Sensual Purity: How design showcases brands.

Sensual Purity: How design showcases brands.

Design Essentials II

Showcasing a passion for automobiles.

Mercedes-Benz design serves to showcase a passion for automobiles in a modern design idiom. The designers focus on the Mercedes-Benz design philosophy of Sensual Purity as an expression of modern luxury. This encapsulates a key aspect of the Mercedes-Benz brand – the bipolarity of intelligence and emotion. The aim is to create clear contours and smooth surfaces that showcase hi-tech while radiating emotional appeal. For the designers, good design must be hot and cool. Every Mercedes-Benz combines these two opposites.

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupé in a showroom

Sculptures depicting the four brands Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Maybach, Mercedes-Benz and EQ

A “gene pool” of stylistic elements.

It is important to the designers to render this bipolarity of the Mercedes-Benz brand tangible in the vehicles. Each model series has its own distinctive character, depending on the central attributes of its design. A Mercedes-Benz is nevertheless always recognisable as such. Because in addition to incorporating new stylistic developments, the designers draw from a “gene pool” of stylistic elements which are innate to the brand, thereby keeping long-standing traditions alive. The design philosophy is defined by the Design Code. This is based on six guidelines which are interpreted accordingly for each model. In this way it is ensured that each model series has its own distinct character.

Bipolarity of intelligence and emotion.

“We have been working on and with the design philosophy of Sensual Purity at Mercedes-Benz since 2009, continually evolving it as part of an ongoing process. This philosophy encapsulates an essential aspect of our brands – the bipolarity of intelligence and emotion. Good car design is integral to the cachet of each of our brands, particularly where it brings the brand’s tradition into the modern age,” says Chief Design Officer of Daimler AG Gorden Wagener. “We have thus transformed the traditional luxury of Mercedes-Benz into a modern luxury, reinterpreted the brand with the star and also made it fascinating, tangible and, above all, desirable for young customers.”

Prof. Dr. h.c. Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer, Daimler AG

Unmistakable aesthetic for each brand.

“To make complex things simple, you first need multi-layered thought processes and ways of working, which are then reduced to simple messages and impressions. And, of course, a highly motivated and well-trained team that sees things from the customer’s perspective. In a dialogue with our marketing colleagues, we have analysed the DNA of each of the brands: Where is the brand coming from? What are its defining attributes? What design features are characteristic? What do customers value about it?” Wagener adds.

“On this basis, we have defined an unmistakable aesthetic for each of our brands. In this way, we create integrated experiences spanning the brand, the product and the digital world. Thus, Mercedes-Benz stands for a modern luxury, and Mercedes-Maybach for the ultimate in luxury. Mercedes-AMG impresses with performance luxury, while EQ points the way to the future with progressive luxury.”

The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé on a stage in front of red light effects

Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4MATIC+: Kraftstoffverbrauch kombiniert: 11,2–11,0 l/100 km; CO₂-Emissionen kombiniert: 256–252 g/km.⁴

Mercedes-AMG: Performance Luxury.

The brand aesthetic of Performance Luxury that has been defined for Mercedes-AMG aims to tease out the aesthetic aspects inherent in the powerful appeal of the AMG brand. The ambience that the brand aims to exude is initially characterised in terms of colour. A glowing, pulsating red, positioned to accentuate it against a dark backdrop, symbolises power, passion and performance. The materials used are distinguished by their authenticity and very consciously establish a link to the high-technology world of motor racing. The use of contrasts, too, such as smooth – rough, soft – hard, shiny – matt, serves to emphasise the performance aspirations of AMG. New highlights are set by the use of more refined materials revealing, for example, a marble-like structure, thereby conveying a powerful interpretation of the concept of luxury. Dynamic graphics, shapes and their proportions create a sense of speed and underscore the muscular beauty of the brand aesthetic.

Exterior design: broad radiator grille, dominant air intakes.

The exterior design, too, reflects the brand aesthetic of Performance Luxury. The design elements are not there just as ornamentation, but have an underlying technical purpose that is apparent in the way they look, with a total focus on the brand value of performance.

Interior design: dynamically sloping centre console, sculptural instrument panel.

The interior design echoes the design idiom of the exterior. Particularly striking: the interior of AMG vehicles is extremely sculptural in style and more oriented towards the driver than is the case with other brands sporting the three-pointed star.

UI/UX: race feeling in the cockpit.

The User Experience with AMG is also characterised by cutting-edge technology, efficiency and performance. Drivers have a whole range of race-specific functions at their fingertips.

Mercedes-Maybach: Ultimate Luxury.

