Concept Mercedes-Benz F 800 Style Concept
- Thread starter Der Hofmeister
- Start date
Future car concepts, design studies, upcoming tech, and what may come next
coolraoul
Torque Titan
I only see the front end comming to the new MB cars. It´s an F concept, How many nice F cars have you seen?I think this is the very first one.
And how many F-cars have you seen that show virtually no new tech?
This is very un-F typical, and also I agree quite un-MBish.
I'm getting some MB vibes, mainly the front, but the rest could be Japanese bar maybe the windowline.
I also can see why many here say it looks like a BMW-inspired car. It's true, the surface treatment is extremely inspired by the latest BMW work.
Karim couldn't adapt to the MB philosophy, not yet at least, and delivered a car that still shows he was at BMW...
The front is nice, and imo is close to what the CLS will get as ling as displaying the new face of MB.
The side is uselessly busy, I don't like it one bit.
The rear is very interesting, by far the most interesting part of the car.
First those sleek lights, quite nice... But what is obvious here is the return of the red bar between the rear lights, very en vogue in the 80's... I like it.
And finally, you can't get past the rear bumper treatment... It looks like a front bumper!!! The air intakes here, gives the rear drama but also looks quite strange like that.
Is it hinting at possible rear aerodynamic innovatiions, like a kind of integrated diffusor, or is it purely cosmetic? I don't think it's hinting at possible rear-engined cars...
Quite disappointing for an F-car (the iPad GPS, wow big deal), and designwise, well... Very mixed feelings.
coolraoul
Torque Titan
I guess this is great..
BMW fans love it.. cause to them it looks like a better looking BMW
And MB fans love it cause its MB..
I wonder what the audi folks think
To me, it merely shows how lost MB's design is. I'm pissed at them lately, they are truly followers now. Not good, not good at all imo.
I'm personally dislike that thing.
Overdesigned, lacking originality (even the rear lights are carbon copy of the CS now that I think of it), lacking flow and homogeneity.
Shining Star
Chicane Challenger
The rear still needs some getting used to for me. It looks quite good here...
But "blah" here.
I suppose I like it, especially when compared to the F700's rear, which was incredibly dull and ugly.
But "blah" here.
I suppose I like it, especially when compared to the F700's rear, which was incredibly dull and ugly.
LaArtist
Wunderkind of Wheels
You do understand that this is a concept car right?
EnI
Piston Pioneer
Is this Karim Habib's work?
Since it definitely looks like it. Compare the F800 to CS Concept.
Some details are almost the same, all the others are heavily influenced by CS & other BMW designs (namely Z4, Gina, 1er).
I like the F800 styling very much - as I always have liked the recent BMW designs - but if that's the case that MB snatched BMW designer to make MB line more BMWish looking, then I'm disappointed - no matter how much F800 looks fine.
Since I've never expected from MB to fall that low & copy its Bavarian rival so obviously. If that happens MB will be under fire at least in the press. IMO MB is such a respected brand that it can not allow itself to be a design follower. And that's what's happening with MB now. Once a design leader, now a follower. Same case happened with Audi. Under Schreyer they were design leaders (just like MB was under Sacco era), now they are just slowly applying what others present first.
IMO press is going to hammer MB for copying BMW styling with this concept.
Since - sorry - this is heavily BMW influenced design. No matter how eagerly you deny it. It's a fact. MB design leadership & credibility are going down the toilet with this concept. Falling on the level of Mazda.
Since it definitely looks like it. Compare the F800 to CS Concept.
Some details are almost the same, all the others are heavily influenced by CS & other BMW designs (namely Z4, Gina, 1er). I like the F800 styling very much - as I always have liked the recent BMW designs
- but if that's the case that MB snatched BMW designer to make MB line more BMWish looking, then I'm disappointed - no matter how much F800 looks fine. Since I've never expected from MB to fall that low & copy its Bavarian rival so obviously. If that happens MB will be under fire at least in the press. IMO MB is such a respected brand that it can not allow itself to be a design follower. And that's what's happening with MB now. Once a design leader, now a follower. Same case happened with Audi. Under Schreyer they were design leaders (just like MB was under Sacco era), now they are just slowly applying what others present first.
IMO press is going to hammer MB for copying BMW styling with this concept.
Since - sorry - this is heavily BMW influenced design. No matter how eagerly you deny it. It's a fact. MB design leadership & credibility are going down the toilet with this concept. Falling on the level of Mazda.
SKY
Kraftwagen König
I wonder how many of this car´s desgin cues will be seen on future MB models.
coolraoul
Torque Titan
Is this Karim Habib's work?
Since it definitely looks like it. Compare the F800 to CS Concept.
I like the styling very much - as I always have liked the recent BMW designs - but if that's the case that MB snatched BMW designer to make MB line more BMWish looking, then I'm disappointed - no matter how much F800 looks fine.
