Mercedes' design chief says the EQS came out too soon and there will be no second generation
Mercedes-Benz, represented by chief designer Gorden Wagener, has admitted that it rushed the launch of its flagship EQS electric car in 2021. The model, which was planned as the answer to the Tesla Model S, failed to live up to expectations. According to Wagener, the EQS "came 10 years ahead of schedule." Now, instead of the second generation, EQS is waiting to be merged with the S-Class into one model line with internal combustion engine and electric versions, like BMW has with the 7 Series and i7.
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Launched four years ago, the EQS was initially not a direct replacement for the S-Class and was conceived as an independent model. But buyers expected from it exactly flagship status, and received a streamlined sedan with a radically aerodynamic profile, which became the object of criticism.
"It's a very, very progressive car, and it certainly wasn't originally designed as a chauffeur-driven limousine," Wagener explained to Autocar. "A lot of people in this class expect a long bonnet and status from a chauffeur-driven car, and the EQS is different in that respect. It's a completely different car. Maybe we should have promoted it differently, more like a futuristic CLS, an S-Class coupé or something like that."
In an attempt to rectify the situation, Mercedes did a slight restyling of the EQS last year with a new imitation grille at the front, but the overall design remains the same. And while the EQS will continue to be updated - a major restyling is planned for next year - a new generation is not envisaged at all. Instead, Mercedes is working on a new generation of the S-Class, which will feature both petrol and electric versions. The unified flagship model is expected to be released by the end of the decade.
Source: Autocar
