The new C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series: The most powerful C-Class of all time
Spectacular design, technology transfer from the world of motorsport and driving dynamics at the highest level. The new Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series embodies the AMG brand claim of “Driving Performance” like no other AMG model.

In visual terms, the most powerful C-Class of all time consistently continues the tradition of the previous Black Series vehicles. The style of the C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series is also inspired by the successful SLS AMG GT3 customer sports car – particularly when fitted with the optional AMG Aerodynamics package, which is dominated by the fixed carbon-fibre rear aerofoil.

smart fortwo electric drive – the third generation
Local zero-emission driving with even more driving fun – the third generation smart fortwo electric drive.

In total a five-figure number of vehicles will roll off the production line in Hambach, France. Following the huge success of the second generation, electric mobility will then become accessible to anyone interested in more than 30 markets worldwide. riven by a battery supplied by Deutsche Accumotive for the first time the 55 kW electric motor passes the 120 km/h mark. The 17.6 kWh battery enables the lively city car to travel around 140 kilometres in city traffic without producing any local emissions.

The new B-Class
Substantially more agile and efficient, but as comfortable and spacious as ever – the new B-Class is a winner on all fronts. The vehicle’s lower height and more upright seat position provide for a first impression that hints at the compact sports tourer’s dynamic credentials.

The new B-Class is a typical sports tourer, offering plenty of space combined with impressive dynamic performance as a hatchback saloon. The characteristic lines of the exterior design indicate both of these attributes: front and rear sport a width-emphasizing design. High-quality materials and finely structured surfaces, stylish details, precision workmanship and a new spaciousness – the interior of the B-Class defines a whole new benchmark in the compact segment.

The new SLK 55 AMG
he Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG is the most powerful SLK of all time. Its newly developed AMG 5.5-litre V8 engine featuring cylinder shut-off combines the ultimate in performance with the lowest possible fuel consumption.

Forming part of the third-generation of the SLK launched in March, the new top-of-the range AMG model already demonstrates its individuality even at first glance: distinctive AMG light-alloy wheels, specific AMG bodystyling with AMG spoiler lip and two chrome-plated twin tailpipes at the rear complement the classic roadster proportions, while adding a markedly athletic touch. The expressive design of the SLK 55 AMG is both eye-catching and unmistakable.

F 125! research vehicle
As a highlight marking 125 years of the automobile, Mercedes-Benz is presenting a visionary outlook on future technical developments in the luxury segment. The F 125! research vehicle anticipates future trends and prepares the way for implementation of an innovative premium concept for large, luxurious automobiles.

In the F 125! Mercedes-Benz rigorously follows its vision of emission-free driving with hydrogen power, underlining the potential of hydrogen as an energy source for the future. While previous Mercedes-Benz research vehicles have “looked ahead” by roughly one vehicle generation – seven to eight years – the F 125! as the latest technological visionary goes a whole step further, by more than two generations to the year 2025 and beyond. On this basis the F 125! was created as an innovative four-seater luxury saloon with a powerful, emission-free electric drive system based on the fuel cell technology developed to series production maturity by Mercedes-Benz. This study combines pioneering and highly efficient storage, drive and bodyshell technologies with unique control and display concepts. The research vehicle also presents itself with an expressive design which transfers the classic Mercedes design idiom into the future.

Source: Daimler AG

The F 125! research vehicle anticipates future trends and prepares the way for implementation of an innovative premium concept for large, luxurious automobiles.

In the F 125! Mercedes-Benz rigorously follows its vision of emission-free driving with hydrogen power, underlining the potential of H2 as an energy source for the future. While previous Mercedes-Benz research vehicles have “looked ahead” by roughly one vehicle generation – seven to eight years – the F 125! as the latest technological visionary goes a whole step further, by more than two generations to the year 2025 and beyond.

“With the F 125! we want to show that large, comfortable and safe saloon cars have an excellent future, partly because they are able to operate with no emissions. The legend that is the S-Class will continue into the future thanks to intelligent solutions that always have the customer’s needs in mind,” says Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. “The new research vehicle illustrates and underlines this claim to leadership with innovative ideas and traditional Mercedes strengths in the areas of design, safety, comfort and performance.”

Innovative ideas reaffirm the claim to leadership in the luxury segment
The F 125! demonstrates how completely emission-free, individual mobility might be realised in the luxury segment in the future. The researchers and developers at Mercedes-Benz have incorporated already well-proven concepts and technologies which are not yet available today, but for which basic research has shown great future promise, and therefore a realistic chance of implementation in future series-production cars. The decisive innovations are:

- A logical further development of the fuel cell drive system in combination with plug-in technology

- Revolutionary tank technology: the structure integrated hydrogen composite storage unit.

- Lighter and more powerful batteries, in this case based on lithium-sulphur technology, which Mercedes-Benz is examining in parallel with further development of the current lithium-ion battery and research into lithium-air technology.

On this basis the F 125! was created as an innovative four-seater luxury saloon with a powerful, emission-free electric drive system based on the fuel cell technology developed to series production maturity by Mercedes-Benz. This study combines pioneering and highly efficient storage, drive and bodyshell technologies with unique control and display concepts. The research vehicle also presents itself with an expressive design which transfers the classic Mercedes design idiom into the future.

Highlights of the F 125!:
- Completely emission-free mobility with a range of up to 1000 kilometres, full day-to-day suitability, superior performance and first-class comfort.

- A bodyshell of innovative, lightweight hybrid construction with a high proportion of fibre-reinforced plastics and an intelligent mix of carbon-fibre, aluminium and high-strength steels, which allows a significant weight reduction while offering a further considerable improvement in safety. A high-strength construction with crash-responsive protective systems within the doors allows the omission of B-pillars, as well as the use of wide gull-wing doors which allow convenient access to the four seats. In this way the Mercedes-Benz safety philosophy and in particular the decisive principle of the rigid passenger cell developed by Béla Barényi in 1952 are being concertedly taken forward for the future of individual mobility.

- A high-voltage lithium-sulphur battery with a specific energy density of 350 Wh per kg at cell level, which allows considerably higher recuperation rates in combination with the e4MATIC all-wheel drive.

- A control and display concept based on touch, speech and hand-gestures makes the F 125! a true “companion” with whom the driver is able to interact flexibly and effortlessly. The gull-wing doors of light-weight CRP construction can also be opened and closed by hand-gestures.

- Highly attractive displays using 3D and projector-beam technology to open up new visual possibilities.

- Next-generation, substantially networked telematics allow internet-based voice control, integration into social media and extensive remote control of vehicle settings and entertainment functions.

- Innovative assistance systems for lasting driver stress relief, e.g. Advanced Driving Assist for semi-autonomous driving.

- Trailblazing exterior and interior design based on a completely new
saloon architecture.

Revolutionary: structural integrated hydrogen composite storage unit
To store the hydrogen as the fuel of the future, Mercedes engineers adapted a technology which is still the object of basic research. This opens up completely new perspectives with respect to the vehicle architecture and operating range. “The structural integrated hydrogen composite unit of the F 125! represents a real technological revolution, as it allows the hydrogen tank to be fully integrated into the bodyshell structure for the first time. In the future, vehicles with emission-free fuel cell drive systems could achieve the operating ranges of current diesel models with no loss of interior space,” says Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber. Based on the current level of know-how, Mercedes specialists consider it possible that they may develop this technology to series production level from 2025.

The tank integrated into the floor assembly has a capacity of around 7.5 kg
of hydrogen. Compared to the high-pressure tanks in use today, the H2 tank potentially requires less installation space. This is because to withstand a pressure of up to 700 bar, current tanks need to be cylindrical in shape, and owing to this round cross-section there are inevitably “cavities” between tanks installed next to or above each other. In contrast, tanks that can be filled at a pressure of 30 bar or less can be better integrated into the bodyshell. At the same time they are able to act as “structural” components.

Lithium-sulphur battery: compact and powerful
A highly advanced, very powerful lithium-sulphur battery is envisaged for the F 125!. It has a storage capacity of 10 kWh and is installed behind the rear seats. Combining the fuel cell drive system with the innovative lithium-sulphur battery makes a total operating range of up to 1000 km possible, of which up to 50 km can be under battery-electric power alone. It can be inductively charged at “intelligent” charging stations, and the convenient charging process can be monitored by smartphone. When designing the F 125!, the developers worked on the assumption that by the time of its introduction into series production, this battery type will be capable of energy densities up to 350 Wh per kg. This would represent roughly a doubling of current performance. The real potentials of this technology are however the subject of basic research, and are still difficult to assess at present.

Further development of the fuel cell as an energy source
At the heart of the drive system lies a particularly powerful further development of the Mercedes-Benz fuel cell stack which has demonstrated its efficiency and day-to-day suitability e.g. in the successful B-Class F-CELL World Drive this year.

On 29 January, marking the 125th birthday of the automobile, Mercedes-Benz commenced the first circumnavigation of the globe with fuel cell powered electric cars in Stuttgart – covering more than 30,000 kilometres on four continents and through 14 countries. The three fuel cell powered B-Class cars and their backup vehicles returned safely to Stuttgart 125 days later.

The stack in the F 125!, which is further improved with respect to performance, consumption and practical suitability, provides the power for four powerful electric motors installed near the wheels, which ensure sporty, superior performance figures. All in all the modular e4MATIC system, which also uses improved drive components from the SLS AMG E-CELL, generates a continuous output of 170 kW (231 hp) and a peak output of 230 kW (313 hp).

This accelerates the F 125! to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of 220 km/h. Nonetheless, NEDC fuel consumption is only 0.79 kilograms of hydrogen per 100 kilometres (= 2.7 litres diesel equivalent).
Always online, always connected: “@yourCOMAND”

With the visionary infotainment system “@yourCOMAND”, the F 125! provides an outlook on future Mercedes-Benz telematic systems. Its trailblazing features include:

In Natural Handling, operation is substantially by natural speech supplemented with touch and intuitive hand-gestures. In the interests of maximum driver-fitness and operating safety, the F 125! becomes the perfect, always alert companion for its driver and passengers. The possibilities go well beyond those of current systems. The driver can e.g. request news items that are tailored to his personal needs, and make specific, contextual enquiries, without removing his hands from the wheel. The COMAND of tomorrow also becomes proactive.

In the future, the driver will be able to start with the traffic report or retrieve personal messages before the selected music programme begins. The weather report will then automatically come on before the journey ends, for example. Thanks to the mood-based configuration function “Moods”, such individual adjustments will be completed in a matter of seconds in future. The F125! also opens up completely new dimensions when it comes to external communication and the use of social networks. With the help of the Social Community Assistant, the driver alone can decide who is allowed to “disturb” him, or who receives information.

Thanks to the Seamless Experiencefunctions, the multimedia systems of the F 125! are seamlessly and cross-functionally networked, socially interactive and non-distracting. The exchange of information is no longer impeded or interrupted on journeys, but is an integral part of the concept. Because of constant connectivity with the Cloud, the driver has seamless access to all the media he normally uses. The tedious synchronisation of different communication and entertainment devices is also completely eliminated. The so-called “digital lifestyle” of many customers can therefore be continued both seamlessly and safely when on board.

Sensory Perfection in the F 125! means high-end sound and high-resolution screens with brilliant, individual displays. If required, the autostereoscopic 3D display for spatial representation of the instrument cluster is able to show relevant information in clustered form. The 3D image adapts natural visual habits, allows a better overview and thus relieves the driver of stress. The head unit in the upper section of the centre console uses projector-beam technology, and is controlled via a touchpad with 3D fingertracking located within easy reach of the driver. In addition to the head unit, the integrated selection bar enables the instrument cluster and rear-view display to be selected. Activated in this way, these displays can also be centrally operated. A further, retractable 17-inch display is installed on the front passenger side, and this is fully controlled by hand gestures. In this way a rear passenger can select his personal film programme with no physical contact.

