|
Price |
|
-- |
Production |
|
-- |
|
Engine |
V6
hybrid |
Weight |
-- |
|
Aspiration |
-- |
Torque |
-- |
|
HP |
300
hp + 109 hp |
HP/Weight |
-- |
|
HP/Liter |
-- |
1/4 mile |
-- |
|
0-62 mph |
4.8
seconds |
Top Speed |
155
mph |
(from Mercedes-Benz
Press Release) The technology of the F 800 Style:
Cultivated sportiness with Plug-in Hybrid or fuel cell electric
drive
Plug-in Hybrid or fuel-cell
electric drive with superior driving performance
and zero local emissions
-- Flexible multi
drive platform with optimized crash characteristics
-- New display concept focusing on electric drives
-- HMI with cam touchpad for intuitive and precise operation
-- Even greater active safety and convenience: DISTRONIC PLUS
with
new Traffic Jam Assistant
-- Even greater passive safety: PRE-SAFE 360°
In the future, it will
be more important than ever to bring mobility and environmental
protection into harmony. The world’s population will continue to
grow, in particular in the metropolitan areas. This will result in
an increased demand for mobility and consequently increased traffic
density. According to the latest studies, the total number of
automobiles in the world will double to roughly 1.8 billion vehicles
by 2030. As the inventor of the automobile, Mercedes-Benz has also
assumed responsibility for its continued development - with respect
to efficient and clean drive solutions without compromising comfort,
safety, functionality, and driving fun.
The research and
development work of the Mercedes engineers is by no means restricted
to current customer wishes and legal requirements, however.
Long-term trends - in the technology domain as well as on the social
and cultural level - are identified scientifically and adapted
specifically for the development of automobiles. Systematic and
goal-oriented futurology is thus an essential foundation of the
innovative power of Mercedes-Benz, which takes on concrete form in
research vehicles emblazoned with the star.
Mercedes-Benz brings
pioneering concepts to life in its research vehicles, which is why
it has continually set trends for the future in recent decades. The
latest example is the F 800 Style. It features numerous technical
innovations that are already at a near-series or even series-ready
stage of development. Examples of this include the drive system
options based on either Plug-in Hybrid or fuel cell technology.
Multi drive system platform for
two different drive concepts
The F 800 Style is
suitable for use with a variety of drive system options thanks to
its flexible multi drive platform, as the following example with two
technically independent variants demonstrates:
As the Plug-in Hybrid,
the F 800 Style offers electric mobility with zero local emissions
in urban settings. Over longer distances, a gasoline engine equipped
with the latest-generation direct-injection technology is supported
by the hybrid module, thereby enabling a high-performance and
efficient driving experience
The F-CELL variant is
equipped with a fuel cell unit that runs on hydrogen for electric
driving with zero local emissions. The only emission from electric
cars powered by a fuel cell is water vapor
According to Dr. Thomas
Weber, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG with
responsibility for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars
Development, “Hybrid and fuel cell electric drives are two important
elements of our broad drive system portfolio, which enables us to
satisfy all of the requirements of our customers throughout the
world for the mobility of today, tomorrow, and beyond. Our road to
sustainable mobility is a three-lane highway. The spectrum
encompasses the optimization of vehicles with advanced combustion
engines, further gains in efficiency through tailored hybridization,
and driving with zero local emissions through the use of fuel cell
or battery-powered vehicles.”
F 800 Style with Plug-in Hybrid: A
three-liter car disguised as a sports car
Mercedes-Benz is setting
new standards for future sustainable mobility with the F 800 Style.
Thanks to a powerful and high-torque hybrid module, the F 800 Style
Plug-in Hybrid can run almost exclusively on electricity in the city
and therefore without generating any local emissions. Because it has
a high torque right from the moment it starts, the vehicle has the
same driving performance as a car with a V6 gasoline engine when
operating in electric mode. It has an electric range of 30
kilometers. The efficient drive system and a CO2 bonus for the
battery-electric driving mode help the F 800 with Plug-in Hybrid to
a certified fuel consumption of only 2.9 liters of gasoline per 100
kilometers. This corresponds to extremely low CO2 emissions of only
68 grams per kilometer. Thanks to its outstanding efficiency, the F
800 Style equipped with a Plug-in Hybrid nevertheless performs like
a powerful sports car. The car accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in
only 4.8 seconds, and its top speed is electronically limited to 250
km/h. “The F 800 Style is thus the first three-liter car to feature
such sporty performance while at the same time offering room for
five passengers,” says Dr. Weber. Its drive unit consists of a V6
gasoline engine with an output of approximately 220 kW (300 hp) with
next-generation direct injection and a hybrid module with an output
of about 80 kW (109 hp) so that it delivers a total power of around
300 kW (409 hp). The lithium-ion battery with a storage capacity of
>10 kWh can be recharged either at a charging station or a household
power socket.
