SDNR

I know this is not exactly the topic .....but I wonder, Eni, if I may expand upon the theme of this thread.

Mercedes have unfortunately lost their way a bit since Peter Pfeiffer has taken over from Bruno Sacco. Today's Mercedes designs are reactionary rather than leading. A collage of current general automotive design trends, implemented without much apparent ideology, [usually] watered-down to give them [hopefully] greater longevity in the market -- although it is true that some of these trends originated, or were based on Mercedes own initiatives, under Sacco.

Mercedes has lost its position as the undisputed design leader. Sacco had created a series of powerful styling attributes that confidently expressed the brand's values and ambitions. The current Mercedes cars are a 'cut and paste' assemblage of styling cues -- some based on inherent Mercedes archetypes, others 'borrowed' from competitors. In my opinion, it's a bit of a mess at Mercedes ...even if the cars are still quite attractive.

I must admit, the new A5 took me by surprise a little ...I am curious to see how far Audi will go with this new 'expressiveness' in their designs. The A5 is still a world away from the impassioned aesthetics of Maserati or even BMW but it is an interesting development from a manufacturer with such a cool and serious image.

BMW design is particularly impressive, they have radically changed the appearance of their cars without losing any of the BMW 'feel' -- they have achieved what Mercedes has not. Many have criticized Chris Bangle but his risky styling has paid off. It has been aided by clever marketing, insuring the public is 'educated' to understand the intentions behind the designs and their ideological parallels in Modern art, architecture, and design. BMW have reinforced their brand by associating it with high-culture, cutting-edge ideas, and intellectual excellence.