Mercedes F800

Futuristic is the F word for Mercedes, if this head-turning new concept car is anything to go by! Called the F800 Style, it’s the latest in a long line of ‘F’ series research studies from the firm, stretching back to 1991. But as Auto Express exclusively lifts the lid on this stunning newcomer, we reveal just how bang up to date this show car is; hiding a whole host of clever gadgets up its sleeve.

Its multi-drive platform - a world’s first in a large saloon – can be fitted with a petrol-electric plug-in hybrid powertrain. This combines a 300bhp V6 with a 109bhp electric motor to produce impressive performance and only 68g/km of CO2.

But it’s also suitable for even cleaner hydrogen fuel cell set-up, which uses the electricity produced to drive a 136bhp electric motor – a technology that will be on sale by 2015.

Mercedes has also brought autonomous driving a step closer with its new Distronic Plus Traffic Jam Assistant – which allows the car to follow the vehicle in front, and steer automatically up to speeds of 25mph.

To learn about all the technology packed into this future-proof Mercedes, take a look at the sections below.

HMI (Human Machine Interface) touch screen

Imagine a touch screen that doesn’t require any physical contact from you! Run your fingers over a pad that falls easily to hand on the centre console and a camera films your fingers and projects a ghostly image of them onto the main central display. This allows you to click on applications and zoom in to maps without having to reach forwards or leave dirty fingerprints on the screen. Another useful innovation is the range on map function, which shows the maximum possible distance you can still travel on electric power alone, as a 360-degree outline on the map.

Sliding rear doors

If the Rolls-Royce Phantom, MINI Clubman and Vauxhall Meriva are anything to go by, suicide doors are all the rage. But Mercedes has found an alternative solution. While the front door is entirely conventional, the rear door slides back on an interior swivel arm revealing a huge gap to climb in and out. Despite the lack of B-pillar, the body shell is both robust and lightweight and meets all modern crash safety criteria.

Interior

Light-coloured wood and leather are designed to create a modern look and a feel of lightness to the cabin. In the interests of saving weight, the seats consist of a magnesium shell with a carbon-fibre laminate on the back. The wood veneer, which appears on the seat backs, the centre console and the doors, was created using a special technique that produces the finish in 3-D shapes. A translucent roof, meanwhile, divided into several segments, floods the cabin with light.

Family face

If the F800’s upright grille seems familiar, that’s because it’s already made an appearance on the SLS AMG. Taking its lead from the 300SL Gullwing from the fifties, the retro-inspired front end along with the sculptural bodywork is a sneak preview of a new Mercedes design language. Despite sitting somewhere between the C-Class and E-Class in terms of size, the F800’s more emotional look will make its way onto the much larger CLS, due to debut in Paris later this year, followed by other sporty models in the range.