GTA8.5

Ok time for my writeup.

1st place.
E-Class. I like how MB pulled off the design with the E interior
The sweeping lines are very elegant and gives a relaxed unrushed less busy
feel of the three German makes. MB is the master at this, thay possess the only design studio stricly for interior concepts. The swtichgear is logically placed and handsomely done. Mercedes has very strong DNA design estblishments that have evolved and will continue to do so with every generation.

2nd place.
BMW 5er. Normally I would have gone with the Audi but I choose the BMW this time. The interior designers of the 5er have given it an unusual design architecture. Many of the surfaces have hard square shapes. The 5er uses
I-Drive so there are less bottons in the interior, these unusual shapes with less switchgear almost give the impression of an unfinished interior. The theme seems to clash against itself because the shapes don`t seem to be put to any good logical use. Thay seem to just sit there waiting for an opinion of some sort. That aside I have to give it to BMW for sticking with an estblished DNA that thay are known for, even though thay have greatly changed with the Bangle designs. It`s still all BMW.


3rd place.
Audi A6. The new A6 is basically a nice design but there are some weaknesses. If it`s one major grip I have with the A6 its how the center stack is tilted to the driver. That design just doesn`t cut it in a $50,000 car and is very outdated! not only does it look bad imo, we only get a small slab of wood (or aluminum) on the passenger of the dashboard. It doesn`t blend with the rest of the wood or aluminum used in the dash, That looks bad! This makes the rest of the interior look like a big hunk of unfinished plastic.(or a broken off design) Even the switches themselves look very boring and unsophisicated with there basic looking square shapes. I think Audi could have done much better than this.
The impression gives a "drivers feel" to the interior but it`s simply not orignal.
Sometimes I get the impression that Audi is still trying to find a design direction with mixing modern shapes with outdated design themes.

The center stack tilted to the driver reminds me of the 1995 Volvo 850 in a way. I know thay don`t look exactly alike but the idea is not fresh.





Audi didn`t give us the tilted center stack in the A8, it looks so much better!
- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

SDNR

I must say I find it somewhat amusing that the Mercedes fans are almost obsessed with the Bauhaus aesthetics of the G class's interior - but are completely dismissive and critical of those very same design principles when applied to the A6's interior - I truly think some of you are just not understanding the intention of the Audi's interior design, I can't help feeling that you are a little biased. The Mercedes E class interior is rather average actually - unusual shapes and more wood doesn't make it a better design - I understand that it probably does have wide appeal - but then most people furnish their houses with dreadful furniture - especially at the upper middle-class end of the market, which the E class is squarely aimed at.

Mercedes applied the same functionalist design principles to the interior of the G class as Audi has to the A6, although in recent times the G has undergone a "middle-class" makeover to make it more appealing to a consumer market who prefer their interior design to be less restrained or "German"

The original G class was designed strictly with function in mind.


Design purity - Form follows function.



This is what happens when someone just doesn't understand the design of the G class interior - some might like it - but I can guarantee you the original G class designers would have been horrified by this - this is truly "dumbed-down" design for the masses - a kind of Las Vegas School of interior design - Trump Plaza on wheels - very tacky and ignorant.


Clearly Mercedes are proud of the G class's Bauhaus aesthetic (exterior anyway) - so why don't they re-apply those principles to the rest of the model range today.........I guess I can answer my own question there; put simply, the market doesn't really understand high-design - this is also evident from some of the comments about the A6's interior on this forum.

GTA8.5

The form-follows function theme of the G-Class interior is an orignal.
The Mercedes design estblishments of form and function were not overlooked
when the interior was updated. How come we didn`t get this Form follows function idea with the A8s interior. It`s quit elegant compared to the A6.








I wouldn`t call it a lack of understanding but rather a market demand.
You will find some Hi-End Range-Rover models (another strict off-road vehicle)
dressed in the same mannor!




The Mercedes carline interiors don`t need to be redone in such a mannor.

The Artist

wow this design talk it to complicated for me.. i guess im one of those that dont understand audis intentions.. to me i look at a interior and if i like it i like it.. if i dont i dont.. and i dont really over anylyze my choice..

SDNR

You are not the first to say that in this thread - the A8's interior does apply the same Form-Follows-Function philosophy as in the rest of the Audi line.....I have no idea why some of you don't seem to think it does.

Obviously Audi did give the A8 a slightly less severe interior - but it still holds true to their functionalist values.

SDNR

Well sure Artist, I understand that - and I didn't mean to be arrogant, I know a lot of people are not as interested in these issues, or take them as seriously as I do. In the end I guess everyone has different ideas and ways of seeing things.

Ultimately I think Audi is the most certain of the three marques about it's design philosophy. Mercedes particularly, seems to be slightly confused at present about it's design culture.

The Artist

nah man i dont mind your post..they are gr8 im learning new things.. its cool to have a expert on a certain area..

Michael

For me it goes without saying. The 5er has something that brings me to it.

GTA8.5

Well Roberto, I take these issues as seriously as you do, however I don`t understand what you mean
in the last paragragh of this statement. Mercedes has the most established designs in the automotive industry. As I said in my first post thay have evolved the orignal DNA of these designs. It`s still all Mercedes.

Mercedes has the "magic" of making an interior extremely user friendly while looking very elegant and relaxed. Thay have taken the form follows function theme to the next level to an educated eye. These newly evolved interiors started with the W220 S-Class.

Audi on the other hand is just discovering
the form follows function theme with the A6 by an outdated tilted to the driver dashboard design. There are much more creative orignal designs others than this outdated theme.

St. Merc

[quote=Roberto]So what do you guys think, who does it best?

- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER[quote]

BMW...obviously...you just can't argue the originality...