North American International Auto Show in Detroit, 1991 – the first major trade show of the year. Daimler-Benz deliberately chose it as the forum to present a very special automobile: the Mercedes-Benz F 100, a research car in which the visions of the engineers and market strategists for the automobile of the future had taken on concrete form. Never before had so many ideas and innovative technologies been realized in a fully operational car.
Driver seated in the middle in the F 100
This car put the results of accident and social research resolutely into practice. Statistically, 1.2 to 1.7 persons occupy a car – driver included. So the latter deserves the safest place, which is the center position with its large distances to body parts. Additionally, the driver can always get out of the car on the off-traffic side. But the passengers also benefit from the concept. The two people in the second row sit in staggered order behind the driver and thus at a large distance from the dashboard, which likewise improves safety. Two more passengers are seated towards the middle of the vehicle between the sturdy rear wheel houses.
The body of the F 100 with its steep rear end anticipates the customer demand of later years – more and more, station wagons and other vehicles affording more than ample space on four wheels are requested. A chip card instead of a key opens up the vehicle. It is inserted into a reading slot and ensures the proper adjustment of seat and steering wheel position, which is controlled by electric motors.
A new door concept facilitates getting into the F 100: the hinged and swiveling doors for the driver take away a bit of the vehicle floor and the roof when opened. When closed, the doors overlap at three points and fully compensate for the disadvantage of the slim-waisted floor. The rear-seat passengers get into the F 100 via space-saving swiveling and sliding doors; the B-pillar was dispensed with in favor of easy access without impairing crashworthiness. To close them, all doors can be left slightly ajar – servomotors then pull them into their locks.
Central screen and autonomous intelligent cruise control
The gauges are arranged around the driver. A central screen moves the crucial information into the center of attention at all times. A distinction is made between three logical priorities – from speedometer to warnings – to ensure the safe continuation of travel. The F 100 still uses a conventional cathode ray tube for this purpose, which has long since been supplanted by silicon-based displays in present-day cars. Signal transmission is quite advanced, employing optical fibers instead of copper wires. The steering wheel features a fixed impact absorber and integral controls for activating car phone and voice control.
Numerous electronic units assist the driver and enhance safety, among them distance warning radar. Another radar system monitors traffic behind the car and warns the driver if there is a vehicle in the blind spot in lanes changes. It is also used for automatic lane holding. When the driver puts the car into reverse, a camera is extended from the rear spoiler, and its images are displayed on the monitor.
The front headlights are very compact owing to the first-time use of gas discharge lamps, today known as xenon lamps and a common feature on cars. The taillights consist of transparent prismatic rods which serve as light-wave conductors and are energized from a central light source in the color required for the immediate function. Together with the rear screen they are cleaned by a rear wiper discreetly concealed underneath the roof spoiler when not in use.
The windshield is cleaned by a linear wiper which is guided across the entire width of the windshield at top and bottom and thus sweeps almost the entire glazed area. A sensor in the windshield ensures that the wiper is automatically switched on when it rains.
Debut of the voice-controlled car phone
Solar cells are integrated in the roof to support the batteries. Almost two square meters in area, they generate an output of 100 watts, which, among other things, furnishes power for the ventilation when the car is stationary and thus keeps temperatures at a pleasant level. With a car phone including voice control, mobile fax and a personal computer, the F 100 anticipated the communication and work options of later production vehicles.
Different engine concepts were examined in the F 100, including a modified internal combustion engine operating on hydrogen. The vehicle has front-wheel drive – a novelty for a Mercedes-Benz at the time. It rolls on CTS (Continental Tire System) tires with flat-running properties, and tire pressure is electronically monitored. The suspension features hydropneumatic auxiliary spring elements, enhancing comfort and handling safety. In the F 100 the first sandwich floor was realized; this feature made it to large-scale production in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class at a later stage. In a crash, the engine – guided by the sloped firewall – slides downward underneath the passengers to protect them.
With all its qualities, the Mercedes-Benz F 100 was not simply a test mule for the engineers – it represented a new type of automobile. It anticipated the future of mobility, which has partly become reality since its introduction in 1991. At the same time it emphasized the fact that the customer is the focus of technical progress when a research vehicle is designed.
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The inventor and his creation: Karl Benz (in front) at the wheel of his patent motor car model III, together with Friedrich von Fischer, equally a member of the Board of Management of Benz & Cie. |
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Benz Patent Motor Car – The world’s first automobile |
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Benz Patent Motor Car – The world’s first automobile |
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Benz Patent Motor Car – The world’s first automobile |
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Mercedes-Benz C 111/I with a three-rotor Wankel-engine, 1969. |
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Mercedes-Benz C 111/I with a three-rotor Wankel-engine, on the test track at Untertürkheim, 1969. |
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Mercedes-Benz C 111/I with a three-rotor Wankel-engine, 1969. |
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Test drive on the Hockenheim race track: Mercedes-Benz C 111/I with a three-rotor Wankel-engine, 1969. |
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Mercedes-Benz C 111/I with a three-rotor Wankel-engine, 1969. |
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Three generations of the C 111:
-on the right: C 111/II, 1970.