The powerful electric
drive enables the F 800 Style to drive at speeds of up to 120 km/h
solely on electric power. The low-noise electric drive, which
produces zero local emissions, thus covers the entire urban
transportation spectrum and a large portion of the interurban
spectrum. The vehicle has a cruising range of up to 30 kilometers in
electric mode. Extreme efficiency is also a characteristic of the
new 3.5 liter gasoline engine. The V6 engine features innovative
spray-guided gasoline direct injection with high-precision piezo
injectors. Thanks to the drive unit’s high efficiency, the 45 liter
fuel tank in the F 800 Style Plug-in Hybrid is sufficient for a high
combined range of around 700 kilometers.
Versatile modular hybrid system
The electric drive
components in the F 800 Style with the Plug-in Hybrid once again
demonstrate the versatility of Mercedes-Benz’ intelligent,
extensively scalable modular hybrid system. The hybrid system can be
expanded in various ways, depending on performance needs and the
area of application. For example, hybrid modules of various
performance classes and batteries delivering the associated
capacities can be combined with the most frequently produced
gasoline and diesel engines from Mercedes. All hybrid modules are
compatible with the 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission.
All variants of the
hybrid drive system can be realized on the basis of these
components: from mild hybrids to hybrids that also enable
all-electric driving in addition to the boost, start/stop and
recuperation functions. Another option is the Plug-in Hybrid used in
the F 800 Style, which had previously been presented in similar form
at the IAA 2009 in the Vision S 500 Plug-in Hybrid. With this
particularly high-performance version of the Mercedes hybrid drive
system, the battery can be charged via a household outlet, thus
increasing the model’s electric range.
From a design
standpoint, the hybrid module with around 80 kW output in the F 800
Style differs only slightly from the 44 kW variant used in the
Vision S 500 Plug-in Hybrid. Whereas the lithium-ion battery in the
Vision S 500 Plug-in Hybrid was placed behind the rear seats, the
electric storage unit is now located under the rear seat in the F
800 Style. This installation location ensures the greatest possible
crash safety, good driving dynamics thanks to the vehicle's low
center of gravity, and unrestricted space in the interior of the
vehicle. The 45 liter gasoline tank is mounted behind the rear seat
backrests, again in the interest of crash safety and to save space.
The result is a generous 440 liters of trunk space. In designing the
F 800 Style with Plug-in Hybrid, the Mercedes engineers particularly
focused on improving the possibilities of driving exclusively with
electricity in urban traffic. As a result, thanks to the high power
reserves, the F 800 Style in e-mode easily masters all kinds of city
traffic while producing no local emissions.
Clutch avoids engine drag losses
One system-specific
attribute of the familiar hybrid concept from the S 500 Plug-in
Hybrid is the clutch integrated between the combustion engine and
the electric motor. This device decouples the two components in the
pure electric drive mode, thereby ensuring the highest level of
efficiency without engine drag losses. Moreover, because it is fully
integrated into the converter housing of the seven-speed 7G-TRONIC
automatic transmission, this clutch does not take up any additional
space.
A drive battery based on
lithium-ion technology is used in the F 800 Style with Plug-in
Hybrid. It is cooled via a separate cooling water loop connected to
the research vehicle’s climate control system to ensure that the
battery is cooled within an optimal temperature window. The plug-in
battery of the F 800 Style can be charged both at charging stations
and via a conventional household outlet, making the F 800 Style a
full-fledged electric car. The vehicle's charging outlet is framed
by lighting elements that indicate the battery’s charge status. A
slowly pulsing light indicates that charging is active; a constant
light means that the battery is fully charged.
Powerful hybrid module: Electric
mobility not only for inner cities
The high-performance
battery with its storage capacity of >10 kWh and the hybrid module
delivering approximately 80 kW/109 hp enable the F 800 Style to
reach speeds of up to 120 km/h when running solely on electricity.