A high-resolution wide-image display allows the entire traffic situation behind the vehicle to be conveniently monitored, and makes exterior mirrors unnecessary. The image is adapted to human perceptive powers at all times, and once again provides a much clearer overview with more rapid and intuitive registration of the relevant traffic situation.

The vehicle and its multimedia system, as well as all applications and contents, can be completely remote-controlled using the Remote Convenience functions. This e.g. means that via the vehicle’s specific homepage, authorised individuals have access at all times to information such as the fuel level, next scheduled service or fuel consumption. Just as easily, a home PC or of course a smartphone can be used for remote configuration of the onboard navigation or entertainment system, and to select individual interior temperature settings for each seat.

New assistance systems: recognising dangers, travelling in style
With the help of innovative driver assistance systems, the touring saloon of the future defuses even “invisible” hazards and relieves driver stress in many standard situations. If the driver requires, the F 125! is able to carry out frequently occurring driving manoeuvres autonomously.

Advanced Driving Assist allows lane-changes on multi-lane, one-way roads, and in a further development stage even automatic overtaking manoeuvres.Thanks to radio-based networking with the environment, so-called Car-to-X communi-cation, the F 125! is also able to exchange information with other vehicles, a specially equipped infrastructure incl. traffic lights or warning signs and traffic control centres. Specific applications might include a warning of approaching emergency service vehicles, well before the driver can see or hear them, a reminder that other vehicles have the right of way at obscure road junctions, or obstacles on the road.

Mobility of the future – Utopias shaping our tomorrow
It was visionaries and dreamers who prepared the way for “automobility”. The first tentative steps were taken at the end of the 19th Century – in a techno-logical environment where the steam engine dominated the world of power generation. The steam locomotive added motion to this machine, and tracks were laid everywhere.

The idea of fitting coach-like vehicles with compact, fast-running internal combustion engines to make individual, easy and comfortable mobility possible beyond the railway tracks was seen as “utopian” at the time – i.e. synonymous with “science fiction” or “fantasy”.

Visionary engineers and utopians such as Carl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler, Wilhelm Maybach or Rudolf Diesel refused to be daunted, however. With the F 125! Mercedes-Benz is once again demonstrating this pioneering spirit.

F 125! – a specific outlook on the vision of emission-free driving
With the new Mercedes-Benz research vehicle, the vision of emission-free driving with large, luxurious automobiles takes on a concrete form. The F 125! shows that the mobility of the future is emission-free and sustainable, comfortable and visually very appealing. It embodies technical and design innovation, and shows the way towards a society able to cope without fossil fuels.

Source: Daimler AG / Pictures: MB Passion

E-Class Cabriolet
Positive signals underline the Mercedes-Benz presence at the 2010 North American International Auto Show. The highlight of the opening day was the debut of the new E-Class Cabriolet, which is celebrating its world premiere in Detroit

The highly appealing and emotionally charged Cabriolet is the latest addition to the successful Mercedes-Benz E-Class line-up. The open-top two-door model, features a classic fabric soft top, making for a stylistically pure cabriolet feeling. Viewed from the side, the new model is an intriguing proposition – with its clear proportions and a flawless cabriolet silhouette.

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team presentation
Over 600 guests, including 200 media representatives and 200 Mercedes-Benz employees, visited the Mercedes-Benz Museum, to see the launch of the team and the unveiling of the new Silver Arrows livery.

The event opened with a welcome speech by Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars before Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg presented the new Silver Arrows livery for the 2010 season on last year’s car. The new silver and green livery creates a true marriage between the heritage of the Silver Arrows and the team’s title partner PETRONAS.

Mercedes-Benz F 800 Style
Mercedes-Benz presented the F 800 Style research vehicle at the Geneva Motor Show. This one-off five-seater executive saloon combines efficient drive technologies with unparalleled safety and convenience features as well as an emotive design idiom.

Its all-new, flexible multi-drive platform – either for electric drive with fuel cells or for a plug-in hybrid – is a world-first for large saloons. Both variants make locally emission-free mobility possible for a premium car, while at the same time providing a dynamic driving experience.

New-generation R-Class
Taking center stage at Mercedes press conference on the 2010 New York International Auto Show was the world premiere of the new-generation R-Class. The original SUV tourer has been extensively updated.

The overall impression in particular has benefitted significantly from the completely redesigned front section, which borrows elements both from Mercedes-Benz saloons and SUV models. In addition to the fresh exterior, the “twenty-ten” model year R-Class also impresses with a number of distinctive interior features.

Source: Daimler AG

The new F 800 Style was developed in collaboration with the model car manufacturer Minimax. The model is available in the genuine metallic colour warm ALU-BEAM silver. With high-quality printed chrome trim parts and radiator grille. The large panoramic sliding sunroof allows closer inspection of the high-quality, printed interior details. The order number for the F 800 Style in warm ALU-BEAM silver is B6 696 0234.

Source: Daimler AG

Mercedes-Benz defines the benchmarks in active safety technology with intelligent assistance systems that turn the vehicle into the driver’s “thinking partner.” These systems, available since 2009 in the CL-, E- and S-Class and starting this year in the new CLS-Class as well, go into operation specifically in the situations that are responsible for the most common types of accident, such as those due to lane changing, overtiredness, or restricted visibility at night.

ESF 2009: The future of automotive safety
The focus during the development of the numerous safety innovations in the Experimental Safety Vehicle (ESF) 2009 was on the critical phase immediately preceding an accident. The systems presented in the ESF 2009 improve the safety potential within the extremely short period of 600 milliseconds between the recognition of an unavoidable accident and the accident itself. In this way, accidents can either be prevented or their consequences can be significantly reduced.

Selected milestones in Mercedes-Benz safety development
1939 – Start of safety development for passenger cars
1959 – Safety body
1969 – Establishment of Mercedes-Benz accident research
1978 – ABS Anti-Lock Brake System
1980 – Airbag, seat belt tensioner
1989 – Automatic rollbar
1995 – Electronic Stability Program (ESP®)
1996 – Brake Assist (BAS)
1998 – DISTRONIC
1999 – Active Body Control (ABC), tire pressure monitoring system
2002 – PRE-SAFE®
2003 – Active light function
2005 – DISTRONIC PLUS, Brake Assist PLUS, Night View Assist
2006 – PRE-SAFE® Brake, Intelligent Light System
2009 – Speed Limit Assist, ATTENTION ASSIST, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Assist
2010 – LED high-performance headlight, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist

Source: Daimler AG

The system reduces body vibrations caused by bouncing and rolling movements when cornering or pitching movements when braking. The ADVANCED AGILITY package made its debut in 2007, when it appeared first in the new C-Class. The package offers two shifting modes: Sport and Comfort. As part of these shifting programs, each wheel has its own shock absorber with an infinitely variable electronic control.

In 2007 Mercedes-Benz also unveiled the revolutionary PRE-SCAN chassis, which it presented in the F 700 research vehicle. The system can register road conditions in advance, react very sensitively to bumps and potholes, and compensate for them more effectively than other chassis. The PRE-SCAN chassis uses two laser sensors in the headlights as “eyes.”

The MAGIC BODY CONTROL chassis that Mercedes-Benz presented in fall 2010 is an advanced system that literally looks ahead — a highly sensitive stereo camera mounted on the windshield, above the rearview mirror, “observes” the road in front of the vehicle from two different perspectives, enabling the system to recognize uneven road surfaces in even greater detail. Fast onboard computers process all of the data in real time and control the active ABC chassis, which can adjust the forces at each wheel separately. This allows the vehicle body’s movements to be largely compensated for, compared to those of today’s standard chassis.

Source: Daimler AG

Operating comfort, ergonomics, air conditioning, low noise levels, handling properties, and many other factors affect a driver’s condition behind the wheel, and thus also his or her ability to keep an overview of the traffic situation. After all, only a relaxed driver is also a safe driver. Mercedes-Benz researchers have been investigating this complex topic, called “physiological well-being,” for many years, and Mercedes-Benz has consistently applied their findings to improve its series-production vehicles. As a result, it has been proven that Mercedes drivers stay for a longer time fit and concentrated.

Prime examples of the progress achieved in this field are the carefully designed, intuitive control and display concepts and the intelligent Driving Assistance systems, which turn the automobile into a partner that thinks along with the person behind the wheel.

DISTRONIC — looking ahead and setting the pace
One example is the DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam Vehicle Follow Assist introduced in the latest Mercedes-Benz research vehicle, the F 800 Style. The success story of this system began in 1962, when Mercedes-Benz became the first European automaker to offer a mechanical speed control system. This comfort feature was subsequently enhanced so that the cruise control system could keep the vehicle at a constant speed even after the gears were shifted.

In 1998 Mercedes-Benz launched the world’s first “electronic copilot” — the DISTRONIC proximity control — on the market. A radar sensor in the radiator grille enables the system to monitor the traffic situation up to 150 meters in front of the vehicle. If the gap between the car and the vehicle up ahead decreases, the DISTRONIC proximity control automatically decelerates or operates the brakes if necessary.

Mercedes-Benz consistently enhanced this high-performance assistance system and introduced the improved version as the DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control in 2005. By combining the previous DISTRONIC radar (77 GHz) with the newly developed short-range radar (24 GHz), Mercedes was able to further extend the working range of the proximity control system and increase the speed control range from 30-180 km/h to 0-200 km/h. This has the advantage that when the traffic tails back, DISTRONIC PLUS automatically brakes the vehicle to a standstill and then accelerates the car back to the set speed as soon as the traffic situation allows.

In combination with the PRE-SAFE® brake introduced in 2006 and Brake Assist PLUS, DISTRONIC PLUS effectively helps to prevent accidents. For example, DISTRONIC PLUS automatically reduces the car’s speed when the driver approaches the rear of a traffic jam. If the driver fails to respond or reacts too slowly, the smart braking systems can prevent a rear-end collision or at least reduce the severity of the accident.
The world’s first system that allows a car to automatically follow the vehicle ahead of it even when driving along curves — the DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam Vehicle Follow Assist — made its debut in the F 800 Style research vehicle in spring 2010.

This system takes over both the distance control and the steering effort at speeds up to approximately 40 km/h. Drivers can, of course, override the system at any time by turning the steering wheel. When the 40 km/h mark is exceeded, the steering torque that keeps the vehicle in its lane is gradually reduced to a point at which the system smoothly disengages.

Source: Daimler AG

The company can look back on a long tradition of such activities. For over 30 years, interdisciplinary and international research teams have been working to anticipate long-term trends and social developments and to apply their conclusions to the area of mobility. This future-oriented way of working — which involves stocking up on ideas — generates new solutions that anticipate changing conditions and new customer requirements rather than merely reacting to them.

One of these innovations is the NAFA two-seater concept car (“NAFA” is the German acronym for “short-distance vehicle”), which Mercedes-Benz developed in the 1980s. Even then, the company was taking into account the trend of urbanization, which is proceeding at an ever faster pace today all over the world. The concept behind the NAFA was the starting point of a parallel development that resulted in two successful series-produced models in the 1990s: the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, as the founder of the segment of compact premium vehicles, and the smart, the pioneer of intelligent urban mobility. Both cars — as well as the Mercedes-Benz B-Class — were designed for alternative drive systems from the very start, and today they are pioneers of electric mobility with zero local emissions: as smart fortwo electric drive and Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-CELL with battery electric drive and as Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL with electric drive using fuel cell technology. These vehicles are being used for purposes including “e-mobility” projects, for instance in Berlin and Italy (the smart fortwo electric drive and the A-Class E-CELL), and are thus helping to pave the way toward mobility with zero local emissions.

