The striking thing Mercedes-Benz Vision Iconic The concept car was unveiled as the German luxury automaker enters what it boldly calls a new era of iconic design after a series of self-described boring vehicles.
The Vision Iconic show car combines a wild Art Deco design theme with electric vehicle (EV) technology, as well as solar cells and artificial intelligence (AI) designed to replicate the thought patterns of the human brain.
The show car’s striking chrome-plated grille in Gothic style was inspired by the Mercedes-Benz W108 (1965-1972), W111 (1959-1971) and W100 Pullman 600 (1963-1981) – and its design language was first demonstrated on the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC mid-size SUV at the Munich show last month Motor show shown.
Daily Sparkz You can save thousands on a new car. Click Here to get a great deal.
At the same event, the 2026 C-Class EV was teased in an image showing the same grille front and center on its exterior design.
The animated chrome grille features an illuminated three-pointed star logo, which Mercedes-Benz says illustrates the importance of light in new car design. These are flanked by slim headlights and contrast with glossy black paint.
“Our Vision Iconic is more than just an automobile – it is a sculpture in motion, a tribute to timeless elegance and a statement for the future,” Mercedes-Benz design chief Gorden Wagener said in a statement.
“The symbiosis of traditional craftsmanship, state-of-the-art technology and a distinctive design language makes it the ultimate expression of value, prestige and grace: the most beautiful and prestigious thing there is.”
Mr. Wagener recently criticized the company’s efforts to design vehicles using AI, which he said was “one percent interesting” and becoming “really annoying.”
The design chief also criticized Audi – owned by his former employer, the Volkswagen Group – and, without saying it directly, also expressed dismay at BMW’s cabin design, saying he was a fan of “hyper-analog” interior design instead of all-button or touchscreen layouts.
This “hyper-analog” approach can be seen inside the Vision Iconic show car, with an Art Deco-inspired “floating Zepplin” center glass panel designed to allow “interplay of analog and digital instruments.”
The column-shaped screen, similar to BMW’s solid curved digital display, contrasts with “analog” elements such as brass door handles, soft blue velvet seat upholstery and details made using the hand-crafted “straw marquetry” technique popular in the 1920s.
Despite its retro theme, the concept also features solar panels that Mercedes-Benz says can be “seamlessly” attached to the surface of electric vehicles to deliver additional range and power.
The technology includes Level 2 point-to-point autonomous driving capability. Despite headlines from other automakers, Mercedes-Benz was the first company to receive regulatory approval to test Level 3 autonomous vehicles on public roads in the United States in 2023.
Mercedes-Benz says the Vision Iconic’s “neuromorphic” computing mimics the function of the human brain to improve its autonomous ability, which could help AI make decisions faster, such as reading traffic signs, while using less energy.
It also features a “steer-by-wire” function in which the steering wheel is not physically connected to the wheels, which Mercedes-Benz says reduces the effort needed to grip the steering wheel while allowing more flexibility in cockpit design.
In addition to the concept, Mercedes-Benz also announced a capsule fashion collection with six outfits for men and women, as well as a new book about the philosophy of the German brand’s latest design language.
The new Mercedes-Benz GLC is the first model to carry the Stuttgart company’s new “Iconic” design theme, and was unveiled in Munich alongside its nemesis, the new BMW iX3 – the first of the Munich carmaker’s upcoming “Neue Klasse” models.
MORE: Discover the Mercedes-Benz showroom
