How Bruno Sacco TRANSFORMED Mercedes-Benz
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- Опубликовано: 2 июн 2024
- Bruno Sacco remains one of the industry’s most impactful designers nearly 25 years after his time at Mercedes-Benz ended. During his tenure, the company adapted to a changing industry, successfully pushed downmarket, and established an unmistakable familial look. Later on, it shook that formula up and challenged the idea of what a Mercedes could look like.
Sacco earned an internship at Ghia in 1955 after training at Turin’s Technical University of Engineering Science. The young designer also did some work for Pininfarina in 1957. Although the city was becoming a mecca for automotive styling, Sacco had his sights on working abroad. More specifically, he wanted to be employed by Mercedes-Benz. According to a 1998 New York Times article, this desire was twofold. Their racing cars of 1954 and 1955 made quite an impression on him. He was also captivated by the 300SL Gullwing.
Sacco began working in their Sindelfingen design center on January 13, 1958. He was just the second designer that the company had brought on. The first, Paul Bracq, was hired in March of 1957. Sacco only anticipated staying in Germany for a few years, but these plans changed after he met his future wife and had a child with her. Early on, he contributed to the W100-generation 600 and the W113-generation 230 SL Pagoda. While these were impressive projects to be involved in, Sacco believed that his way forward within the company was unclear. In an effort to advance his career, he left the styling section and took a position in the safety department under Bela Barenyi.
The C111 broke cover at the 1969 Frankfurt Motor Show. It was internally referred to as the C101 but this changed after Peugeot complained that it might be mistaken for one of its own cars. Mercedes, like many other automakers at the time, was exploring the viability of rotary engines. As such, the C111 is equipped with a 3-rotor Wankel unit that made 276 HP. It also featured a wedge-shaped fiberglass body and a striking orange paint job called Weissherbst. It referenced a popular type of wine.
Bruno Sacco quickly ascended the Mercedes-Benz hierarchy. After his return to styling, he was named the head of the body and dimensional design department in 1970. Four years later, the company appointed him as chief engineer. Just a year after that, he succeeded Friedrich Geiger as the head of the Mercedes Styling Department. Design was already becoming an increasingly important consideration for the company. The department had come a long way since his hiring in the late 50s. By the time he assumed the top post, it was 130-strong.
Horizontal homogeneity refers to the visual link between all models in a lineup. Vertical affinity refers to the connection that a new model shares with the old model. This would ensure that a Mercedes would always look like a Mercedes, regardless of its market positioning or model year.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 INTRO
00:43 EARLY LIFE
05:23 CLASSIC YEARS
15:43 NEW STYLING LANGUAGE
SOURCES
www.barchetta.co/bruno-sacco-sources 
Авто/Мото
Ironically, when I was working as a Sindelfingen Daimler-Benz Designer, I had seen Sacco coming in after hours to meet with Pfeifer, Wagener and Bauer on final details for W204. I was surprised to see him coming into the company at that time period. Great company, good people, I'm glad that I had an opportunity to have worked there. Also, cool seeing some of these people including Fink and Steffen Köhl when all were much younger as well some of the modelers.
Hello from Brazil, could you tell me who was the designer of the first Slk(R170), this Car is absolutely beautiful! Thank you.
Bruno was a professional and upgraded the safety standards of the car industry as a whole thru his MB tenure.
w204 is truly classic car. Respect The work
I own a 420 S full optionals 1995 .Almost 30 years old and she looks like new. Phenomenal machine
@@winstonw5273It’s really not. It isn’t regarded as anything special.
For sure, this man left a legacy that any car lover will know, until the end of the world.
I've not been a huge fan of Mercedes because of how much less sporty and feelsome they've been throughout the majority of their history and during my whole lifetime, until about 2014 when they finally decided to start selling cars with proper gearboxes, steering, and pretty good handling. But I'll always remember how my mother would constantly be waxing her new 190 E in black with a grey interior and with those beautiful SL-style oval-hole-wheels. She sure didn't used to wax previous cars that often. That was a beautiful car! We also had a W124 300 TE at the time, but the 190 E sure looked better!
I love the Sacco-era. Unfortunately, it was under his tutelage that they ceased being true “Forever cars”, in the sense of being infinitely serviceable and repairable, analogue platforms. I’d say that ended with the W124.
r129 and w124 are Mercedes and Automotive icons
Why aren’t you including the w201
@@AlonSOAMAZING Dont forget w126 and, especially, c126.
Yes, and I will also include a lightly modernized R129, the R230, just as gorgeous. ANY pre-recession design, essentially.
