GIMS 2018: Deutschland im Herbst

The production cars that matter.

There is no question that the most important production vehicle unveiled at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show was British. After a string of not even lukewarm saloons and two SUVs that probably do their respective jobs, but little beyond that call of duty, Jaguar has come up with a product that could truly be described as being ‘Lyons-like’. Albeit not so much in terms of any concrete detail, but in spirit and execution.

For the I-Pace is a Jaguar nobody asked for, but everybody will want. It’s the kind of statement car this marque hasn’t seen since 1986. And in stylistic terms, its ambitions reach far beyond those of the utterly conservative XJ40, 32 years ago.

Jaguar obviously isn’t the kind of semi-shed business it was when Sir William Lyons and a handful of people made all the calls at Browns Lane. And yet there’s a sense of a relatively small team, driven by ambition and conviction, behind I-Pace. This is convincingly communicated by Jaguar Advanced Chief Designer, Julian Thomson, and Vehicle Line Director, Ian Hoban, who stress how the car’s appearance was very much defined by engineering and design working closely together and setting one another challenges. 

This sense of conviction is echoed by I-Pace’s styling, which dares to not just differ from the industry’s habit of making electric cars appear as mundane as possible, but also challenges the idea of what ‘makes’ a Jaguar. I-Pace’s cab-forward silhouette means there isn’t even an attempt at a prestige gap behind the front wheel. Instead, the Jaguar combines traditional performance car cues like the pronounced haunches over both wheels with a semi-monobox architecture. The result of this is spectacular, because it’s genuinely new. 

Thanks to the expert styling, which juxtaposes soft, flowing surfaces with sharp creases in proper Lyons fashion, there’s little danger that I-Pace might alienate too many customers in the way BMW’s brave i3 has. This is not an abstract design that needs much explanation - it’s instinctively pleasing, as any good Jaguar should be. 

Unlike recent Jaguar production cars, I-Pace doesn’t suffer from a highly unsatisfying cabin ambience either. While no match on the exterior and definitely not as groundbreaking as the BMW i3’s interior, the Jaguar features a ambience that’s modern enough and of pleasing enough perceived quality to do its job. After the disastrous cabins of XE, XF and F-Pace, that’s certainly more than what was to be expected. 

Even the exterior isn’t quite perfect though. There are a few jarring details, like the naff ‘Jaguar’ print on the high gloss black cladding on the sills, or the uneven shutlines at the front (which hopefully are just an issue with pre-production cars) and the rear lip spoiler. Yet none of these does distract from the fact that Jaguar has finally, successfully reinvented itself. 

Almost as though to put I-Pace into the sharpest contrast possible, Jaguar also brought a kustomized classic XJ to Geneva. Based on the body shell of the Series 3, but featuring plenty of details used on other generations of XJs, this is a perfect illustration that even aesthetic giants like this most elegant of saloons can be turned into daft objects of vulgar taste, if driven by enough determination and money. Especially if wire wheels and a bonnet leaper are involved (neither of which aforementioned Sir William ever envisaged for his original XJ design). 

Thankfully, that disgraceful XJ was a one-off, destined for some aesthetically deluded celebrity. Quite the opposite is true of the surprise shocker among the production cars at Palexpo, which is a vehicle to be owned and driven by millions.

Unlike BMW’s new X4, which appeared grotesquely misbegotten in the press photos, but really is merely unattractive, the new Audi A6 is quite striking in the metal - for all the wrong reasons. Much to its detriment, this Audi truly is the sum of its parts, and those parts are both boundlessly numerous and astoundingly ill-advised.

In typical recent VAG fashion, the A6 comes across like a showcase for the different metal stamping techniques available to the German giant. There’s too many creases, lines, folds and seams to even start counting them. This doesn’t smack so much of overconfidence in terms of production techniques, but stylistic desperation. For if this is how Marc Lichte and his team hope to lend German premium new meaning, they are most certainly heading for a cul-de-sac. 

What baffles most about this A6 isn’t so much that the ideas behind its design aren’t that convincing (the previous generation hardly was a benchmark car in that respect either), but that so much of the execution is so utterly cack-handed. Sticking two radar sensors onto the front grille (which sports the same ‘spread eagle’ graphic as the new A8) like a set of police flashlights may be more truthful than the highly dissatisfying covers with fake mesh/bar print that have disfigured recent Jaguars and Škodas (among others), but it’s also incredibly careless for a marque that used to pride itself for its relentless pursuit of stylistic precision. The showy, confusing lamp graphics may even be disregarded in this context, just like some surprisingly unsophisticated (by Audi standards) shutlines. But certainly not the almost bafflingly confused character line on the lower part of the doors, whose lack of inherent ‘correctness’ (which used to be a defining trait of Audi design) manifests the confusion that seems to have set in at Ingolstadt. 

Just as Audi has as good as abandoned the Ulmer Schule, BMW still find themselves torn between exuberance and conservatism, with little in the way of assertiveness to ensure this quest results in convincing design. 

