Yeah wouldn’t surprise me!

The taillights are one good example of it. But they have also started plastering the star everywhere. The new diamond grille with a bunch of little stars that replaced the old diamond grille. The door puddle lights that plaster the logo everywhere. The new Maybach EQS took it to a new level by plastering the Maybach logo literally anywhere the eye could see. It’s like they really want the world to know that the car is a Mercedes-Benz. Missed the model branding? Not to fear, every damn body panel has some kind of Mercedes star on it.

 

W223s don't have those big emblems on the pillows unless its the manufaktur interior

 

Ya that is not all, the instrument cluster shows the star, the infotainment screen shows the star when powering on, the passenger display shows the star, then there is under the door Mercedes star projector (which you mentioned), the star on the steering wheel airbag (well that I can understand, but it sure grew big), The hood has a star, the grille has a huge MB star, in the middle (plus those little stars in the grille you mentioned) the lower front bumper has a MB star. the wheels have a MB star, the rear has a star badge (although that can understand), the taillights as you know has four stars. Under the hood, the engine cover has a star (understand though), The digital light projects a star (but only on amg models)

At this point, I am surprised they didn't put four stars in the headlights as well (although I am glad they didn't) and why they didn't put stars in the headliner (like Rolls-Royce's starlight headlining)., they could had put a big star etched in the sunroof glass when you open the sunshade and even stars on the gas pedal and brake, perhaps stars on the centre console and on the head rest and the seats. A star projection in the cargo area when opening the trunk. (Totally joking with all of this.. but you get the point)

What happened to understated luxury?

 

Shhhhhh don’t give them ideas! Hahaha. But exactly! What did happen to understated luxury? Back in the day if you showed up in a Mercedes everyone knew it was a Mercedes. That is still true today, we don’t need branding at every little inch. Out of everything though, I have to admit I do kind of find the backlight star pattern word trim in their EQ cars to be kinda cool. Adds some attention to detail which is rather mesmerizing at night with the ambient lighting. But for the most part I can do without little stars all over the car.

 

I guess they think customers will like it or that it might (?) add value. MB really does trust their brand alone to sell vehicles nowadays.

 

Yeah and unfortunately that mindset of theirs is killing the brand.

 

You don't say

 

Every car with a navigation system I have ever owned shows the brand of the car at startup, including my Chrysler. My Chrysler has the Chrysler logo everywhere Mercedes has the Mercedes logo. You guys are reaching here lol

 

I guess we were just trying to empathize (in MB's case) there are many stars around the vehicle. Hence why I also mentioned the steering wheel airbag, the rear badge on the trunk, the badge in the hood, obviously all brands have those... (well there are exceptions for the grille as BMW I guess has the badge only on the hood and kidney you know it is a BMW, the XM only has a badge on the backlite, for example).

 

There really aren't...my S Class has the same Mercedes stars everywhere an S Class from 30 years ago had. Mercedes with stand up hood ornaments have routinely had two stars, one on the grille then the stand up hood ornament:



BMWs have BMW logos in all the same places. All cars do. Every car has a logo in the center of the steering wheel.

 

Yes, and I hope they keep it that way

I'm ok with the amount of branding on MY22 or earlier cars. But it is obvious that MB is intent on taking logo plastering to a another level, from MY23 onward, what with the new W214 taillights and EQS Maybach SUV. That, for me, is going too far.

 

Everything has too much branding for me, has for years. I read the nouveau roturier like to flaunt their money and see no shame in it, but I see it as a vulgar. Whatever... I'm an old man only inches away from chasing teenagers off of my lawn with a charged garden hose; what do I know?

 

Yes I agree, I have no problem with the infotainment stars, steering wheels star or hood star. That stuff is normal. However, like I most think they’ve starting going overboard with placing in areas it’s never been and it’s just too much.

 

Its a design trend. My Lexus had Lexus Ls designed into the taillights...Bentleys have "B" taillights and have for a long time.

I think the taillights are a bit much, but the little stars on the grilles and inlaid into the wood trim I don't see what the issue is there. And a Maybach has always been garish, thats part of what it is. I would never buy one so what they do there doesn't mean anything to me.

 

no I understand, we were talking about the stars everywhere around the vehicle, lower bumper, taillights, grille

lower bumper example: https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...9046d9f9e.jpeg

You also don't get my point I guess, obviously the car makes' logo is on the airbag cover, we were just trying to use it to empathize the amount of logos that has increased over the years in MB, the air bag MB logo as you also know already is just so huge compared to previous years.

 

I see.

 

They think the logo will help sell the car (which I guess in certain cases, it does, people really like tri-star logo)

 

Speaking of branding, companies (in general) seems to have simpler logos now, It used to be a logo and now it is just plain letters spelled out their brand. If you know what I mean. All the colourful graphics are gone too and are based on dark background with bright text and I guess that applies to many car manufacturers too. I observed Volvo's logo is getting simpler, Nissan, BMW, Mini, etc. Instead of actual logo, just company's brand name in most cases.

 

Sorry I am not sure what you mean "Lexus Ls designed into the taillights" unless you mean the shape of the taillights (if so I think forcefully putting a star (mb's case) in the taillights is too much but to each their own? or "Bentleys have "B" taillights" I don't see Bently's logo in the taillights either. a quick google search, the taillights doesn't say "Lexus" but that reminds me of something, the light bar, another trend that is getting too cliché.

 

Never mind, now I notice what you mean in Bentley's case, it never occurred to me: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jkYkv_CUjdA/maxresdefault.jpg
I still stand with my previous argument that MB's choice is too desperate though in the taillights, the star doesn't fit at all in that taillight the rest of the shape of the taillights doesn't flow at all.

 

I get your point, I just don't think its that big a deal. Its a design trend and MB is not the first to do this. MB is not desperate for brand recognition in the slightest. Its one of the most recognizable brands on earth.

These are Lexus L logo designs in their taillights, this design is from 2013:



Bentley:

 

Yup same image I found on the internet for Bently, ya I can see the resemblence of the Lexus logo in those tailights.

I understand it is not that MB isn't recognizable it is that they think buyers will likely buy their cars the more logos they throw on the vehicle, that is the problem I have with the design choice, I just wish MB stick to their understated luxury approach (apparently that makes the buyer feel good about their purchase).

Another argument is that maybe MB has to do this for their car to be recognized as a MB at a distance, because the design (a lot of critique on the forums) are getting too similar to Asian or other car brand designs (not to defend MB but doesn't help that these competitors are buying MB's designers) . I can see that to some extent as well, especially the facelift W213, I just don't see the need of those logos everywhere on the the W214 though, I mean the side profile looks very Mercedes to me, doesn't look like other car brands (so that was done right).

 

*Sorry I meant hiring, not buying that is absurd. You can't buy a human being.

 

It's a trend in all industries world-wide; some culture/countries more than others, but a trend. More approachable, memorable, easier to place in multiple sizings without losing detail or becoming too cluttered in appearance.

The latter is beneficial because it lets you scale from phone to billboard and allows the embedding of more logos. Some irony there...

 

I don't think they think that at all, I think they are just following industry design trends. Also remember that China is becoming a bigger and more important market, and that kind of conspicuous brand logo look is very very popular in Asia.