by German Automakers at the Munich Motor Show
During the Munich Motor Show, German auto giants presented new concepts and production models that demonstrate updated stylistic directions. Chinese manufacturers added international color, but the main attention was drawn to the local brands with their sometimes unusual design solutions.
The Importance of Design in Modern Motorsport
It seems that now is one of those moments when car design for premium European brands is undergoing significant changes. After a period where major players tried to rethink themselves and figure out how to differentiate electric vehicles from ICE cars, the Germans seem to have found a new source of inspiration.
BMW iX3: The First Neue Klasse
Let’s start with the BMW iX3, which is undoubtedly one of the main novelties of the show. This is not just a new SUV — it is the first Neue Klasse car, bringing with it a new design language that will shape the entire brand’s model range for the next decade, as well as a new platform for electric vehicles.
Some at Carscoops believe the iX3’s profile deviates too much from Munich traditions, but overall it is a great success.
BMW design over the last 20 years has been either outright ugly or too simple, but finally, a fresh, modern car with real presence has emerged, successfully combining classic features with modernity without looking like a retro copy.
Mercedes GLC: A Less Successful Attempt
In our view, the iX3’s main competitor, the electric Mercedes GLC, looks much less successful. The body seems soft and boring compared to the BMW, and while we are all for Mercedes using classic inspiration to update its famous grille, the light panel on the GLC, which will also appear on future models, looks like an add-on here.
Audi Concept C: Confidence and Inspiration
The Audi Concept C looked much more confident. It announces the successor to the electric TT, which will share technologies with the future Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman EV, and draws inspiration from both the TT and the Auto Union Type C race cars of the 1930s.
We recall the series of strong Audi concept cars with Bauhaus elements from the late 1990s and early 2000s, many of which went into production.
Volkswagen: A Return to Classics
The Volkswagen ID. Polo and Polo GTI models, almost production versions of the car previously known as the ID.2, looked less radical in comparison, but they still represent a shift in the manufacturer’s design, returning to the solid forms and surfaces that made some of the brand’s most popular models so enduring.
Think about how fresh the Golf Mk4 looks almost 30 years after its debut, or the Mk1 after over 50 years. It is this confident, non-trendy style that the ID. Polo has adopted, but at the same time, the ID. Cross showed that Volkswagen can also experiment with the same design language.
Audi/BMW/Mercedes
The question remains open: have German automakers truly found their design muse, or do some of them still need to go back to the drawing board? In the battle of the grilles, who did it best — BMW, Audi, or Mercedes?
German car design has always been a symbol of engineering mastery and aesthetics, and this show demonstrated that the brands continue to experiment, trying to find a balance between tradition and innovation. Although not all novelties received equal approval, it is clear that each manufacturer is trying to meet the challenges of the future by combining electric technology with a unique style.