Mercedes-Maybach stands for ultimate luxury in its most cutting-edge guise. The brand’s style is embodied in sublime beauty, supreme aesthetics and elegance. Something very special is showcased for one sublime moment. This is not about wallowing in the past, but about forward-looking enhancement and refinement. The atmosphere is warm, light and airy. This is also underscored by the use of light colours, which symbolise the luxury of room and space. Black elements forge a link with Mercedes-Benz and allow precious metals to add a sublime shine. The chosen materials feature a deliberate interplay of the familiar and the innovative, exclusively crafted throughout. Ultimate precision and a loving attention to detail are demonstrated by graphic elements which are derived from the brand logo.

Exterior design: pinstripe radiator grille, expressive wheel rims.

The exterior conveys expressiveness and superior quality. Characteristic features include the radiator grille, the long wheelbase, a specific rim design and the use of chrome as design elements.

Interior design: spaciousness, supreme exclusivity.

The interior of Mercedes-Maybach vehicles offers a spacious and relaxing setting boasting the ultimate in seating comfort and prestigious design with diverse scope for individualisation.

UI/UX: the ultimate in comfort.

The Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury, which was shown at Auto China in Beijing, offers a special variation of the Mercedes-Maybach user experience. Characteristic features are the light and appealing colour spectrum from white to rose gold, the sophisticated design and craftsmanship and special high-quality comfort items.

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class in white on a stage

Mercedes-Benz: Modern Luxury.

The aesthetic of modern luxury is characterised by timeless beauty, a combination of high-grade technology and craftsmanship as well as a reduction to what is really important. The aim is to spark a desire for the brand. The atmosphere created by the design conveys a reduced, but not distant appearance that is modern and timeless. Black and silver are the dominant colours that create a stage for highlights, but also stage innovations to be complemented by a warm colour range. Natural materials, such as leather and wood give a feeling of being approachable and can be harmoniously combined with technical and innovative highlights. Modern graphic elements that quote the typical Mercedes-Benz style idioms or pick up on the brand make the brand identity stronger.

Exterior design: sporty, dynamic, emotional.

Characteristic exterior design elements of Mercedes-Benz vehicles include the striking radiator grilles, dynamic side lines and sensually traversing surfaces that largely do away with creases.

Interior design: new ways.

A modern interpretation of luxury calls for emotional, authentic experiences. With this in mind, the bipolarity of traditional craftsmanship and sophisticated technology also forms the focus of interior design at Mercedes-Benz. The vehicles exude Sensual Purity, setting standards in precision and quality with an extraordinarily high-grade finish. With the interior of the new A-Class and the next GLE, Mercedes-Benz is consistently carrying on as intended to completely restructure the interior.

UI/UX: a new user experience.

Mercedes-Benz also launched a new infotainment system with the new A-Class. The name MBUX alone – Mercedes-Benz User Experience – indicates that the experience (UX: user experience) and benefits for occupants are in the focus. A unique feature of this system is its ability to learn thanks to artificial intelligence. MBUX can be individually configured to adapt to the corresponding user. Brilliant graphics and a clear, very structured design intuitively create a link between vehicle and driver. In terms of design, the colour theme, free-floating spatial design of screens and the options for different degrees of detail strike the eye.

EQ: Progressive Luxury.

The EQ brand gives an insight into the future and is shaped by an avant-garde, distinct aesthetic – Progressive Luxury. This arises from the combination of a previously unknown beauty, the conscious clash of digital and analogue elements as well as the seamless merging of intuitive and physical design. The atmosphere is technically cool while still promoting a sense of well-being through the synthesis of full, organic forms and a warm material environment with dark wood or wool. The addition of innovative materials and blue light accents communicates a mood of progressivity. The colour scheme, a combination of black, silver and white with accents in typically brilliant EQ blue, characterises a future-oriented technology brand. Graphic elements creating an analogy with the digital world are aesthetically implemented to maintain an air of approachability.

The Mercedes-Benz Concept EQ on an EQ stage

Exterior design: more range thanks to sensually efficient body.

The dynamic exterior design with its new electric aesthetic underlines the focus on the powerful electric powertrain and is systematically configured for maximum all-electric range.

Interior design: the digital experience in the real world.

It is not just the body of the models that adapts to the electric age of visionary, progressive aesthetic. The cool aesthetic of the exterior also continues in the interior with the Mercedes-Benz hallmarks. In the elegantly technoid cockpit, the focus is on simple, touch-based and intuitive controls.

UI/UX: merging of the analogue and digital worlds.

The customer experience of EQ, too, comes with a contemporary electric aesthetic. The driver can have specific information, such as on the charging process, displayed in the blue and white look. The digital and analogue worlds combine for an intuitively controllable interface.

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Kraftstoffverbrauch kombiniert CO₂-Emissionen kombiniert Stromverbrauch im kombinierten Testzyklus

Product may vary after press date on 06.07.2018.