Such speeds are fully sufficient for drives in the city as well as
when covering longer distances. The high torque is available from
the very first turn of the electric motor, giving the F 800 Style
impressive performance. The vehicle is a dynamic high-performer, yet
highly efficient, nearly silent, and produces zero local emission.
The gasoline engine
automatically adds its power to that of the electric motor when
traveling at high speeds or when the battery range of approximately
30 kilometers is reached. The vehicle electronics synchronize the
speed of the combustion engine and the hybrid module so that the
clutch engages without jerking and imperceptibly to the driver.
What’s more, the sophisticated interplay with the combustion engine
enables numerous additional functions that positively impact fuel
consumption, emissions and vehicle agility.
In addition to an ECO
start-stop function, these also include the so-called boost effect,
which has the electric motor providing powerful support to the
combustion engine during the acceleration phase. The vehicle’s
hybrid module uses regenerative braking - the recovery of energy
when braking - to provide additional energy to the battery when the
car is in motion. The clutch enhances efficiency here as well, as it
enables complete energy recuperation without engine drag losses.
Efficient gasoline engine with
spray-guided piezo direct injection
Boasting an output of
around 220 kW (300 hp), the V6 gasoline engine underscores the
sporty nature of the F 800 Style. The engine is very efficient,
thanks to its spray-guided direct injection system with highly
precise piezo injectors. In 2006 Mercedes-Benz became the world’s
first automotive brand to introduce spray-guided gasoline direct
injection as standard. The system improves thermodynamic efficiency
to enable better fuel utilization and therefore reduced fuel
consumption. A key advantage comes to the fore when the engine is in
its stratified operating mode, in which it runs with high excess air
and thus achieves excellent fuel efficiency.
Because the combustion
process was consistently enhanced, the Mercedes direct injection
engine can maintain this advantageous “lean operation” across a
wider engine speed and load range. In addition, it supplies fuel to
the combustion chambers several times in succession at intervals of
a fraction of a second during each power stroke. In this way, it was
possible to further improve mixture formation, combustion, and fuel
efficiency.
Driving pleasure without pollutant
emissions:The F 800 Style
with electric drive based on fuel cell technology
Thanks to its
well-conceived layout, the F 800 Style also offers great handling
and driving pleasure as well as room for up to five occupants in the
variant equipped with an electric drive based on fuel cell
technology. The vehicle’s electric motor develops around 100 kW (136
hp) as well as a strong torque of approximately 290 Nm. The fuel
cell generates the traction current by chemically reacting hydrogen
with oxygen on board the vehicle. This process creates no pollutant
emissions and produces only water vapor.
The Stuttgart-based
automaker has been researching the use of electric drive systems
with fuel cells in automobiles since 1994. As a result, it has
gained an outstanding amount of expertise in this area.
Mercedes-Benz has already presented the world’s first fuel-cell
automobile to be manufactured under series conditions: the new
B-CLASS F-Cell. The first units of this small-batch model will be
handed over to customers in 2010.
As is the case with
hybrid drive technology, the Mercedes engineers have also developed
a modular building block system for vehicles with battery and fuel
cell drives. The modular system makes it possible to efficiently
utilize shared parts in all electric vehicles. These components
range from the electric motor and transmission to the battery,
high-voltage safety systems, high-voltage wiring, and software. In
F-CELL vehicles, specific components such as the fuel cell stacks
can be used in a wide variety of automobiles. The F 800 Style’s fuel
cell and electric motor, for example, are also used in the B-Class
F-CELL. The fuel cell variant of the F 800 Style has an
electronically limited top speed of 180 km/h.
The F 800 Style benefits
from Daimler’s outstanding expertise in the area of fuel cell
technology, which extends all the way to the production of fuel cell
cars and commercial vehicles. The latest Mercedes-Benz Citaro fuel
cell bus is driven by two passenger car F-CELL systems of the same
type that is found in the B-Class F-CELL.
Zero emissions even over long
distances
The F 800 Style’s fuel
cell electric drive was designed in such a way that it can be fully
accommodated in the front of the vehicle. The front end’s compact
package was made possible through the consistent downsizing of all
F-CELL components. The components include a very quiet, yet powerful
and highly efficient electric turbocharger for the air supply.
Because the turbocharger is very quiet, complicated and voluminous
soundproofing is not needed.