Source: Daimler AG

Basically, it is all about asking the right questions and discussing possible answers with the customers in as detailed a manner as possible. Combined with market research findings and studies of trends and the overall environment, this results in a set of coordinates for interesting market segments. After that, the CRC experts generate and test the appropriate possibilities for products and solutions.

The Mercedes-Benz Customer Research Center is unique in the global automo-tive industry because it conducts psychology-focused customer research in a seamless manner and with a holistic approach. Mercedes-Benz thus has at its disposal a one-of-a-kind interconnected laboratory landscape, one that incorpo-rates all the aspects that people perceive and can form an opinion about. This laboratory network includes everything from a tactile lab to laboratories for acoustics, light, and long-distance driving trials. Given its complexity, this topic is viewed both holistically and from an intercultural perspective.

The intercultural approach ensures that regional customer requirements, which in some cases are very different, are taken into account. In the past, the focus was primarily on countries like Germany and the U.S. — our traditional core markets — as well as Russia and the UK. In the future, we will be looking just as closely at growth markets such as China, India, Brazil, and the Middle East.

In line with vehicle development cycles, the CRC employees look at customer requirements far in advance, taking into account the aspects that will be important in five, seven, or ten years. This process combines qualitative methods such as discussions and interviews with quantitative techniques that include in-depth real-life analysis. For these long-term tests, customers are given a vehicle to drive for up to one week. They can contact us at any time via a call center in order to report their real-life experiences with the car.

The Innovation Workshop is an “idea generator”
The Innovation Workshop is a separate unit within the CRC that is responsible for generating new ideas. Between 60 and 80 workshops attended by about 1,500 participants take place here every year, with the goal of finding new initial ideas and working on new products. The most important factor for assessing an idea is customer acceptance, which is therefore examined in great detail.

To this end, the unit has developed a four-stage model that simulates the process by which acceptance gradually begins to grow. Starting with the first stage of acceptance, which is based on hearsay, this process chain then extends to (2) “look-listen-and-feel” — in the showroom, for example. It then moves on to (3) “drive-and-feel” during a test drive and culminates in the most important stage — (4) acceptance over a long period of actual use. This process should end with the customers concluding that they have made the right decision and would make it again the next time around. This stage of acceptance is typical of Mercedes-Benz customers — and that can be empirically proved.

Source: Daimler AG

Dedicated processes ensure that many of these ideas are turned into reality at Daimler and Mercedes-Benz. In 2009, too, the company made more initial patent submissions than any other premium manufacturer. More than half of them fall under the heading of “green” technologies, primarily related to driveline. In terms of safety, Mercedes-Benz plans to introduce its radar-controlled Brake Assist BAS in the new B-Class – one example of our consistent cascading of high-tech.

“The passion for inventing never ends,” was the guiding principle of Carl Benz. His conviction that it is always possible to make something good even better is fundamental to the work carried out by Mercedes-Benz to this day. The power of innovation was and is one of the most important elements driving the company, which has managed to submit more than 80,000 patent applications over the course of almost 125 years. Among those are many that have been decisive in the ongoing development of the automobile.

“New ideas are the product of the human mind. And Mercedes-Benz has always been home to highly creative and motivated people,” notes Dr. Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. “As a company, we encourage them by giving them room for free and creative thinking and working. And, where expedient, we support them with the necessary systems and processes. In so doing, we ensure that the source of our innovative power never diminishes.”

In order to protect its assertion of innovative leadership, the company has established a global knowledge network, which sees around 19,000 individuals from the Research and Development function contribute their knowledge and expertise from a wide range of disciplines. The company is represented around the world where there are centers of competence in relevant fields of expertise – with highly qualified researchers and the associated scientific community. In 1995, for instance, Mercedes-Benz was the first vehicle manufacturer to open an office in Silicon Valley.

Further local development centers are located close to key production facilities, such as those in Germany and the USA. There are also research offices like those in Ulm, Berlin, Palo Alto (California), Bangalore (India) and Beijing (China). Alongside the “classic” automotive professions like engineer or designer, this network also includes physicists and other scientists, as well as psychologists and sociologists. All these technicians, analysts, researchers and lateral thinkers work hand-in-hand in this interdisciplinary think tank.

More than 2,000 new patent applications in 2009 alone
Last year, the company was once again the premium manufacturer with the most patent applications. More than half of the overall total of 2,070 new developments submitted are related to “green” technologies, with 720 of them apportioned to driveline alone (35 percent). Significant progress was made particularly in the fields of energy efficiency, exhaust gas after-treatment, fuel cell and battery technology. The equally high number of initial patent submissions made in the area of production technology and new materials underscores the leading position held by Mercedes-Benz in “green” technologies. 14 percent of all new developments are attributable to lightweight materials and production processes, e.g. CFC, and to environmentally friendly manufacturing processes.

With extensive investments ongoing in Research and Development, the company is laying the groundwork to ensure that the already high level of innovation is not only maintained over the long term, but expanded.
Mercedes-Benz continues to demonstrate its traditionally outstanding expertise in the fields of safety and comfort with a host of innovations, including pedestrian protection and PRE-SAFE® systems, with Mercedes-Benz vehicles in all market segments benefiting from these developments. The planned introduction of the radar-controlled Brake Assist BAS in the new B-Class is just one example of our consistent cascade approach to high-tech. For models in the luxury-class segments, the camera-based MAGIC BODY CONTROL system is a further innovation in the field of chassis technology that will soon be ready for series production and will celebrate its premiere in the next S-Class.

Intelligent innovation management ensures maximum customer benefit
In order that as many ideas as possible are actually implemented as quickly as possible to the benefit of the customer, Mercedes-Benz has established a process of innovation management which combines creativity and customer benefit. Future research and technology monitoring ensure that new solutions anticipate changing conditions and future customer desires. Customer research such as monitoring product acceptance at the Customer Research Center (CRC) guarantee that customer feedback and innovative ideas are fed into the development of new Mercedes-Benz automobiles from the very beginning.

Driving simulators – the perfect complement to real-life testing
The next phase in the development and testing of vehicles will see the application of a wide range of simulators. With the assistance of “digital prototypes” of a vehicle created by very powerful computers it is now possible, for example, to conduct fully integrated testing of a new model in a wide range of driving situations before an actual vehicle has been built.

Just a few weeks ago, Mercedes-Benz opened the world’s most advanced driving simulator in Sindelfingen. With its 360° screen, high-speed electric operation and twelve-meter rails for longitudinal and lateral movement, it is the most powerful moving simulator in the automotive industry. This is in addition to the intensive practical testing conducted over many millions of kilometers that will remain an indispensible element of the development process.

“The best or nothing” is always the objective at Mercedes-Benz – and, when it comes to innovation, rapid implementation stands shoulder-to-shoulder with high quality and real customer benefits.

Dr. Thomas Weber: “The aim of our work is more rapid technology transfer into series production. To this end, we conduct results-oriented, not knowledge-driven, research. The priority is concrete benefits for the customer, not quantity. Focusing at an early stage on significant innovations facilitates acceleration of the innovation process. The real challenge in this is to bring the right innovations to market at the right time. You see, today more than ever, innovation is the key to success.”

Source: Daimler AG

1906 – Daimler-Motoren-Commanditgesellschaft in Austria launched its first series-produced electric cars: the battery-powered Mercédès Electrique and the Mercédès Mixte with hybrid drive.

1972 – Electric drive system trialled from 1972 to 1974 in the LE 306 van. In spite of the size and weight of the batteries, the vehicle had a range of just 65 kilometres, with a maximum speed of 70 km/h.

1982 – The batteries used in trial electric cars in 1982 were smaller and lighter than the power plant in the LE 306, but still failed to meet the requirements for normal everyday use. The battery pack took up the entire luggage compartment of the estate car.

1992 – From 1992 to 1996 Mercedes-Benz and other automakers tested passenger cars with lead and ZEBRA batteries on the island of Rügen. The car shown in the photograph is the Mercedes-Benz 190 electric concept car (W 201), introduced in 1990.

1994 – Introduction of the NECAR 1 (New Electric Car) as the first automobile with a fuel-cell drive system. The fuel-cell system took up the entire cargo space of the van.

1997 – NECAR 3: the first fuel-cell car to use methanol as a liquid hydrogen storage medium. However, the technology of the on-board methanol conversion process proved too complex. So, Daimler decided to concentrate on the use of hydrogen gas.

1998 – Prototype with electric drive: the Mercedes-Benz A‑Class prototype, with a drive system powered from a ZEBRA high-powered nickel-chloride battery.

2003 – In the A‑Class F‑CELL, the entire fuel-cell system is placed in the sandwich floor structure. In 2004 this became the world’s first fuel-cell car to be supplied to customers.

2005 – Unveiling of the F 600 HYGENIUS at the Tokyo Motor Show: the new fuel-cell stack structure was 40 percent smaller than in the A‑Class F‑CELL, delivering 30 percent more power.

2006 – Daimler now had a fleet of more than 100 fuel-cell vehicles in use by customers worldwide, from the A‑Class to the Citaro-Bus. These vehicles have now clocked up more than 4.5 million kilometres of emission-free driving.

2007 – Start of a large-scale test in London involving 100 first-generation smart fortwo electric drive cars: the electric-drive two-seater with a sodium-nickel-chloride ZEBRA high-power battery impressed with its environmental qualities and everyday functionality, and was also a pleasure to drive and extremely easy to operate.

2008 – Launch of the first “e-mobility” initiative in September, in the presence of German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel. The aim of this pioneering joint project for environmentally responsible urban electric mobility was to demonstrate the efficient use of state-of-the-art electric cars in conjunction with a customer-friendly charging infrastructure.

2009 – In November 2009, Daimler started production of two electric cars. Series production of the smart fortwo electric drive kicked off with a run of 1000 units, with the first customers taking delivery at the beginning of “e-mobility Berlin” on 17 December. The smart fortwo electric drive was subsequently supplied to customers in Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Switzerland, and also Canada and the USA.

Source: Daimler AG

On Tuesday 22nd, a-ha’s keyboard player Magne Furuholmen had the pleasure of taking a very close look at this electric gullwing and he experienced how fun it is to drive an electric super sports car. Enjoy some first impressions of the electric SLS – more to come soon!

Source: Daimler AG

For the fifth time, Germany’s largest automobile publication AUTO BILD asked its readers to vote for the most attractive cars. There was a choice of 103 new products in five categories. Overall first place in this top-class automotive beauty pageant was taken by the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. The readers voted the E-Class Cabriolet from Mercedes-Benz into second place.

In addition, the AUTO BILD readers considered the Mercedes-Benz F 800 Style to be the visual highlight among the studies and concept cars. Mercedes-Benz Chief Designer Prof. Gorden Wagener: “Our vehicles are self-assured examples of refined sportiness. The SLS AMG, the E-Class Cabriolet and the F 800 Style exhibit the unmistakable style of Mercedes-Benz design, and set design trends for the future.”

Mercedes-Benz also led the field in last year’s vote: in the AUTO BILDDesign Award 2009, the readers gave first place to the E-Class Saloon as Germany’s most attractive car, while the E-Class Coupé was the winner in its category.

Source: Daimler AG

An advance development of the study that had been equipped with a three-rotor Wankel engine and presented at the 1969 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main, this version made its Geneva debut boasting a four-rotor Wankel engine developing up to 257 kW.

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The engine, a DB M950 KE409 model, had 600 cubic centimetres of volume per rotary piston and was the most advanced of the rotary piston engines developed at Mercedes-Benz. The engine transmitted its power to the rear wheels via a five-speed transmission, accelerated the C 111-II from a standing start to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds and gave a top speed of 300 km/h.

