It’s the dawn of a new design era at Mercedes. Taking a page from BMW’s book, the three-pointed star is unifying styling across its expansive lineup. Whether gas, diesel, plug-in hybrid, or fully electric, future models will share the same design language. Just as today’s electric CLA looks nearly identical to the gas version, tomorrow’s EQS will be styled as an electric S-Class. The same strategy applies across other model pairs in the portfolio.
Upcoming products will draw inspiration from the bold Vision V concept revealed last month. This opulent people-mover previews a new design language centered on “respect,” according to Mercedes’ design chief. Autocar cites Gorden Wagener, who explained that next-gen cars will communicate the message: “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.”
Speaking specifically about the eccentric Vision V, Wagener described it as “damn sexy” and said it’s “very close to production.” He believes the concept’s radical front fascia “offers a lot of status and respect.” That’s open to interpretation, but it's important to point out that automakers often exaggerate features on their show cars to grab attention.
Styling elements from the concept will influence production models, with even greater emphasis placed on the corporate grille. That doesn’t mean Mercedes will scale up grille sizes yet again. Instead, the brand aims to enhance the grille's visual impact by refining the shape and inner design. While tall front ends on SUVs and vans like the Vision V allow for oversized grilles, sedans and coupes are unlikely (and hopefully won’t) adopt such aggressive designs.
Wagener no longer sees a need to differentiate ICE and EV models through distinct exterior styling. He argues that early EVs benefited from futuristic, aerodynamic shapes to help them stand out and boost efficiency. But now, with electric cars becoming mainstream, they can seamlessly blend in with conventionally powered vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz Vision V Concept
Though the bulbous styling of current “EQ” models is being phased out, Wagener defended the original approach in a previous interview with ABC News. Regarding the EQS, he said the large electric sedan, with its “purposeful and very progressive” exterior, was never meant for the traditional S-Class buyer. According to him, the flagship EV still looks like it’s “10 years into the future.”
Although EVs have been democratized, the vast majority of Mercedes buyers are still reluctant to part with combustion engines. In the first quarter of 2025, electric vehicles accounted for less than 10 percent of the brand's deliveries. Of the 446,300 vehicles sold through March, only 40,706 were fully electric. It's a 14.3 percent decline compared to the same period last year.
Source: Autocar
