Poll 2018 Audi A7 vs Mercedes Benz CLS

[ThroughandThrough]

Comparison I made last week.

Profile makes the A7 look like the new Civic.

 

[LaArtist]

Like both.. but benz for me it's the cleanest and the meanest.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

You nailed it with the Civic comment. I was looking at my uncles Civic the other day and it actually just hit me how alike the A7 profile is in terms of the overall theme and the fussiness of the details.

Did the guy who designed the W212 exterior and interior head over to Audi by any chance? Thomas Stopka?

 

[Centurion]

For now I think the A7 has the star quality of a glamorous 4 door coupe. I am on the fence about the CLS until I have seen and understood the rear in person.

 

[Zafiro]

That CLS isn't pretty. My vote goes to A7.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

To my surprise, it's a bit difficult for me (at this point) to select a favorite.

I find the sculpturing, stance and many intricate details on the new A7 fascinating. A very precise technoid design. I could easily consider it unsurpassed (in its' segment) in its' visual beauty-were it not for its' sub-optimal MLB-Evo underpinnings. Marc Lichtes' team took a great effort in designing a highly eye-arresting automobile based on an architecturally "difficult" platform. Intracorporate bickering and ego conflicts prevented the ideal MSB matrix from being implemented as the foundation for C/D segment Audis. A pity. With MSB underpinnings, I reckon that the A7 would be as near to "perfect" as a 4 door liftback sedoupe could be.

M-Bs' MRA platform ensures the C257s' integrity of proportions. The bonnet/glasshouse/boot relationship is optimal. And fundamentally, so is the upper 1/3/lower 2/3 side profile. Gordon Wageners' team had an ideal foundation to build upon. But failed to take advantage of possibilities that could have made the car visually truly immaculate. Here, the devil lies in the details (or lack of).



My 0.02 Euros.

 

[Star&Car]

CLS for me,exterior and interior.
The new A7 is a little bit overdone and the cold look of the interior isn't my cup of tea,the previous one still looks much better to me exterior and interior wise.

 

[PanterroR]

A7 in a blink of an eye. Wouldn't even look the CLS...

 

[TheNewBATMAN]

The A7 does not need lengthy explanation or justification for its good looks. On the other hand, the CLS does.

A7 for me.

 

[Mick Briesgau]

A7 has those two "Quattro"bulges above the wheelfenders, which look perfectly fine to me. But not combined with the rather pronunciated lower characterline, drawn in both side doors. Audi should have made it less pronunciated or, even better, left out completely. The very visible FWD lay-out doesn't make it better either. Detail, I know, but I find those cheaplooking sensor caps in the grill unacceptable. I like it's crisp, sharp design and it looks lovely wide from upfront and the rearside.
The interior, which I liked at introduction, is the main reason I wouldn't buy this car. I have a feeling it's dated already: too much glossy, black interiorparts, too many screens, too less buttons. "For the sake of being 'modern' let's remove all buttons..." (sigh)
The sideprofile of the CLS looks very good to my eyes. Contrair to some other opinions, I really do like the creaseless, characterlineless of the sidepanels. Makes it very cleanlooking and elegant, yet muscular as well. I like the way, how the front has this dynamic movement in it. The shutline, very apropriately called shitline by fellowmember @klier, at the rearside going from the taillights down to the wheelopening, almost ruins the sideprofile. And as a result the rearbumper turns out to be an even bigger chunk of plastic, which I, quite frankly, detest. Seeing the rearlights a few years ago, they reminded me of Seat and they lack any Mercedes-Benz dna. On the other hand, the rearlights of the C218 lacked also any Mercedes-Benz dna at time of introduction. The rear could do very well without the functionless holes on both sides of the rearbumper (AMG-line). I think it ruins the flow and don't add anything. The rear as a whole is fine to me, but doesn't make me faint for admirement of it's beauty.
The interior, especially in Edition 1 guise, is absolutely beautiful to my eyes. That stitching and piping in copper, the fine nappaleather on seats, dashboard and doors are just the way I like it (think of KC and the Sunshine Band). I'm not fooling myself, the widescreen part of the cockpit will also age rather quick, but because of the overall setup of the interior and cockpit, it will be less of a problem. Sure, it is a pity the CLS doesn't has it's bespoke interior anymore. Aparently it follows mainstream German premium brands in this aspect. Personally, the interior of a car is more important to me than the exterior of it. That's where I spend all my time
So exterior and interior combined, makes me go for the CLS.

 

[wallstbear]

Unfortunately I am sticking w/ the C218 for now.