I love the away he did cars looks simple and elegant with statement that holds for decades . Genius
From a time when designer wear suits and ties….instead of flip flops and blue hair.
Great video!
Ain't that the truth!
problem is clients no longer wear suits, you gotta design to the public
@@sir_crab2080 Chasing the flock of sheep off the cliff, essentially.
@@abel4776 yeah agree… but how would you keep the business afloat otherwise… it's just a handful of us who don't like it but it's the great public who make the sales
Thank you Bruno Sacco. I have loved the W126 since they were released, I've now had 3. So too the W124. I'd love an R129, his designs are timeless and I love the Sacco era Mercedes-Benz. Today's Benz's for me don't have the same impact, Mercedes-Benz appears to have become Toyota in that there's something for every market now, and without the road presence or exclusivity. Thanks again Bruno, you really did leave a magnificent mark 🥂👍🥂
Shut up dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
About to get a top optioned S55 W220, for me, it ended before the recession. Post recession, a virus caught the design department and never recovered.
@@abel4776 you are going to love your S55, I had one here in Australia and the car belies it's almost 2 ton kerb weight.
Do a thorough check 1st, make sure the climate control is 100%, and the suspension.
Other than that, you are going to love it (and not just how it sounds under power 😉👍).
@@khylerin70 Thanks mate, will keep that in mind. Can't wait!
Bruno Sacco is a Legend can not be repeated
Duplicated****
This man has given me the two most endearing car in my collection: R129 SL500 and W210 E55. No designers even came close in my eyes.
At Mercedes designers still use the Sacco's statements to constantly evolve style and design new vehicles. If you pay attention, after he left at the beginning of 2000s, cars were a constant evolution of the great 70s designs, till the new A-Class and then the C-Class which cut wires with the past (as Sacco would have done if still in charge) and re-elaborate the inheritance of the glorious Mercedes of the 30s and early 50s without being kitsch and unbalanced... Sacco, through all his career, was always discrete and never under the flashed of the magazines and with his determined and innovative manner, always in the background compared to the limelight, he created a way of making cars that will remain for decades to come.
And I am extremely proud that he is a fellow citizen of mine.
Total genius.
Such a genius.
I still cannot believe Mercedes abolished its vertical grill with the W140. It was the common design of very Mercedes since the beginning of the 20th century.
Modern engineering and safety requirements made them more difficult to implement. I personally think Mercedes was clever in how they evolved their classic radiator theme into the integrated grill seen since the early 1990s. Of course the modern more sporting Mercedes then adapted a style more inline with the iconic 300SL
Mercedez w126 is a masterpiece
The W124 is my favorite.
Thank you.
Thank you very much for bringing more light to this underrated designer, in my opinion one of the greatest of the XX century
Driving a w140, really love an r129. And thought of getting a pre facelift w212.
Yes, one of my favorite car video essay channels!
Much appreciated
I have c124 and c215 both coupes. And I freaking love these things! Mr. Saco is a design genius.
What a garage!😍
i had the 1990 300ce 24 in custom pear white with full amg body kit brabus wheels and exhaust 112k on it sold for 7k canadian' biggest mistake ever
C215, amazing. CL65? (lol). About to get a S55 W220, just gorgeous designs before the recession affected MB ever since!
I would have loved to have seen how the W140 was supposed to look before they went back to the drawing board after the BMW E32 appeared. Sadly the products they make today lack the engineering and the style evident in their predecessors. Looking at the documents they put out when launching the W201, W124, R129 W140 the designers and engineers were proud to show off their work.
I feel like the R230 SL is Sacco's best rendition of 4 headlight body language.
Gorgeous pinnacle SL design, along with equivalent S, C, CLK, E, CL, etc. Pre-recession design remains my favorite.
r129 should be up there with the top 10 Mercedes designs
I can vouch for the reliability woes of the early W140's....I bought a used one in the late 90's and it taught me that there is nothing out there likely more expensive to fix than a Mercedes Benz
The funny thing about Bruno Sacco is his face looks like the face of his cars.
Enjoyed and appreciated, owned many of his designed car, thanks.
I have owned 7 MB’s since1984: a W123 300D, 2 W124 300E’s, a W124 300CE, a W210 E320, a W210 E430, and a W210 E430 Sport. The 1984 300D was perhaps the finest machine ever made, bulletproof durability. My 1990 300CE is a classic coupe, some of the best lines ever. My 2001 E430 Sport bridges the gap from old school Benz to modern. I still own the coupe and both E430’s. After the W210 I feel Mercedes lost its edge, they seem more like Japanese/Koreans than Teutonic German cars. Certainly Bruno Sacco is missed.
