What Should Modern Luxury Look Like?

  • Automotive interior design has been focused on screen size and count as of late.
  • There’s also been a trend towards minimalist, Tesla-like interiors that are very sparse.
  • Some designers are fighting back and acknowledging that screens aren’t luxurious.

Over the past few years, automakers have embraced bigger and bigger screens. Now, it’s not uncommon to find luxury vehicles with pillar-to-pillar displays instead of elegant leather and wood dashboards.

While every automaker does things differently, there’s been a general trend towards minimalist interiors focused on screens. This has left a number of vehicles feeling cold and clinical.

More: Mercedes Design Boss Admits “Screens Aren’t Luxury” And The Software’s Not Great Either

Lexus is a prime example as many of their interiors have embraced a minimalist design with a screen. This doesn’t look particularly luxurious, especially given the brand’s lofty price tags.

Even Mercedes has gone down this path as the EQS has an MBUX Hyperscreen that consists of a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 17.7-inch infotainment system, and a 12.3-inch front passenger display. It’s certainly high-tech, but about as classy as a TV display from Best Buy.

What Should Modern Luxury Look Like?

Over at Audi, the focus on screens is so over the top that newer models, such as the A6 Avant e-tron, have an ugly black filler piece if you don’t order the front passenger display. In effect, the automaker shames you if you don’t opt for the extra screen.

That brings us to our question of the day: what does modern luxury look like to you? There’s no right or wrong answer, just what you think looks best.

As far as I’m concerned, the focus on screen size and count has killed a lot of the elegance in modern automobiles. Instead, I’d rather have a mix of wood trim, metallic accents, and high quality switchgear. Throw in padded surfaces and contrasting accents, and your car is starting to develop a personality.

What Should Modern Luxury Look Like?

A couple of screens are fine and I don’t even care if they’re mounted up high for maximum visibility. Digital instrument clusters and infotainment systems serve a purpose, but they’re not the be-all and end-all of automotive interior design.

With all that being said, what do you want to see in modern luxury vehicles? Sound off in the comments below!


The Auto World

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