Design Character: Head of Luxury Design KLAUS FRENZEL on the Mercedes-Benz star and the brand’s heritage

A thought exercise to start with: What does luxury mean to you personally? Take a moment to think about this question. Is it time, an experience, or maybe an object that exudes craftsmanship?

One thing is certain: luxury and the way we perceive it is an individual thing. And yet some companies have the knack of making their products appeal to large numbers of people all over the world. With 2.49 million vehicles sold (2023) and over 166,000 employees, Mercedes-Benz is an automotive company that is successful on a global scale. How does the brand convey the sense of luxury inside and outside its core products?

Klaus Frenzel answers these questions. We meet the Head of Luxury Design for an interview, and he starts off with a very clear statement: there is no universal definition of luxury; rather the important thing is to find the common denominator.

“Ultimately, luxury is desirability. It’s something you don’t necessarily need, but definitely want.”

The treasure of the brand history

What is special about luxury in cars? On the one hand, it has a utility value because it is simply a means of transport; on the other hand, you can arouse desire on an emotional level through design, beauty and uniqueness, says Frenzel. He describes the company’s long history as a “treasure”: Mercedes-Benz has always created icons that tell a story. The Mercedes-AMG SL is not only a fast sports car, but also reflects decades of racing history:

“We create feelings that can be experienced.”

Another important aspect of the Mercedes-Benz icons is looking ahead, including in terms of technology. The drive technology in the Vision One-Eleven showed what the future of e-mobility could look like and at the same time evoked the design of the legendary C 111. 

On top of brand heritage and technological progress, another aspect plays a vital role: customer wishes. And naturally, these are all very different. The logical consequence of all this: Frenzel believes that every vehicle needs a strong, unmistakable character, which can sometimes be polarising.

“If there’s one thing a Mercedes must never be, it’s boring. Every car is always a statement in its own right. And every customer will find something that suits them among our different models.”

A wide range of customisation options means the character of the vehicles can be fine-tuned even more closely to the customer’s precise wishes, literally “tailoring the vehicle to their individual needs”.

Beyond the vehicle

Of course, the vehicles are the brand’s core product. But there are also products and collaborations to offer customers an entire brand universe. The aim? A brand world “in which you immerse yourself, in which you live, in which you feel at home”. Frenzel highlights two projects that perfectly illustrate this holistic approach.

Firstly, there is PROJECT MONDO G, a reinterpreted G-Class with elements of the celebrated Moncler puffer jackets.

The second is Mercedes-Benz Places, a Mercedes-Benz Customer Solutions GmbH licence business model and a beacon of luxurious and future-oriented living. Guided by this vision, a 65-storey residential tower is currently being built in Dubai with a unique elliptical exterior reminiscent of Mercedes-Benz vehicles such as the VISION EQXX and the Concept CLA Class.

And this is just the start: a further building is planned in Miami, Florida. Its simple cube-shaped body, skilfully linked together, forms a striking and timeless skyscraper that stands out from the local architectural landscape.

The final question: Which is the most indispensable brand element for Klaus Frenzel? He laughs and of course goes straight for the Mercedes-Benz star:

“The answer may sound a little simple, but the star focuses everything like a burning lens. It expresses everything in an almost magical way, a symbol of incredible strength. As soon as the star makes its appearance, everything is actually said and felt.”

Text by Nicolo Fischer

©️ Mercedes-Benz Magazine 01-24