Mercedes calls the F 700 the future of big sedans, and it is indeed a striking mix of luxury and efficiency. The swoopy sedan is loaded with all manner of future tech, but the biggest news is under the hood. The breakthrough 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine, dubbed DiesOtto because its dual mode of operation combines conventional spark ignition with the compression ignition of a diesel, delivers 258 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque -- good enough, says the literature, to take the luxury sedan from 0 to 60 mph in less than 8 seconds while also providing up to 40 mpg.
This best-of-both-worlds technology is wrapped by a sleek, three-box design penned in Mercedes-Benzs California design studio under the direction of Gorden Wagener, vice president of Global Advanced Design...
Wagener told Inside Line
the F 700 is a bionic design called Aqua Dynamic thats meant to be both futuristic and friendly, evoking the shape of a dolphin, including a roof-mounted fin, carving through the waves. Tense curves and flowing lines combine for a truly singular look that is both groundbreaking and pleasing to the eye.
The F 700s extra-long wheelbase creates a huge interior space, which is divided by a long central console. The rear cabin looks and feels like an upscale lounge and includes a new reverse seating arrangement that allows the seats to face toward or away from the direction of travel. Up front, the driver is presented with a new operating system called Servo-HMI, which offers both a head-up display thats easy on the eyes and a voice-activated interface that Mercedes calls a virtual assistant.
In addition to the economy provided by the DiesSotto engine, the F 700 sports significant aerodynamic touches to help it slip more easily through the air, including a neat set of see-through spats over the rear wheels.
Mercedes likes to preview upcoming technologies in its research cars, and one of the most intriguing on the F 700 is Pre-Scan, which uses an infrared scanner to read the road surface ahead and cue the appropriate response in the adjustable suspension. Cool stuff. -- Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor , Inside Line
The F 700s extra-long wheelbase creates a huge interior space, which is divided by a long central console. The rear cabin looks and feels like an upscale lounge and includes a new reverse seating arrangement that allows the seats to face toward or away from the direction of travel. Up front, the driver is presented with a new operating system called Servo-HMI, which offers both a head-up display thats easy on the eyes and a voice-activated interface that Mercedes calls a virtual assistant.
In addition to the economy provided by the DiesSotto engine, the F 700 sports significant aerodynamic touches to help it slip more easily through the air, including a neat set of see-through spats over the rear wheels.
Mercedes likes to preview upcoming technologies in its research cars, and one of the most intriguing on the F 700 is Pre-Scan, which uses an infrared scanner to read the road surface ahead and cue the appropriate response in the adjustable suspension. Cool stuff. -- Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor , Inside Line
estreka says:
04:24 PM, 09/11/07
Wow that thing is stretched out. Cartoonishly so.
My gosh, I've been reading blogs for 3.5 hours now.
iancar says:
04:50 PM, 09/11/07
Pointing toward the next generation CLS?
cah11705 says:
06:20 PM, 09/11/07
dont know bout the looks but the engine is incredible
ateixeira says:
07:15 AM, 09/12/07
It sure does seem stretched. That could be a 6 door model. LOL
I like the front, and the rear, but I'm not sure about the profile.
I do think a sedans with some of these styling cues could turn out very handsome. This is, after all, a concept meant to inspire future designs.
Specific output for the engine is very impressive!
hondacura4 says:
07:39 AM, 09/12/07
I think this is the styling direction Acura tried to get to with their hideous luxury car concept. Compared to that car this Mercedes is clearly better in execution and cosmetic impact. Its certainly "different" but I really like it.
The engine technology is amazing, and the fact that efficiency was clearly the main concern while getting great performance for the size of the engine and the car itself. The interior is Maybach-esque in style and execution.
The only thing I'm not really fond of is the laser suspension BS as it just seems unnecessarily and overly complex with no real significant benefit. Otherwise, great concept!
isaacl says:
08:29 AM, 09/12/07
I like the styling on this car. It's very powerful. It looks what you would think a 2010 Benz would look like. This is odd because I'm not a huge MB fan.... They nailed this IMO
johnmarco says:
09:05 AM, 09/13/07
It looks like a Prius smashed into a PT Cruiser. What a disaster style-wise. Please tell me you're kidding about this previewing the next S-class.