The striking Mercedes-Benz Vision Iconic concept car has been unveiled as the German luxury automaker heads into what it boldly describes as “a new era of iconic design” following a series of self-described boring vehicles.
The Vision Iconic show car packages a wild, Art-deco design theme with electric vehicle (EV) technology, as well as solar-power cells and artificial intelligence (AI) designed to replicate thought patterns of the human brain.
The gothic-like show car’s striking chromed radiator grille was inspired by the Mercedes-Benz W108 (1965-1972), W111 (1959-1971) and W100 Pullman 600 (1963-1981) – and its design language was first seen on the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC mid-size SUV at last month’s Munich motor show.
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At the same event, the 2026 C-Class EV was teased in an image showing the same grille at the front and centre of its exterior design.
An illuminated three-pointed star logo sits atop the animated chromed grille, which Mercedes-Benz says demonstrates the importance of light in new-vehicle design, and these are flanked by slim headlights and contrasted by gloss black paintwork.
“Our Vision Iconic is more than just an automobile – it is a sculpture in motion, a homage to timeless elegance, and a statement for the future,” said Mercedes-Benz design boss, Gorden Wagener, in a statement.
“The symbiosis of traditional craftsmanship, state-of-the-art technology, and an unmistakable design language makes it the ultimate expression of value, prestige, and grace: the most beautiful, most prestigious kind of thing.”
Mr Wagener recently criticised efforts within the company to design vehicles using AI, which he said was “one per cent interesting” and becomes “really annoying”.
The design chief also criticised Audi – owned by his former employer, the Volkswagen Group – and, without directly saying so, also showed dismay at BMW cabin design, saying he was a fan of ‘hyper-analogue’ interior design instead of all-button or touchscreen-only layouts.
This ‘hyper-analogue’ approach is seen inside the Vision Iconic show car, with an Art-Deco inspired ‘floating Zepplin’ centre glass screen designed to allow “interplay of analogue and digital instruments”.
The pillar-to-pillar screen – like BMW’s massive curved digital display – contrasts against ‘analogue’ items such as brass door handles, plush blue velvet seat upholstery, and details created using a handcrafted ‘straw marquetry’ technique popular in the 1920s.
Despite its retro theme, the concept also has solar modules which Mercedes-Benz says can be “seamlessly” applied to the surface of EVs to deliver additional driving range and power.
Tech includes Level 2 point-to-point autonomous driving capability. Despite headlines from other automakers, Mercedes-Benz was the first company to gain legal approval to test Level 3 autonomous vehicles on public roads in the US in 2023.
Mercedes-Benz says the Vision Iconic’s ‘Neuromorphic’ computing mimics human brain function to improve its autonomous capability, which it says could help AI make decisions faster, such as reading road signs, while using less energy.
It also boasts ‘steer by wire’, with steering wheel that’s not physically connected to the wheels, which Mercedes-Benz says reduces the amount of force needed to grip the wheel, while also enabling more flexibility in cockpit layout.
As well as the concept, Mercedes-Benz also announced a capsule fashion collection of six outfits for men and women, as well as a new book on the philosophy of the German brand’s latest design language.
The new Mercedes-Benz GLC is the first model to wear the Stuttgart-based company’s new ‘Iconic’ design theme, and was unveiled in Munich alongside its arch-enemy, the new BMW iX3 – the first of the Munich automaker’s forthcoming ‘Neue Klasse’ models.
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