Perhaps they’re really good at iterative thinking (take the Porsche 911 and make it indefinitely better), but not good at “carte Blanche†thinking — thinking from scratch, first principles.
Germans are really good at order, obeying orders, efficiency, etc. Much less good at radical new innovation.
Americans, our status quo is to disobey. We always question everything, everyone, standards, etc. It is difficult to imagine a Steve Jobs in Germany.