-in the middle: C 111/I, 1969.
-on the left (background): the first prototype version of the C 111/I. |
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Prototype C 111-1 and C 111-2 |
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C 111-II |
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Tomorrow’s car on the move: The Auto 2000 research car, shown here in operation in 1982. Among other things, it served the purpose of testing different propulsion technologies. |
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Auto 2000 – testing of different drive systems |
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Auto 2000 – testing of different drive systems |
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Auto 2000 – testing of different drive systems |
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From autumn 1981 the “Auto 2000” research car was used to test new engine and aerodynamic concepts. |
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From autumn 1981 the “Auto 2000” research car was used to test new engine and aerodynamic concepts. |
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From autumn 1981 the “Auto 2000” research car was used to test new engine and aerodynamic concepts. |
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From autumn 1981 the “Auto 2000” research car was used to test new engine and aerodynamic concepts. |
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Outlining the future of the urban car: Mercedes-Benz NAFA (1982). |
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NAFA – the short-distance vehicle |
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NAFA – the short-distance vehicle |
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Innovative from its powertrain through to its sliding doors: NAFA study of 1982. |
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Made for two: As early as 1982, the NAFA model presented a practical automotive solution to problems of urban mobility. |
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Technology pure – the F 100 |
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Technology pure – the F 100 |
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Technology pure – the F 100 |
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Technology pure – the F 100 |
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The C 112 research vehicle, Active Body Control (ABC) |
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Four cars in one - the Vario Research Car |
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The Vario Research Car of 1995 combines four vehicle concepts in one. The car can be fitted with different body types. |
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The Vario Research Car of 1995 combines four vehicle concepts in one. The car can be fitted with different body types. |
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The Vario Research Car of 1995 combines four vehicle concepts in one. The car can be fitted with different body types. |
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Four cars in one – the Vario Research Car |
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Four cars in one – the Vario Research Car |
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Four cars in one – the Vario Research Car |
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Four cars in one – the Vario Research Car |
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Highlights of the F 200 Imagination include an innovative operating and display system. It was first presented in Paris in 1996. |
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Highlights of the F 200 Imagination include an innovative operating and display system. It was first presented in Paris in 1996. |
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F 200, studio shot, 3/4 view from in front, driver's door open |
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Highlights of the F 200 Imagination include an innovative operating and display system. It was first presented in Paris in 1996. |
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Pioneering drive-by-wire technology allows the car to be steered by a sidestick in the centre console. |
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Pioneering drive-by-wire technology allows the car to be steered by a sidestick in the centre console. |
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Pioneering drive-by-wire technology allows the car to be steered by a sidestick in the centre console. |
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The F 300 Life-Jet was presented at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) in 1997 as a new vehicle concept which combines the cornering dynamics of a motorcycle with the safety of a passenger car. |
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The F 300 Life-Jet was presented at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) in 1997 as a new vehicle concept which combines the cornering dynamics of a motorcycle with the safety of a passenger car. |
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The F 300 Life-Jet was presented at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) in 1997 as a new vehicle concept which combines the cornering dynamics of a motorcycle with the safety of a passenger car. |
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The F 300 Life-Jet was presented at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) in 1997 as a new vehicle concept which combines the cornering dynamics of a motorcycle with the safety of a passenger car. |
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F 300, concept vehicle, Life-Jet, driving shot, from behind, rear view |
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F 300, concept vehicle, Life-Jet, driving shot, rear view |
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F 300, concept vehicle, Life-Jet, detail: rear-wheel swinging fork. The drive consists of a toothed belt. The swinging fork is made of cast aluminium |
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F 300, concept vehicle, Life-Jet, engine compartment. The Mercedes-Benz A-class'es compact 1.6-l engine is situated between the passenger compartment and the rear wheel |
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F 300, concept vehicle, Life-Jet, detail: front-wheel suspension, steering. Sophisticated construction: The F 300 Life-Jet front axle is equipped with a hydraulic system that inclines the wheels and body sideways when going around a corner. The front axle |
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F 400 Carving research vehicle with dynamic chassis technology, driving shot, 3/4 view from in front |
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F 400 Carving research vehicle with dynamic chassis technology, driving shot, rear view |
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F 400 Carving research vehicle with dynamic chassis technology, passenger compartment, interior |
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F 400 Carving, engine compartment |
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The F 400 Carving research vehicle was one of the attractions at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2001. |
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The F 400 Carving research vehicle was one of the attractions at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2001. |
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F 400 Carving research vehicle with dynamic chassis technology, studio shot, 3/4 view from behind |