¹ Die angegebenen Werte wurden nach dem vorgeschriebenen Messverfahren ermittelt. Es handelt sich um die „NEFZ-CO₂-Werte“ i. S. v. Art. 2 Nr. 1 Durchführungsverordnung (EU) 2017/1153. Die Kraftstoffverbrauchswerte wurden auf Basis dieser Werte errechnet. Der Stromverbrauch wurde auf der Grundlage der VO 692/2008/EG ermittelt. Weitere Informationen zum offiziellen Kraftstoffverbrauch und den offiziellen spezifischen CO₂-Emissionen neuer Personenkraftwagen können dem „Leitfaden über den Kraftstoffverbrauch, die CO₂-Emissionen und den Stromverbrauch aller neuen Personenkraftwagenmodelle“ entnommen werden, der an allen Verkaufsstellen und bei der Deutschen Automobil Treuhand GmbH unter www.dat.de unentgeltlich erhältlich ist.

² Die angegebenen Werte sind die „gemessenen NEFZ-CO₂-Werte“ i. S. v. Art. 2 Nr. 2 Durchführungsverordnung (EU) 2017/1153, die im Einklang mit Anhang XII der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 692/2008 ermittelt wurden. Die Kraftstoffverbrauchswerte wurden auf Basis dieser Werte errechnet. Der Stromverbrauch wurde auf der Grundlage der VO 692/2008/EG ermittelt. Aufgrund gesetzlicher Änderungen der maßgeblichen Prüfverfahren können in der für die Fahrzeugzulassung und ggf. Kfz-Steuer maßgeblichen Übereinstimmungsbescheinigung des Fahrzeugs höhere Werte eingetragen sein. Weitere Informationen zum offiziellen Kraftstoffverbrauch und den offiziellen spezifischen CO₂-Emissionen neuer Personenkraftwagen können dem „Leitfaden über den Kraftstoffverbrauch und die CO₂-Emissionen neuer Personenkraftwagen“ entnommen werden, der an allen Verkaufsstellen und bei der Deutschen Automobil Treuhand GmbH unter www.dat.de unentgeltlich erhältlich ist.

⁴ Angaben zu Kraftstoffverbrauch, Stromverbrauch und CO₂-Emissionen sind vorläufig und wurden vom Technischen Dienst für das Zertifizierungsverfahren nach Maßgabe des WLTP-Prüfverfahrens ermittelt und in NEFZ-Werte korreliert. Eine EG-Typgenehmigung und Konformitätsbescheinigung mit amtlichen Werten liegen noch nicht vor. Abweichungen zwischen den Angaben und den amtlichen Werten sind möglich.

⁶ Stromverbrauch und Reichweite wurden auf der Grundlage der VO 692/2008/EG ermittelt. Stromverbrauch und Reichweite sind abhängig von der Fahrzeugkonfiguration. Weitere Informationen zum offiziellen Kraftstoffverbrauch und den offiziellen spezifischen CO₂-Emissionen neuer Personenkraftwagen können dem „Leitfaden über den Kraftstoffverbrauch, die CO₂-Emissionen und den Stromverbrauch aller neuen Personenkraftwagenmodelle“ entnommen werden, der an allen Verkaufsstellen und bei der Deutschen Automobil Treuhand GmbH unter www.dat.de unentgeltlich erhältlich ist.

⁷ Angaben zu Stromverbrauch und Reichweite sind vorläufig und wurden vom Technischen Dienst für das Zertifizierungsverfahren nach Maßgabe der UN/ECE-Regelung Nr. 101 ermittelt. Die EG-Typgenehmigung und eine Konformitätsbescheinigung mit amtlichen Werten liegen noch nicht vor. Abweichungen zwischen den Angaben und den amtlichen Werten sind möglich.

⁸ Alle technischen Angaben sind vorläufig und wurden intern nach Maßgabe der jeweils anwendbaren Zertifizierungsmethode ermittelt. Es liegen bislang weder bestätigte Werte vom TÜV noch eine EG-Typgenehmigung noch eine Konformitätsbescheinigung mit amtlichen Werten vor. Abweichungen zwischen den Angaben und den amtlichen Werten sind möglich.

⁹ Weitere Informationen zum offiziellen Kraftstoffverbrauch und den offiziellen spezifischen CO₂-Emissionen neuer Personenkraftwagen können dem „Leitfaden über den Kraftstoffverbrauch, die CO₂-Emissionen und den Stromverbrauch aller neuen Personenkraftwagenmodelle” entnommen werden, der an allen Verkaufsstellen und bei der Deutschen Automobil Treuhand GmbH unter www.dat.de unentgeltlich erhältlich ist.