Press Release
Page 2 - Mercedes-Benz EXT-92 concept 1992Page 3 - Mercedes-Benz coupe concept of 1993
Page 4 - Mercedes-Benz Vision A 93 concept
Page 5 - MCC Eco-Speedster
Page 6 - Mercedes-Benz SLK I & II concept car
Page 7 - FCC (Family Car China) study 1994
Page 8 - Mercedes-Benz AA Vision concpet 1996
Page 9 - Maybach concept 1997
Page 10 - Mercedes-Benz Vision SLR 1999
Page 11 - Mercedes-Benz Vision SLA concept 2000
Page 12 - Mercedes-Benz Vision GST concept 2002
Page 13 - Mercedes-Benz Vision CLS concept 2003
Page 14 - Vison B Sport Tourer concept 2004
The Shape of the Future
Technological development has always been a spur to progress. When Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz designed the first high-speed gasoline engine in 1885 and the Patent Motor Car in 1886, respectively, both these events were revolutionary, not just for automotive development but also at the wider social level. In their wake, personal mobility was soon on an unprecedented rise. That trend has continued to this day, as new technologies and ideas keep on coming, opening up new opportunities for a mobile world.The DaimlerChrysler brands keep up the pace with a steady stream of new ideas. Mercedes-Benz for example regularly showcases its ideas for future models or model series in the form of concept vehicles. These concept vehicles feature innovative technology which is ready for commercialization - or in some cases has already been commercialized - in production models. In this way Mercedes-Benz sets important industry trends, in some cases preparing the way for market adoption of some quite unusual vehicle concepts. The markets into which the production models are launched are always in movement, reflecting constantly changing lifestyles, social trends and values. This in turn creates constantly changing expectations toward the car. Because what is all the rage today may have fallen out of favor by tomorrow.
Another function of Mercedes-Benz concept vehicles is to enter into a dialogue with customers. Since the success or failure of a new model will ultimately depend on the verdict of the customer, it is important to get to know that opinion as early as possible. Sometimes what the engineers, designers and marketing experts have come up with creates gasps of surprise. Sometimes it even generates quite a heated debate. But such debates are always useful - for all concerned. Because however unusual some of its concept vehicles may have appeared at first sight, the consistently successful track record of Mercedes-Benz proves that it has a very keen instinct for future trends.
DaimlerChrysler draws a distinction between concept vehicles and a number of other, related types of vehicle, namely:
- Research vehicles, which combine a variety of boldly innovative technologies in a form which can be visualized, driven and readily evaluated. A detailed press kit on Mercedes-Benz research vehicles is available on the Internet.
- Technology demonstrators - these are current production vehicles which are equipped with new technology and are used in field trials. One example is the modified A-Class models which DaimlerChrysler research engineers have fitted with fuel cell propulsion technology.
- Experimental vehicles, which are close relatives of research vehicles. Like research vehicles they take new technologies out of the laboratory and onto the test track where they are subjected to practical trials. These vehicles usually have no bodywork.
- Feasibility studies, which are used to present new ideas in the form of a complete vehicle. Usually these studies are not fully operational. An example is the NAFA (urban and short-distance vehicle) concept, which was developed more than twenty years ago.
The product drive of the 1990s
The early 1990s marked the start of a period of renewal at Mercedes-Benz as it adapted itself to a radically changed market environment. Since customer requirements had become much more diversified than in the past, the Board of Management now took the courageous decision to transform Mercedes-Benz into a dynamic brand offering vehicles in every category. Although countless decisions have been taken in the long history of the brand, the decision to launch the product drive must surely rank as the most momentous ever in terms of its far-reaching consequences.All the concept vehicles of the years that followed can be traced back to this historic decision at Mercedes-Benz. With very few exceptions, most of these vehicles subsequently made it into volume production. Their subsequent success is further proof that the product drive was the right decision at the right time. Examples include the A-Class, the SLK and the M-Class - products which have had an important impact on the market and given huge customer satisfaction.
One of the notable features of Mercedes-Benz concept vehicles is the fact that they are so closely geared to the realities of the market. Speaking at the unveiling of Vision GST in 2002 Professor Jürgen Hubbert, former DaimlerChrysler Board of Management member responsible for the Mercedes-Benz brand, put it like this: "Concept cars have always been more than just 'show cars' for Mercedes-Benz. We develop and design them to test new concepts or technologies, to engage in closer dialogue with our customers and to gauge the reactions of the public to the ideas they embody. As the recent past at Mercedes-Benz shows, the transition from a vision to reality can be accomplished relatively swiftly."
