sliding chairs ahead of peak season