Safer, cleaner and more economical than ever before, heavy-duty trucks today are fully fledged high-tech vehicles. Assistance systems maintain a constant safety distance, warn the driver when the vehicle threatens to leave its lane or even initiate emergency braking in case of danger. Engines with fascinating performance capabilities and featuring fully automated transmissions with twelve gears are perfectly matched to produce record-breaking fuel efficiency: long-haul semi-trailer/tractor combinations are now approaching fuel consumption levels in the order of 1 litre to 100 km per ton of payload. New emission control systems combine particle filter, exhaust gas recirculation and SCR system to minimise emissions. The motto for the Frankfurt International Motor Show – "The future begins today" – describes the current generation of trucks perfectly, with the new Mercedes-Benz Actros in the vanguard.


Assistance systems: a host of safety features on board

Drivers covering around 150,000 km a year – the common mileage for a truck on long-haul operations in Europe – have to deal with their fair share of tricky situations. And drivers moving 40 tons along the roads have a special responsibility. Against this background, diverse assistance systems are available for modern-day heavy-duty trucks, to support the driver in going about his responsible daily work. Assistance systems maintain a constant safety distance, adapting the vehicle's speed accordingly. They provide a timely warning when the vehicle threatens to leave its lane and prevent semi-trailer/tractor combinations from swerving – a major challenge for the developers in view of the combinations of vehicles involved. The new Mercedes-Benz Actros with Active Brake Assist even initiates emergency braking automatically in the event of danger. Sometimes it is little details that make a big difference: a sensor detects whether the fifth wheel coupling is correctly locked. Sophisticated mirror systems provide for good visibility – including a manoeuvring function with extended field of vision. Some systems are now firmly established standard features for heavy-duty trucks and require no further explanation: ABS anti-lock brake system, acceleration skid control (ASR), the Electronic Brake System (EBS) and internally ventilated disc brakes on all wheels, for example. Maximum safety is in every company's best interest – nothing is more costly to business operations than a truck that is out of service and unable to deliver its load to its destination on time.

High-tech auxiliary brakes rated at up to 750 kW (1020 hp)

While they demand respect, modern-day heavy-duty trucks such as the new Mercedes-Benz Actros need not be feared in any way. They incorporate a wealth of safety features which minimise the risk of an accident. The high-performance disc brakes are supported by a powerful engine brake, for example. At up to 400 kW (544 hp), this brake has a higher power output than the vehicle's engine. This system is commonly also backed up by an auxiliary brake in the form of a hydrodynamic retarder. Retarders attain a vast power output of up to 750 kW (1020 hp).

Emission control: high-tech processing system in the exhaust muffler

The exhaust muffler on a truck of the new generation is much more than a silencer, functioning rather as a compact high-tech laboratory dedicated to the task of emission control. Here too, the new Mercedes-Benz Actros plays a trailblazing role, combining SCR technology with feed-in of AdBlue, cooled exhaust gas recirculation and particulate filter. This extremely efficient emission control system reduces particles, nitrogen oxides and CO2 to a minimum. The new Mercedes-Benz Actros is the first truck to comply with the Euro VI emissions standard. Euro VI will become mandatory for heavy-duty commercial vehicles in 2013/2014, entailing a reduction of around 97 percent in particle emissions and around 95 percent in nitrogen oxides in comparison to Euro I dating from 1992. "If you run this engine (Euro VI) in a city with heavy air pollution, the exhaust gases will be cleaner than the ambient air," explains an expert from Daimler.

Fuel consumption per ton of payload reduced to only 1 litre per 100 km

Environmental friendliness, the conservation of resources and economic efficiency do not constitute conflicting aims for a truck. On the contrary – operators of commercial vehicles have to calculate their costs very keenly, and in addition to cutting costs every litre of fuel saved also helps to protect the environment and resources. Modern-day semi-trailer/tractor combinations with a total weight of 40 tons have long dipped below the 30 litres/100 km mark on many common routes. They are already approach 25 litres to 100 km. To put it another way: in tough everyday operations they run on only 1 litre to 100 km per ton of payload. This has been confirmed by Daimler's "record run" over 10,000 km on the Rotterdam – Szczecin – Rotterdam route. No small car comes anywhere near this figure, even under favourable conditions.

Sophisticated technology is required in order to achieve such fuel economy. Heavy-duty trucks are commonly equipped with engine power in the order of 300 to 375 kW (408 to 510 hp). This power is available well below 2000 rpm, in a rev range where many a passenger-car diesel engine is still contending with turbo lag. The maximum torque of around 2000 to 2500 Nm is even available from just above idling speed, at around 1000 rpm. Thanks to this characteristic, truck engines run in fuel-efficient mode at only around 1300 rpm when travelling at the customary motorway speed of 85 km/h. Asymmetric exhaust gas turbochargers or twin turbochargers are one of the requirements for such vast power output at low revs. The power dimensions are fascinating: highly charged truck engines generally attain specific torque of around 200 Nm per litre of displacement – on a par with the most powerful passenger car engines.

