Merc hints at new E-Class

Mercedes-Benz Fascination

11 September 2008

Mercedes Fascination: the design story

It's worth taking stock of the Fascination's design language. It's strikingly clean and exec slick from the front three-quarters, but there are some in CAR Towers who thought the rear end looked like the illegitimate offspring of a tipsy Merc R-class and Audi Q7.

But the kicked-up rear wheelarch is pretty cool, and there are plenty of interesting new design themes to soak up here. There's no B-pillar and the frameless side windows can all be completely lowered (a Merc coupe tradition), which we can expect to survive on the finished E-class coupe.

That front end is a new Merc signature, too. They call them 'rhomboid LED headlamps' and we'd tip the look and character of the jewellery to inform the next batch of products from Stuttgart. Note the C-shaped fibre optic inserts which act as day running lights, a feature quickly spreading throughout many manufacturers' ranges, while the front foglamps are built into the chrome strip beneath the bumper.

And what's this about a horsey inspiration?

Ah yes. The usual, madcap design inspiration claims in the press blurb. Apparently the inspiration for the interior finish was from the world of equestrianism. Not that we know many stables with panoramic glass roofs, fine leather, American walnut and aluminium trim surrounding four bespoke armchairs. But that's what happens when you leave a team of black polo-necked designers squirreling away on an art project for 12 months.

The Fascination's boot is suitably capacious (for a coupe-inspired shooting brake) with a 1sq m loadbay with special cubbies for two sets of binoculars and 'a high-quality digital camera with interchangeable Leica lenses'.

There is also a humidor and smoked glass table that rises from the boot floor, too.

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