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.

Mercedes CSC

Could this be the most desirable compact executive car yet? This stunning, four-door, four-wheel-drive coupe will be the star of Mercedes’ stand at the Beijing Motor Show next week – and it’s set to make the likes of the BMW 3 Series look very bland indeed.

The Concept Style Coupe (CSC) is part of a growing family of models based on the new A-Class. In essence, the CSC is a shrunken version of the CLS – a car that took the E-Class as its basis and added a sleeker shape. It carved its own niche, and now Mercedes hopes the CSC will do the same thing.

If the shape looks a little familiar, that’s because there are shades of the F800 Style Concept (revealed at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show) in the sweeping roofline.

Although it’s based on the new A-Class, the CSC is longer, wider and lower than a C-Class. Designers have removed the B-pillar to give the CSC a cleaner profile, with frameless door windows just like on the CLS.

There’s exquisite attention to detail in the front grille, which is just like that of the Vision A concept – the car that previewed the A-Class last year. It’s made up of tiny, shiny 3D dots, which give a diamond effect. A vent at the rear does the same. The headlights shine red when the car is in standby mode, while the indicators light up in succession. Massive 21-inch alloys complete the concept’s visual drama.

Inside, the A-Class influence is strong. The dashboard is very similar, although the SLS AMG-style air vents feature bold neon detailing. They’re backlit and change from blue to yellow to red as the air flowing through them warms up.

There’s a panoramic glass roof that extends far enough back to shed light on the rear seat passengers, who also have access to a sculpted centre console complete with its own air vents. This shows the car’s importance to the Chinese market, where customers 

often have chauffeurs.

Highlight of the dashboard is an integrated iPad, while the CSC also showcases Mercedes’ ‘always on’ cloud technology, which provides Internet access even when the car is stationary. This allows the car’s software to be updated remotely, meaning fewer trips to the dealer.

Under the bonnet, the CSC features a 211bhp 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine with direct injection. This powers all four wheels via a seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox, and should give 0-60mph in under seven seconds and a 150mph top speed.

The CSC is the third car to use Mercedes’ new platform – after the B-Class MPV and the A-Class – but it won’t be the last. An A-Class Shooting Brake estate is also planned, as is a small SUV.