Since I've never expected from MB to fall that low & copy its Bavarian rival so obviously. If that happens MB will be under fire at least in the press. IMO MB is such a respected brand that it can not allow itself to be a design follower. And that's what's happening with MB now. Once a design leader, now a follower. Same case happened with Audi. Under Schreyer they were design leaders (just like MB was under Sacco era), now they are just slowly applying what others present first.
IMO press is going to hammer MB for copying BMW styling with this concept.
Since - sorry - this is heavily BMW influenced design. No matter how eagerly you deny it. It's a fact. MB design leadership & credibility is going down the toilet with this concept. Falling on the level of Mazda.
I hate to say that, but you're completely right. Unfortunately. I wanted to see smthg encouraging from MB's design, well what can I say?
Rubbish. MB updating (and not in a good way while at it) a several years old BMW concept to showcase their new design theme, wow...
Something's rotten in the state of Daimler.
Mr. Mercedes
Premium
Unbelievable how much this screams 'BMW'. There are hints of MB here and there, and no doubt it has some attractive details. But new design direction? MY ASS!
If this is the future of MB design, then I'm sorry to say but they're really all over the place and actually lacking a strong direction of any sort.
How can the future of MB design simply be recreating what BMW is doing NOW!?!
The current 'angular' theme has barely penetrated the line up, and they're already heading another way.
How at all does this tie in with the F700 or the Ocean Drive? Not one Iota. If the new S is drawing from the F700, then where the hell is this 'Organic' theme going to fit in? How can the upcoming S (still 2 yers away!!) implement themes that are already being superseded by the 'new' direction?
This is just amazing. The MB engineers have been put in order and the quality and engineering integrity of the vehciles has been restored, but now the design department is in complete turmoil.
The only thing that is keeping me interested in MB design is the fact that the BMW's have become so conservative, though undoubtedly painstakingly well executed, and the fact that Audi has become a complete BORE!
Wagener is a Wankener if he can't keep his department in order and at the forefront while still being true to the companies illustrious design heritage.
This just screams disorder and immaturity at MB design!
I really hope it was just a pet project to welcome Karim and what we see on the roads is more thoroughly MB in its DNA.
The company has not had a unified range for over a decade now!
If this is the future of MB design, then I'm sorry to say but they're really all over the place and actually lacking a strong direction of any sort.
How can the future of MB design simply be recreating what BMW is doing NOW!?!
The current 'angular' theme has barely penetrated the line up, and they're already heading another way.
How at all does this tie in with the F700 or the Ocean Drive? Not one Iota. If the new S is drawing from the F700, then where the hell is this 'Organic' theme going to fit in? How can the upcoming S (still 2 yers away!!) implement themes that are already being superseded by the 'new' direction?
This is just amazing. The MB engineers have been put in order and the quality and engineering integrity of the vehciles has been restored, but now the design department is in complete turmoil.
The only thing that is keeping me interested in MB design is the fact that the BMW's have become so conservative, though undoubtedly painstakingly well executed, and the fact that Audi has become a complete BORE!
Wagener is a Wankener if he can't keep his department in order and at the forefront while still being true to the companies illustrious design heritage.
This just screams disorder and immaturity at MB design!
I really hope it was just a pet project to welcome Karim and what we see on the roads is more thoroughly MB in its DNA.
The company has not had a unified range for over a decade now!
Tomislav
Warm-Up Lap
yeah there are some BMW aspects in that concept but there are also MB things in it. and as we all know the F-concepts are not cars which show a similar mercedes in production(only some things go in product). For example MB say that the car show the design of the CLS , do you see anything of BMW in the CLS? i do not thing so.i think that MB want just to see how the people react on the car and what of it they like and what they dislike.
Shining Star
Chicane Challenger
I don't see that at all; Toyota and Mazda doesn't come to mind when I first saw pictures.
Shining Star
Chicane Challenger
It's official...
Press Release
Efficiency paired with elegance:
Pioneering premium sedan with "green" technology and avant-garde design
A reinterpretation of the concept of "fascination and responsibility"
Multi-drive platform enables use of two alternative drive systems - either Plug-in Hybrid or fuel cell
Intelligent display concept focusing on "electric driving"
HMI with cam touchpad for intuitive and precise operation
Traffic Jam Assistant for increased comfort and safety
Mercedes-Benz' F800 Style research vehicle is showing the future of premium automobiles from a new perspective, as the five-seat premium 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 refined performance.
The F800 Style has a spacious interior full of intelligent seating, operating, and display concepts. Another unique feature of the large sedan is an all-new multi drive platform, which accommodates electric drives with fuel cells (enabling ranges of almost 375 miles) as well as the use of Plug-in Hybrids that can drive for up to 18 miles solely on electricity. Both variants of the F800 Style therefore make locally emission-free mobility possible at the level of a premium-class automobile, while at the same time being fully suited for everyday driving and providing a dynamic driving experience.
