It wasn’t that long ago that this writer was behind the wheel of one of Mercedes-Benz’s new E-Class saloons, where everything was just as it should have been. It was quiet, refined, it had a healthy amount of road presence and it bore a design that was comfortable enough in its identity as a Mercedes-Benz that it didn’t need to go out of its way to remind the observing public that it’s one of Stuttgart’s cars.
But we guess for some people, it’s best if new cars never, ever let you forget their provenance. To that end, designer David Obendorfer took the bones of the current-generation W213 E-Class and donned it with a suit inspired heavily by the W114-generation of Mercedes’ storied saloon.
While the Icon-E is very much a render at this point, Obendorfer would clearly like it to be more than that. As such, the dimensions of the Icon-E are uncannily close to the current production E-Class, as if it’s just waiting for one brave soul to take the plunge.
Even the interior makes use of Mercedes’ very latest infotainment system and its dual-screen setup, albeit with a redesigned steering wheel and an otherwise ‘minimised’ aesthetic. It’s worth mentioning (for Obendorfer) that the term ‘retro’ is not one he appreciates. In his own words, carried by Autocar:
“[These redesigns] are interpretations obtained via a creative process, similarly to any new models. From the designer’s point of view, it’s easy to see that ‘retro’ as such does not even exist.” – David Obendorfer
This would perhaps be most faithfully described as a tribute to Mercedes-Benz’s more adventurous designs, like the works of Paul Bracq (who designed the original W115) and Bruno Sacco, who ushered in the more brutalist and commanding shapes between 1975 and 1999.
Obendorfer’s designs generally do not go past the conceptualisation stage, with only a bodykit for the Citroen Relay van inspired by the Type H having made production a while ago. That said we would certainly love for at least one of these W115-tribute cars to be made because, well, coach building is always a beautiful thing.
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