"Seems Like It Was Created in 1995": Mercedes Chief Harshly Critiques Audi's Concept Interior | Carscoops

      Gorden Wagener did not hold back at the Munich Motor Show, making light of Audi’s “1995-style” interior and criticizing BMW’s “distracting” Neue Klasse display layout.

      Wagener pointed out that the interior of Audi’s Concept C is outdated and lacks modern technology.

      He also criticized BMW’s Neue Klasse layout as being distracting and overly complicated.

      He believes that large screens are essential in contemporary mainstream vehicle interiors.

      The competition among Germany's leading luxury car manufacturers appears as fierce as ever. At this year's Munich Motor Show, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes unveiled new design philosophies and cabin layouts, providing visitors a glimpse into how these top brands envision the future of vehicle interiors.

      Typically, car executives avoid directly commenting on their competitors, but the Chief Design Officer of Mercedes broke from tradition to share candid opinions about Audi and BMW’s latest designs, specifically the Concept C and iX3 SUV.

      During an interview with Top Gear at the IAA Mobility Show in Munich, Wagener was less diplomatic and offered unfiltered critiques of his competitors' interiors.

      Wagener, who previously worked with the Volkswagen Group before joining Mercedes in 1997, was rather blunt regarding his former colleagues. He remarked that the Audi Concept C's interior “looks as if it was designed in 1995” and that it feels “too familiar, with insufficient tech”.

      Screens Versus Switches

      Even though Wagener describes himself as a fan of “hyper-analogue things,” he acknowledged the significance of digital displays. “You can’t overlook a screen,” he stated. “A small screen conveys the message ‘congratulations, you are in a compact car’. This is just a concept and a niche vehicle. Thus, even if it’s built this way, it doesn’t really matter. However, reverting to all switches isn’t feasible for mainstream solutions.”

      Wagener believes that advancements in large language models will enhance voice operation in the future, yet he maintains that we still need large displays, as users may require “a visual reference on the screen” or the ability to “watch a movie and similar content”.

      The Audi Concept C boasts a minimalist interior with a retractable 10.4-inch infotainment screen that vanishes when not in use. A production version of this electric sports car is expected in 2027, likely retaining around 90 percent of the concept's design while slotting between the discontinued TT and R8 models.

      However, the screens in Audi's current production vehicles tell a different story. The Audi Q5, for instance, includes an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14.5-inch infotainment screen, and an optional 10.9-inch display for passengers. Nevertheless, this doesn't compare to the new 39.1-inch MBUX Hyperscreen that spans the entire dashboard of the newly launched Mercedes GLC EV.

      A Critical Look at BMW

      Wagener was equally critical regarding the new BMW iX3, the first model designed around the brand’s Neue Klasse design philosophy.

      Directly competing with the Mercedes GLC EV, the Bavarian car features a display stretching across the windshield, a 17.9-inch infotainment touchscreen centrally located on the dashboard, and an optional 3D head-up display. Wagener expressed his disapproval of this arrangement:

      “What did the other manufacturer accomplish? They presented this concept a couple of years back with the information at the bottom of the windshield,” he shared with TG. “Honestly, I’m not fond of it since it’s too distant, making it difficult to read. Everything appears smaller, which is distracting, and you need a device to operate it because it’s too far to be touch-sensitive, necessitating a touchscreen, which they included.”

      “It’s a rather conventional and complicated solution since information is presented at different levels, and I don’t consider that intuitive. They believe it’s progressive, and they must appreciate it; otherwise, they wouldn’t have pursued it, but I’m not convinced.”

      While his remarks were direct, they represent merely one viewpoint in an arena where design philosophies vary considerably. It remains uncertain how the design leaders of Audi and BMW will respond when asked to assess Mercedes’ recent designs.

      In addition to the production GLC EV, Mercedes showcased the Concept AMG GT XX in Munich, which combines a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with a 14-inch infotainment display, demonstrating that even Mercedes can exercise restraint concerning screen sizes in performance-oriented models.