Mercedes-Benz’s Fall from Grace: Design Overkill to Blame?

Mercedes-Benz Faces Design Criticism
A Designer Creates a Unique Blend with Porsche Taycan

Mercedes-Benz, which held the top spot in the imported car market for seven years, has fallen to third place, being overtaken by BMW and Tesla. Various factors, such as price and configuration, contribute to this phenomenon, but criticism over its design is also significant.

Mercedes-Benz has prominently featured its unique emblem, the three-pointed star, as a brand symbol. While the three-pointed star has been an iconic representation of Mercedes-Benz for a long time, there has been criticism that it has been overused recently.

Criticism over the Overuse of the three-pointed star
Electric Car Design Also Faces Criticism

The company has applied the three-pointed start to the taillights’ graphics, increased the emblem’s size, and emphasized the brand’s symbol throughout its design. This design approach has sparked consumer dissatisfaction, claiming that it undermines the symbol’s significance. The shape of the grill, which has transitioned from the traditional chrome grill to a black grill with a Three-Point Star pattern, has also caused controversy.

The Mercedes-Benz Star Logo Grill, densely filled with small three-pointed star logos on the front grill, can easily be seen in current models such as the C-Class, E-Class, and GLE Class. The EQ, Mercedes-Benz’s electric car brand, has gone a step further by applying a black panel grill filled with Three-Point Stars to an egg-shaped front end, which has received criticism for being the worst design.

Design Emphasizing Chrome Grill
Headlights Extending Upward

Fans of Mercedes-Benz around the world are criticizing and appealing its design. Amid this, a designer created buzz by receiving consumer approval for a rendering image that modified Mercedes-Benz’s design. The designer combined the Porsche Taycan‘s design elements with Mercedes-Benz’s AMG GT 4-door coupe in a rendering design released by Theottle. The basic structure was based on the Taycan.

The designer created a new design by adding elements of Mercedes-Benz to Porsche. The line of the headlights was modified to match the changed body line. The box of the headlights, which used to extend horizontally, now extends diagonally, creating a sharper look. The unique volume of the Taycan’s hood side was also reflected. The grill was designed to emphasize the vertical chrome lines by enlarging it than before.

Streamlined Rear Design

The rear has become flatter and sportier. The squared shape of the taillights has been replaced with a more streamlined curve. The roofline that extends to the rear has also become more streamlined, highlighting the coupe line. The bumper cladding is enlarged, and the smoother line gives a softer impression.