The dreadful X2 probably acts as the most telling example of how the Bavarian plot was lost under former BMW chief designer, Karim Habib. Its lack of conceptual consistency is even underlined by certain details, such as the graphic disaster that is its front end (which invites comparisons with no less a benchmark than Mercedes’ R231 SL) or the dreadful c-pilar, whose poor execution is only highlighted by the addition of 3.0 coupé-aping propeller badges. 

Unlike their Bavarian counterparts, Mercedes-Benz had little to offer in by way of surprises. As expected, the newest iteration of Sensual Purity® illustrates that the success of the marque’s most recent generation of cars was a bit of a lucky accident. With most of the creases and excessive ornamentation gone, the newest generation of CLS and A-class are left with little to disguise their shortcomings in terms of stance and detail design. 

Obviously aiming for a soft, yet dense form language à la Porsche Macan, the new sensually pure concoctions above all depict how far Mercedes’ modellers lag behind their counterparts at Zuffenhausen. These days, the ladies and gentleman working for the three-pointed star simply lack the craftsmanship to deliver anything other than shouty, loud effects. The relatively calm CLS and A-class certainly offer far too little to distract from all the limp surfaces and poor details. Not that such errors previously distracted the current breed of Mercedes-Benz owners, who relished their cars’ noisy, aggressive, vulgar appearance. Yet how these people will react to Mercedes models that are attempting to exude an (ill-aimed) sense of elegance and restraint remains to be seen. 

Without the crassest of exaggerations in attendance to distract anymore, the A-class’ shutlines alone are perfectly sufficient to point out the most basic deficiencies of Mercedes-Benz design these days. 

This is put into even sharper relief by Volvo, where the highly accomplished V60 showed the German brands how high quality is communicated through design. The Volvo’s shutlines are an object lesson in stylistic diligence; the chrome is rich, but not overabundant; the radii suggest solidity, but come with just the right degree of elegance as to not appear too chunky. That the V60 was fully designed using CAD, rather than a full-size clay model, only makes the achieved level of quality all the more astounding.

Some commentators have started to criticise Volvo’s family look as being too much in the ‘one sausage, cut to different lengths’ vein. And indeed, the V60 closely resembles a more compact V90 in terms of proportions and a lowered XC60, as far the details are concerned. Yet there is still enough differentiation between each model as to not result in indifference. Volvo certainly is treading on a fine line here, but for the time being, this works well. 

At the same time, the brand’s new XC40 proves that the Sino-Swedes are not utterly tied to this conservative approach, having played fast and loose with Volvo’s current design language with the compact SUV. The result of this is more pleasing than anticipated, as the overall design quality remains very much in presence, albeit in less formal a fashion. Although it may not be as borderline flawless as the V60, the more playful flourishes, like the pronounced haunches above the wheels or the a-pilar ‘print’ on the clamshell bonnet, are unquestionably executed in expert fashion. In purely stylistic terms, the XC40 could therefore be described as an Audi Q2 ‘done right’, if it didn’t have such a qualifying ring to it. 

Of course, the treatment of XC40’s c-pilar and its effect on outward visibility and cabin ambience are clearly at odds with the Swede’s focus on active and passive safety and remain jarring from a conceptual, if not a stylistic perspective. This hopefully doesn’t set a precedent. 

Speaking of precedents, the one-upmanship among luxury car makers obviously continues unabated. A spectacular example of this is the all-new Bentley Continental GT, which is almost overburdened with details attempting to convey a sense of substantial luxury. This is most obvious in the interior, which combines almost every component deemed ‘high quality’, be it of the cutting edge (digital instruments/displays, ambient lighting) or traditional (leather, wood, chrome) variety. This results in an ambience of blindingly shiny glamour - literally so. For the wood is so polished, the chrome so abundant and so very knurled that there is reflections everywhere. This would be a lot to take in by itself, but then there’s also the mood lighting for a bit of Dubai glitz, and the prerequisite ‘diamond pattern’ stitching, whose propagation in the Bentley’s cabin marks a new high in the ever-escalating strife for conveying leather craftsmanship through the number of stitches. 

At the same time, the Bentley’s exterior should be a clear improvement over its predecessor, thanks to shorter overhangs and a lower silhouette. Unfortunately, the car’s stance really resembles a failed attempt at an Aston Martin, rather than a modern take on the Bentley marque’s traditionally hefty interpretation of class. The undisciplined employment of brightwork certainly plays a role in that too, but it’s mainly the spoiler lip at its rear (which would be fine for an Aston) and the awkward, ‘forced perspective’ headlights that ruin this Bentley. That its light units’ design also mimics the ‘Bohemian crystal’ aesthetic of recent Škodas (albeit in less pleasing and no more classier a fashion) only adds insult to injury. 

Aston Martin meanwhile chose a different path for their most recent models, with far less of an emphasis on family looks, evolution and the traditional markers of sophistication. The end results of this pursuit can be both interesting and pleasing (as with the DB11 Volante), but unfortunately not in the new Vantage coupé’s case. 

While the attempt to break away from the Teutonic family look idiom is applaudable in itself, the Vantage’s fresh accents aren’t as elaborate or inspired as they might be. Combining a slightly Marcos-like rear outline with a de rigueur light strip is difficult enough in itself, even when the execution isn’t as half-hearted as it is here. Abandoning the traditional Aston Martin grille and side vent could also be a brave move, as long as their respective replacements are inspiring - which regrettably isn’t the case, making these changes appear like borderline folly. 

