funny mirrors

[Hocky]

Can someone tell me why Benz had to have the one side large and one side small RV mirrors on the front doors? Makes the car look very lopsided and ugly although the rest of the car is superb. Must be another of the eccentric ideas of the Benz designers which "they had to have". Haven't seen this in any other car I've known about. Looks like they thought it had to be bigger to assist the driver's view of that side of the car's rear before someone invented the curved RV mirror to show a bigger view(though a bit distorted) keeping the mirror the same size. The 190Es and 124Es had this, but they learnt about the curved mirror and had this in the C class from 1994 onwards which look more normal.

[400E]

Originally posted by Hocky
Can someone tell me why Benz had to have the one side large and one side small RV mirrors on the front doors? Makes the car look very lopsided and ugly although the rest of the car is superb. .

I choose to think of it as a very unique design feature, rather than "lopsided and ugly!" After all, any lame-brained designer can achieve symmetry.

I doubt very much that anyone but us obsessive MB fanatics would even notice.

I, too, would like to hear the rationale for this feature. No doubt it comes down to safety, just like the rationale for the band-style outside door handles, ribbed rear light lenses, etc.

[haasman]

It has always been my understanding that the reason is the angle of view.

From the driver's seat, you are close to the left mirror and need a wide angle of view, this the mirror is wider/longer.

The right side does not need to been wide/long because your view angle is narrower.

This also plays well into why fast cars in Europe, especially Germany, will only have left outside mirrors. According to the factory, each outside mirror will lower top speed 3-5mph.

Haasman

[Hocky]

Haasman.....You may be right there, but please explain why the right hand drive Benz has all the controls and dash moved/altered to the right side, but they forgot to move this large door RV mirror on the left door over to the right door???? If what you say is correct about the angle of vision, this should also apply when you are sitting on the right seat making the larger mirror now necessary on the right door???? Please refer to Azhari's thread about his brother's 190 and his too and look at the picture.

[haasman]

Hocky

You've got me! I don't know. Which thread are you speaking about ... the one of comparisons between carbs and fuel injection?

Haasman