The compact components
also make it possible to integrate the electric drive and fuel cell
into a rear-wheel drive vehicle with the dimensions of a
conventional sedan. To save space, the electric motor in such
vehicles is located between the two rear wheels, while the
lithium-ion battery is installed behind the backrest of the rear
seat. To provide them with the best protection possible, the four
hydrogen tanks are placed in the transmission tunnel between the
passengers as well as underneath the rear seat.
The hydrogen for
operating the fuel cell is stored in four onboard tanks at a
pressure of 700 bars. The tanks can store up to 5.2 kilograms of the
gaseous fuel, which is enough for a range of almost 600 kilometers.
This long range is made possible through the well-thought-out
integration of the tanks into the vehicle, creating the first
automotive architecture that is consistently geared toward
accommodating alternative drives. The tanks are hermetically sealed
so that no hydrogen can escape even if the vehicle is not used for
extended periods.
Increased efficiency through the
recovery of braking energy
The electric motor
transforms kinetic energy into electrical energy every time the
brakes are engaged or the driver takes his or her foot off the gas
pedal. The motor does this by recovering the energy, which it then
stores in the battery. The electric motor uses electricity from the
battery whenever the motorist is maneuvering in tight areas, driving
in cities, caught in stop-and-go traffic, or making short trips. If
the energy storage unit does not have enough capacity, the fuel cell
is automatically switched on. The vehicle’s smart drive management
system decides whether to use the electric energy from the
lithium-ion battery, the fuel cell, or both systems together with
the aim of achieving the highest efficiency in every situation.
F 800 Style with further
innovations for more comfort and safety
In addition to a multi
drive platform that is unparalleled for large sedans and the
combination of different alternative drive technologies, the F 800
Style features many other technological innovations, These include
innovative comfort and safety-related features, such the Traffic Jam
Assistant developed on the basis of the DISTRONIC PLUS proximity
radar system, and the especially convenient and precise HMI
operating and display system featuring a cam touchpad. The display
unit in the F 800 Style features numerous additional functions that
go beyond those normally present in a conventional instrument
cluster. The F 800 Style’s operation and display concept focuses for
the first time primarily on electric driving functions.
Cam touchpad operating concept:
full Internet access in the car
Provided a
high-performance infrastructure is available, motorists will be able
to make greater use of the Internet in automobiles in the future. In
late 2008, Mercedes-Benz already provided a glance at what fully
Internet-based infotainment systems in cars will look like, with
myCOMAND. myCOMAND makes many new functions possible, including
Internet telephony, personal Internet-based music databases, and
offboard navigation systems that always employ the latest maps and
also use the traffic information available on the Web when selecting
routes. However, increasingly extensive infotainment functions in
automobiles will require not only correspondingly large bandwidths
for the communication networks, but also increasingly
high-performance input and operating concepts within the vehicle.
Mercedes-Benz is
presenting another particularly user-friendly innovation in the F
800 Style in the form of a new human-machine interface (HMI)
equipped with a cam touchpad. The feature is a well-conceived system
expansion for COMAND. The HMI unit here consists of a touchpad on
the center console and a camera that records video images of the
user’s hand as it works the pad. The live image of the hand is
presented in transparent form in the central display above the
console. The key advantage of this solution is that icons that would
be covered by the hand with conventional cell phones, for example,
remain visible.
Users see their hands
glide across the touchscreen as a “transparent” contour, allowing
them to operate the functions of the current menu by applying a
slight pressure. The touchpad can be operated with several fingers
at the same time, and operating it feels similar to touching the
keys of a notebook computer. Because the user interface is depressed
by a few millimeters when touched, the activities carried out with
the fingers are physically confirmed by the sense of touch.
The cam touchpad unit
recognizes finger movements on the pad surface such as wiping,
pushing, turning, and zooming, thus enabling intuitive regulation of
the climate control system, phones, audio and navigation systems,
and Internet access. The unit enhances active safety as well,
because it is very easy and convenient to use and therefore does not
distract the motorist as much from the actual task of driving.
Infrared camera transmits
transparent image of the hand to central display
An infrared camera
records the image of the hand and transmits it to the central
display of the HMI with cam touchpad. The camera also detects the
direction in which the hand is moving. The hand is always shown in
the display when it is nearing the touchpad, but not when it is
gliding across the center console. In this way, the system makes
sure that the driver is not distracted by unexpected depictions in
the central display. The camera is located in the center console,
and the image it records is reflected by a mirror in such a way that
it is focused on the touchpad. The center console has a black cover
that is transparent to infrared light and protects the image channel
against dust and other environmental influences.