Cool video, so this means that this man was the person responsible behind the design of the masterpiece the CLK GTR such an amazing car, my grandpa bought a CLK 320 and its still to this day my favorite mb car, i will one day buy a CLK 55 AMG
Bruno Sacco did a damn good job with Mercedes !
His designs behave like wine ......
They ripe with the years , after about ten years the design is at its best !
A new BMW nocks you off your feet , after ten years they look cheap......😂
You seen how dated a 7 series is compared to say an S class. hahaha
Can't tell between Kia and BMW nowadays.
I was waiting for this from ur channel. Thank you!!
Bruno Sacco is a genius. I drive three of his designs: the 190e, the 300e and the 420SEL
Stuff of legends! Thank you for this!
I feel lucky to have owned one of his masterpieces, a C126 🙏
Thank you for this excellent summary of a very complex subject considering the time span covered.
Bruno Sacco in creating so many of these iconic designs significantly influenced the perceived quality and value intrinsic to the Mercedes brand.
Visually translating the original styling elements into innovative and contemporary forms, together with simultaneously manifesting the feel of superlative German engineering was in my opinion one of his greatest strengths.
A truly great designer and "hidden champion".
timless designs done by passionate pple❤
124 is design in perfection
Good stuff, I like how there was mention about specific body styles. I consider the R129 and W140 Saccos best work. Well done 👍🏼
Funnily enough Bruno didn't like the 140
His favourite was the W201 apparently
@@sutherlandA1 I thought he said r129 was his most perfect design
@@BenzoDopamine possibly, while the 190 he said was considered his "most significant" design in an interview a while back
w140 and c140 was awful.
Marvelous video yet again, also i have another recommendation: a video on the ever-bold designs of alfa romeo!
Sacco also designed the R230, 220, 215. Those designs were made in the 99ish..
The aerodynamic wedge-shape car design trend that Bruno Sacco introduced with the Mercedes of the early 80's forever changed the look of automobiles.
Four decades later, that wedge-shape car design trend refuses to die. This makes Bruno Sacco one of the most influential car designers of all time.
The W126 from the 1980s was striking but would also be the last of a series of reliable vehicles from Mercedes Benz.
Good documentary, very interesting to know more about Mercedes and Bruno Sacco, I like his designs. Almost all companies today are using the formula of horizontal and vertical integration
Would pick the w126 over the w140. The glass area appears to be leaner, C pillar has less mass. Gives a battlecruiser kind of feel as it does not sit too tall. So, I would agree with Mr. Sacco that reducing the height makes a car look more appealing, perhaps accentuating the length of the already long vehicle to give it a more commanding appearance. w140 is not bad looking but the C pillar is too thick IMO, the rear is also not that appealing with those diagonal and efficient lines. It looks more approachable with the new design but less charming at the same time because of aggressive de-chroming. What works in its favour is reducing the number of small visual elements as the design looks less flamboyant, which could appeal to some
Yes, I prefer boxy designs generally and not much for changes, but understandably that's how you keep the sales going and keeping things 'fresh'. Thanks
Other companies were already using "horizontal integration" well before Bruno Sacco came along. Like BMW for example, and Jaguar, probably countless others like many Americans, Japanese, Italians, French...
Yes, thick C-Pillar and roof too high, but nonetheless wonderful car.
Dude I'm 5 minutes into your documentary, and already subscriber. Top notch shit
Bruno Sacco Mercedes best Mercedes
is it possible that mercedes benz re interduces the w140 and w124 and w201 with the latest electronic equipment which is in the current modles i think its going to be a record breaker
Very interesting, !!
Now, you need to do a video of Paul Bracq !!
Cool video. Thanks. Love design in general but never really thought to study it in the context of automotive. Consider a pop shield filter on your microphone though. Lots of plosives coming through on a full range monitoring system :(.
Great Video, but I was surprised it did not mention at all Bruno's most beautiful design, which was (and is!) his daily driver for DECADEs, the AWESOME 560 SEC coupe that finished production in 1992. I would buy one today, 33 y ears later, and 40 years after it was designed, but it lacks the tech necessary for a daily driver.
W220?
Thank you, Bruno! I will continue to caretake my beloved 220 Kompressor for the next generation!
19:34 OMG I had that faucet hahaha
consider a video on the bricklin sv1?
