Project details

• Brand Mercedes-Benz*
• Model Icon E Concept
• Date 16.04.2019
• * Independent illustrations that are
  neither endorsed by
  nor related to
  the car company.

Project info

A tribute to Paul Bracq and Bruno Sacco.

Through the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s Mercedes-Benz road cars became the industry's benchmark for comfort and high quality and led the move for greater safety with the introduction of the safety passenger cell, crumple zones, seat belts, ABS and air-bags. The Icon E project takes inspiration from the W115 series introduced in 1968, that for many is synonymous with elegance, understatement, and durability. The characteristic front end with vertical headlights gave the 60s Benzes an iconic image, and above all this design feature was the starting point for the modern re-interpretation of the legendary 'Stroke-8'.

The Icon E Concept is based on the mechanical underpinnings of the tenth-generation executive saloon E-class (W213) on the market since 2016 keeping the main dimensions, such as length, width, height and wheelbase, practically unchanged. My aim was to revive the seemingly contradictory concept of a 'modest luxury', free of ostentation, through a generous comfortable car characterized by clean volumes, balanced proportions and carefully handled surfaces. The project is also a tribute to two very significant chief designers of Mercedes history. Paul Bracq, who worked for Daimler-Benz heading its design studio in Sindelfingen for ten years and styled - among many others - the W115, and Bruno Sacco who served as the head of design between 1975 and 1999. The timeless beauty of his 80s models has been a real inspiration
for the Icon E Concept.

The concept of the interior is an attempt to achieve a minimalist space with as few decorative elements as possible, where precious materials become protagonists. The steering wheel is a direct reference to classic 60s Mercedes-Benz design.