Fuel injection at more than 2000 bar

The combination of power and economy begins in the combustion process: the fuel is injected into the cylinders under high pressure, in some instances well in excess of 2000 bar. This corresponds to around 800 times the standard pressure in a passenger car's tyres. The engine's electronic system calculates the timing and quantity of each diesel injection operation for each individual cylinder with precision in a fraction of a second, by reference to numerous parameters. On cutting-edge trucks, auxiliary units such as the alternator, the air compressor for the brake system, the water pump and even the power steering system operate in particularly economical on-demand mode.

In premium-class heavy-duty trucks the power output is apportioned by fully automated transmissions, usually with twelve forward gears. Thanks to sophisticated data-processing programmes, these transmissions carry out gear-shifting more effectively than even the best drivers. The transmissions are non-synchromesh in design, reducing weight and shift times. A defined portion of double-declutching during downshifting ensures perfect, jolt-free shift quality. Free-wheeling systems utilise the vehicle's momentum, leaving the truck in neutral where appropriate and subsequently engaging the right gear automatically when it is required.

Tested in the wind tunnel: spoilers reduce fuel consumption

In view of a truck's large frontal area and basic cubic form resulting from its maximum dimensions (central Europe: height 4.0 m, width 2.55 m, length of semi-trailer/truck combination 16.5 m), aerodynamics plays a key role in truck design. Against this background, developers put modern-day trucks through intensive wind tunnel testing. The cab itself, as well as its attachments, are optimised step by step in the course of these tests. Rather than serving to create a sporty appearance, a front apron, cab-side extenders and an adjustable air deflector on the roof of a heavy-duty truck provide effective means of reducing fuel consumption, thereby improving the vehicle's economic efficiency as well as its environmental performance.
The web special on the Actros at the 2011 Frankfurt International Motor Show, featuring product information, live images and impressions from the stand, is available online at: www.mercedes-benz.com/actros4iaa .

Source: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Mercedes-Benz chose the IAA International Motor Show in Frankfurt to present the new 2012 DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé. The new car is the successor to the AMG Mercedes C-Class, which scored 84 victories in 156 races to become the most successful vehicle in the 27-year history of the DTM. HWA AG began development, design and construction of the DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé in June 2010. The first chassis was assembled in June 2011, with the first vehicle completed in August.


The DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé was designed to meet the new and improved safety concept for 2012, which includes a state-of-the-art carbon fibre monocoque and a roll cage made of high strength steel. In order to improve driver protection in the event of an accident, all safety-related components such as the fire extinguishing system and fuel tank have been incorporated into the monocoque. Furthermore, each vehicle is equipped with six crash structures to give the driver additional protection to the front, rear and sides. These carbon fibre crash structures are designed to gradually absorb impact energy, so that the driver is not exposed to high deceleration forces.

The new safety concept was developed jointly by rights holder and promoter ITR e.V., the DMSB and the three manufacturers – Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. In order to verify the performance of the DTM safety concept, the DMSB developed a test programme, which was carried out and analyzed by DEKRA, the independent testing organization. All tests were completed without any problems.

The new DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé is based on the latest Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé, which celebrated its world premiere in summer 2011. The C-Class Coupé rounds off Mercedes-Benz best-selling range and is offered with a choice of five engines – two diesel and three petrol units – developing from 115 kW (156 hp) to 225 kW (306 hp). The C-Class Coupé is manufactured at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Bremen. It’s the fourth model to be built on a single production line alongside the saloon and estate versions, plus GLK – a new production method for Daimler.

DTM offers spectators racing like no other touring car series. Viewers in 83 countries can follow DTM either live or as-live. A total of 5,881 hours of DTM racing were shown worldwide on TV in 2010. In Germany last year, 89 hours of TV coverage generated an estimated 480 million TV contacts. On every race weekend of the 2011 season, an average of approximately 2.4 million TV viewers watched coverage of qualifying and the race on ARD television.

Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “This new-generation vehicle, based on our Mercedes-Benz C- Coupé, signals the introduction of an even more spectacular racing car from the start of 2012. I am certain that the spectators will get their money's worth from the three-way fight between Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the DTM next year.”

DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé - Technical Data

Stages in the development of the new DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé

June 2010 - First design meeting at HWA
July 2010 - Vehicle concept laid out
August 2010 - Vehicle data determined
September 2010 - Start of design work on computer (CAD)
October 2010 - Vehicle dimensions agreed
January 2011 - Initial work in wind tunnel
April 2011 - Start of chassis production
May 2011 - Engine testing commences
June 2011 - Assembly of first chassis
July 2011 - Building of first vehicle begun
August 2011 - Completion of first vehicle

History: Mercedes-Benz and DTM

Mercedes-Benz DTM vehicles

• Mercedes-Benz has run three different cars in DTM since the first work’s entry in 1988.

