Mercedes-Benz

The F 500 Mind showcases the very latest technology

At the Tokyo Motor Show 2003, Mercedes-Benz presented the latest in a string of research vehicles which have attracted much interest and attention over the years and which provide fascinating insights into the automotive technology of tomorrow and beyond. Packaged as a modern four-door fastback saloon, the F 500 Mind mobile research lab showcases more than a dozen ideas for enhancing the safety, drive technology and comfort of future Mercedes passenger cars.

The DaimlerChrysler researchers will be using this vehicle to conduct the first practical tests of these innovative systems and pave the way for their commercialisation. The raft of innovations extends all the way from the night vision system with infrared laser headlamps to two-way doors and a programmable multivision display in the cockpit. Electronic accelerator and brake pedals, an interior pillar which provides structural rigidity and an ultrasound driver information system are further features being tested by Mercedes-Benz in the F 500 Mind.

For the powertrain, the DaimlerChrysler researchers have developed a high-performance diesel hybrid unit whose NEDC fuel consumption is up to 20 per cent lower than that of a comparable CDI engine. The state-of-the-art V8 diesel engine (184 kW/250 hp) from the S-Class has been combined with a powerful electric motor (50 kW) which is switched on and off by an electronic controller in response to traffic conditions and driving style. The electric motor can take over for example when moving off from rest, in stop-go conditions or in other situations where an internal combustion engine does not operate at optimal efficiency. When the driver demands more power, the V8 internal combustion engine cuts in to provide sharp acceleration. The 300 V battery for the electric motor is located under the passenger cell and is recharged during braking.

Intelligent door-opening technology allows the doors to be opened in two different ways: either conventionally (both doors open forwards) or from the centre (centre-opening). In the latter mode, the B-pillar stump moves backwards with the rear door to provide a 1900 mm-wide opening for occupant entry and exit.

In the absence of full-size B-pillars, which would normally provide the all-important structural rigidity and side impact protection, the Stuttgart engineers came up with an innovative interior pillar which provides exemplary rigidity and typical Mercedes standards of occupant safety. The pillar is located in the middle of the vehicle towards the rear, and connects the reinforced floor pan to the roof structure. It also houses the air-conditioning ducts and interior lighting units.

The multivision display in the cockpit of the F 500 Mind forms the centrepiece of an innovative instrumentation and control system which offers the driver more flexible information delivery and at the same time reduces fatigue. The dials and displays in the instrument cluster are programmable and their images can be optically superposed or combined with the aid of a semitransparent mirror. In this way the driver can call up a wide range of information at the push of a button on the steering wheel. The information is always displayed directly in the driver’s field of vision where it can be seen easily and will not distract him. A further display, the central display unit, is situated above the centre console. It is linked to a touchpad whose surface is divided up in exactly the same way as the surface of the central display. By briefly touching it, the driver can control the navigation system, radio, air conditioning, telephone and other systems.

Aston Martin One-77

Aston Martin revealed its first complete One-77 coupe at the Villa d'Este Concours d'Elegance this weekend in Lake Como, Italy - and collected its first prize for the car. This collectors'-edition coupe received the Design Award for Concept Cars and Prototypes, voted the clear winner ahead of seven other entrants including the Morgan Aeromax Supersports, the Zagato-designed Perana Z One, the Infiniti Essence and the Rinspeed iChange.

The V12-engined, 200mph-plus One-77 has an all-new monococque body structure with hand-crafted aluminum panels, and Aston Martin pledges "extraordinary workmanship and money-no-object commitment to quality". As indeed one would, for a car costing £1million plus local taxes.

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Opel/Vauxhall Astra

These are the first images of the new Opel/Vauxhall Astra, which will debut as a five-door hatchback at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September. Created at GM's European design studio, the sixth generation Astra's cab-forward silhouette, steeply-raked windscreen and sloping rear roofline are design elements found in the Insignia. At 4400mm, the new car is 110mm longer than the model it replaces and has a 71mm longer wheelbase. It also has wider tracks front and rear.

"We're continuing with the same premium design cues as the Insignia, inside and out of the car," said Mark Adams, Vice President of GM Europe Design. "However, the main design themes, like the wing-shaped light signatures and the blade, needed an individual execution to avoid 'cloning' the model ranges. This is why, for instance, you see twin wings in the rear lights and a reversed blade on its flanks."

Opel has not released images of the new Astra's interior, but the automaker promises similar strides in quality to those found in the Insignia combined with improvements in packaging, seat design and in-cabin storage. The Insignia's unique wraparound IP is also said to be reinterpreted in the Astra.