The new A7 is a bit too busy, too much going on and as the gentleman upstairs said, looks too much like a CIVIC (but at 3-4 times the cost).

Re the new CLS my two biggest issues are the relatively tall and level trunk (you need to look from dead side to realize this, otherwise, it can be easily hidden in a half side view), and the so called "predator" grill/lights. Not doing it for me.

 

[Uros]

Audi A7 for me, they made very good step forward while CLS missed opportunity to be truly great. Don't like that they went with recycled interior from E class...and no it doesn't look anywhere near Civic...

 

[martinbo]

Very tough one - thanks for comparison and for setting up an interesting debate @ThroughandThrough.

I think the A7 is just fantastic - as I said once before "the crown jewel" in Audi's current design portfolio. Those proportions have no right to belong to a car which can - purportedly - hang a V8 out ahead of the front axle. (will it?) It's more familiar in its overall styling, aligning more closely with the sharp detailing of its forebear and perpetuating the theme further. It's fastback profile is unique in its class and recalls a classic Audi silhouette from decades ago. For me, however, it represents no quantum leap over its predecessor by erring on the evolutionary side of design progression; the first generation A7 made much more of an impact on me simply because of its unfamiliarity at the time. My internal jury's still out on the rear lighting arrangement.

As for the CLS, first off all, I can't stand what the matt paint and black wheel option does for the design: absolutely nothing at all because neither is synonymous with luxury. And what a luxury vehicle the CLS is especially with deep, glossy paintwork and proper wheels. I also like what it represents; it may not be the first in the "Sensual Purity" idiom but it certainly does leverage this to the greatest effect when compared to its predecessor. The new CLS portrays a marked contrast from creased surfacing, pontoon wheel arches and "blobular" (there's a made-up word) light shapes. Fashion and design are often said to be circular - and this new design language marks a return to simpler surfacing - but at least the level of progress feels to be more extensive.
I also do like the new headlight shape even though they're potentially more similar to other designs already out there; for me, at least, they're a considerable step up from the amorphous "lozenge lights" theme as seen on so many current MB models. The CLS is hence easily the new Mercedes model to which I'd most likely aspire to and these pictures epitomise why (for me).

On the interior front it's a tie for me with both representing extreme ends of the interior design scale for me. The Audi's is ultra modern to the point of being edgy whilst the Mercedes interior softer, more flowing and rather classically realised in its styling. Neither of them are entirely to my taste despite being eminently livable and luxurious. It's why I prefer the conservative, middle-ground interiors of the latest BMWs; their Teutonic simplicity and excellence of ergonomics appeal to me from a form-follows-function perspective.

 

[SKY]

I love the way the A7 front and side profile look. However, the eyebrow realight and the fugly hidden exhaust pipes are a let down to me. The interior is not my cup of tea either.

Without being a round design, I would rather have a black, AMG CLS to be honest.

 

[klier]

For now I think the A7 has the star quality of a glamorous 4 door coupe.

Except it's a hatchback and not a sedan or coupe-sedan.
The CLS has by far the better profile and shape, but I'd say the exterior of the A7 has better designed detailing. But the interior of the A7 is a mess, and the CLS, while boring, has a better interior to me.

Where is the option for the 8er GC? I don't want either at all.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

Where is the option for the 8er GC? I don't want either at all.

Whether an 8 series Gran Coupe or 9 series "sedoupe" come to fruition remains to be seen. I certainly hope that it does.

Why ?

Because I have a hunch that BMW may have encapsulated that ideal fusion of elegant, athletic proportions and stance while accentuating those attributes with very clever sculpturing and details. The uncloaked 8er 2 door cars may soon present evidence.

 

[Centurion]

Except it's a hatchback and not a sedan or coupe-sedan.
The CLS has by far the better profile and shape, but I'd say the exterior of the A7 has better designed detailing. But the interior of the A7 is a mess, and the CLS, while boring, has a better interior to me.

Where is the option for the 8er GC? I don't want either at all.

The detailing makes a big difference for me as I find the new CLS unlike its predecessors, to be lacking in spice. It's as if the aim is elegance when that can already be found in the S-Class and E-Class.

When I want a curry, I want a curry, not seabass with rice.

 

[SCOTT27]

CLS for me. Why? I will tell you later....

 

[martinbo]

When I want a curry, I want a curry, not seabass with rice.

But who says the CLS was ever meant to be curry? Is it not perhaps more duck l'orange?

 

[Deleted member 1071]

But who says the CLS was ever meant to be curry? Is it not perhaps more duck l'orange?

...or steamed cod ?