Evidently bored with pursuing gross sales volumes and racing to the underside, Mercedes-Benz is pivoting sharply upmarket with the Imaginative and prescient Iconic idea, debuting at Shanghai Vogue Week. This menacing luxurious coupé blends some radical new concepts with a surprisingly elegant design.
Lengthy and low with a endless bonnet, the present automotive references sports activities vehicles from Mercedes’ previous and current, such because the gullwing-doored 300SL, SLS AMG and AMG GT. The Imaginative and prescient Iconic additionally incorporates the model’s controversial “iconic grille”, completed in chrome and supersized to virtually cartoonish proportions.
Humorous that, as a result of the illuminated lattice – which appeared virtually comical on the GLC EV – appears proper at dwelling right here, bringing to thoughts the upright grilles of the W108, the W111 and the long-lasting 600 “Grosser”. Right here, the Three-pointed Star can also be lit up, mounted in its conventional “gunsight” place above the bonnet.
The grille is flanked by Mercedes’ ostentatious tristar headlights, though the remainder of the automotive is relatively restrained with simply the vertical fender vents, massive turbine-like wheels, flush door handles (for the possible rearwards-opening doorways), and slim taillight bars adorning the voluptuous bodywork.
By the way, the deep black “paint” is definitely a photo voltaic panel-like coating that, on a mid-sized SUV, is claimed to provide sufficient electrical energy to journey as much as 12,000 km per yr, along with containing no uncommon earths or silicon and being simply recyclable.
All of the decor has clearly been reserved for the outlandish Artwork Deco inside, which Mercedes calls “hyper-analogue”. The concept is that extremely automated driving will flip automotive cabins into lounges, offering better emphasis on creating experiences for the occupants.
To that finish, the Imaginative and prescient Iconic contains a glass cigar-shaped dashboard often called the Zeppelin, housing ornate chronograph-inspired analogue instrumentation that performs an animation when a door is opened. There are additionally a minimum of 4 clocks within the centre (one truly features as a visualisation for the AI-powered voice management) and an unexplained metallic cylinder with a topological sample.
Elsewhere, you’ll discover intricate mother-of-pearl marquetry on the sprint and doorways, in addition to the putting, virtually ship-like four-spoke steering wheel. The latter, which additionally contains a glass hub with the Mercedes brand, is related to a steer-by-wire system and rear-wheel steering to shrink the turning circle and get rid of the necessity to repeatedly twirl the ‘wheel.
Regardless of it being only a idea, Mercedes says the Imaginative and prescient Iconic comes as normal with enhanced Degree 2 semi-autonomous metropolis driving, with the flexibility so as to add Degree 4 highly-automated freeway driving. Without having to actively drive the automotive, the occupants are in a position to luxuriate on blue bench seats. As soon as the journey ends, the Imaginative and prescient Iconic is ready to take over parking duties, due to Degree 4 parking regardless of the infrastructure.
Underpinning all of it is a “neuromorphic” computing stated to imitate the performance of a human mind. This makes for quicker and extra environment friendly AI-based calculations, leading to faster driver help reactions, a tenfold enchancment in effectivity and a 90% discount in vitality utilization for autonomous driving features.
Clearly, the Imaginative and prescient Iconic won’t ever enter manufacturing, however a few of its design cues might affect the following electrical S-Class – changing the much-maligned EQS – and its potential coupé spinoff. What do you consider the Batmobile-like styling? Tell us within the feedback.
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