• The AMG Mercedes C-Class is the most successful car in DTM history, having secured 84 victories in 156 races, plus five drivers’ titles in the DTM and one in the ITC.

AMG Mercedes 190E (2.5-16 Evo 2)

Mercedes-Benz scored 50 DTM victories with the 190 between 1988 and 1993. The 190E 2.5-16 Evo 2 won 16 of 24 races in the 1992 season and took the first three places in the drivers’ standings. Driving this car, Klaus Ludwig won the first DTM championship title for Mercedes-Benz. At the wheel of a 190E 2.5-16 Evo 2, Ellen Lohr became the only woman to date to win a DTM race.

AMG Mercedes CLK

Mercedes-Benz introduced the AMG Mercedes CLK to the ‘new’ DTM in 2000. Mercedes-Benz drivers posted 30 DTM victories from 2000-2003 with the CLK. In the 2001 season, the CLK won eight of ten races, and in the 2003 season was victorious in a grand total of nine of ten races.

AMG Mercedes C-Class

With 84 victories in a total of 156 races (1994/1995 as well as 1996 in the DTM successor series International Touring Car Championship, and since 2004 in the DTM), the AMG Mercedes C-Class is the most successful car in the 27-year history of the DTM. Of the 164 Mercedes-Benz victories in 339 races since 1988, half have been won by the C-Class, which has gone through three generations of redesign since 1994.

Statistics: Mercedes-Benz and DTM

Facts & Figures

• Since 2000, Mercedes-Benz has won 80 of 128 races in the ‘new’ DTM, which corresponds to a win rate of 62.50%. Since 1988, Mercedes-Benz has won a total of 164 DTM races, nearly half of all the 339 races (winning percentage: 48.38%)

• Mercedes-Benz has been involved in DTM and ITC since 1988, securing 33 titles: nine in the drivers’ championship – five with Bernd Schneider, two with Klaus Ludwig, one with Gary Paffett and one also with Paul Di Resta – plus ten in the manufacturers’ championship and thirteen in the team standings.

Statistics: Mercedes-Benz in DTM

Statistics: Mercedes-Benz in DTM/ITC

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Source: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg unveiled the new DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé for the 2012 DTM season at the IAA in Frankfurt, alongside Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management at Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Division, and Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport.


The new car is based on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé, which was launched worldwide in the summer of 2011, and is the first DTM car from Mercedes-Benz to be built around a new, improved safety concept, developed in collaboration with the ITR e.V, the DMSB (Germany’s motor racing governing body) and the DTM manufacturers. The new car incorporates a state-of-the-art carbon fibre monocoque with a roll cage made ​​of high-strength steel. Moreover, each vehicle is equipped with six energy-absorbing crash structures, giving the driver additional protection to the front, rear and sides.

The DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé will succeed the AMG Mercedes C-Class, which is the most successful vehicle in the 27-year history of the DTM, having scored 84 victories in 156 races and five driver’s titles.

Development, design and manufacture of the new car began in June 2010 at HWA headquarters in Affalterbach, near Stuttgart, Germany. HWA is responsible for production of the cars, including engines.

Michael Schumacher: “The new 2012 Mercedes-Benz DTM car looks fantastic, but what I find even more impressive than the car’s visual appearance is the new safety concept with its innovative safety cell and more advanced carbon-fibre crash structures. This safety standard is exemplary and constitutes, in my opinion, the benchmark for touring car racing. I’m looking forward to seeing the new C-Class Coupé in action and hopefully winning lots of races. I’ve got my fingers crossed for everyone in the Mercedes-Benz DTM team.”

Nico Rosberg: “I was pleased to take part in unveiling the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé for the 2012 DTM season at its Frankfurt Motor Show world premiere. It looks really cool and I particularly like the chrome finish. The car is certainly an important step forward for the DTM, which is a great series – I began my career racing on the same weekends as the DTM, and it will attract even more fans in 2012 when the third manufacturer arrives. Whenever possible, I still follow the races on TV, and always enjoy going to local DTM events. I will of course keep my fingers crossed next year for my Mercedes-Benz DTM colleagues and hope they can bring the title home to Stuttgart with the new C-Class Coupé.”

Gary Paffett: “The first test of a new car is always an exciting moment. After getting a feel for the handling and performance of the DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé around the Lausitzring, I can say I’m very pleased with it. Of course, we still have a lot of development work ahead of us before the 2012 season opener at Hockenheim. The driving experience is quite different to that of previous DTM cars. The new Hankook tyres for 2012 are wider and have taller sidewalls, providing more mechanical grip. Also, the gear lever has disappeared for 2012 – we will change gear using paddles on the steering wheel instead – and that’s something I’m already used to from Formula One.”

Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “This new-generation vehicle, based on our Mercedes-Benz C- Coupé, signals the introduction of an even more spectacular racing car from the start of 2012. I am certain that the spectators will get their money's worth from the three-way fight between Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the DTM next year.”

The SLS AMG E-CELL body shell being shown by Mercedes-Benz AMG at the IAA 2011 is one trailblazing outcome of its ambitious "AMG Lightweight Performance" design strategy. Its key element is a transmission tunnel made out of lightweight carbon-fibre composite material (CFRP), which is structurally integrated into the aluminium body shell and firmly bonded with it. The high-strength and stiff CFRP component helps to reduce weight, while also serving as a monocoque housing for the battery modules.


The carbon-fibre battery monocoque in the SLS AMG E-CELL forms an integral part of the body shell and acts as the vehicle's "spine". The advantages of carbon composite materials were specifically exploited by the AMG engineers in its design. These include their high strength, which makes it possible to create extremely rigid structures in terms of torsion and bending, excellent crash performance and low weight. CFRP components are up to 50 percent lighter than comparable steel ones, yet retain the same level of stability. Compared with aluminium, the weight saving is still around 30 percent, while the material is considerably thinner. The advantages in terms of weight achieved through the carbon-fibre battery monocoque are reflected in the agility of the SLS AMG E-CELL and, in conjunction with the highly innovative wheel-selective four-wheel drive system, ensure true driving enjoyment.

The carbon-fibre battery monocoque is, in addition, conceived as a "zero intrusion cell" in order to meet the very highest expectations in terms of crash safety. It protects the battery modules inside the vehicle from deformation or damage in the event of a crash.

Tobias Moers, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH, responsible for overall vehicle development: "AMG Lightweight Performance is the term we use at AMG to encompass all the different technologies involved in lightweight construction. The use of carbon makes vehicles not only lighter, but even more efficient and agile – in motorsports and on the streets. This is especially important for sports cars.”

The basis for CFRP construction is provided by fine carbon fibres, ten times thinner than a human hair. A length of this innovative fibre reaching from here to the moon would weigh a mere 25 grams. Between 1000 and 24,000 of these fibres are used to form individual strands. Machines then weave and sew them into fibre mats several layers thick, which can be moulded into three-dimensional shapes. When injected with liquid synthetic resin, this hardens to give the desired structure its final shape and stability.

Through their experience with the SLR, the vehicles in the AMG Black Series and in motorsport, Mercedes-Benz and AMG have accumulated more than 10 years of expertise in working with carbon-fibre materials. AMG currently makes the propshaft for the SLS AMG, for example, in carbon-fibre. On the SLS Roadster, the supporting structure for the draught-stop is made as standard as a carbon sandwich structure. This component, with extremely short cycle times in an industrially oriented manufacturing process, already demonstrates what will be possible in the future.

CFRP components also play an important role in Mercedes-Benz and AMG's lightweight design strategy for the future. In conformity with the motto “the right material, in the right place, the proportion of high-strength steels, aluminium and fibre-reinforced plastics is set to increase significantly in the future. The body shell weight of all Mercedes-Benz vehicles should fall by ten percent compared with their predecessors.

Just how seriously Mercedes-Benz and its high-performance arm AMG are treating the issue of lightweight design as an important factor along the road to sustainable mobility, is demonstrated by the full-aluminium body shell of the SLS AMG. With it, the super sports model shows the way for future model ranges.


* Official photos and details courtesy of Mercedes-AMG GmbH *

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

12,648 readers of the “Auto Straßenverkehr” magazine voted the E-Class Estate their personal favourite in the specified price category, in which they were invited to choose from particularly family oriented cars such as estates, vans or SUVs.



Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

A cutting-edge exterior with cultivated proportions, an outstanding and versatile design for the interior, trailblazing communication and safety equipments and nonetheless an efficient approach towards the mobility of tomorrow: this is how the daring F 125! research vehicle for Mercedes-Benz could be described. Like the rest of the "F" portfolio of experimental prototypes, this new one, officially introduced at the IAA Frankfurt 2011, envisions the next phase of urban, emission-free mobility, which is certainly not very distant in the future. Find out all the essential data and photos focusing on the F 125! showcar by clicking on the links posted below this article. Enjoy!