In this version of the supersports car, painted an orange-red colour known as “Weißherbst”, the engineers succeeded in finding the perfect set-up for the mid-engined coupé with its distinctive gullwing doors. For in addition to a new engine, the C 111-II also boasted a modified body. As it appeared in Geneva, the car was much more than just a test vehicle for the innovative drive concept developed by Felix Wankel. Since the launch of the project in December 1967 Mercedes-Benz had developed a top-class supersports car with the wherewithal to fill the gap left by the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 198 series). The enthusiastic response from visitors to the Geneva Motor Show confirmed this view. Orders were received even before the Stuttgart company had set a price for the new gullwing – many offering downpayments or blank cheques.

One improvement over the C 111-I was the new model’s improved aerodynamic efficiency: the drag coefficient of cd=0.325 was exceptionally low for the period. At the same time, driver visibility was improved. With the modified body and new Wankel engine, which now developed torque of 40 mkg (392 Newton metres), no contemporary road-going supersports car was a match for the C 111-II.

And yet Mercedes-Benz decided against series production. “The Wankel engine was not yet mature enough to be handed over to customers in line with company standards,” said Dr. Hans Liebold in the year 2000, the man who had been responsible for developing the C 111, from the first Wankel study right up to the later record-breaking cars with reciprocating piston engine. Moreover, increasingly stringent emissions regulations in the United States of America argued against the introduction of the rotary piston engine, for although it had typical fuel consumption figures for the period (“an average of 20 litres/100 km”, according to an issue of the magazine auto motor und sport dated 11 April 1970), emissions values were distinctly on the high side. A short time later, the oil crisis put an end to all hopeful speculation regarding the coupé’s market launch.

By this time the development department at Mercedes-Benz had largely got to grips with the engineering design problems of the rotary piston principle, particularly in terms of engine mechanics. But the relatively poor efficiency of the Wankel engine, which resulted from the elongated, variable combustion chambers of the rotary piston principle, could not be circumvented by technical modifications. The problem was simply inherent in the design: in a Wankel engine, the fuel burns in the space between the convex side of the rotary piston and the concave wall of the piston housing, rather than in the cylindrical combustion chamber of a reciprocating-piston engine. The variable and less than compact combustion chambers of the Wankel engine were responsible for poor thermodynamic fuel economy compared with a reciprocating-piston engine, resulting in significantly higher fuel consumption for the same output.

On the other hand, the engine had the advantages of a highly compact design and quietness even – while being driven for sports performance. In November 1969 Ron Wakefield also discussed the C 111 in the trade magazine Road & Track: “During my first ride I was immediately struck by the quietness of the power unit inside the car. It was far quieter than, say, a 12-cyl. [Lamborghini] Miura.”

In retrospect, Dr. Kurt Obländer, head of engine testing for the C 111 project, described the Wankel engine as follows: “Our four-rotor engine with gasoline injection represented the optimum of what could be reached with this engine concept. The multi-rotor design called for peripheral ports for the intake-air and exhaust-gas ducts. We were able to solve the difficult problems in engine cooling and engine mechanics by technical means. But the concept’s main problem – its low thermodynamic degree of efficiency – persisted.”

At just 1.12 metres in height, a number of details about this flat sports coupé made reference to the history of Mercedes-Benz supersports cars. Such features included the gullwing doors, reminiscent of the 300 SL, and the consistent use of innovative drive technology in a high-performance automobile. Unlike the 300 SL (spaceframe with steel and aluminium skin), however, the C 111 had a body made of glass fibre reinforced plastic, which was bonded to the steel floor assembly.

Ultimately, the reason the C 111-II became such an object of desire among the public – in spite of being officially presented as a study and experimental vehicle – was down to the high standards Mercedes-Benz set itself. For during its development, the sports car was never treated merely as a test vehicle. Rather, the engineers looked beyond the innovative drive and body features, applying themselves to the vehicle setup and creating a holistic concept that also embraced design of the interior, noise insulation and chassis optimisation. When the C 111-II appeared at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show, it inspired the feeling of a supersports that had been built as an integrated whole – an automotive dream that was close enough to touch.

Source: Daimler AG

The F800 Style ist he successor tot he F700 presented in 2007 and ist he newest representative oft he Mercedes-Benz research vehicle familiy. It hast he latest state oft he art, innovative safety feartures, alternative drives and avant-garde design, which could perhaps be seen as standard in the future.

Source: Mercedes-Benz.tv

The F800 Style celebrates his public premiere, at the Auto Salon in Geneva, from March 4 to 14. Below now some impressions from the TecDay F800 Style.

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Pictures: MB Passion

A synthesis of green technology and stylish-sporty design, the F 800 Style impressively demonstrates Mercedes-Benz’ ability to harmonize automobile fascination and emotion with the continually increasing demands of environmental compatibility. Like its predecessor, the F 700 presented at the 2007 IAA motor show, the latest research vehicle from the brand with the star offers a clear idea of what we can expect in the future from premium automobiles “made by Mercedes-Benz.”

The F 800 Style combines the functionality of a groundbreaking upper-class sedan with the highly emotional formal idiom of the new Mercedes-Benz design. The long wheelbase and the model’s intelligent interior design ensure a generous amount of space and great freedom of movement for five occupants. The result is a distinctive harmony of form and function, whereby the Mercedes brand value of ‘cultivated sportiness’ can be seen and felt in every detail.”

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With a total length of 4.75 meters, the F 800 Style has both a longer wheelbase (2,924 millimeters) and a greater width (1,938 millimeters) than today’s upper-range sedans. All of the components of the vehicle’s extremely efficient and environmentally compatible alternative drive system (either Plug-in Hybrid or fuel cell drive) are installed in a space-saving manner in the engine compartment and in the gaps within the chassis. As a result, the entire interior space is preserved and offers plenty of room for up to five occupants.

Reinterpretation of the typical Mercedes-Benz design idiom
The exterior appearance of the F 800 Style is marked by its long wheelbase, short body overhangs, and a sensually flowing, coupe-like roof line. The dynamic side view and the vehicle’s balanced proportions lend it a sporty yet sensual look that conveys a feeling of style and superior performance. “The F 800 blends seamlessly into our design scheme,” says Wagener. “It’s immediately recognizable as a Mercedes, even though it embodies our reinterpretation and further development of the brand’s typical design idiom.”

Another important design feature in the F 800 Style is its organically stretched body surface elements. These flow into convex transition zones and are delineated by precisely curved lines. This creates characteristic lines which visually subdivide the vehicle body and generate emotional tension. The powerful front contoured line on the sidewall extends across the flank and then fades off as it moves downward. This line lends the F 800 Style — with its grey metallic ALU-BEAM color tone — a highly dynamic appearance, without making it seem aggressive. The sensually curved roof line underscores the exceptional aerodynamic quality of the coupe, which has a height of 1.43 meters.

The Mercedes-Benz brand star is smoothly framed
The F 800 Style’s front end features a variation of the radiator grille with the centrally placed brand star that can be found in the new E-Class coupe as well as in other models. This grille extends prominently toward the front in the F 800 Style, while the bionically curving lamellae softly flow around the tube holding the Mercedes-Benz brand star. Other noticeable design features include the drop-shaped and thus aerodynamically designed exterior mirrors, whose housings, like those in the Concept BlueZERO model, are partially transparent and backlit.

LED headlights give the F 800 Style an expressive “face”
A “shining” example of technological and design innovation at Mercedes-Benz is offered in the truest sense of the word by the powerful LED headlights in the F 800 Style. The combination of fiber optics and state-of-the-art LED technology lends the vehicle a striking appearance. Along with the wide radiator grille and the generously curved air intake openings, the LED headlights emphasize the dynamic nature of the research vehicle. The headlights are divided into individual segments for daytime running lights, turn signal indicators, and primary headlights.

The F 800 Style’s taillights are also equipped with state-of-the-art LED units that enable an exciting interplay of indirect illumination and direct beams, which further enhances the stylish appearance of the vehicle’s rear section at night. The result is an attractive, unmistakable, and memorable visual effect.

Translucent roof makes for a bright interior
The F 800 Style’s translucent roof is divided into several segments. With flowing lines that dissolve and let more and more light through, the roof incorporates the wave styling elements of the air outlets.

The F 800 Style’s 20-inch alloy wheels are equipped with plastic inserts whose bionically arranged air intake openings are shaped like filigree turbine blades.

Wood and a pleasant color gradient create a cozy interior
Natural wood surfaces and a harmonious color gradient from light to dark make for an elegant and cozy interior in the F 800 Style. This interior was created at the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio in Como, Italy, and its modern sense of lightness is immediately noticed by occupants. Functional elements such as the driver area and the door armrests seem to float in space like sculptures, while light-colored wood surfaces underscore the model’s elegant ambience. Side panels covered with alcantara form a visual contrast to the wood. The panels are light beige in the area of the A-pillar and grow darker in a smooth color gradient as they extend to the back, ending in a dark grey tone in the rear of the vehicle. Additional design details are provided by attractive engraved patterns in the rear door panels.

Innovative real wood veneering process for seats, door armrests, and the driver area
The innovative lightweight-construction seats in the F 800 Style consist of a magnesium shell and a carbon fiber laminate seatback across which a fine yet resistant netting is stretched. The seat shell is veneered with real wood. For the wood inlaying process, Mercedes-Benz engineers employed an innovative technology designed especially for the veneering of three-dimensional surfaces. The new 3D surface coating procedure developed by Mercedes-Benz was also used to install the wood finishing in the center console, on the doors, and in the driver area. These wood finishing pieces are molded as 3D laminated components and are augmented by an aluminum layer, a feature that significantly improves crash safety.

The single-section organically curved cockpit offers plenty of legroom for front-seat passengers. In a setup similar to the one used in the F 700 research vehicle from 2007, all important information for the driver is presented on the large and clearly arranged display unit in the instrument cluster. A key new feature of this improved display is that it focuses for the first time on data associated with electric vehicle operation. The unit thus puts important relevant information such as the battery charge state and remaining vehicle range at the center of attention.

The integrated display unit, which elegantly protrudes from the curved console, provides for a feeling of exceptional interior spaciousness. Outstanding ergonomic quality is guaranteed by the new HMI with cam touchpad integrated into the center console. The unit also boasts several technical innovations, including its ability to visually depict the current functions within the cam touchpad’s menu structure on the display above the center console.

Rear pivot-and-slide doors blend into the elegant design lines
The rear doors of the F 800 Style ideally embody the harmony of form and function that typifies the vehicle. Whereas the front doors are attached to the A-pillar in a conventional manner and open toward the front, the rear doors slide backward when opened.

The innovative swivel arm construction of the rear doors allowed designers to forgo the use of visible door rails, giving the F 800 Style the appearance of being cast in one piece when its doors are closed. “We integrated the door technology into the vehicle in such a manner that it blends seamlessly into the overall design flow, thus perfectly harmonizing ergonomics and design,” says Wagener.

Form and function are equally important
The F 800 Style is both a technology package and a showcar. The latest Mercedes-Benz research vehicle was created through close international cooperation between the technical research and advanced engineering departments and the advanced design studios in Sindelfingen and Como, Italy. Form and function are equally important in the F 800 Style.

For example, all of the air intake openings and outlets have an important technical function in addition to the bold design statement they make, and the organic, nature-based wave shape for the protective grille is a typical design feature that is present throughout the vehicle.

Source/Pictures: Daimler AG – MB Passion

PRE-SAFE 360° was realized for the first time in the ESF 2009 experimental safety vehicle from Mercedes-Benz, which was a world first, and it is also being used in the F 800 Style. It is based on the well-known PRE SAFE® system presented by Mercedes-Benz in 2002. If PRE SAFE® recognizes a critical driving situation, the system activates occupant protection measures in advance. The enhanced PRE-SAFE 360° monitors not only what is on either side of the vehicle, but also the area behind the vehicle. The system uses short-range and multimode sensors to monitor the area of up to 60 meters behind the vehicle. If the system for early recognition of accidents determines that a collision is unavoidable, the brakes are activated about 600 milliseconds before the impact.