"We are dedicated to reconciling our responsibility for the environment with practical customer utility in a fascinating automobile," says Dr. Thomas Weber, the Daimler Board of Management member responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. "The new F800 Style research vehicle combines this commitment to providing the leading innovative drive concepts with our traditional Mercedes strengths in the areas of design, safety, comfort, and outstanding performance."
A glance into the future of pioneering premium sedans
Within the 15.5-foot external length of the F800 Style, all of the components of the vehicle's efficient and environmentally compatible alternative drives (Plug-in Hybrid or fuel cell drive system) are installed in a space-saving manner in the engine compartment and the gaps within the chassis. Each of the drive systems takes up comparatively little space for the installation. This applies in particular to the electric drive with fuel cell, which has been enhanced by Mercedes-Benz to be compact and powerful. The front end's compact package was made possible through the consistent downsizing of all F-CELL components. As a result, the entire interior space is preserved and offers plenty of room for five occupants.
"For many decades now, our research vehicles have been turning pioneering concepts into reality and thereby setting future trends. We set a course on the large touring sedan segment in 2007, when we presented the F700," says Prof. Herbert Kohler, Head of E-Drive & Future Mobility and Chief Environmental Officer at Daimler. "Characteristic features of the F800 Style are its innovations, whose development is already close to the series production stage. This is true not only of the electric drive with fuel cells but also of the Plug-in Hybrid, whose components were taken from our modular system for electric and hybrid vehicles."
F800 Style with Plug-in Hybrid: Outstanding performance despite emissions of only 68 grams CO2 per kilometer
In combination with the very powerful Plug-in Hybrid drive system, the F800 Style is a very dynamic expression of the concept of "fascination and responsibility." Its drive unit consists of a V6 gasoline engine with an output of 300 hp with next-generation direct injection and a hybrid module with an output 109 hp so that it delivers a total power of around 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. Thanks to its powerful and high-torque hybrid module, in the city the F800 Style can run exclusively on electricity, therefore without generating any local emissions. Because it also has high torque right from the moment it starts, the vehicle has the same driving performance as a car with a V6 gasoline engine even when operating in electric mode. The F800 Style with the Plug-in Hybrid can run purely on electricity for up to 18 miles. The F800 Style research vehicle therefore marks a further important step in the creation of a market-ready Plug-in Hybrid. Mercedes-Benz will begin series production of the S500 Plug-in Hybrid with the introduction of the next-generation S-Class.
Due to its efficient drive system and a CO2 bonus for the battery-electric driving mode, the vehicle has 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. However, thanks to its outstanding efficiency, the F800 Style equipped with a Plug-in Hybrid nevertheless has a driving performance comparable to a sports car (0-60 mph 4.7 s, top speed of 155 mph). When in electric mode, the F800 Style has a top speed of 75 mph, thus meeting the needs associated with long-distance driving.
Like the Mercedes-Benz S400 HYBRID introduced in the summer of 2009 and the Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid, the powerful electric module (approx. 80 kW) of the F800 Style is completely integrated into the housing of the seven-speed transmission. The lithium-ion battery in the new research vehicle is located underneath the rear seat, where it takes up little space, creates a low center of gravity, and ensures maximum safety in the event of a crash.
The electric drive components in the F800 Style with the Plug-in Hybrid once again demonstrate the versatility of Mercedes-Benz' extensively scalable modular hybrid system. The hybrid system can be expanded in various ways, depending on performance needs and the area of application. On this basis, it is possible to combine hybrid modules and batteries of different performance ratings with fuel-efficient, high-torque gasoline and diesel engines. Examples range from the current mild hybrids all the way to Plug-in Hybrids that enable pure electric driving over long distances. In developing the F800 Style with Plug-in Hybrid, the Mercedes engineers specifically focused on improving the pure electric driving in urban traffic. Thanks to high power reserves, the F800 Style in e-mode easily masters all kinds of city traffic while producing no local emissions. With the new hybrid module, the top speed of the F800 Style with Plug-in Hybrid has been increased to 75 mph in electric mode compared to the Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid. At the same time, it emits only 68 grams of CO2 per kilometer, compared to the latter vehicle's 74 grams per kilometer.
Flexible, secure, and fully suited to everyday use:
The F800 Style with electric drive and fuel cell technology
The F800 Style also offers clean driving pleasure in the variant equipped with an electric drive based on fuel cell technology. The vehicle's electric motor develops around 136 hp as well as a strong torque of approximately 214 lb-ft. The fuel cell generates the traction current by chemically reacting hydrogen with oxygen onboard the vehicle, producing water vapor in the process as the only emission.
The components of the fuel cell drive are taken from the range of available e-drive modules, which Mercedes-Benz developed for a variety of different electric vehicles. These components, which are already installed in the limited edition B-Class F-CELL, can be used flexibly and are suited for a variety of different drive configurations. The F800 Style is an example of this, as it uses rear-wheel drive, in contrast to the B-Class F-CELL. The same components are also installed in commercial vehicles, with developments here being spearheaded by the new Citaro fuel cell bus, which is equipped with two of the F-CELL systems used in passenger cars.