1. The Mercedes-Benz F 125! research vehicle: Redefinition of automotive luxury - emission-free driving in First Class

2. The Mercedes-Benz F 125! research vehicle: Technology - Effortless driving pleasure without harmful emissions


3. The Mercedes-Benz F 125! research vehicle: Bodyshell concept - Effective lightweight construction with an intelligent material mix

4. The Mercedes-Benz F 125! research vehicle: Telematics control and display concept - Visionary infotainment system

5. The Mercedes-Benz F 125! research vehicle: Active safety and assistance systems - Driver workload considerably reduced by new assistance systems

6. The Mercedes-Benz F 125! research vehicle: Exterior design - Expressive and unique / The sporty touring saloon of the future

7. The Mercedes-Benz F 125! research vehicle: Interior design - Cockpit with a lounge-like atmosphere

8. The Mercedes-Benz F 125! research vehicle: Successful transfer from research to series production

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Mercedes-Benz has presented 14 research vehicles since the early 1980s. This series of exciting and pioneering cars – beginning with the Auto 2000 in 1981 and leading up to today's F 125! – 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 Mercedes-Benz production cars, including e.g. a further development of the fuel cell drive system. This was first realised in October 2005, in the F 600 HYGENIUS, and entered series production in the B-Class F-CELL at the end of 2009.


The F 125! continues on this course. Like its predecessors, the model features key drive, comfort, and safety innovations, as well as an avant-garde design, all of which point the way forward for the series production of future Mercedes-Benz vehicles that will continue to deliver an impressive combination of fascination and responsibility even beyond the year 2025.

On the road to emission-free mobility

The goal of Mercedes-Benz is to offer every customer a vehicle that is precisely tailored to his needs. Accordingly the Mercedes-Benz Roadmap for sustainable mobility is divided into three areas of action:

1. Optimised vehicles with clean and efficient internal combustion engines
2. Further efficiency increases with hybridisation
3. Emission-free driving with fuel-cell and battery-powered vehicles

With the F 125! research vehicle, Mercedes-Benz is demonstrating that with an appropriate configuration, electric drive is also suitable for large and luxurious cars. The fuel cell has proved to be the most promising option in this respect, as it ensures the best possible environmental compatibility while meeting the expectations of Mercedes customers with respect to superior performance and driving enjoyment.

The fuel cell: an important motor for the mobility of tomorrow

Mercedes-Benz fuel cell technology has already demonstrated its high performance and day-to-day suitability during the successful F-CELL World Drive. Its advantages - longer operating range, short refuelling times, zero emissions – are obvious to all.

What applies to all new drive systems also applies here, however: alternative drive systems require alternative infrastructures. In the case of the fuel cell this means hydrogen filling stations. This is why Mercedes-Benz as the inventor of the automobile is working with partners from industry and politics to further the development of an appropriate, full-coverage infrastructure.

As the latest example, Stuttgart-based Daimler and the technology company The Linde Group are furthering the creation of an infrastructure for hydrogen-fuelled fuel cell vehicles. Over the coming three years the two companies will construct 20 more hydrogen filling stations in Germany, thereby ensuring a reliable supply of exclusively regeneration-based hydrogen for the constantly growing number of fuel cell vehicles.

This initiative complements the existing infrastructure projects H2 Mobility and Clean Energy Partnership, which are being supported by the National Innovation Programme for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP). This means that in an international comparison, Germany occupies a leading position with respect to hydrogen infrastructure.

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 technological environment where the steam engine dominated the world of power generation. The steam locomotive added motion to this machine, and tracks were laid everywhere. At that time the very idea that a compact, fast-running internal combustion engine installed in coach-like vehicles could make individual, easy and comfortable mobility possible beyond the rail system was nothing short of blasphemous.

In fact all the indicators were far from promising. England, the leading industrial nation at the time, was completely committed to steam power. Paris, the second major engineering centre, was suffering political unrest. And in other at the time highly developed industrial nations, the conditions for visionary engineers and utopians such as Carl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler, Wilhelm Maybach or Rudolf Diesel were anything but ideal. Nonetheless, they refused to be daunted. With the F 125! Mercedes-Benz is once again reaffirming 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.
Naturally the vehicle cannot stand alone as a solution for the vision of future mobility. The overall picture must include social and political efforts moving in the direction of the "Circular Economy" following the example of nature. The energy policy reversal discussed and in part initiated in Germany and many other countries is a seminal signal in this respect.

Other preconditions for the efficiency and convenience of future mobility are already being created by close networking between internet media. Apart from the "Cloud" as a data bank always accessible from anywhere, the next great step is the "Internet of Things", networking of all physical objects. In the F 125!, integration into data networks and extended developments of intelligent assistance systems are already indicators of how comfort and safety are blending.

The mobility of tomorrow: less stress, more fun

In future visions of day-to-day mobility there are no more boundaries between road users, and traffic signs are almost unnecessary. As in swarms of fish or flocks of birds, collisions will be avoided by information, efficiency will increase, the infrastructure will occupy less space and mobility will become more stress-free. Numerous very pleasant side-effects of emission-free vehicles will add to this, and change the world. Busy arterial roads in the cities will once again become attractive for living and shopping, as noise and exhaust fumes will disappear. Bypass roads will be reclaimed for other uses, and the present distinction between living/recreation and traffic areas will dissolve. New and revolutionary architecture will become possible in the cities.