I prefer the 116 to the 140 because of the power seats
116 looks WAAAAAY better than 140. paul bracq supremacy
For real what a cool car guy
Pure genius of a man. Still I believe though that the w140 was the most iconic s class ever made. Proper state officials vehicle.
W126 and W140 are recognized as Mercedes Benz best ever !!
Not much is left today of the old Mercedes, just look at cla class it's complete rubbish. They stick amg badge on almost everything today quality is no way near the Mercedes from the '80s and '90s. They are so overpriced for what you get,nah I am never buying one again except maybe 190 amg from the '90s.
Beautiful Plastic Junk for the most part the modern stuff, They are definitely living on a Reputation they no longer deserve.
The new E class is oozing pure 90s class. It has brought back some Robustness to the design. And doesn’t habe squinting headlights neither. It’s like a modern version of a classic 80s 90s mercedes sedan.
If you study the design closely, there are many designs detailing, not only still used by Mercedes, but buy the industry as a whole, so couldn’t disagree more!
Since old news is no news, Paul Bracq did this in the '60's, corporate look from SL roadster to 600 Pullman limo, Diesel & ICE. Then BMW were smart enough to hire him & he created original 3/5/6/7.
I would argue that Bruno Sacco absolutely did NOT invent the concept of "horizontal integration", maybe only put it more clearly into words and emphasised its importance at Mercedes-Benz. Maybe he invented the wording "horizontal integration" but not the concept itself. Countless other brands had kept to that principle long before, many Mercedes' close competitors like BMW, Jaguar and many other brands in the USA, Japan and Europe.
To pick some nits: at 11:20 you say "...by removing the vertical slats in the grille..." but I'd suggest a more correct way to say this is: "...by choosing the Mercedes grille style without vertical slats...".
This is more accurate because Bruno Sacco didn't remove the slats for the R129, Mercedes sport models have always been without vertical slats from the very beginning! Already from the very beginning with the W198 (Gullwing) = no vertical slats. Bruno Sacco's S-Class coupé, the C126 = no vertical slats.
(Yes, some special racing variations of the SL had the "Panamericana" grille after a vulture had caused damage previously without them, but those were outliers and not production road cars)
The f200 is an iconic vehicle…it’s redemptive to realise that the Peugeot 607 was based on this as well as the 2024 merc e class…very impressive
A life well lived,Bruno Sacco !!!🎉
May all professionals in all shades of endeavour look up to you.
I had the privilege to own 3 R 129 - 500 SL . Glorious cars. The SL models that came after that just could not live up to the quality.
The R129 is nice but it doesn't hold a candle to the R230 in all aspects.
@@babytoymania516 Disagree to both of you. R230 was a modernized R129 and is the pinnacle design before it went downhill, fast.
@@abel4776 The V8 Komp and ABC are to die for. Styling is still modern
I need an AMG lore video.
you should do a video on the Iso Grifo
Now I know who designed the Mercedes models that I like the least: Bruno Sacco.
You should make a video about the late Davide Arcangeli, he was a great car designer
W126 is in the top 10 cars ever built. The W140 doesnt come close.
Is it perhaps because they had a century in car years to refine it?
Please do a video on Peter Horbury.. he saved Volvo cars from despair by reimagining the boxy car.
Great video as always!
I do have a video recommendation myself Actually: could you perhaps be interested in doing a documentary on Mazda's Kudo design language and how it evolved into the stunning cars they sell rn?
That's a great idea. Thanks so much.
@@BarchettaAnother topic is the Altezza/ Lexus IS first gen, i just bought one and its such an odd car, it didn't really fit in with Lexus ideology but became an import part of giving the brand some sporting heritage aswell as being the product of Mr Katayama who had a hand in the 86, Supra and Soarer. Plus the taillights must have a cool story behind them.
I would really like to know how mercedes went from making cars which were “engineered like no other” to making cars while being pushed around by stingy accountants.
Some say that it was the arrival of lexus that was the catalyst. Some say it was the merger with chrysler that kicked them off.
Either way, great video. Bruno sacco will always go down as the man that revolutionised car design.
The R 129 has proven itself to be a lesser car due to poor electrics and the oil leaking hydraulic power top. The R 107 is the SL to collect.
Surely this man lives on the Borealis
I enjoyed the video after the 4th ad in 12 mins i left though
I'd love to own an R129 or W201
Could you please do an episode on Audi.
BRUNO SACCO 👍👍🙏🙏
Can you do a video about the Volvo 850/ V70 design ?
Dude why do you have ads every 3-5 minutes in a 20 min video?
