The Mercedes-Benz EQS arrived “10 years too early” for its radical styling to be accepted by buyers, according to its designer.
The electric saloon was launched in 2021 as the flagship in a new line of Mercedes EVs but has failed to generate as many sales as its combustion-engined counterpart, the S-Class. A significant reason for this struggle has been its progressive design – such that Mercedes introduced a more traditional-looking grille as part of the car’s 2024 update, to appeal to the more conservative buyer.
“I think the EQS is probably 10 years too early,” Mercedes-Benz design chief Gorden Wagener told Autocar.
He suggested that the car had perhaps been doomed by comparison to the combustion-powered S-Class, despite having been developed to a different brief.
Wagener said: “It's a very, very progressive car and, of course, it was not originally designed as a chauffeur limousine. That was not the intention.
“Many people in this class expect a long hood [bonnet] and status from a chauffeur car, and the EQS is different there. It's a completely different car.
“Maybe we should have marketed it differently, more like a futuristic CLS, S-Class Coupé or something like that.”
As previously reported by Autocar, the EQS’s struggles have prompted Mercedes to unify the model and the S-Class for their next generation: both will be replaced by a pair of ICE and EV models badged and styled as S-Classes.
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headroom, a lousy ride, charges slowly, and costs way too much. It's decently efficient, but that's about as far as my praise goes. The interior is unattractive and feels cheap, it's ridiculous basic things like 4-zone HVAC isn't standard on the EQS580, neither is heated or ventilated rear seats. If I'm spending £135,000 I expect all of those things to be standard, just like they are on the i7.
Thank God we all don't like the same thing, I can't comment on the whole EV thing and ICE cars aren't going to disappear overnight,so, why are certain brands hedging there bets?
Exactly. I dont think its the proportions that put people off but the (in my eye 'sluglike') styling. However, as with the i3 and Jaguar iPace, the 'learnings' the manufacturers will take is that people want conservative designs. As an i3 owner with nothing newer that I would want to change it for that is very frustrating
The i3 looks like it belongs in a Japanese anime cartoon. Ghastly thing.
Each to their own, I adored it from when the concept was revealed over a decade ago and still do now. A big part of the appeal to me is that it wasnt designed to meet convention, it was designed to be the best & most efficient (in space and energy) small car on sale. Likewise the iPace, it wasnt designed around regular ICE car proportions.