Braking a stationary vehicle that is hit in the rear helps prevent secondary accidents such as those that result when such a vehicle is hit and catapulted in an uncontrolled manner into an intersection or a pedestrian crossing. This application of the brakes can also reduce the severity of possible injuries to the passengers’ cervical vertebrae because the vehicle, and therefore the occupants’ bodies, are subjected to a lower acceleration. The driver always retains control in a vehicle fitted with PRE-SAFE 360°, however. For example, the brake is immediately released if the driver hits the gas pedal knowing that there is sufficient space in front of his or her own vehicle to avoid the rear impact.

The protective effect of PRE-SAFE 360° supports that of the NECK-PRO crash-responsive head restraints. As soon as the sensors detect a rear-end impact of a predefined severity, the system releases pre-tensioned springs inside the head restraints. These move the padded surface of the head restraints slightly forward and upward within milliseconds, thus supporting the driver’s and front passenger’s heads sooner than conventional head restraints.

Source/Pictures: Daimler AG – MB Passion

An important contribution is made by systems that ease the stress on drivers and thus improve their physiological well-being. Particularly stressful for drivers is having to constantly repeat the same actions in traffic jams: start to move — roll slowly — apply the brakes — stop — start again and so forth.

Back in 2006, Mercedes-Benz introduced DISTRONIC PLUS, the world’s first proximity and speed control system, which operates even when the car is standing still — and greatly reduces stress on the driver in congested traffic. DISTRONIC Plus regulates the distance from the car in front even at very low speeds, all the way to a standstill. When the car in front begins moving again, a tap on the gas pedal or the cruise control lever is all it takes for DISTRONIC PLUS to begin again to regulate the speed and distance from the driver up ahead.

DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam Assistant: Cars that drive themselves in traffic jams
With its new Traffic Jam Assistant feature in the F 800 Style, Mercedes-Benz has become the world’s first automaker to implement a system that is capable of automatically following the vehicle in front of it into curves. At speeds of up to about 40 km/h, the system takes care of both longitudinal and transverse movements so that drivers do not have to steer themselves. The driver can just sit back and relax — with hands on the steering wheel. Drivers can, of course, override the system at any time. Sensitive sensors notice if the driver moves the steering wheel, thus automatically deactivating the system’s lateral control function. When the 40 km/h mark is exceeded, the steering torque that keeps the vehicle in its lane is gradually reduced to a point at which the system smoothly disengages.

For the Traffic Jam Assistant feature, the Mercedes engineers supplemented the tried and tested DISTRONIC PLUS with proximity radar sensor by adding the “eyes” of a stereo camera. The camera and the electronic system monitor and analyze the area in front of the vehicle out to a distance of about 50 meters. The camera recognizes lane markings as well as the vehicle in front, which is also measured in terms of its position and width. As long as the vehicle in front is moving within its lane, the F 800 Style follows the vehicle by means of the measurement data from the camera. But should the driver in front move out of the lane or initiate a turn to the right or left, the assistance system limits the lateral control function to keep the F 800 Style in its own lane. In heavy traffic the Traffic Jam Assistant significantly boosts the driver’s comfort by reducing the stress of driving. The system thus contributes to the further improvement of active safety because the driver can remain alert longer and retain the ability to react quickly.

Source/Pictures: Daimler AG – MB Passion

• Length (mm) 4,738
• Width (mm) 1,938
• Height (mm) 1,445
• Wheelbase (mm) 2,924
• Trunk capacity (l) 440
• Inertia class (kg) 1,700
• Tires 215/45R20
• Rated output (kW/hp) Approx. 100/136
• Rated torque (Nm) Approx. 290
• Acceleration 0–100 km/h (sec) 11
• Maximum speed (km/h) 180*
• Hydrogen consumption (kg/100 km) 0.9**
• Total CO2 (g/km min–max) 0
• Range (km) NEDC Approx. 600
• Energy content of lithium-ion battery (kWh) 1.4

*Electronically limited
**NEDC overall consumption, corresponds to 3.0 liters of diesel equivalent

Source: Daimler AG

One of these innovations is the brand new HMI (Human Machine Interface) operating and display system featuring with cam touchpad. The display unit in the F 800 Style features numerous additional functions that go beyond those normally present in a conventional instrument cluster. We had as part of the presentation of new research vehicle, the opportunity to test the new operating and display system with cam-touch pad. It was impressive how easily and without much instruction or practice you could operate the system.

Mercedes-Benz is presenting another particularly user-friendly innovation in the F 800 Style in the form of a new human-machine interface (HMI) equipped with a cam touchpad. The feature is a well-conceived system expansion for COMAND. The HMI unit here consists of a touchpad on the center console and a camera that records video images of the user’s hand as it works the pad. The live image of the hand is presented in transparent form in the central display above the console. The key advantage of this solution is that icons that would be covered by the hand with conventional cell phones, for example, remain visible.

Users see their hands glide across the touchscreen as a “transparent” contour, allowing them to operate the functions of the current menu by applying a slight pressure. The touchpad can be operated with several fingers at the same time, and operating it feels similar to touching the keys of a notebook computer. Because the user interface is depressed by a few millimeters when touched, the activities carried out with the fingers are physically confirmed by the sense of touch.

The cam touchpad unit recognizes finger movements on the pad surface such as wiping, pushing, turning, and zooming, thus enabling intuitive regulation of the climate control system, phones, audio and navigation systems, and Internet access. The unit enhances active safety as well, because it is very easy and convenient to use and therefore does not distract the motorist as much from the actual task of driving.

An infrared camera records the image of the hand and transmits it to the central display of the HMI with cam touchpad. The camera also detects the direction in which the hand is moving. The hand is always shown in the display when it is nearing the touchpad, but not when it is gliding across the center console. In this way, the system makes sure that the driver is not distracted by unexpected depictions in the central display. The camera is located in the center console, and the image it records is reflected by a mirror in such a way that it is focused on the touchpad. The center console has a black cover that is transparent to infrared light and protects the image channel against dust and other environmental influences.

Easy, convenient, and precise operation
The HMI with cam touchpad can be used more easily, more conveniently, and with greater precision than conventional touchscreen operating concepts. As a result, the user’s hand can remain at an ergonomically beneficial position on the center console, since the driver does not have to bend forward to reach the central display in order to operate the touchscreen. The system offers another benefit in that the display in the F 800 Style is not smudged by fingerprints, as is the case with a touchscreen.

The cam touchpad also offers clear advantages over conventional touchpad units in which hand or finger positions are generally depicted only by a point in the display. This lack of precision makes it very risky to enter information while driving, because doing so diverts the motorist’s attention too much from the road. By contrast, the HMI with cam touchpad can be easily and safely operated even while driving. Test persons have confirmed that the HMI with cam touchpad is much easier to use than conventional systems, and that this is especially due to the transparent depiction of the hand. Unlike conventional touchpads, which determine the finger’s position on the pad by sensing capacitance, the Mercedes-Benz system uses infrared radiation to follow the movements on the touchpad. The hand therefore does not have to directly touch the cam touchpad in order to enter information, enabling drivers to use the system even when wearing gloves or using a pen. In addition, the cam touchpad developed by the Mercedes engineers optimally augments the LINGUATRONIC voice control system.

Range on Map: Graphic range depiction during electric operation
The Range on Map function represents yet another extremely user-friendly innovation from Mercedes-Benz. This feature shows the remaining possible travel radius during electric vehicle operation as a 360° map depiction in the display. The system combines information about the current battery charge level with data from the navigation system, which also enables topographical attributes specific to the area in question to be taken into account, thus providing the driver with even more precise information about the remaining range.

The new operating and display concept from Mercedes-Benz that is used in the F 800 Style is a solution that provides exemplary clarity. The engineers have thus achieved the goal of successfully developing a comprehensive and easy-to-operate information and control system for future automobiles equipped with electric or partially electric drive systems.

The following is an overview of the features of the HMI with cam touchpad:
• Permanently visible depiction of the separate and combined ranges of the electric motor and the combustion engine

• When a destination is entered into the navigation system, the display shows whether there is sufficient electrical energy available to reach the destination or how far it is possible to drive in pure electric mode until the combustion engine is automatically switched on

• To provide the driver with a quick overview, the Range on Map system shows the available electric driving range on a map

• If the battery has to be recharged, an integrated display shows the relationship between battery charging time and energy content

• Visualization of the energy flow (outflow of energy as well as inflow of energy through energy recovery)

• Because the vehicle does not make any noise when in electric driving mode, the motor’s readiness after “ignition” is shown to the driver on the display

• An electronic eco-trainer motivates the motorist to drive in an efficient manner that helps extend the vehicle’s range

• Mercedes-Benz has designed the future-oriented HMI with cam touchpad in such a way that the number of functions can be expanded. In the future the system will, for example, also show the location of public charging stations and guide the driver to the next charging station if desired

Cam touchpad operating concept: full Internet access in the car
Provided a high-performance infrastructure is available, motorists will be able to make greater use of the Internet in automobiles in the future. In late 2008, Mercedes-Benz already provided a glance at what fully Internet-based infotainment systems in cars will look like, with myCOMAND. myCOMAND makes many new functions possible, including Internet telephony, personal Internet-based music databases, and offboard navigation systems that always employ the latest maps and also use the traffic information available on the Web when selecting routes.

Source/Pictures: Daimler AG – MB Passion

• Length (mm) 4,738
• Width (mm) 1,938
• Height (mm) 1,445
• Wheelbase (mm) 2,924
• Trunk capacity (l) 440
• Inertia class (kg) 1,700
• Tires 215/45R20
• Displacement (l) 3.5
• Rated output of gasoline engine (kW/hp) Approx. 220/300
• Rated output of electric motor (kW/hp) Approx. 80/109
• Total output (kW/hp) Approx. 300/409
• Acceleration 0–100 km/h (sec) 4.8
• Maximum speed (km/h) 250*
• Electric maximum speed (km/h) 120*
• Fuel economy (liters/100 km) 2.9**
• Electric range (km) 30
• Total range (km) Approx. 700
• CO2 emissions (g/km) 68
• Emissions rating EU 6
• Energy content of lithium-ion battery (kWh) >10

*Electronically limited
**NEDC overall consumption, preliminary figures

Source: Daimler AG

The five-seat upper-range sedan combines highly efficient drive technologies with unparalleled safety and convenience features and an emotive design idiom, which interprets current Mercedes-Benz styling in line with the brand’s hallmark attribute of cultivated sportiness. The F 800 Style has a spacious interior full of intelligent seating, operating, and display concepts. In the future, it will be more important than ever to bring mobility and environmental protection into harmony.

The world’s population will continue to grow, in particular in the metropolitan areas. This will result in an increased demand for mobility and consequently increased traffic density. According to the latest studies, the total number of automobiles in the world will double to roughly 1.8 billion vehicles by 2030. As the inventor of the automobile, Mercedes-Benz has also assumed responsibility for its continued development — with respect to efficient and clean drive solutions without compromising comfort, safety, functionality, and driving fun.

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The research and development work of the Mercedes engineers is by no means restricted to current customer wishes and legal requirements, however. Long-term trends — in the technology domain as well as on the social and cultural level — are identified scientifically and adapted specifically for the development of automobiles. Systematic and goal-oriented futurology is thus an essential foundation of the innovative power of Mercedes-Benz, which takes on concrete form in research vehicles emblazoned with the star.