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F 400 Carving research vehicle with dynamic chassis technology, driving shot, front view |
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The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future |
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The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future |
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The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future |
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The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future |
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The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future |
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The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future |
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The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future |
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The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future |
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The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future |
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The F 500 Mind research vehicle: a research laboratory on wheels for the technology of the future |
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The Mercedes-Benz bionic car as a concept vehicle |
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The Mercedes-Benz bionic car as a concept vehicle |
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The Mercedes-Benz bionic car as a concept vehicle |
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The Mercedes-Benz bionic car as a concept vehicle |
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The Mercedes-Benz bionic car as a concept vehicle |
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The Mercedes-Benz bionic car as a concept vehicle |
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The Mercedes-Benz bionic car as a concept vehicle |
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DaimlerChrysler’s fuel cell vehicle ensemble features a very young “gallery of ancestors” (right). It took the Group’s engineers only 11 years to go from the “granddaddy” Necar 1 (rear, left) to the F 600 (front, right). The bridge to the future is the B-Class F-Cell (rear, right), which should be on the road within the next few years. |
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Powered by a zero-emission fuel cell drive with an output of 85 kW/115 hp, the F 600 HYGENIUS consumes the equivalent of 2.9 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres, making it the first fuel cell vehicle to cover over 400 kilometres on a single tank of hydrogen. |
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F 600 HYGENIUS: The images on both high-resolution colour displays in the dashboard are diverted by means of two mirrors before being projected to appear at a point 1.40 metres in front of the driver. |
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F 600 HYGENIUS: Mercedes-Benz has devised a revolutionary new seat for the driver featuring a two-piece backrest cushion whose height, width and tilt can be adjusted to the contours of the occupant's body by means of electric motors, and which offers a particularly high level of support in the midriff area. |
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With an overall exterior length of 5.18 meters the F 700 is a little shorter than the current long-wheelbase version of the S-Class, but with its generously sized wheelbase of 3.45 meters the research car excels the production model by impressive 28.5 centimeters. |
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With its F 700 research car, Mercedes-Benz redefi nes the idea of effortless, superior refi nement. This concept for a future luxurious touring sedan shows how outstanding riding quality can be combined with high levels of environmental friendliness, and good performance with exceptionally low fuel consumption. |
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Mercedes-Benz F 700 research car, exterior |
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Whereas the three other doors open conventionally (hinges at the forward edge, handles at the rear), the fourth door is hinged at the rear. This facilitates boarding and leaving for the passenger when the REVERSE seat is positioned opposite the direction of travel. The driver’s door and the front passengers door also “observe” their surroundings attentively. In the base of the mirror of this PRE-SCAN door there is a very compact laser scanner which examines the area in which the door swings open for any obstacles. If collisions threaten, the door is arrested by a controllable hydraulic cylinder. |
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Mercedes-Benz F 700 research car, exterior |
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The spacious interior, the innovative, multifunctional configuration of the seats, or the use of elegant but natural materials enable an extremely relaxed form of transportation. With its REVERSE seat the F 700 breaks up the firmly established seat arrangement of conventional sedans and offers individual seating positions facing, or with one’s back to, the direction of travel, always affording maximum spaciousness and supreme comfort. |
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Mercedes-Benz F 700 Research Car |
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“SERVO-HMI” – the innovative operating concept. The display is not only particularly gentle on the eyes; the number of controls also has been appreciably reduced and the menu structure has been made strikingly simple and self-explanatory. The driver can “discuss” more complex inputs, such as a destination for navigation purposes, in dialogue with an avatar, a virtual operating assistant. |
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The exceptional efficiency of the overall concept of the F 700 is evident at first sight: its design is distinguished by soft, flowing forms. “Aqua Dynamic” is the name the designers have given to this design idiom with which they translated the flow dynamics of a fish into the design. The design provides an immediately indication that much room has been given to the passengers. |
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Mercedes-Benz F 700 research car, technology |
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Mercedes-Benz F 700 research car, technology |
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The future oriented DIESOTTO-powertrain with its 1.8-l displacement, 4-cylinder spark-ignition combines the performance of a gasoline engine and the high torque and fuel economy of a state-of-the-art diesel together with extremely clean emissions. Additionally, CO2 emissions of a mere 127 grams per kilometer correspond to consumption of only 5.3 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers (44.3 mpg), extremely low for a vehicle of this class. The new technology package includes features such as direct gasoline injection, turbocharging and a variable compression. At the core of this innovation lies the controlled auto ignition, a highly effi cient combustion process similar to that of a diesel. The DIESOTTO-system can be operated using conventional gasoline fuel. |
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The “eyes” of the F 700 are integrated into the headlamps. With two laser scanners the active PRE-SCAN suspension scans the roadway in front of the car. The hydraulically controlled active suspension proactively compensates for detected hindrances, enabling entirely new comfort characteristics. |