The new Mercedes-Benz research vehicle has the fuel cell located in the front, while the compact electric motor is installed near the rear axle. The lithium-ion battery is located behind the rear seats and is protected as well as possible against the effects of accidents, as are the four hydrogen tanks. Two of the tanks are located in the transmission tunnel between the passengers, while the other two are underneath the rear seat.
F800 Style with further innovations for more comfort and safety
In addition to a multi-drive platform that is unparalleled for large sedans and the combination of different alternative drive technologies, the F800 Style features many other technological innovations, such as a new multi-function display concept and a human-machine interface (HMI) with a cam touchpad. The display shows many additional functions not typically found in conventional instrument clusters. The F800 Style's display concept focuses for the first time primarily on electric driving functions.
HMI with cam (camera) touchpad for intuitive and precise operation
The new cam touchpad HMI is an intelligent expansion of the COMAND system. For many years now, Mercedes-Benz has been forging ahead with the development of innovative operating and display systems. A particularly user-friendly innovation is being presented in the F800 Style. 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 user sees the contours of his or her fingers glide across the image without covering anything, thus ensuring that all of the functions of the currently used menu remain visible so that they can be easily operated by applying slight pressure to the touchpad. Pressing the display with one's fingers generates a feeling similar to that of touching laptop keys so that users know when they are carrying out specific actions.
The cam touchpad HMI unit recognizes finger movements on the pad surface such as wiping, pushing, turning, and zooming, thus enabling intuitive regulation of the climate control system, telephone, stereo and navigation systems, and Internet access. The unit enhances active safety as well, because it is extremely easy and convenient to use and therefore does not distract the driver as much from the actual task of driving. And unlike conventional touchscreens, the HMI cam touchpad does not get smudged with fingerprints.
Conventional touchpad units generally depict hand or finger positions only by a small point in the display. Their 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 subjects have confirmed that the HMI with cam touchpad is extremely easy and safe to use, particularly as a result of the transparent depiction of the hand.
Range on Map: Graphic range depiction during electric operation
Another very user-friendly innovation created by the Mercedes engineers is the "Range on Map" function, which shows the remaining possible travel radius during electric vehicle operation as a 360° depiction on a map. Should municipalities only permit purely electric automobile traffic in the future, the driver can determine whether the electric range of his or her vehicle is sufficient for the journey into and out of the urban area by means of the Range on Map function. The system provides this function by combining information on the current battery charge level with data from the navigation system.
In the new operating and display concept, Mercedes-Benz has created a solution that provides an unparalleled amount of information in a system of exemplary clarity. The engineers have thus achieved the goal of successfully developing a comprehensive yet easy-to-operate information and control system for future automobiles equipped with electric or partially electric drive systems. A further-developed version of the system can also display recharging stations.
Mirror display is easy on the eyes
The mirror display of the innovative cam touchpad HMI eliminates the differences between close proximity visibility and visibility over longer distances, thus contributing to the driver's physiological safety in a manner typical of Mercedes. The system displays driving and vehicle information via a mirror in the instrument cluster so that they appear to be farther away. The distance the eye looks into is thus extended, which means less switching between near and far focus - and therefore less fatigue - for the eyes.
New DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam Assistant further reduces the stress of driving
Back in 2006, Mercedes-Benz introduced DISTRONIC PLUS, the world's first proximity and speed control system that operates even when the car is standing still. The system substantially reduces the stress for drivers in dense traffic, as it regulates the distance from the vehicle in front even at very low speeds all the way down to a standstill. With its new DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam Assistant feature in the F800 Style, Mercedes-Benz has also become the world's first automaker to implement a system that is also capable of automatically following the vehicle in front of it into curves. The system recognizes the difference between driving along curving roads and turning, which means it does not "blindly" follow the vehicle up in front - for example, when it changes lanes in order to exit the highway.
The result is that at speeds of up to about 25 mph, the Traffic Jam Assistant function 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. When the 25 mph mark is exceeded, the steering torque that keeps the vehicle in its lane is gradually reduced to a point at which the Traffic Jam Assistant smoothly disengages. Drivers can, of course, override the system at any time. Sensitive sensors notice active steering movements, thus automatically deactivating the system's lateral control function.
"The DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam Assistant is the logical continuation of the Mercedes-Benz assistance and safety philosophy. With it, we are setting another milestone on the path toward creating innovative systems, with which we will further enhance the high driving comfort that is a hallmark of Mercedes," says Prof. Bharat Balasubramanian, Head of Product Innovations & Process Technologies at Group Research and Advanced Engineering. The required data is generated by radar distance sensors that are supplemented by a stereo camera.