The F 125! makes a tangible contribution to all these utopian ideas. While not forgetting that it also offers driving pleasure.

Source: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

The interior likewise impresses with its futuristic, high-quality atmosphere. The design lines are innovative, and follow the examples of nature. Wood, Alcantara and silk are alternately entwined. The lines and contours vary from taut and sinewy to wave-like and dynamic and are constantly in flux. Light-coloured wood plays a central role in the decor, and extends throughout the interior. The minimised, formally integrated controls are everywhere incorporated into this natural material.


The centre console formally emerges from the dashboard and curves around the driver. The large star in the steering wheel forms the central core from which three wide, wooden spokes extend. The generous interior dimensions are similar to those of a current long-wheelbase S-Class, though the exterior dimensions are more akin to the E-Class.

Moreover, the interior of the F 125! combines two contrasting and highly emotional characteristics: while the cockpit has a very sporty and driver-oriented design, the rear opens up as an extremely relaxing lounge area. These contrasts are visually underlined by a varied colour scheme: dark in the front left and light in the right rear.

New dimension of comfort in the rear

The interior concept of the F 125! makes central brand values such as driving pleasure and ride comfort directly tangible. The intentionally chosen, pronounced asymmetry – the interior is not divided between front and rear in the usual way, but between the left and right halves – reflects the different form of use. Using switches in the centre console and rear door area, the rear seat backrest can be moved from upright to a chaise-longue position: the seat cushion extends forwards and a footrest folds out to provide a very comfortable resting position.

At the same time the front passenger seat is pushed forwards, which provides even more generous spaciousness in the rear and allows a clear view of the 17-inch display in the front passenger area. This is fully controlled by hand-gestures.

The shape of the F 125! was created in close collaboration between the technical research and development departments, as well as the Advanced Design Studios in Sindelfingen and Carlsbad/USA. The trailblazing interior was developed at the Mercedes-Benz Design Centre in Como, Italy.

The F125! represents a radical reinterpretation of a sports saloon. Its sensuous sportiness and dramatic, organic use of body surfaces, including a dropping line, are a pioneering further development of the current Mercedes-Benz design strategy. The two gull-wing doors allow convenient access and egress, also in parking spaces, and their opening mechanism is invisibly integrated into the rear triangular door panel on each side. Dispensing with exterior mirrors and door handles, plus the uninterrupted, single-piece bonnet with integral front wings, reduces the contours to the essential and lowers the drag coefficient. An electrically extending rear luggage module improves access to the boot.


Thanks to an emphatic change in the proportions, with the passenger compartment positioned well forward, the body appears to be cast from a single mould. The front and rear overhangs are reduced to a minimum. This layout allows an extremely long wheelbase which creates room for large gull-wing doors and maximum use of interior space. The gull-wing doors become the characteristic feature of the exterior, as they give access to the passenger compartment along the entire vehicle flank. As a result the exterior and interior appear to blend into an unmistakable and striking overall composition. The lack of a B-pillar also makes for easier access to the rear seats.

Striking front end with distinctive LED headlamps

The front end has sporty proportions and appears harmoniously integrated. It is characterised by an innovative grille set into the front architecture, suggesting the classic Mercedes-Benz radiator grille and ensuring an unmistakable brand signature. This is a meaningful aspect, for thanks to its fuel cell drive system the F 125! requires considerably less intake and cooling air. The completely joint-free bonnet underlines the sporty overall appearance of the vehicle silhouette, and has a dipped centre area. The floating, aerodynamic front wings add visual width to the front section.

The LED headlamps flanking the radiator grille are slim and dynamic in shape, lend a resolute look to the front end and, like numerous other features, convey a high-quality, high-tech impression. The interplay between design, function and energy consumption was optimised during the development process. Low-beam power consumption is 100 watts less than with conventional headlamps.

The bonnet has a stretched look, and dips at the centre. The so-called dropping line extends from the radiator grille and over the front wheels, then descends dramatically towards the rear where it forms a precise edge. Thanks to the alternating concave and convex surface contours, the side wall below the dropping line has an organic, arched effect. This muscular arching increases towards the front, where it envelops the front wheel. The rear axle is spanned by a powerful shoulder, which emerges from the beltline and is aerodynamically and abruptly delineated by the tail lights.

The wheels feature copper-coloured spoke elements, creating associations with the copper wire coils used in electric motors and making a visual reference to the car's drive technology.
Inward-curving, C-shaped tail light clusters add a finishing touch to the rear end which accentuates the width and powerful stance of the car. The centre section of the rear end extends out electrically to give access to the luggage compartment. The lower area at the rear is rounded off by two aerodynamic fins which delineate the visually floating diffuser.