Apart from a generally strange use of typography, Aston Martin currently also has issues with their cars’ cabins. Attempting a steampunk-meets-high-end-luxury aesthetic, these interiors suffer less from the obvious use of Mercedes-Benz components than some quite unpleasant materials and rather clumsy overall styling. So where the Bentley manages to make outstanding materials disappear amid an excess of traditional craftsmanship employed for up-to-date bragging purposes, the Aston bets the house on making an impression on the virtue of being unusual. Neither tactic works, unfortunately.

Over at Rolls-Royce, the new Phantom saloon not only has to follow in the footsteps of its monumental predecessor from 2003, but also prove the mettle of the marque’s chief designer, Giles Taylor. What with it being the first complete production car designed since he took office, Taylor has a lot riding on this Phantom. It therefore isn’t terribly surprising to learn that he’s quite bullish about this Phantom possessing more elegance than its predecessor, which Taylor doesn’t seem to hold in as high esteem as others. 

Yet despite this bullishness, the new Phantom’s stance turns out to be a surprisingly unassertive one. With the sagging outline of its daylight running lights, slightly confused front graphics and too much visual weight too far up its flanks, it instantly lacks the utter assuredness of the ’03 vintage. 

Taylor’s striving for more ‘elegance’ and a less formal air are certainly evident in the bow-shaped graphic on the Phantom’s bonnet and the lack of a sharp upper edge on the Partheon grille, but they simply appear at odds with an automobile that inevitably represents considerable might through its very size. The slightly confused two character lines on the side don’t improve this matter either, as does the rather heavy-handed side DLO chrome framing. However, the slightly Hooperesque rear probably best exemplifies the effect Taylor and his team were aiming for, but didn’t achieve. 

The Phantom’s interior is dominated by its ‘art gallery’ dashboard, naturally. This feature allows customers to put artwork behind a curved piece of glass, next to the (digital) instruments. All things considered, this is an option only those people it is aimed at can truly judge. Apart from any aesthetic merits or demerits, it certainly exemplifies the difficulty the high-end marques are facing at a time when overall levels of safety, comfort and performance are so high that there are precious few options left to truly set the ‘bespoke’ manufacturers apart from the rest. The Rolls-Royce’s glass cabinet is unquestionably a more original attempt at tackling this issue than ‘diamond pattern’ stitching though. 

Disregarding the ‘art gallery’, the Phantom’s cabin remains a few steps ahead of the competition in terms of good taste and sophisticated craftsmanship. Obviously highly dependent upon the chosen specification, the Phantom’s cabin design remains sufficiently reserved in terms of design to allow the superior materials to leave their mark. In this instance, the Rolls-Royce designers made the right call when they went for a more evolutionary approach and kept quite a bit of the previous car’s flair intact.

So compared with the competition, the new Phantom still maintains its role as a purveyor of substantial luxury and presence. It is only when held against its predecessor that this limousine appears somewhat compromised and less than assured. 

In utter contrast to the Rolls-Royce, Peugeot’s new 508 has little to fear from being compared with the car that preceded it, which was a rather clumsy device that left little impression at all. That the new 508 is aiming for such low-hanging fruit instantly taints it, yet this still is a car that does possess certain qualities of its own. Its stance, for example, is very good indeed for this class of car, thanks to an overall low appearance and short overhangs. Neither the DRL ‘fangs’, nor the slightly messy brightwork on the c-pillar can truly spoil what is hardly a groundbreaking, but quite a pleasant entry in a category of car that seems to be almost overlooked these days. 

The 508’s interior even adds a few genuinely interesting ideas to the mix, such as the sloping central tunnel and a row of easily reachable buttons on a sort of plateau in front of the infotainment display. It’s just a shame the designers couldn’t resist the use of black high-gloss plastics for this area, which will get smirched and therefore visually unappealing in no time at all. It would appear that high gloss-plastics are the simple man’s ‘diamond pattern’ stitching.

What with Geneva having traditionally been considered ‘neutral ground’ that grants every manufacturer the same opportunity to present their products, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the German manufacturers didn’t rule the roost by Lac Léman. What does come as a surprise though is the lack of creativity, boldness and, in certain cases, even stylistic craftsmanship of these former pacesetters of the industry. 

The German hegemony of the ‘premium’ sector won’t be over for some years to come, but there’s a palpable sense that the apex may be behind them. Cash reserves and special relationships with suppliers will ensure that German ‘premium’ will remain at the forefront of automotive success for some time, but cars like the Jaguar i-Pace show the limits of the ‘premium’ formula as we know it today. 

It’s therefore time for Munich, Ingolstadt and Stuttgart to get up and smell the coffee. Complacency and arrogance have ensured the eventual end of any many a reign. And neither ‘diamond pattern’ stitching nor ‘hot stone massage’ seats will prevent that. 

For the concept cars of that mattered at the Geneva Motor Show, please click HERE.

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