Easy, convenient, and precise
operation
The HMI with cam
touchpad can be used more easily, more conveniently, and with
greater precision than conventional touchscreen operating concepts.
As a result, the user’s hand can remain at an ergonomically
beneficial position on the center console, since the driver does not
have to bend forward to reach the central display in order to
operate the touchscreen. The system offers another benefit in that
the display in the F 800 Style is not smudged by fingerprints, as is
the case with a touchscreen.
The cam touchpad also
offers clear advantages over conventional touchpad units in which
hand or finger positions are generally depicted only by a point in
the display. This lack of precision makes it very risky to enter
information while driving, because doing so diverts the motorist’s
attention too much from the road. By contrast, the HMI with cam
touchpad can be easily and safely operated even while driving. Test
persons have confirmed that the HMI with cam touchpad is much easier
to use than conventional systems, and that this is especially due to
the transparent depiction of the hand. Unlike conventional touchpads,
which determine the finger’s position on the pad by sensing
capacitance, the Mercedes-Benz system uses infrared radiation to
follow the movements on the touchpad. The hand therefore does not
have to directly touch the cam touchpad in order to enter
information, enabling drivers to use the system even when wearing
gloves or using a pen. In addition, the cam touchpad developed by
the Mercedes engineers optimally augments the LINGUATRONIC voice
control system.
Range on Map: Graphic range
depiction during electric operation
The Range on Map
function represents yet another extremely user-friendly innovation
from Mercedes-Benz. This feature shows the remaining possible travel
radius during electric vehicle operation as a 360° map depiction in
the display. The system combines information about the current
battery charge level with data from the navigation system, which
also enables topographical attributes specific to the area in
question to be taken into account, thus providing the driver with
even more precise information about the remaining range.
The new operating and
display concept from Mercedes-Benz that is used in the F 800 Style
is a solution that provides exemplary clarity. The engineers have
thus achieved the goal of successfully developing a comprehensive
and easy-to-operate information and control system for future
automobiles equipped with electric or partially electric drive
systems.
The following is an
overview of the features of the HMI with cam touchpad:
-- Permanently
visible depiction of the separate and combined ranges of the
electric motor and the combustion engine
-- When a destination is entered into the navigation system, the
display shows whether there is sufficient electrical energy
available to reach the destination or how far it is possible to
drive in pure electric mode until the combustion engine is
automatically switched on
-- To provide the driver with a quick overview, the Range on Map
system shows the available electric driving range on a map
-- If the battery has to be recharged, an integrated display
shows the relationship between battery charging time and energy
content
-- Visualization of the energy flow (outflow of energy as well
as inflow of energy through energy recovery)
-- Because the vehicle does not make any noise when in electric
driving mode, the motor’s readiness after “ignition” is shown to
the driver on the display
-- An electronic eco-trainer motivates the motorist to drive in
an efficient manner that helps extend the vehicle’s range
-- Mercedes-Benz has designed the future-oriented HMI with cam
touchpad in such a way that the number of functions can be
expanded. In the future the system will, for example, also show
the location of public charging stations and guide the driver to
the next charging station if desired
Mirror display is easy on the eyes
One of the chief factors
causing fatigue during long trips is what in medical textbooks is
referred to as “accommodation” - the strain of refocusing of the
eyes when frequently switching the field of vision back and forth
between near objects such as the dashboard display and objects
farther away on the road. The eyes use muscle power to change their
focus levels, which makes them very tired over time. The innovative
display system was developed to eliminate the differences between
close proximity visibility and visibility over longer distances, and
therefore also to further enhance the physiological safety that is
typically ensured by Mercedes.
With the SERVO-HMI
display, the engineers have developed an optimized human-machine
interface (HMI). It has been used before, in the F 700 research
vehicle in 2007. The system displays driving and vehicle information
via a mirror in the instrument cluster so that they appear to be
farther away. The display with the instrument panel is mounted
horizontally in the dashboard. A mirror guides the light from the
display onto the instrument panel, where it is visible to the
driver. The distance the eye looks into is thus extended, which
means less switching between near and far focus for the eyes - a
contribution to driving safety that has been confirmed by scientific
studies.