PRE-SAFE 360° improves safety in rear-end collisions
While the Traffic Jam Assistant heightens comfort and active safety, the innovative protective system known as PRE-SAFE 360° further improves passive safety. PRE-SAFE 360° is based on the proactive occupant protection system PRE SAFE® developed by Mercedes-Benz. Unlike the previous system, PRE-SAFE 360° also monitors the area behind the vehicle. As a result, the system engages the brakes around 600 milliseconds before an anticipated rear-end collision occurs. The key advantage of this system is that braking a stationary vehicle helps prevent secondary accidents such as those that occur when the car is pushed uncontrolled into an intersection or a pedestrian crossing. It goes without saying that PRE-SAFE 360° also allows the driver to take control at any time. For example, the brake is immediately released if the driver hits the gas pedal, should they recognize that there is sufficient space in front of their vehicle to avoid the rear impact.
Rear pivot-and-slide doors ensure maximum entry comfort
A particularly customer-friendly innovation of the F800 Style is its rear doors. Whereas the front doors are attached to the A-pillar in a conventional manner and open wide toward the front, the rear doors slide backward when opened, as they are suspended from an interior swivel arm. Because the doors slide back close to the vehicle body, occupants find it much easier to get into and out of the automobile in tight parking spaces.
The F800 Style also has no B-pillar, making the entire space between the A and C-pillars completely accessible when the doors are opened. Despite the lack of a B-pillar, the F800 Style boasts a bodyshell that is both extremely robust and lightweight, and that meets the stringent demands for crash safety that are a hallmark of the Mercedes brand.
Reinterpretation of the typical Mercedes-Benz design idiom
The F800 Style is both a technology platform and a showcar. This research vehicle was created through close cooperation between technical research and advanced engineering departments and the advanced design studios in Sindelfingen, Germany and Como, Italy. Its exterior appearance is marked by a long wheelbase, short body overhangs, and a sensually flowing roof line.
"The exciting coupe-like roof line, and in general the vehicle's balanced proportions, lend it a stylish sporty look that reinterprets the Mercedes-Benz design idiom and emphasizes the sculptural character of the F800 Style," says Mercedes-Benz Head of Design Prof. Gorden Wagener. "The result is a harmonious blend of innovative form and function, which conveys a sense of great styling and authority."
Front end with distinctive LED headlights
The vehicle's front end features a variation of the radiator grille with the centrally placed star that is typical of Mercedes sports cars. The curved radiator grille bars softly flow around the tube holding the Mercedes-Benz brand star. Along with the wide radiator grille and the generously curved air intake openings, the model's unique bright 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 F800 Style's taillights are also equipped with state-of-the-art LED units that enable an exciting interplay of indirect illumination and direct beams. The result is an attractive, unmistakable, and memorable visual effect.
Wood and light create a cozy interior
Luxurious wood surfaces and lots of light ensure a high level of comfort in the interior of the F800 Style. Occupants will immediately notice the modern sense of lightness, and functional elements like the driver area and the door armrests seem to float in space like sculptures. The innovative lightweight-construction seats in the F800 Style consist of a magnesium shell and a carbon fiber laminate shell backed with a fine yet resistant netting. The seat shell also features genuine wood veneer. For the veneer process, Mercedes-Benz engineers used a 3D surface coating procedure designed especially for the veneering of three-dimensional surfaces. This same procedure was used to create the wood finish 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 core, which ensures that the components meet the high crash safety standards that are a hallmark of Mercedes.
Successful transfer from research to series production
Mercedes-Benz has presented 13 research vehicles since the early 1980s. The range of innovative and pioneering automobiles that was unveiled - beginning with Auto 2000 in 1981 and leading up to today's F800 Style - 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 are now found in Mercedes-Benz production cars, including the DISTRONIC proximity-controlled cruise control, which was first installed in the F 100 in 1991 and made its series production debut in the S-Class in 1998.
The F800 Style is continuing this approach. Like its predecessors, the model features important drive, comfort, and safety system innovations, as well as an avant-garde design, all of which point the way forward for future series- production Mercedes-Benz vehicles that will continue to impressively combine fascination and responsibility.
Press Release
Efficiency paired with elegance:
Pioneering premium sedan with "green" technology and avant-garde design
A reinterpretation of the concept of "fascination and responsibility"
Multi-drive platform enables use of two alternative drive systems - either Plug-in Hybrid or fuel cell
Intelligent display concept focusing on "electric driving"
HMI with cam touchpad for intuitive and precise operation
Traffic Jam Assistant for increased comfort and safety
Mercedes-Benz' F800 Style research vehicle is showing the future of premium automobiles from a new perspective, as the five-seat premium 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 refined performance.