Multi drive system platform for two different drive concepts
The F 800 Style is suitable for use with a variety of drive system options thanks to its flexible multi drive platform, as the following example with two technically independent variants demonstrates:

• As the Plug-in Hybrid, the F 800 Style offers electric mobility with zero local emissions in urban settings. Over longer distances, a gasoline engine equipped with the latest-generation direct-injection technology is supported by the hybrid module, thereby enabling a high-performance and efficient driving experience

• The F-CELL variant is equipped with a fuel cell unit that runs on hydrogen for electric driving with zero local emissions. The only emission from electric cars powered by a fuel cell is water vapor

According to Dr. Thomas Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG with responsibility for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, “Hybrid and fuel cell electric drives are two important elements of our broad drive system portfolio, which enables us to satisfy all of the requirements of our customers throughout the world for the mobility of today, tomorrow, and beyond. Our road to sustainable mobility is a three-lane highway. The spectrum encompasses the optimization of vehicles with advanced combustion engines, further gains in efficiency through tailored hybridization, and driving with zero local emissions through the use of fuel cell or battery-powered vehicles.”

F 800 Style with Plug-in Hybrid: A three-liter car disguised as a sports car
Mercedes-Benz is setting new standards for future sustainable mobility with the F 800 Style. Thanks to a powerful and high-torque hybrid module, the F 800 Style Plug-in Hybrid can run almost exclusively on electricity in the city and therefore without generating any local emissions. Because it has a high torque right from the moment it starts, the vehicle has the same driving performance as a car with a V6 gasoline engine when operating in electric mode. It has an electric range of 30 kilometers. The efficient drive system and a CO2 bonus for the battery-electric driving mode help the F 800 with Plug-in Hybrid to a certified fuel consumption of only 2.9 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers. This corresponds to extremely low CO2 emissions of only 68 grams per kilometer. Thanks to its outstanding efficiency, the F 800 Style equipped with a Plug-in Hybrid nevertheless performs like a powerful sports car. The car accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in only 4.8 seconds, and its top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h. “The F 800 Style is thus the first three-liter car to feature such sporty performance while at the same time offering room for five passengers,” says Dr. Weber. Its drive unit consists of a V6 gasoline engine with an output of approximately 220 kW (300 hp) with next-generation direct injection and a hybrid module with an output of about 80 kW (109 hp) so that it delivers a total power of around 300 kW (409 hp). The lithium-ion battery with a storage capacity of >10 kWh can be recharged either at a charging station or a household power socket.

The powerful electric drive enables the F 800 Style to drive at speeds of up to 120 km/h solely on electric power. The low-noise electric drive, which produces zero local emissions, thus covers the entire urban transportation spectrum and a large portion of the interurban spectrum. The vehicle has a cruising range of up to 30 kilometers in electric mode. Extreme efficiency is also a characteristic of the new 3.5 liter gasoline engine. The V6 engine features innovative spray-guided gasoline direct injection with high-precision piezo injectors. Thanks to the drive unit’s high efficiency, the 45 liter fuel tank in the F 800 Style Plug-in Hybrid is sufficient for a high combined range of around 700 kilometers.

Versatile modular hybrid system
The electric drive components in the F 800 Style with the Plug-in Hybrid once again demonstrate the versatility of Mercedes-Benz’ intelligent, extensively scalable modular hybrid system. The hybrid system can be expanded in various ways, depending on performance needs and the area of application. For example, hybrid modules of various performance classes and batteries delivering the associated capacities can be combined with the most frequently produced gasoline and diesel engines from Mercedes. All hybrid modules are compatible with the 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission.

All variants of the hybrid drive system can be realized on the basis of these components: from mild hybrids to hybrids that also enable all-electric driving in addition to the boost, start/stop and recuperation functions. Another option is the Plug-in Hybrid used in the F 800 Style, which had previously been presented in similar form at the IAA 2009 in the Vision S 500 Plug-in Hybrid. With this particularly high-performance version of the Mercedes hybrid drive system, the battery can be charged via a household outlet, thus increasing the model’s electric range.

From a design standpoint, the hybrid module with around 80 kW output in the F 800 Style differs only slightly from the 44 kW variant used in the Vision S 500 Plug-in Hybrid. Whereas the lithium-ion battery in the Vision S 500 Plug-in Hybrid was placed behind the rear seats, the electric storage unit is now located under the rear seat in the F 800 Style. This installation location ensures the greatest possible crash safety, good driving dynamics thanks to the vehicle’s low center of gravity, and unrestricted space in the interior of the vehicle. The 45 liter gasoline tank is mounted behind the rear seat backrests, again in the interest of crash safety and to save space. The result is a generous 440 liters of trunk space. In designing the F 800 Style with Plug-in Hybrid, the Mercedes engineers particularly focused on improving the possibilities of driving exclusively with electricity in urban traffic. As a result, thanks to the high power reserves, the
F 800 Style in e-mode easily masters all kinds of city traffic while producing no local emissions.

Clutch avoids engine drag losses
One system-specific attribute of the familiar hybrid concept from the S 500 Plug-in Hybrid is the clutch integrated between the combustion engine and the electric motor. This device decouples the two components in the pure electric drive mode, thereby ensuring the highest level of efficiency without engine drag losses. Moreover, because it is fully integrated into the converter housing of the seven-speed 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission, this clutch does not take up any additional space.

A drive battery based on lithium-ion technology is used in the F 800 Style with Plug-in Hybrid. It is cooled via a separate cooling water loop connected to the research vehicle’s climate control system to ensure that the battery is cooled within an optimal temperature window. The plug-in battery of the F 800 Style can be charged both at charging stations and via a conventional household outlet, making the F 800 Style a full-fledged electric car. The vehicle’s charging outlet is framed by lighting elements that indicate the battery’s charge status. A slowly pulsing light indicates that charging is active; a constant light means that the battery is fully charged.

Powerful hybrid module: Electric mobility not only for inner cities
The high-performance battery with its storage capacity of >10 kWh and the hybrid module delivering approximately 80 kW/109 hp enable the F 800 Style to reach speeds of up to 120 km/h when running solely on electricity. Such speeds are fully sufficient for drives in the city as well as when covering longer distances. The high torque is available from the very first turn of the electric motor, giving the F 800 Style impressive performance. The vehicle is a dynamic high-performer, yet highly efficient, nearly silent, and produces zero local emission.

The gasoline engine automatically adds its power to that of the electric motor when traveling at high speeds or when the battery range of approximately 30 kilometers is reached. The vehicle electronics synchronize the speed of the combustion engine and the hybrid module so that the clutch engages without jerking and imperceptibly to the driver. What’s more, the sophisticated interplay with the combustion engine enables numerous additional functions that positively impact fuel consumption, emissions and vehicle agility.

In addition to an ECO start-stop function, these also include the so-called boost effect, which has the electric motor providing powerful support to the combustion engine during the acceleration phase. The vehicle’s hybrid module uses regenerative braking — the recovery of energy when braking — to provide additional energy to the battery when the car is in motion. The clutch enhances efficiency here as well, as it enables complete energy recuperation without engine drag losses.

Efficient gasoline engine with spray-guided piezo direct injection
Boasting an output of around 220 kW (300 hp), the V6 gasoline engine underscores the sporty nature of the F 800 Style. The engine is very efficient, thanks to its spray-guided direct injection system with highly precise piezo injectors. In 2006 Mercedes-Benz became the world’s first automotive brand to introduce spray-guided gasoline direct injection as standard. The system improves thermodynamic efficiency to enable better fuel utilization and therefore reduced fuel consumption. A key advantage comes to the fore when the engine is in its stratified operating mode, in which it runs with high excess air and thus achieves excellent fuel efficiency.

Because the combustion process was consistently enhanced, the Mercedes direct injection engine can maintain this advantageous “lean operation” across a wider engine speed and load range. In addition, it supplies fuel to the combustion chambers several times in succession at intervals of a fraction of a second during each power stroke. In this way, it was possible to further improve mixture formation, combustion, and fuel efficiency.

Driving pleasure without pollutant emissions:
The F 800 Style with electric drive based on fuel cell technology
Thanks to its well-conceived layout, the F 800 Style also offers great handling and driving pleasure as well as room for up to five occupants in the variant equipped with an electric drive based on fuel cell technology. The vehicle’s electric motor develops around 100 kW (136 hp) as well as a strong torque of approximately 290 Nm. The fuel cell generates the traction current by chemically reacting hydrogen with oxygen on board the vehicle. This process creates no pollutant emissions and produces only water vapor.

The Stuttgart-based automaker has been researching the use of electric drive systems with fuel cells in automobiles since 1994. As a result, it has gained an outstanding amount of expertise in this area. Mercedes-Benz has already presented the world’s first fuel-cell automobile to be manufactured under series conditions: the new B-CLASS F-Cell. The first units of this small-batch model will be handed over to customers in 2010.

As is the case with hybrid drive technology, the Mercedes engineers have also developed a modular building block system for vehicles with battery and fuel cell drives. The modular system makes it possible to efficiently utilize shared parts in all electric vehicles. These components range from the electric motor and transmission to the battery, high-voltage safety systems, high-voltage wiring, and software. In F-CELL vehicles, specific components such as the fuel cell stacks can be used in a wide variety of automobiles. The F 800 Style’s fuel cell and electric motor, for example, are also used in the B-Class F-CELL. The fuel cell variant of the F 800 Style has an electronically limited top speed of 180 km/h.

The F 800 Style benefits from Daimler’s outstanding expertise in the area of fuel cell technology, which extends all the way to the production of fuel cell cars and commercial vehicles. The latest Mercedes-Benz Citaro fuel cell bus is driven by two passenger car F-CELL systems of the same type that is found in the B-Class F-CELL.

Zero emissions even over long distances
The F 800 Style’s fuel cell electric drive was designed in such a way that it can be fully accommodated in the front of the vehicle. The front end’s compact package was made possible through the consistent downsizing of all F-CELL components. The components include a very quiet, yet powerful and highly efficient electric turbocharger for the air supply. Because the turbocharger is very quiet, complicated and voluminous soundproofing is not needed.

The compact components also make it possible to integrate the electric drive and fuel cell into a rear-wheel drive vehicle with the dimensions of a conventional sedan. To save space, the electric motor in such vehicles is located between the two rear wheels, while the lithium-ion battery is installed behind the backrest of the rear seat. To provide them with the best protection possible, the four hydrogen tanks are placed in the transmission tunnel between the passengers as well as underneath the rear seat.

The hydrogen for operating the fuel cell is stored in four onboard tanks at a pressure of 700 bars. The tanks can store up to 5.2 kilograms of the gaseous fuel, which is enough for a range of almost 600 kilometers. This long range is made possible through the well-thought-out integration of the tanks into the vehicle, creating the first automotive architecture that is consistently geared toward accommodating alternative drives. The tanks are hermetically sealed so that no hydrogen can escape even if the vehicle is not used for extended periods.

Increased efficiency through the recovery of braking energy
The electric motor transforms kinetic energy into electrical energy every time the brakes are engaged or the driver takes his or her foot off the gas pedal. The motor does this by recovering the energy, which it then stores in the battery. The electric motor uses electricity from the battery whenever the motorist is maneuvering in tight areas, driving in cities, caught in stop-and-go traffic, or making short trips. If the energy storage unit does not have enough capacity, the fuel cell is automatically switched on. The vehicle’s smart drive management system decides whether to use the electric energy from the lithium-ion battery, the fuel cell, or both systems together with the aim of achieving the highest efficiency in every situation.

Rear pivot-and-slide doors ensure maximum entry comfort
A particularly customer-friendly innovation of the F 800 Style is its rear doors. Whereas the front doors are attached to the A-pillar as normal and open toward the front, the rear doors slide backward when opened.
The Mercedes-Benz engineers created an entirely new opening mechanism for the F 800 Style: Each rear door is suspended from an interior swivel arm mounted on the C-pillar. When the pivot-and-slide door is opened, it is moved away from the body a little by means of a mechanically coupled kinematic system of translation and rotation and then glides back.

