We spoke to Mercedes design boss Peter Pfeiffer at the recent Detroit Motor Show – and asked him about the future strategy at the Stuttgart company.
What’s the point of the Ocean Drive concept?
We had a discussion last year about the current Mercedes-Benz line-up. Mercedes has a very strict design and the idea came up to do a forward-looking car. The Ocean Drive concept is not looking back into the history books at all; we wanted to create a dream.
Some say it looks like a Maybach…
It was always going to be a Mercedes – not a Maybach.
Will you build it?
We are going to make a decision whether to build the Ocean Drive or not in the next two to four weeks.
That roof looks engineered for production?
Yes, it does, doesn’t it…
Hmm. So which bits of the Ocean Drive concept are most significant?
The grille is big – and very three-dimensional. You’ll see this on the new C-class and other future models. Look also at the taut lines and surfaces; the subtle surfaces along the flanks are important, too. The subtle lines continue through the rear lights. Note also the small strip of chrome running along the flank of the car; we are considering this for production. The two-tone paint on the Ocean Drive will happen. It’s more complicated to produce – it has to go through the paintshop twice.
Sounds like a facelifted S-class to me…
I can’t comment on that.
And what about those LED headlights?
LED headlight systems will be here in the next two to three years; they give us designers more scope to do exciting things at the front.
How would you sum up the new C-class unveiled last week?
The new C-class is both sporty and regal at the same time. We have different design languages for different ranges; our sports cars are different to our saloons – but there’s an overall language binding them all together.
Designing a new C-class must be really easy. You just draw a mini S-class, don’t you?
When you look at the S-class today, there is quite a bit of that in the new C-class. But it has its own character, too.
Which is your most important model in recent years in design terms?
Our new look started with the CLS. It was a big change, a revolutionary step for us.
There’ve been so many new models in recent years… How do you design so many?
A new addition must always look like a Mercedes. Any new model must slot into our range and carve out its own identity – but it must also be a member of the family.