The comfort for an
automobile’s driver and passengers is defined not least by the
vehicle’s versatile interior, which is designed with the users’
needs in mind. The interior also features a state-of-the-art
infotainment system for passengers in the rear, which is integrated
in the fold-away backrest of the middle seat in the rear.
Intelligent measures further
reduce driver stress
Now more than ever,
mobility has become an indispensable part of everyday life in modern
societies, and people are therefore spending more and more time on
the move - especially in cars. With this in mind, Mercedes-Benz
assigns especially high priority to making the driving experience as
comfortable and safe as possible. An important contribution is made
by systems that ease the stress on drivers and thus improve their
physiological well-being. Particularly stressful for drivers is
having to constantly repeat the same actions in traffic jams: start
to move - roll slowly - apply the brakes - stop - start again and so
forth.
Back in 2006,
Mercedes-Benz introduced DISTRONIC PLUS, the world’s first proximity
and speed control system, which operates even when the car is
standing still - and greatly reduces stress on the driver in
congested traffic. DISTRONIC Plus regulates the distance from the
car in front even at very low speeds, all the way to a standstill.
When the car in front begins moving again, a tap on the gas pedal or
the cruise control lever is all it takes for DISTRONIC PLUS to begin
again to regulate the speed and distance from the driver up ahead.
DISTRONIC PLUS Traffic Jam
Assistant: Cars that drive themselves in traffic jams
With its new Traffic Jam
Assistant feature in the F 800 Style, Mercedes-Benz has become the
world’s first automaker to implement a system that is capable of
automatically following the vehicle in front of it into curves. At
speeds of up to about 40 km/h, the system takes care of both
longitudinal and transverse movements so that drivers do not have to
steer themselves. The driver can just sit back and relax - with
hands on the steering wheel. Drivers can, of course, override the
system at any time. Sensitive sensors notice if the driver moves the
steering wheel, thus automatically deactivating the system’s lateral
control function. When the 40 km/h mark is exceeded, the steering
torque that keeps the vehicle in its lane is gradually reduced to a
point at which the system smoothly disengages.
For the Traffic Jam Assistant feature, the Mercedes engineers
supplemented the tried and tested DISTRONIC PLUS with proximity
radar sensor by adding the “eyes” of a stereo camera. The camera and
the electronic system monitor and analyze the area in front of the
vehicle out to a distance of about 50 meters. The camera recognizes
lane markings as well as the vehicle in front, which is also
measured in terms of its position and width. As long as the vehicle
in front is moving within its lane, the F 800 Style follows the
vehicle by means of the measurement data from the camera. But should
the driver in front move out of the lane or initiate a turn to the
right or left, the assistance system limits the lateral control
function to keep the F 800 Style in its own lane. In heavy traffic
the Traffic Jam Assistant significantly boosts the driver’s comfort
by reducing the stress of driving. The system thus contributes to
the further improvement of active safety because the driver can
remain alert longer and retain the ability to react quickly.
PRE-SAFE 360° improves safety in
rear-end collisions
While the Traffic Jam
Assistant heightens active safety, simply because the driver is able
to stay alert longer, the innovative protective system known as
PRE-SAFE 360° further improves passive safety. PRE-SAFE 360° was
realized for the first time in the ESF 2009 experimental safety
vehicle from Mercedes-Benz, which was a world first, and it is also
being used in the F 800 Style. It is based on the well-known
PRE‑SAFE® system presented by Mercedes-Benz in 2002. If PRE‑SAFE®
recognizes a critical driving situation, the system activates
occupant protection measures in advance.
The enhanced PRE-SAFE
360° monitors not only what is on either side of the vehicle, but
also the area behind the vehicle. The system uses short-range and
multimode sensors to monitor the area of up to 60 meters behind the
vehicle. If the system for early recognition of accidents determines
that a collision is unavoidable, the brakes are activated about 600
milliseconds before the impact.
Braking a stationary
vehicle that is hit in the rear helps prevent secondary accidents
such as those that result when such a vehicle is hit and catapulted
in an uncontrolled manner into an intersection or a pedestrian
crossing. This application of the brakes can also reduce the
severity of possible injuries to the passengers’ cervical vertebrae
because the vehicle, and therefore the occupants’ bodies, are
subjected to a lower acceleration. The driver always retains control
in a vehicle fitted with PRE-SAFE 360°, however. For example, the
brake is immediately released if the driver hits the gas pedal
knowing that there is sufficient space in front of his or her own
vehicle to avoid the rear impact.