The F800 Style has a spacious interior full of intelligent seating, operating, and display concepts. Another unique feature of the large sedan is an all-new multi drive platform, which accommodates electric drives with fuel cells (enabling ranges of almost 375 miles) as well as the use of Plug-in Hybrids that can drive for up to 18 miles solely on electricity. Both variants of the F800 Style therefore make locally emission-free mobility possible at the level of a premium-class automobile, while at the same time being fully suited for everyday driving and providing a dynamic driving experience.
"We are dedicated to reconciling our responsibility for the environment with practical customer utility in a fascinating automobile," says Dr. Thomas Weber, the Daimler Board of Management member responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. "The new F800 Style research vehicle combines this commitment to providing the leading innovative drive concepts with our traditional Mercedes strengths in the areas of design, safety, comfort, and outstanding performance."
A glance into the future of pioneering premium sedans
Within the 15.5-foot external length of the F800 Style, all of the components of the vehicle's efficient and environmentally compatible alternative drives (Plug-in Hybrid or fuel cell drive system) are installed in a space-saving manner in the engine compartment and the gaps within the chassis. Each of the drive systems takes up comparatively little space for the installation. This applies in particular to the electric drive with fuel cell, which has been enhanced by Mercedes-Benz to be compact and powerful. The front end's compact package was made possible through the consistent downsizing of all F-CELL components. As a result, the entire interior space is preserved and offers plenty of room for five occupants.
"For many decades now, our research vehicles have been turning pioneering concepts into reality and thereby setting future trends. We set a course on the large touring sedan segment in 2007, when we presented the F700," says Prof. Herbert Kohler, Head of E-Drive & Future Mobility and Chief Environmental Officer at Daimler. "Characteristic features of the F800 Style are its innovations, whose development is already close to the series production stage. This is true not only of the electric drive with fuel cells but also of the Plug-in Hybrid, whose components were taken from our modular system for electric and hybrid vehicles."
F800 Style with Plug-in Hybrid: Outstanding performance despite emissions of only 68 grams CO2 per kilometer
In combination with the very powerful Plug-in Hybrid drive system, the F800 Style is a very dynamic expression of the concept of "fascination and responsibility." Its drive unit consists of a V6 gasoline engine with an output of 300 hp with next-generation direct injection and a hybrid module with an output 109 hp so that it delivers a total power of around 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. Thanks to its powerful and high-torque hybrid module, in the city the F800 Style can run exclusively on electricity, therefore without generating any local emissions. Because it also has high torque right from the moment it starts, the vehicle has the same driving performance as a car with a V6 gasoline engine even when operating in electric mode. The F800 Style with the Plug-in Hybrid can run purely on electricity for up to 18 miles. The F800 Style research vehicle therefore marks a further important step in the creation of a market-ready Plug-in Hybrid. Mercedes-Benz will begin series production of the S500 Plug-in Hybrid with the introduction of the next-generation S-Class.
Due to its efficient drive system and a CO2 bonus for the battery-electric driving mode, the vehicle has 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. However, thanks to its outstanding efficiency, the F800 Style equipped with a Plug-in Hybrid nevertheless has a driving performance comparable to a sports car (0-60 mph 4.7 s, top speed of 155 mph). When in electric mode, the F800 Style has a top speed of 75 mph, thus meeting the needs associated with long-distance driving.
Like the Mercedes-Benz S400 HYBRID introduced in the summer of 2009 and the Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid, the powerful electric module (approx. 80 kW) of the F800 Style is completely integrated into the housing of the seven-speed transmission. The lithium-ion battery in the new research vehicle is located underneath the rear seat, where it takes up little space, creates a low center of gravity, and ensures maximum safety in the event of a crash.
The electric drive components in the F800 Style with the Plug-in Hybrid once again demonstrate the versatility of Mercedes-Benz' extensively scalable modular hybrid system. The hybrid system can be expanded in various ways, depending on performance needs and the area of application. On this basis, it is possible to combine hybrid modules and batteries of different performance ratings with fuel-efficient, high-torque gasoline and diesel engines. Examples range from the current mild hybrids all the way to Plug-in Hybrids that enable pure electric driving over long distances. In developing the F800 Style with Plug-in Hybrid, the Mercedes engineers specifically focused on improving the pure electric driving in urban traffic. Thanks to high power reserves, the F800 Style in e-mode easily masters all kinds of city traffic while producing no local emissions. With the new hybrid module, the top speed of the F800 Style with Plug-in Hybrid has been increased to 75 mph in electric mode compared to the Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid. At the same time, it emits only 68 grams of CO2 per kilometer, compared to the latter vehicle's 74 grams per kilometer.
Flexible, secure, and fully suited to everyday use:
The F800 Style with electric drive and fuel cell technology
The F800 Style also offers clean driving pleasure in the variant equipped with an electric drive based on fuel cell technology. The vehicle's electric motor develops around 136 hp as well as a strong torque of approximately 214 lb-ft. The fuel cell generates the traction current by chemically reacting hydrogen with oxygen onboard the vehicle, producing water vapor in the process as the only emission.
