“Asia is achieving a level of ‘complete digitization’ that is on another level from Europe. There’s certainly something to learn from Asian cities.”
Gordon Wagener, Mercedes-Benz’s Chief Design Officer (CDO), stated the above during a meeting with journalists at the 2024 Auto China in Beijing on the 25th (local time). He added, “There are megacities in Asia (cities with populations exceeding 10 million) that do not exist in Europe. I draw a lot of inspiration from the atmosphere of these megacities.
Wagener gave the example of Hyundai Motors, which has recently promoted design management. “Hyundai of Korea is showcasing many creative designs,” he said. “I think Hyundai is focusing on design. I believe there’s a different kind of creativity in Asia,” he explained.
However, regarding Chinese electric cars, he pointed out that “there are many cases where they draw inspiration from Western designs. Some electric car manufacturers even copied certain features of Mercedes-Benz (at the Chinese brand booth of Auto China),” and added, “The design quality is good, but it lacks sophistication.”
He also noted that “Chinese cars often improve on existing designs. For example, they make the air intake port identical (to existing car brands), resulting in good design but lacking originality or being excessive in some aspects.” He added, “However, China has started to grow and is experiencing trial and error. I can think highly of their boldness and innovation.” On the same day, Wagener also responded to some harsh criticisms about the design of the EQ series, Mercedes-Benz’s recent electrification strategy brand. “The progressive design of the EQ class may receive lukewarm responses in the conservative car market,” he said. “However, when designing the EQ brand, we are trying to present a design different from existing models.”
He also said, “In the same segment, the EQE is the best-selling model. I think it is receiving good responses,” and added, “Currently, customers in the upper segment still tend to be cautious. I don’t think the mixed reviews of the EQ brand are about the design issue.”
Wagener expressed confidence in the All-New Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology (G580), a pure electric car unveiled at the World Premiere just before the opening of Auto China.
Wagener said, “The reason people love the G-Class is because of its timeless design,” and emphasized, “We believe the G-Class itself is an icon, so we tried to preserve the unique personality of the G-Class when creating the electric version.”