Serene yet dynamic: the F 125! reconciles apparent contradictions

The roof structure emerges organically, the A-pillars growing from the front end like sinews to blend into the roof. The C-pillar supports the roof at the sporty rear end, tapering as it descends in the manner of Mercedes-Benz coupés. The dramatic entry line (E-line), which becomes visible when the doors are opened, forms an elegant curve. The E-line, beltline, dropping line and rising "counter line" of the sill panels are reminiscent of tensed sinews in a muscular body, producing a harmonious overall picture.

The special night design with contour lights running just above the side sills optimises visibility from the side. In the dark the "counter line" becomes a continuous, illuminated blue band for better side visibility. Below the lower door edge, a carbon-fibre faced cover can be seen which surrounds the structure integrated hydrogen composite storage unit positioned behind it.

The design of the F 125! suggests dramatic harmony. Coming together at the front end, the lines accentuate the forward-thrusting, dynamic appearance. "In this way we have created contrasts in the visual perception: calm and quiet, yet dynamic," says Mercedes-Benz Head of Design Gorden Wagener. "The real power lies in the elegant, muscular winds and the wheels: the wheels symbolise electric motors with terminals and coils, and make the drive concept visually tangible as well."

Arriving at the destination safely, rapidly and in a relaxed frame of mind: detecting traffic problems before they are seen, being aware of hazards before they become a threat. Intelligent mobility at a new level was another key focus during the development of the F 125!. This is to be achieved by electronic networking of the vehicle and the external infrastructure - so-called Car-to-X communication. It allows information to be exchanged both between vehicles, and between vehicles and traffic control centres. In this way following and oncoming vehicles can be informed about potential hazards, enabling them to take timely and appropriate action in the relevant situation.


In Car-to-X communication, anonymised information about the traffic situation is also relayed to control centres so that further developments can be reliably predicted and the road infrastructure can be optimally configured in response. This information is in turn made available to road users, so that they can vary their routes accordingly and reach their destinations conveniently and safely in the shortest time.

Special WLAN-based radio technology

To ensure safe and reliable communication even in very dense traffic, a specially developed radio technology based on the well-known WLAN standard is used. Information is transmitted directly to other vehicles, or to stations installed along the roadside. In the event that the communication partner is not in direct transmission range, other vehicles can relay the information ("Multihopping") or save it for later transmission ("Store & Forward"). In addition two-way radio technologies such as UMTS are integrated, so that gaps in WLAN coverage can be bridged (e.g. where there is no roadside infrastructure) or added value services can be offered.

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 rapid and precise relaying of information about obstacles or pedestrians on the road ahead.

Networked crossings, speed recommendations and optimised traffic light cycles also enable drivers to make efficient progress thanks to a series of green lights. The touring saloon of the future will therefore relieve the driver's workload in many standard situations, defuse potential sources of danger and make for even more relaxed travel.

Advanced Driving Assist for semi-autonomous driving

When it comes to comfort the F 125! goes a whole stage further by autonomously performing certain frequent driving manoeuvres if the driver so wishes. On multi-lane, one-way roads, for example, Advanced Driving Assist allows autonomous cruising in the same lane (with or without vehicles immediately ahead) and safe, automatic lane-changing, and in a further development stage even overtaking manoeuvres.

In the process the F 125! controls both the linear and lateral vehicle movements, while its sensors "keep an eye on" other road users at all times. The driver merely needs to give the relevant command, leave his hands loosely on the steering wheel, lean back and relax. Naturally he is able to take back full control of the car at any time.

Source: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

With "@yourCOMAND" the F 125! shows a vision for future Mercedes-Benz telematic systems. The range of features includes:

- Natural Handling: operation is substantially by natural voice commands, supplemented with intuitive gestures and touch control.
- Seamless Experience: the multimedia systems are seamlessly and cross-functionally networked, socially interactive and non-distracting.
- Remote Convenience: the vehicle and its multimedia system, as well as all applications and content, can be fully pre-configured by remote control.
- Sensory Perfection: the F 125! offers high-end sound quality and high-resolution monitors with brilliant, individual displays for all seats.


The car as a fully interactive partner

The F 125! "understands" natural speech and gestures, and becomes the perfect, constantly alert "companion" for its driver and passengers. In the interests of maximum driver-fitness and operating safety, the driver is able to interact flexibly with the vehicle using voice commands and intuitive touch gestures. For the best possible accuracy level, the speech recognition system of the F 125! uses both onboard and - since it is always online - internet-based speech recognition. Whether navigating, accessing news updates or receiving and sending SMS, email and Facebook messages, updating appointments or selecting enter-tainment media – the driver of the F 125! can control them all with natural voice commands.

The control options go well beyond those of currently available systems. The driver is e.g. able to request the latest stock exchange information to suit his personal needs ("What is Daimler stock trading at?") and make specific, contextual enquiries ("What developments are forecast by the analysts?"), choose music that suits his mood ("Please play romantic music!") and listen to/answer incoming messages without taking his hands from the wheel.