The components of the fuel cell drive are taken from the range of available e-drive modules, which Mercedes-Benz developed for a variety of different electric vehicles. These components, which are already installed in the limited edition B-Class F-CELL, can be used flexibly and are suited for a variety of different drive configurations. The F800 Style is an example of this, as it uses rear-wheel drive, in contrast to the B-Class F-CELL. The same components are also installed in commercial vehicles, with developments here being spearheaded by the new Citaro fuel cell bus, which is equipped with two of the F-CELL systems used in passenger cars.
The new Mercedes-Benz research vehicle has the fuel cell located in the front, while the compact electric motor is installed near the rear axle. The lithium-ion battery is located behind the rear seats and is protected as well as possible against the effects of accidents, as are the four hydrogen tanks. Two of the tanks are located in the transmission tunnel between the passengers, while the other two are underneath the rear seat.
F800 Style with further innovations for more comfort and safety
In addition to a multi-drive platform that is unparalleled for large sedans and the combination of different alternative drive technologies, the F800 Style features many other technological innovations, such as a new multi-function display concept and a human-machine interface (HMI) with a cam touchpad. The display shows many additional functions not typically found in conventional instrument clusters. The F800 Style's display concept focuses for the first time primarily on electric driving functions.
HMI with cam (camera) touchpad for intuitive and precise operation
The new cam touchpad HMI is an intelligent expansion of the COMAND system. For many years now, Mercedes-Benz has been forging ahead with the development of innovative operating and display systems. A particularly user-friendly innovation is being presented in the F800 Style. 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 user sees the contours of his or her fingers glide across the image without covering anything, thus ensuring that all of the functions of the currently used menu remain visible so that they can be easily operated by applying slight pressure to the touchpad. Pressing the display with one's fingers generates a feeling similar to that of touching laptop keys so that users know when they are carrying out specific actions.
The cam touchpad HMI unit recognizes finger movements on the pad surface such as wiping, pushing, turning, and zooming, thus enabling intuitive regulation of the climate control system, telephone, stereo and navigation systems, and Internet access. The unit enhances active safety as well, because it is extremely easy and convenient to use and therefore does not distract the driver as much from the actual task of driving. And unlike conventional touchscreens, the HMI cam touchpad does not get smudged with fingerprints.
Conventional touchpad units generally depict hand or finger positions only by a small point in the display. Their 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 subjects have confirmed that the HMI with cam touchpad is extremely easy and safe to use, particularly as a result of the transparent depiction of the hand.
Range on Map: Graphic range depiction during electric operation
Another very user-friendly innovation created by the Mercedes engineers is the "Range on Map" function, which shows the remaining possible travel radius during electric vehicle operation as a 360° depiction on a map. Should municipalities only permit purely electric automobile traffic in the future, the driver can determine whether the electric range of his or her vehicle is sufficient for the journey into and out of the urban area by means of the Range on Map function. The system provides this function by combining information on the current battery charge level with data from the navigation system.
In the new operating and display concept, Mercedes-Benz has created a solution that provides an unparalleled amount of information in a system of exemplary clarity. The engineers have thus achieved the goal of successfully developing a comprehensive yet easy-to-operate information and control system for future automobiles equipped with electric or partially electric drive systems. A further-developed version of the system can also display recharging stations.
Mirror display is easy on the eyes
The mirror display of the innovative cam touchpad HMI eliminates the differences between close proximity visibility and visibility over longer distances, thus contributing to the driver's physiological safety in a manner typical of Mercedes. The system displays driving and vehicle information via a mirror in the instrument cluster so that they appear to be farther away. The distance the eye looks into is thus extended, which means less switching between near and far focus - and therefore less fatigue - for the eyes.
New DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam Assistant further reduces the stress of driving
Back in 2006, Mercedes-Benz introduced DISTRONIC PLUS, the world's first proximity and speed control system that operates even when the car is standing still. The system substantially reduces the stress for drivers in dense traffic, as it regulates the distance from the vehicle in front even at very low speeds all the way down to a standstill. With its new DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam Assistant feature in the F800 Style, Mercedes-Benz has also become the world's first automaker to implement a system that is also capable of automatically following the vehicle in front of it into curves. The system recognizes the difference between driving along curving roads and turning, which means it does not "blindly" follow the vehicle up in front - for example, when it changes lanes in order to exit the highway.
The result is that at speeds of up to about 25 mph, the Traffic Jam Assistant function 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. When the 25 mph mark is exceeded, the steering torque that keeps the vehicle in its lane is gradually reduced to a point at which the Traffic Jam Assistant smoothly disengages. Drivers can, of course, override the system at any time. Sensitive sensors notice active steering movements, thus automatically deactivating the system's lateral control function.
