Mercedes-Benz E-Class GT Imagines the Possibilities, But Should It?
BMW and Mercedes-Benz have a long history of imitating one another. Traditionally, BMW is known more for performance, while Mercedes-Benz has made its name on luxury. However, that does little to prevent the two brands from muscling in on each other’s turf. The Mercedes-Benz GLE was created to rival the BMW X6, and the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer takes its inspiration from the Mercedes-Benz B-Class.
Given this history, it would be no surprise to see Mercedes-Benz present a challenger for the hatchback BMW 5 Series GT. Theophilus Chin, who creates concept images for hypothetical cars, presented a possible design for just such a car. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class GT adapts the brand’s typical design language to the form of a four-door hatchback. While the concept stays true to the spirit of modern Mercedes-Benz designs, it also reveals that the company’s vision simply isn’t well-suited to this form factor.
The design suffers from the same problem as the 5 Series GT itself: It’s a compromise. It tries hard to be sleek and sexy while fitting into the mold of a body type that is inherently not sleek and sexy. The rear end bulges up above the level of a normal sedan, but doesn’t reach the near right angle of a traditional hatchback.
All this leaves the E-Class GT looking more like a bloated sedan than anything else. Instead of looking like Mercedes-Benz did something different, it looks like they did something wrong. The front end promises a performance vehicle for the less ostentatious consumer, almost like a toned-down version of the S-class Coupe. The rear end fails to deliver on that promise in spectacular fashion. The combination leaves you with a car that looks simultaneously derivative of and worse than the more traditional designs coming from companies like Acura.
Sport hatchbacks certainly have their place, and many of them even manage to make that fat rear end look good. That sort of design, however, is far removed from the philosophy of BMW and Mercedes-Benz. A well-designed hatchback like the Hyundai Elantra GT looks sporty and fun, whereas these brands want to look fast and luxurious.
The E-Class GT design would undoubtedly come with a few benefits. A roomy interior with plenty of headroom and a huge amount of cargo space would make the vehicle appealing to some, but especially with high-end brands like this, looks are everything. The 5-Series GT has struggled to attract buyers, and the E-Class GT would almost certainly suffer the same fate.
Although it’s hard to imagine why Mercedes-Benz would want to imitate a car that’s by no means a smashing success, one possible motivation could the be discontinuation of the CLS Shooting Brake. With the station wagon disappearing from the Mercedes-Benz lineup, a smaller hatchback could fill in that gap while attracting a different segment of potential buyers, albeit a small one.
Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>
Photo [theophiluschin.com]