R129 had been his car from the front to the end cause no one was adding anything or removing cause he defended it as his child while he had silently retreated from the W140 redesign cause that was not what has been shown here. In fact there had been more designs and with the BMW 750iA release in the 80s all the sketches for the W140 were thrown away and the management team / Board of directors were talking and dealing with him about any tiny details, the terrible growth that killed the sales in europe, and a lot more. Every single board member had fough for his own element he wanted to see realised and therefore the W140 is the worst car in the S-class history cause it was pumped up and lost its roots, sovereignity and style.
But the R129 wasa his car and that has no line too much nor a line too less. I heard him in presentations back in the early 90s about the mess with the W140 cause everybody was asking him why there has been a E500 that fitted perfectly in the time and a SL or R129 series while the W140 and even worse the S140 looked like an alien. And that was the usual opinion of european mercedes buyers , the few, that still bought one cause a lot did not like the W140 at all.
MASTER
make a video about Peter Schreyer
Bruno❤sacco
W126 W140 R129 ❤❤❤
Exelente video , para mí el w116 y c107 son los más lindos , por ende no estoy muy de acuerdo con Sacco , pero comparado a la época actual dónde Mercedes Benz perdió el rumbo , no me desagrada .
I never liked the 126, cant understand the sucess of that thing, the W 116 is just a awesome design with his double chrome bumpers and no any plastic stuff which the 126 shows. I love the W 116, best looking Merc ever!
The E-class four headlight look is not a trend setter or revolutionary for the automotive world. Jaguar had that look for a longtime before.
Yeah but Jaguar is ugly so it doesn’t count.
Still the best E-Class has ever looked. That 4 headlight design language across many models is considered peak Mercedes now.
Yes but there is one big difference. Jaguar's designs kept rehashing and modernizing a design language they established in the early 1960s, particularly the saloon models. They were looking to the past. A 2008 XJ is clearly heavily influenced by the 1968 XJ, in fact the entire shape is just a mild evolution. Mercedes implemented the quad headlights in a thoroughly modern design. In other words the W210 takes very little direct cues from its 1950s equivalent.
TBH, the W123 before its last facelift had a somewhat similar headlight treatment on the 4/5 cylinder models, albeit under cover glass....
I follow the history of Mercedes a lot and I remember the auto magazine of the time (Yugoslav auto zurnal) they wrote how during a test drive a journalist crashed the cabriolet version (500 sel - I think it was the 1987-9 model) and that she didn't have one scratch) that was the quality in that time why don't they still make it today like that ?someone will say that they will go bankrupt, so how can a toyota or a lexus not go bankrupt with their quality.. and another detail that should be addressed to the designers, and that is the rear lights, they should still have so-called "ribs" .. because that gives them some imposingness.. I would never buy new models made after 2000-2001.. I don't feel safe anymore.. and let me mention that my first Mercedes was a W115 220D automatic.. and the last W W210 220 CDI.. after that they can make out models and models but that's not it.. thank you for this video, it's very nice to see someone explain a brand like Mercedes in great detail..
Bruno italian designer bodywork Ghia and Peninfarina with silver star cars
INTRESTIUNG
Sacco a northern Italian working for Mercedes Benz
I love Mercedes-Benz with all my heart, but, to me, those 90s models….. they leave a lot to be desired.
The angular, “modern” shapes… lack the character of previous generations. And the over-plasticky interiors in light grey, are now as dated as the suits and haircuts of that time.
I’m happy to see consequent generations went back to elegance and quality design of yesteryears, down to today’s.
As someone who considers the W220 the best design Sacco ever made, I agree.
The W201 and W124 series in particular remind me a lot of the brutalist style in architecture.
Sacco deez nutz
The looks of a car vs the fact you can fit a taller person in it is pretty important. W116 sucks if you're over 6' tall..
501 Not a rotary but piston a diesel engine
13:48 W140 and "athleticism" in the same sentence? Only if we consider sumo as athletics 😂
What if he took credit of his co-workers work 🤔
only 2 benz is worth driving. gullwing and 190E.
Where is M-Class? 🤔
please make a video on tata motors and how Ratan Tata founded tata motors passengers vehicles. his vision in making vehicles in india changed india forever.
From the W124 (the best production car ever made) to the W210 (the worst production car ever made).
Absolutely not lol, I’d say that would go to the W203 and W168 lol
Coop (chickens?) or not, I recognize recent Mercedes cars by the star only. Not very distinguishable and I heard not very reliable.
Too bad this brand doing nothing but crap today.