sct1965

I know this is a little off topic.

Just got this from the Mercedes web site.

http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/#/futureModelsEclass/

I don't like it at all.

Headlights are ugly and the seats look terrible.

I think the W210 is still the best looking

Sean

texholdem

For good reason they don't show the rear, which looks pretty much like a Hyundai or Toyota Camry.

Figuero

Yep - order up that "Driver Drowsiness Monitor" and "Autonomous Emergency Braking".

A luxury sedan with a luxury variant available....

loubapache

The car will make all the decision for us. All it takes is a bad electric contact and then the decision will be bad.

Mercedes for the dummies?

Fraser

Looks too much like a C Class. The foglights remind me of the new Audi 'tinsel' lighting...

SLOPESTAR

mbz has alway had great styling. looks like they hired the same auto design team that came up with the lexus. I will be looking for another 210! you can keep that piece of crap...

Ricco

Agreed the W210 is classic and timeless.

socalsounds

Looks like a big C-class. It isn't made in Mexico, is it?

ejsheltra

Going away is the uniqueness to the brand...

Dou

I think there is a similarity between the sonata and w212.

Even though technological improvements will be noticeable, I could not see a spirit of Mercedes design.

w221, w204 are ok. But w212, no.

Lancelot

They already have the 'GUARD' version ready at introduction also. For € 45,000.- (German price) you get an armored package that withstands close-range bullets upto Magnum .44 and the floor boards and engine shielding are strong enough to repel DM51 handgrenades. Air-suspension assures a smooth ride with all the extra weight. With flat tyres the car can still travel a distance of 50km at 80km/h. Available on the E350, E500 and E350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY in 'elegance' or 'avantgarde' trim.

Antraciet

I'm sure it will grow on the nay sayers after a period of time, you haven't seen the car in real life, that usually is a different story. The E-class designs are timeless and it doesn't appeal at first, same thing with the w210, at least in my case.

I thought the big grill Audi A3 looked great when it first came out but I find the car to be so borng a couple of months afterwards, it didn't last. Timeless design grows on you, you have to look the car from all angles and view it in its time frame, than the respect comes.

aardvark

I'm sorry guys. This just screams jap and ugly at the same time. I'm all for brand loyalty, but this is rabid dog ugly. You could not get me to own it, regardless of whose emblem is on it. There is not much that sets it apart from the Hundai above it. There is also nothing new and timeless in the design.
I own a 96 e-320 and it has proved out to be a timeless design, and Hundai finally copied it (and I have never liked the rear appearance of the car), and made it worse. Here you have Hundai beating Benz to the assembly line. So then, what is new, besides the options and ride. In fact the time has already been beaten by the low cost competitor.

I've owned a few Benz's and design is not necessarily the major reason for owning one. It does however enter into the decision when it is time for a car purchase.
By the way. I went to design school, and finally ended up as an architect, so I have some background knowledge in this. Also I grew up in Detroit, and new folks in Ford design studios.
This design is certainly not offensive as a whole, but certainly far from special.

Some good designs are out there. Caddie CTS, Mustang, and so on from the US market. They are stand alone designs. In the Euro market there used to be a major separation from the Jap market. Now a days the designs are getting less and less unique. Everybody starts out (as I once heard it) with a soap bubble in a wind tunnel.

Guess this won't go over well.

Aardvark

Figuero

I once heard it put as "Lexification". I heard it at a grocery store where a gentleman was looking for some olives WITH pits. Well, the w212 doesn't have any pits.

C280 Sport

That thing is ugly. I will have to see it in front of me to make a final decission. So far from what I have seen its a NO. Get my a 2009 E550.

aardvark

Lets face it.
There are only 3 ways to look at a car. Front, Back and Side (L or R). It is at least 1/3 ugly already. There is inner beauty, but that doesn't count from a first impression.

An ugly girl might have a good heart and be strong like bull, so she can pull a plow, and you will never go hungry, but is that what you want? I'll shed a pound or so instead.

A few ugly designs I recall from the past. AMC Pacer or Matador. I am sure you have your own dawgs. They could have been more dependable than a Benz, but I wouldn't have bought one at even their original price, unless I wanted a Garth Mobile! "Party on ,Wayne!"

Aardvark