Because the rear doors slide back close to the vehicle body and the front doors are comparatively compact, it is much easier to get into and out of the automobile in tight parking spaces. Dispensing with a B-pillar makes the entire space between the A-pillar and the C-pillar freely accessible when the doors are open, and the big opening gives the passengers maximum freedom of movement. The front and rear doors can be opened entirely independently of one another. There are two locks interlocking the front doors, one installed up on the roof frame and another below on the sills. The pivot-and-slide doors are locked by means of a central lock in the rear and in the front sections of the doors with corresponding slotted guides.

The highest level of crash safety even with reduced body weight
Thanks to the optimized body design, both variants of the F 800 Style also meet the highest safety standards. Despite the fact that the design does not feature a B pillar, the research car’s lightweight body structure is very stable and torsionally rigid. The Mercedes engineers achieved the mix of high load-bearing capacity and effective lightweight design by means of intelligent hybrid-metal construction using high-strength steels in combination with extruded aluminum components.

In addition, very rigid (sandwich) compound components with lightweight aluminum honeycomb cores were used for the underbody and the transmission tunnel. The weight- and crash-optimized modules are designed to accommodate drive system and storage components. For example, the two hydrogen tanks of the F 800 Style with fuel-cell drive, which are installed lengthwise, one above the other, save space and are well protected in the stable transmission tunnel.

Successful transfer from research to series production
Mercedes-Benz has presented 13 research vehicles since the early 1980s. The range of fascinating and pioneering automobiles that was unveiled — beginning with Auto 2000 in 1981 and leading up to today’s F 800 — offers proof of the consistency and foresight with which Mercedes-Benz engineers address the core issues of research and technology in order to develop innovative solutions for the future.

Many systems that were first used in research vehicles and viewed as revolutionary at the time can now be found in production cars, including the DISTRONIC proximity-controlled cruise control system, which was first installed in the F 100 in 1991 and made its series production debut in the S-Class in 1998. Active Body Control, which is found today in the CL-, S- and SL-Classes, is another example of the successful transfer of technology from research vehicles to series production cars, as are the windowbag and the cornering light function. The F 500 Mind served as the model for the further development of hybrid power. The vehicle combined the V8 diesel engine of an S Class with an electric motor. At the time, this duo formed the most high-performance, highest-torque hybrid drive system for rear-wheel drive passenger cars.

The immediate predecessor of the new F 800 Style — the F 700 presented in 2007 at the IAA in Frankfurt — is the world’s first car that can register road conditions in advance and compensate for bumps and potholes by means of its active PRE-SCAN chassis, which ensures further significant improvement of suspension comfort. Another technological highlight is the pioneering DIESOTTO drive presented in the F 700. The four-cylinder engine with only 1.8 liters of displacement combines the strengths of the low-emission gasoline engine and the low fuel consumption of the diesel. Its CO2 emissions of a mere 127 grams per kilometer correspond to consumption of only 5.3 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers.

The F 800 Style is continuing this approach. Like its predecessors, the model features key drive, comfort, and safety system innovations, as well as an emotional design, all of which point the way forward for series production of future Mercedes-Benz vehicles that will continue to impressively combine fascination and responsibility.

Source/Pictures: Daimler AG – MB Passion

In 1991 the F100 was the first in the series of research cars. Here for example the distance radar, the forerunner oft he cruise control was presented fort he first time. Further avantgarde research vehicles followed: Innovations such as Sidestick-steering and the new DIESOTTO drive were tob e released.

Source: Mercedes-Benz.tv

Thus, the 5.17 meter long F 700 with its innovative and very spacious interior design enables an entirely new and exceedingly comfortable mode of travel. The F 700 is the world’s first car that can anticipatively recognize the condition of the road and level out the uneven spots with its active PRE-SCAN suspension, further improving suspension comfort substantially.

The forward-pointing DIESOTTO drive system introduced in the F 700, a four-cylinder with a displacement of only 1.8 liters, combines the strong points of the low-emission gasoline engine with the consumption benefits of the diesel drive. Its CO2 emissions of a mere 127 grams per kilometer correspond to consumption of only 5.3 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers (44.3 mpg), extremely low for a vehicle of this class.

Source: Daimler AG

The range extender gives the BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS a total range of up to 600 kilometres, with 100 kilometres thereof solely under electric power and thus free of local emissions.

More details and pictures to the Concept BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS here.

Since 15 December till 31 January can you see the Concept BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS inside the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.

Key-Facts:
Electric drive
CO2 emissions: 0 g/km
Range: up to 100/600 km
Battery: Lithium-ion
Rated output: 100 kW/136 hp
Max. torque: 320 Nm
Top speed: 150 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: < 11.0 seconds

Range extender
Cylinders 3
Displacement 1.0l turbo
Output 50 kW at 3500 rpm

January
Mercedes-Benz presented at the Detroit International MotorShow, the new E-Class, the pacemaker when it comes to safety, comfort and environmental compatibility in this market segment. With more than 20 new or further technical developments, this saloon further consolidates the leading position of Mercedes-Benz in the luxury class. Examples include the standard Attention Assist, Adaptive Main Beam Assist and automatic emergency braking, which is activated when there is acute danger of a collision.

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February
It is now 30 years since production of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class began. The Stuttgart-based car maker first unveiled this robust off-roader to the public in 1979, since when it has delivered a total of some 200,000 units of the G-Class to customers around the world. Its still striking appearance, which has remained substantially unchanged throughout its 30-year career, plus outstanding engineering, has secured this Mercedes-Benz off-roader cult status in the automotive world, and made it one of the most coveted vehicles of its type on the market. With a production life of 30 years, the “G” is easily the longest-serving passenger car series in the more than 120-year history of Mercedes-Benz.

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March
At the Geneva Motor Show you could see the comeback of an intriguing product idea when Mercedes-Benz presents the Coupé range in the new E Class. Short time after the presentation of the Saloon, the brand is therefore launching a new highlight in the new model series while continuing a tradition that has repeatedly met with great enthusiasm throughout the history of the E-Class.

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April
Four years after the market launch of the W 221 model series, presented Mercedes-Benz the 2009 S-Class. Trailblazing innovations in the areas of comfort and drive engineering combined with state-of-the-art technology for enhanced safety consolidate the Mercedes-Benz flagship’s position as the brand’s innovation driver and underscore its pioneering role in the automotive industry as a whole. The technology highlights include the world’s first standard production hybrid drive with a lithium-ion battery in the S 400 HYBRID, which makes the top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz model the most economical petrol-engine luxury saloon.

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May
An American dream has come true. The BlueTEC models of Mercedes-Benz have achieved what no-one ever thought possible: American car drivers find diesel-powered passenger car models attractive. With this success under its belt, Mercedes-Benz is now bringing its BlueTEC SUVs to the European market. The new BlueTEC models, which available since autumn, are the world’s cleanest premium SUVs.

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June
2009 is a year in which Mercedes-Benz celebrates several anniversaries in the safety field: in August 1939 the safety pioneer Béla Barényi started his work in Sindelfingen. He invented for example the principle of the crumple zone, a trailblazing innovation which entered series production at Mercedes-Benz . Now it is time for a look behind the scenes, and in this anniversary year, Mercedes-Benz is using the ESF 2009 research vehicle to reveal what its safety specialists are currently working on – with a time horizon that often extends well into the future. The ESF 2009 is the first Experimental Safety Vehicle to be built by Mercedes-Benz since 1974.

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July
AMG, the high-performance brand within Mercedes-Benz Cars, is presenting the new E 63 AMG. This dynamic sports saloon with day-to-day suitability is the top-of-the-line E-Class model, offering an impressive combination of outstanding performance, exhilarating driving dynamics and a technology transfer from the SL 63 AMG high-performance Roadster. The new E 63 AMG distinguishes itself from the regular E-Class models with the powerful AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine, the completely newly developed AMG RIDE CONTROL sports suspension with electronically controlled damping and a new front axle, and with its autonomous exterior and interior design.

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August
Mercedes-Benz launched the Estate version as another highly distinctive member of the E-Class family. Like the Saloon and Coupé, the Estate, combines unique design with leadership in safety, comfort, quality and practicality. The E-Class Estate is seen as the progenitor of the premium lifestyle estate segment more than 30 years ago. Since the launch of the first Estate in 1977, more than one million customers have discovered their enthusiasm for this most practical way of driving a Mercedes luxury car. This success story is set to be continued by the fifth generation of the E-Class Estate.

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September
The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, which celebrates the world premiere on 15 September 2009 at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt/Main, embodies a blend of consummate automotive fascination and high tech. The super sports car delivers a compelling mix of purist styling, consistent lightweight design and superior driving dynamics. At the same time, the SLS fully lives up to all the expectations of hallmark Mercedes everyday practicality and optimum safety. In essence, the new ‘Gullwing’ offers the ideal synthesis of the strengths of Mercedes-Benz and AMG. The distinctive styling of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG enthrals with its passionate sportiness and reinterprets the breathtaking lines of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL – one of the outstanding design icons of the Mercedes-Benz brand.

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October
The new E 63 AMG Estate delivers a compelling proposition with its two fundamentally opposed traits: it offers the sedate driving experience of an executive estate suitable for long journeys just as consummately as it delivers outstandingly dynamic performance on the racetrack. Largest luggage compartment and lowest fuel consumption – the E 63 AMGEstate sets new standards. With a luggage compartment capacity of 695 to 1950 litres and fuel consumption of 12.8 litres of Super Plus per 100 kilometres (NEDC combined), the new high-performance estate from AMGoccupies pole position. None of its rivals can match this extraordinary combination of per-formance, utility value and efficiency.

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November
Mercedes-Benz will enter the Formula 1 World Championship with its own “Mercedes Grand Prix” team, beginning with the 2010 season.

December
The highly appealing and emotionally charged Cabriolet is the latest addition to the successful Mercedes-Benz E-Class line-up. The open-top two-door model, which goes on sale ion 11 January 2010, features a classic fabric soft top, making for a stylistically pure cabriolet feeling. Viewed from the side, the new model is an intriguing proposition – with its clear proportions and a flawless cabriolet silhouette. Less turbulence, easier to use: AIRCAP® is a world-first. The AIRCAP® automatic draught-stop, which can be activated at the push of a button, greatly reduces turbulence in the interior of the new Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet. It is also much easier to implement and use than conventional draught-stops: there is no tricky installation, the two individual rear seats remain free and the Cabriolet’s flowing side lines remain uninterrupted.

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Source: Daimler AG

No matter what sort of trip, you won’t need more than one car thanks to the variability of the Vario Research Car’s bodywork. Whatever the task, the right car is available: a sedan during the week, a station wagon with ample luggage space for holiday travel, a convertible for pleasurable open-top outings in the summer and a pickup for carrying bulky loads on its open platform.

Mercedes-Benz solved the task with a compact two-door car, featuring a one-piece superstructure that consists of roof, side walls and rear section. This superstructure can be lifted off and easily replaced by another variant in just 15 minutes.

The Vario Research Car was associated with a vision. The idea was that customers do not own the different superstructures themselves but take their cars to a rental station where superstructures are exchanged by service technicians while customers are having a cup of coffee. After a few minutes, customers are able to continue their journey. It is up to them to decide for how long they wish to use a specific superstructure as the rental system is just as flexible as the car itself.

Development of the Vario Research Car was prompted by research into the future. According to the latter’s prognosis, people will have more leisure time at their disposal and spend this leisure time by engaging in very different activities. And they will want to select their cars with leisure time activities and everyday use in mind. Keeping one’s own small fleet would, however, be uneconomical. This is where the Vario Research Car from Mercedes-Benz comes into the picture.