"The DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam Assistant is the logical continuation of the Mercedes-Benz assistance and safety philosophy. With it, we are setting another milestone on the path toward creating innovative systems, with which we will further enhance the high driving comfort that is a hallmark of Mercedes," says Prof. Bharat Balasubramanian, Head of Product Innovations & Process Technologies at Group Research and Advanced Engineering. The required data is generated by radar distance sensors that are supplemented by a stereo camera.
PRE-SAFE 360° improves safety in rear-end collisions
While the Traffic Jam Assistant heightens comfort and active safety, the innovative protective system known as PRE-SAFE 360° further improves passive safety. PRE-SAFE 360° is based on the proactive occupant protection system PRE SAFE® developed by Mercedes-Benz. Unlike the previous system, PRE-SAFE 360° also monitors the area behind the vehicle. As a result, the system engages the brakes around 600 milliseconds before an anticipated rear-end collision occurs. The key advantage of this system is that braking a stationary vehicle helps prevent secondary accidents such as those that occur when the car is pushed uncontrolled into an intersection or a pedestrian crossing. It goes without saying that PRE-SAFE 360° also allows the driver to take control at any time. For example, the brake is immediately released if the driver hits the gas pedal, should they recognize that there is sufficient space in front of their vehicle to avoid the rear impact.
Rear pivot-and-slide doors ensure maximum entry comfort
A particularly customer-friendly innovation of the F800 Style is its rear doors. Whereas the front doors are attached to the A-pillar in a conventional manner and open wide toward the front, the rear doors slide backward when opened, as they are suspended from an interior swivel arm. Because the doors slide back close to the vehicle body, occupants find it much easier to get into and out of the automobile in tight parking spaces.
The F800 Style also has no B-pillar, making the entire space between the A and C-pillars completely accessible when the doors are opened. Despite the lack of a B-pillar, the F800 Style boasts a bodyshell that is both extremely robust and lightweight, and that meets the stringent demands for crash safety that are a hallmark of the Mercedes brand.
Reinterpretation of the typical Mercedes-Benz design idiom
The F800 Style is both a technology platform and a showcar. This research vehicle was created through close cooperation between technical research and advanced engineering departments and the advanced design studios in Sindelfingen, Germany and Como, Italy. Its exterior appearance is marked by a long wheelbase, short body overhangs, and a sensually flowing roof line.
"The exciting coupe-like roof line, and in general the vehicle's balanced proportions, lend it a stylish sporty look that reinterprets the Mercedes-Benz design idiom and emphasizes the sculptural character of the F800 Style," says Mercedes-Benz Head of Design Prof. Gorden Wagener. "The result is a harmonious blend of innovative form and function, which conveys a sense of great styling and authority."
Front end with distinctive LED headlights
The vehicle's front end features a variation of the radiator grille with the centrally placed star that is typical of Mercedes sports cars. The curved radiator grille bars softly flow around the tube holding the Mercedes-Benz brand star. Along with the wide radiator grille and the generously curved air intake openings, the model's unique bright 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 F800 Style's taillights are also equipped with state-of-the-art LED units that enable an exciting interplay of indirect illumination and direct beams. The result is an attractive, unmistakable, and memorable visual effect.
Wood and light create a cozy interior
Luxurious wood surfaces and lots of light ensure a high level of comfort in the interior of the F800 Style. Occupants will immediately notice the modern sense of lightness, and functional elements like the driver area and the door armrests seem to float in space like sculptures. The innovative lightweight-construction seats in the F800 Style consist of a magnesium shell and a carbon fiber laminate shell backed with a fine yet resistant netting. The seat shell also features genuine wood veneer. For the veneer process, Mercedes-Benz engineers used a 3D surface coating procedure designed especially for the veneering of three-dimensional surfaces. This same procedure was used to create the wood finish 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 core, which ensures that the components meet the high crash safety standards that are a hallmark of Mercedes.
Successful transfer from research to series production
Mercedes-Benz has presented 13 research vehicles since the early 1980s. The range of innovative and pioneering automobiles that was unveiled - beginning with Auto 2000 in 1981 and leading up to today's F800 Style - 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 are now found in Mercedes-Benz production cars, including the DISTRONIC proximity-controlled cruise control, which was first installed in the F 100 in 1991 and made its series production debut in the S-Class in 1998.
The F800 Style is continuing this approach. Like its predecessors, the model features important drive, comfort, and safety system innovations, as well as an avant-garde design, all of which point the way forward for future series- production Mercedes-Benz vehicles that will continue to impressively combine fascination and responsibility.
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Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz Group AG is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany.
Established in 1926, Mercedes-Benz Group produces consumer luxury
vehicles and light commercial vehicles badged as Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG,
and Mercedes-Maybach.
Its origin lies in Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft's 1901 Mercedes
and Carl Benz's 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen, which is widely regarded
as the first internal combustion engine in a self-propelled automobile.
The slogan for the brand is "the best or nothing".
Official website: Mercedes-Benz (Global), Mercedes-Benz (USA)
Official website: Mercedes-Benz (Global), Mercedes-Benz (USA)
