The Mercedes-Benz GLC EV’s Grille Has 942 Illuminated Pixels

The new GLC electric crossover will be the first Mercedes-Benz to get the “face of the future.”

Photo by: Mercedes-Benz

By: Iulian Dnistran

Aug 4, at 4:53am ET

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• Mercedes-Benz is ditching the blacked-out grilles in favor of an illuminated extravaganza.
• The first new car to get the shiny new grille will be the electric GLC crossover.
• Future models will also get the redesigned grille that evokes the brand’s history.

It’s no secret that Mercedes-Benz’s egg-shaped electric cars haven’t really caught on. Despite the cars being quite good, sales have been anything but stellar, so the German automaker is starting from a clean slate with its new generation of EVs.

This includes the iconic Mercedes-Benz grille, which is also getting a makeover. Gone are the blacked-out grilles of old, and in their place we’ll see a brighter, digital reinterpretation of the classic shapes found on the classic 600 Pullman and S-Class models of old.

The first new Mercedes-Benz to get the glitzy new grille is the upcoming GLC with EQ Technology–that’s the electric version. The base version of the redesigned grille comes with a wide chromed frame, a smoked-glass-effect lattice structure and contour lighting. 

More lighting will be available for more money, though. As an option, customers will be able to order an illuminated version with a total of 942 backlit dots that can also be animated. To top it all off, the central star and its surrounding contour will also be illuminated.

For now, Mercedes-Benz has only published a photo with the fancy version of the grille, so we’ll have to wait a little longer to see what the base version looks like. In any case, the German automaker is adamant that this redesign is exactly what the doctor ordered: the car’s design language is called “Sensual Purity”, while the grille is described as “a face for the future” and “a new era of iconic design.”

“Our new iconic grille is not just a new front for the GLC; it redefines the face of our brand,” said Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer at Mercedes‑Benz Group AG. “It is the perfect fusion of lasting design codes reinterpreted for the future, making our cars instantly recognizable.”

Besides the GLC, other models will also get a version of the new grille, including combustion cars. We’ll see the new GLC in all its glory when it debuts at the IAA Mobility show in Munich, Germany, on September 7, 2025.