Being a research car, the VRC additionally served the purpose of testing several future-oriented engineering features. Some of these obviously related to the exchange of superstructures. This exchange is to be performed easily, made possible by the interplay of several components. The service technicians lower the superstructure onto the chassis, electric motors pull it into its final position and special locks and strong solenoids keep it in position at eight attachment points. For the electric connections at the rear, differing depending on the type of superstructure, a central connector with automatic identification is provided. When the station wagon superstructure is mounted, for instance, the rear screen wiper and washer systems are connected to the electric circuit.

The superstructures are light and sturdy – the result of engineering work comprising the testing of new materials in the Vario Research Car. The bodies are made of high-tech CFRP, carbon-fiber reinforced plastic. Compared with aluminum, CFRP is 25 percent lighter and distinguished by its high strength. The superstructures tip the scales at between just 30 – 50 kilograms each, providing high levels of stability and crashworthiness despite their lightweight design.

In addition, the Vario Research Car was used for the testing of front-wheel drive in a Mercedes-Benz, combined in this case with a continuously variable automatic transmission, as well as for testing Active Body Control (ABC) designed to improve handling safety and comfort.

The cockpit features a color display that provides the driver with all the required information. Operating the rotary actuator in the center console, the driver can select the desired menu items, including not only engine revolutions, onboard computer and trip meter but also route recommendations from the onboard navigation system – far from being a matter of course in 1995, the year in which the VRC was presented. A special feature is the so-called safety display, showing a green circle as long as the driver observes the specified speed limit. The color and shape of the symbol change when he or she drives faster or does not maintain the correct safety margin from the vehicle ahead: the circle becomes a yellow ellipse or a red triangle to indicate too high a speed or too short a safety margin, respectively. For this function, the onboard electronic system is coupled, among other things, with the proximity regulating radar and traction control systems.

A second display is located in the upper part of the center console. Among other things, it shows adjustment instructions for the air conditioning and the navigation system. During a refueling stop, the driver is also informed whether tire pressure, engine oil level, coolant level, windshield washer fluid level or the lighting system need to be attended to. It is noteworthy that the selection of additional functions is blocked for the driver on the move so as not to detract him from what’s happening on the road. The front passenger, by contrast, has unimpeded access to all secondary information. To this end, the rotary actuator is capable of “feeling” whether it is touched by a left hand (front passenger) or a right hand (driver).

The Vario Research Car was the first research car from Mercedes-Benz featuring drive-by-wire technology, including for instance the electric actuation of steering and braking without mechanical connections between the steering wheel and the driver’s hands or between the brake pedal and the driver’s foot. However, the testing of this technology was not a priority task of the VRC – the focus was clearly on the variability of the bodywork. It is this variability that makes the car unique – and unsurpassed to this day.

Source: Daimler AG

This is made possible by the combination of the battery-electric drive with a combustion engine. The range extender gives the BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS a total range of up to 600 kilometres, with 100 kilometres thereof solely under electric power and thus free of local emissions.

The BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS is part of a family of modularly constructed electric cars, which will enable Mercedes-Benz to meet all customer requirements for sustainable mobility in the future. In this variant of the concept vehicle, the electric motor of the purely battery-powered BlueZERO E-CELL is combined with an additional three-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine. Putting out 50 kW, the compact combustion engine is installed in the area of the rear axle and can charge the battery while the car is being driven. The CO2 bonus for the battery-electric driving mode reduces the vehicle’s emissions to only 32 grams of CO2 per kilometre.

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The range extender enables the BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS to drive for up to 600 km, of which up to 100 km can be driven in electric mode with zero local emissions. The long combined range makes the BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS fully suitable for everyday use and assures that the customer will reach his or her destination even with a depleted battery. After all, the car can be refuelled quickly and easily at any normal filling station.

Battery with superior lithium-ion technology
During rapid charging with a charging capacity of 20 kW, the high-performance, 18 kWh lithium-ion battery of the BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS can store enough power within around 30 minutes for a 50 kilometre cruising range. The complete electric range of 100 kilometres requires a charging time of somewhat more than an hour. Charging time with a standard charge cycle at a conventional household outlet with 3,3 kW is approximately 6 hours. Special on-board electronics support the intelligent charging stations and billing systems used by electric fuelling stations. Advantages of lithium-ion batteries compared to other battery technologies include their compact dimensions, high output and energy density, high charge efficiency and long service life.

Concept BlueZERO – the triad of electric mobility
Mercedes-Benz is showing the way to environmentally compatible electric mobility with the near-series Concept BlueZERO. The vehicle’s intelligent modular concept enables a single vehicle architecture to be used to create three models with different drive system configurations.

- The BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS is equipped with an electric drive and a supplemental combustion engine with an electrical generator (range extender). The car has a total range of up to 600 kilometres, of which up to 100 kilometres can be covered solely on electricity.

- Originally presented in Detroit at the beginning of the year, the BlueZERO E‑CELL is propelled exclusively by a battery-powered electric drive that allows the car to travel up to 200 kilometres on a single battery charge and completely free of local emissions.

- The third drive version is the fuel cell powered BlueZERO F-CELL, with a range of about 400 km on electric power and therefore also without any local emissions.

All three BlueZERO models feature front-wheel drive, which is typical for this class of car. The drive components have been modularly organised by the Mercedes engineers and can be combined as needed. These include state-of-the-art liquid-cooled lithium-ion batteries with up to 35 kWh capacity, and a compact electric motor with a maximum output of 100 kW (sustained output: 70 kW). The maximum torque of 320 Nm is available from the electric motor’s first revolution, and it surpasses the value attained by today’s V6 petrol engines at 2,500 rpm. Like its two sister models, the BlueZERO E-CELL and the BlueZERO F-CELL, the BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in less than eleven seconds. To ensure optimum range and energy efficiency, the top speed is electronically limited to 150 km/h.

“The Concept BlueZERO offers a triple demonstration of the technical maturity of alternative drive systems from Mercedes-Benz. Electric vehicles with battery electric or fuel cell drive systems will not truly be on an equal footing with today’s combustion engine drive systems until the customers are confident that there is a sufficient infrastructure of electricity and hydrogen refuelling stations,” says Prof. Herbert Kohler, Head of E-Drive and Future Mobility and also Chief Environmental Officer at Daimler.

Concept BlueZERO: Modular architecture for flexibility and efficiency
The three BlueZERO variants were developed on the basis of the unique sandwich-floor architecture known from the A-Class and B-Class. The advantage of the enhanced design is that the key drive components are installed in the vehicle’s underbody in such a way that they take up little space, ensure a good centre of gravity, and are maximally protected. The BlueZERO models therefore differ considerably from conventionally designed electric cars, which have heavy and voluminous storage batteries installed in the boot, for example, or in the area of the backseat. All three BlueZERO variants share key technological components and have identical designs and vehicle dimensions. Even though they have compact exterior dimensions, the 4.22-meter-long BlueZERO models have a spacious and versatile interior and cargo space. The vehicles’ five full-size seats, approximately 450 kilograms of payload, and more than 500 litres of cargo capacity make them suitable family cars.

“Our modular system permits different drive configurations for each customer requirement,” says Dr. Thomas Weber, the Daimler Board of Management Member responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. “The improved sandwich floor platform serves as the perfect basis for a diverse range of vehicles with electric drives. We are currently developing an additional platform for future compact models that have drive systems using optimized internal combustion engines. The smart linking of both architectures will allow us to expand our product range in an extremely flexible and efficient manner. Beginning in 2009, we will manufacture the first small batch of Mercedes fuel cell cars. In 2010, they will be followed by a small batch of Mercedes-Benz vehicles that run solely on electric power supplied by a battery. Thanks to these measures, we are excellently positioned for the future.”

Electric powered vehicles are fun to drive
Mercedes-Benz vehicles will continue to combine environmental awareness and driving fun in future. One way in which the Mercedes-Benz designers have emphasised this aspiration is by introducing paint finishes in three new ALU-BEAM colours. Each of the three variants makes its individual mark: Confident ALU-BEAM Copper was chosen for the BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS. The BlueZERO E-CELL is painted a fresh ALU-BEAM yellow; the BlueZERO F-CELL appears in ALU-BEAM green.

Mercedes-Benz feels it won’t be just one technology that paves the way to sustainable mobility in the future, however. Instead the company is responding with solutions that are every bit as varied as the demands. The individual technologies are being used in specific applications where they can provide the greatest advantage with respect to optimal consumption and emission values. Mercedes-Benz views the development of electric cars with battery and fuel cell drives for local zero-emission driving as a means of supplementing the extremely clean and economical BlueEFFICIENCY and hybrid vehicles already available today. However, the unrestricted and convenient operation of electric cars still faces a series of challenges, including high system costs, insufficient infrastructure and short cruising ranges. Advanced diesel and petrol engines will remain the driving force for automobiles for a long time to come – not only for individual mobility in passenger cars (especially over long distances), but, more importantly, for freight transport in trucks. Despite all the progress that Mercedes-Benz has once again so emphatically documented with the Concept BlueZERO, electric cars will not be replacing vehicles with combustion engines any time soon. The electrification of modern, high-tech engines will, however, play an increasingly important role in the drive system mix of the future.

Concept BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS
Electric powered concept car with a battery-electric range of up to 100 kilometres
A combustion engine that serves as an electrical generator (range extender) extends the range to up to 600 kilometres (total)

The concept vehicle can be recharged simply and conveniently at a common household outlet
With a charging capacity of 20 kW, the Concept BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS can be recharged within around half an hour for a 50 kilometre range

The liquid-cooled lithium-ion batteries used as an energy source have an energy content of up to 17.50 kWh
Front-wheel drive

Electric drive
CO2 emissions: 0 g/km
Range: up to 100/600 km
Battery: Lithium-ion
Rated output: 100 kW/136 hp
Max. torque: 320 Nm
Top speed: 150 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: < 11.0 seconds

Range extender
Cylinders 3
Displacement 1.0l turbo
Output 50 kW at 3500 rpm

Source: Daimler AG

Fuel consumption was not supposed to exceed eleven liters per 100 km (21.3 mpg) for a vehicle with a curb weight of up to 2150 kilograms – a very ambitious target in those days – and the maximum for vehicles weighing 1250 to 1700 kilograms was to be 9.5 liters/100 km (24.7 mpg). In addition, the car was supposed to accommodate four occupants and provide a payload capacity of more than 400 kilograms. Mercedes-Benz met the requirements.

“Auto 2000”, first presented to the public at the 1981 Frankfurt International Motor Show, had an aerodynamically optimized body with a very low Cd (drag coefficient) of 0.28. As many as three different engine concepts were tested in this vehicle. Automatic cylinder cutoff premiered in a V8 gasoline engine displacing 3.8 liters. When little power was required, four of the eight combustion chambers were temporarily shut down – today this is a feature of several large-displacement gasoline engines from Mercedes-Benz. The 3.3-liter diesel engine tested in “Auto 2000” had exemplary accelerating power owing to six cylinders and two turbochargers and excelled with a consumption of 7.5 liters per 100 kilometers (about 31.3 mpg) at a speed of 120 km/h.

With the third drive unit of the “Auto 2000”, the engineers realized an ambitious project: the automotive gas turbine. It had several qualities, including low-pollutant combustion, low weight, compact dimensions, favorable torque characteristics, and the elimination of water cooling. All engines were harnessed to a four-speed automatic transmission. Also, integral seats for the driver and front passenger, with all the belt mounts on the seat itself, were tested in “Auto 2000”, along with integral child restraint systems in the rear and pedestrian-friendly bumpers.

Source: Daimler AG