Seamless Experience: man and machine are completely linked

Thanks to its mainly Cloud-based functions, the F 125! for the first time becomes a genuine, comprehensive "communication centre" which is able to provide all media and services at any time. The exchange of information is no longer impeded or interrupted on journeys, but is an integral part of the concept. The so-called "digital lifestyle" of many customers can therefore be continued both seamlessly and - above all - safely when on board.

Because of constant connectivity with the Cloud, the driver has seamless access to all the media he normally uses. The audio book he started at home yesterday evening can be continued from precisely the right point in the car, the music or TV programme he chose over breakfast is continued, and incoming messages are read out.

Always online and always up-to-date

As all the infotainment systems of the F 125! are concertedly "Cloud-based", not only data but also functions in the network can be used. Speech recognition, for example, or a filtered search for news. As another advantage, the tedious synchronisation of different communication and entertainment devices is completely eliminated. All information, playlists, address books, to-do lists and diaries are always up-to-date, and are always fully available during a journey.

The intelligent head unit: thinking infotainment

The COMAND of tomorrow will not merely respond, but also be proactive. In the future the driver will be able to start with the traffic report or retrieve personal messages before starting the individual music programme. The weather report will then automatically come on before the journey ends. The vehicle will relieve the driver's workload by accessing knowledge from the Cloud: if an urgent message cannot be delivered to a colleague by SMS, for example, it will suggest another means.

Social networking at a new level

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. Friends and family, for example, can be informed about the current location or expected time of arrival at any time, while business calls or news can be rigorously blocked e.g. over the weekend.
Individual and extremely comfortable – to suit the mood
Whereas personalisation has often been tedious and awkward in the past, individual settings can be made very quickly and easily in the F 125!, thanks to the mood-based configuration function "Moods". "Moods" allows simple and intuitive configuration of music, all climate control settings or the communication functions, thereby also contributing to driver-fitness safety.

Remote Convenience: regulating, finding and controlling from a distance

Fully networked at all times, the F 125! becomes an integral part of the "Cloud". 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, or to select individual interior temperature settings for each seat.
Via a computer or smartphone, using the so-called Object Spotter function, the driver is also able to locate objects in the vehicle, and even operate them if they are technically equipped for this. If he inadvertently leaves his mobile phone in the car, for example, he is still able to check for incoming calls and access mailbox messages. Luggage and clothing items, child seats or an umbrella can be "found" in the vehicle at any time using futuristic object recognition technology.

The Alert function provides additional security and convenience when away from home. If the doors or boot of the parked vehicle are opened, for example, marked items are removed from the interior or the vehicle is moved, the driver is immediately informed by an alarm message on his smartphone.

Sensory Perfection: natural vision and operation to perfection

The F 125! has large, high-resolution displays. The autostereoscopic 3D display for spatial representation of the instrument cluster is immediately in the driver's field of vision. Depending on requirements or driver preference, it can show the relevant information in clustered form. The 3D image adapts natural visual habits, allows a better overview and thus relieves the driver of stress. The display is operated using two touchpads integrated into the steering wheel.
In the upper section of the centre console, the display surface is seamlessly integrated into the curved interior. This so-called head unit operates with projector-beam technology, and is controlled via a 3D select pad located within easy reach. It can still recognise a finger if it does not touch the surface directly, but is moving a few millimetres above it, a solution which allows a more stable display and control. 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 as this is primarily intended for passenger entertainment, it is fully controlled by hand gestures. To make this possible, infrared LEDs and a stereo camera are fitted along its lower edge. In this way a rear passenger who is relaxing on the chaise-longue can select his personal film programme with no physical contact.

A clear view of the entertainment screen from the front passenger side in the rear is made possible by the folding front passenger seat, which can be electrically adjusted at the touch of a button from the rear. The driver is unable to view this monitor, and is therefore not distracted from the traffic situation.

Hand gestures for convenient door opening and closing

Opening and closing the gull-wing doors is also contact-free, from the outside. Simple wiping gestures control all the functions. The relevant control element is integrated into the rear side window.

Door operation from outside is also possible by smartphone. Opening and closing from the interior is at the touch of a button, with control switches in both the front and rear.

Full visibility to the rear

Instead of conventional rear-view mirrors, the F 125! is equipped with a high-resolution wide-image display. This shows the images from a rear-facing stereo camera integrated into the third brake light. This allows the entire traffic situation behind the vehicle to be monitored, and also makes exterior mirrors unnecessary. In their place the F 125! has two aerodynamically shaped fins accommodating the sensors used by Blind Spot Assist.

The rear-facing stereo camera also allows extended image display possibilities, e.g. a view directly behind the rear end - with distance measuring function - when reversing into a parking space, or a longer-distance image for fast motorway driving. 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.