By Joe Udo
BERLIN (CONVERSEER) – AI tools have been widely introduced into the workplace, covering everything from processing spreadsheets to drawing sketches, and have even begun to infiltrate creative fields such as automotive design.
According to a Motor Trend report on 15th September, Mercedes-Benz is also experimenting with this technology, but design director Gordon Wagener bluntly stated that AI’s current performance is far from satisfactory, saying it’s still a long way from replacing designers and unable to design decent cars (“AI Can’t Design Cars Worth a Damn”) .
He believes that AI renderings can “lighten” rough sketches and make them look more beautiful, but that’s “the extent of their use.”
Wagener noted that the internet is now flooded with increasingly exaggerated AI renderings, to the point of causing aesthetic fatigue. This makes it more difficult for automakers to create eye-catching concept cars.
He lamented, “We’re losing the shock value that concept cars should have.”
In his view, what’s needed now are more solemn and stylish concept cars than “showy” ones. He emphasised that AI cannot create iconic designs because it neither understands what an iconic design is nor has the ability to be original .
It was learned from the report that when talking about design concepts, Wagner believes that each car should have a distinct personality: the E-Class should be sporty, the S-Class should be solemn, the sports car emphasises pure performance, and the Maybach symbolises luxury. At the same time, people hope to see unique designs like the SL.
Mercedes-Benz is currently developing a new generation of products with a new design language. Wagener explained that starting with the 2026 CLA and 2027 GLC, the new models will feature illuminated logos, grilles, and star-shaped headlights, giving them a more recognisable and soulful appearance.
He said that the grille, which “has almost no functional role” on modern cars, has become the “face” of the vehicle and the brand. The grille of the new GLC is composed of 942 LED pixels, reinterpreting classic details from Mercedes-Benz history as a future-oriented design element.
Wagener revealed that this design was added late in the project. It was Easter Sunday, while he was glamping at an altitude of approximately 1,800 meters in the Grand Canyon.
In sub-zero temperatures early in the morning, he received a call from Mercedes-Benz Chairman and CEO Ola Källenius in China. The two discussed the significance of the Mercedes-Benz brand and the plan to restore the classic grille.
Although this change delayed production, increasing time and costs, Wagener insisted it was “well worth it.”
