***Mercedes-Benz Museum (Part 12): CONCEPT CARS***

[cawimmer430]

Part 14

Mercedes-Benz Concept Cars


1970 Mercedes-Benz C111 Typ II
Mercedes-Benz presented the C111 at the 1969 Frankfurt International Motor Show. With its wedge-shaped bodywork, gullwing doors and rotary-piston-engine (Wankel), the "research lab on wheels" intrigued visitors. Quite a few customers wanted to buy the C111 on the spot and offered blank checks - in vain: the C111 was and remained an experimental car.
4 x 2400cc, 350-horsepower @ 7,000 RPM






















1991 Mercedes-Benz F100
The F100 was Mercedes-Benz's vision of the future car at the 1991 Detroit Auto Show. Many innovations in this car were developed to production maturity at a later stage, among them the rain sensor, the intelligent cruise system, xenon headlights and sandwich floor. Other special features of the F100 are the centrally arranged driver's seat and the novel door concept.
V6, 2600cc, 194-horsepower @ 5,100 RPM








1996 Mercedes-Benz F200 Imagination
The F200 Imagination was shown to the public in 1996 at the Paris Motor Show. Mercedes-Benz primarily tested new ergonomic concepts with the car such as small sidesticks in the doors to act as the steering mechanism for the car. The system used was an early example of drive-by-wire technology. The F200 also featured the newly developed Active Suspension, which would mature into the ABC suspension system.
V12, 5987cc, 394-horsepower @ 5,200 RPM



















2001 Mercedes-Benz F400 Carving
The F400 Carving was presented by Mercedes-Benz at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show. It was used to test new dynamic handling control systems in conjunction with active camber control. With this new technology, the outer wheels of the F400 tilt at an angle of up to 20 degrees when cornering - hence the name of the vehicle.
V6, 3199cc, 218-horsepower @ 5,700 RPM




















2003 Mercedes-Benz F500 Mind
Mercedes-Benz presented the F500 Mind at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show. In this car, the interplay of man and machine was optimized by a novel of control and display concept with segmented steering wheel, input-sensitive accelerator and brake pedals and a multi-vision display. A test vehicle for alternative propulsion systems, the F500 is powered by a diesel-hybrid engine.
V8, 3989cc, 250-horsepower @ 4,000 RPM