Mercedes-Benz C-Class and S-Class: Finalists for World Car Awards 2015

Owners and aficionados have long known that Mercedes-Benz has stood apart from the rest because of its fine craftsmanship, powerful performance, and sophisticated elegance. So it comes as no surprise that Mercedes-Benz made the short list for the 2015 World Car Awards. Twice. The C-Class is a finalist for the World Car Awards Design of the Year 2015 and the S-Class is a finalist for World Luxury Car of the Year 2015. If you have driven one, you understand. If you own one, you know.



A panel of five narrowed the field down to the short lists this year. Composed of Masatsugu Arumoto of Japan, Silvia Baruffaldi of Italy, Gernot Bracht of Germany, Tom Matano of USA, and Sam Livingstone of the UK, each highly respected designer brings a unique strategy and strength to the task at hand as well as a passion for automotive design.



Bracht shares his strategy with WCOTY: “At first, it is a spontaneous ‘like’ or ‘don’t like’ decision. There are cars you would never vote for because they are against your own design philosophy.” Baruffaldi has a different approach: “I start deleting the less significant models first, in order to narrow the selections. Then comes the more difficult part, to pick up only five of the remaining nominees.”



Judging the quality of a vehicle’s design comes down to a certain balance between proportion and shape, as well as between form and function. In addition to these key elements, notes Arimoto, “being consistent with the brand’s identity.” Matano adds “I always look for a ‘newness’, indicating a new direction in design, or the innovative approach of blending function/technology and aesthetics.” For Livingstone, standout candidates are “the ones that move the discipline of car design forward in useful, relevant (for today and tomorrow) ways, and that are well executed.”



The finalists for the 2015 World Car Awards were announced earlier this year, a diverse representation across a wide range of vehicles. The design panel eagerly awaits the final results from the jury’s vote in April at the New York Auto Show in April. What makes the awards so significant, notes Matano, is that “the jurors come from a truly global scope. It’s truly global and very neutral.”



The only thing left to do is experience the C-Class or S-Class for yourself. Take a ride in a vehicle as distinctive as you are. Make your statement.