The protective effect of
PRE-SAFE 360° supports that of the NECK-PRO crash-responsive head
restraints. As soon as the sensors detect a rear-end impact of a
predefined severity, the system releases pre-tensioned springs
inside the head restraints. These move the padded surface of the
head restraints slightly forward and upward within milliseconds,
thus supporting the driver’s and front passenger’s heads sooner than
conventional head restraints.
Rear pivot-and-slide doors ensure
maximum entry comfort
A particularly
customer-friendly innovation of the F 800 Style is its rear doors.
Whereas the front doors are attached to the A-pillar as normal and
open toward the front, the rear doors slide backward when opened.
The Mercedes-Benz
engineers created an entirely new opening mechanism for the F 800
Style: Each rear door is suspended from an interior swivel arm
mounted on the C-pillar. When the pivot-and-slide door is opened, it
is moved away from the body a little by means of a mechanically
coupled kinematic system of translation and rotation and then glides
back.
Because the rear doors
slide back close to the vehicle body and the front doors are
comparatively compact, it is much easier to get into and out of the
automobile in tight parking spaces. Dispensing with a B-pillar makes
the entire space between the A-pillar and the C-pillar freely
accessible when the doors are open, and the big opening gives the
passengers maximum freedom of movement. The front and rear doors can
be opened entirely independently of one another. There are two locks
interlocking the front doors, one installed up on the roof frame and
another below on the sills. The pivot-and-slide doors are locked by
means of a central lock in the rear and in the front sections of the
doors with corresponding slotted guides.
The highest level of crash safety
even with reduced body weight
Thanks to the optimized
body design, both variants of the F 800 Style also meet the highest
safety standards. Despite the fact that the design does not feature
a B‑pillar, the research car’s lightweight body structure is very
stable and torsionally rigid. The Mercedes engineers achieved the
mix of high load-bearing capacity and effective lightweight design
by means of intelligent hybrid-metal construction using
high-strength steels in combination with extruded aluminum
components.
In addition, very rigid
(sandwich) compound components with lightweight aluminum honeycomb
cores were used for the underbody and the transmission tunnel. The
weight- and crash-optimized modules are designed to accommodate
drive system and storage components. For example, the two hydrogen
tanks of the F 800 Style with fuel-cell drive, which are installed
lengthwise, one above the other, save space and are well protected
in the stable transmission tunnel.
Successful transfer from research
to series production
Mercedes-Benz has
presented 13 research vehicles since the early 1980s. The range of
fascinating and pioneering automobiles that was unveiled - beginning
with Auto 2000 in 1981 and leading up to today’s F 800 - offers
proof of the consistency and foresight with which Mercedes-Benz
engineers address the core issues of research and technology in
order to develop innovative solutions for the future.
Many systems that were
first used in research vehicles and viewed as revolutionary at the
time can now be found in production cars, including the DISTRONIC
proximity-controlled cruise control system, which was first
installed in the F 100 in 1991 and made its series production debut
in the S-Class in 1998. Active Body Control, which is found today in
the CL-, S- and SL-Classes, is another example of the successful
transfer of technology from research vehicles to series production
cars, as are the windowbag and the cornering light function. The F
500 Mind served as the model for the further development of hybrid
power. The vehicle combined the V8 diesel engine of an S‑Class with
an electric motor. At the time, this duo formed the most
high-performance, highest-torque hybrid drive system for rear-wheel
drive passenger cars.
The immediate
predecessor of the new F 800 Style - the F 700 presented in 2007 at
the IAA in Frankfurt - is the world’s first car that can register
road conditions in advance and compensate for bumps and potholes by
means of its active PRE-SCAN chassis, which ensures further
significant improvement of suspension comfort. Another technological
highlight is the pioneering DIESOTTO drive presented in the F 700.
The four-cylinder engine with only 1.8 liters of displacement
combines the strengths of the low-emission gasoline engine and the
low fuel consumption of the diesel. Its CO2 emissions of a mere 127
grams per kilometer correspond to consumption of only 5.3 liters of
gasoline per 100 kilometers.
The F 800 Style is
continuing this approach. Like its predecessors, the model features
key drive, comfort, and safety system innovations, as well as an
emotional design, all of which point the way forward for series
production of future Mercedes-Benz vehicles that will continue to
impressively combine fascination and responsibility.
