For The First Time

For The First Time

First of all, they ditched the four separate headlamps, an E-Class staple since 1995, in favor of a single one-piece unit on each side that encompasses all lighting elements. Mercedes says that the graphic design of the inner elements retain the 鈥渇our-eyed鈥?look while both the day-time running lights and the dipped beam have partial LED lights as standard and full LED lights are offered as an option. For the first time, the E-Class, like the smaller C-Class, will be available with two different front-end designs. The base and Elegance trim levels feature the classic grille with three louvers and the three-pointed star on the bonnet, while the Avantgarde gets the sporty treatment with the star integrated in the grille. In the cabin, the main highlights are the redesigned center console, the new instrument cluster, a two-part wood or aluminum trim that runs across the entire dashboard and a new analogue clock between the central air vents. All versions of the E-Class will be equipped with an electromechanical Direct-Steer steering that combines speed-sensitive power assistance and a variable ratio of the steering gear. The 2014 model will be available with four suspension set-ups. In Europe, Mercedes-Benz will offer the new E-Class with either a six-speed manual or the 7G-Tronic seven-speed auto transmission and no less than 18 engines, all of them fitted with an auto stop/start system. Of course, there鈥檚 also an armada of safety systems.

At the 37th Tokyo Motor Show Mercedes-Benz will present its new F 500 research vehicle which provides 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 safety, drive technology and comfort. 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. The DaimlerChrysler researchers will be using this pioneering vehicle to conduct the first practical tests of these innovative systems and pave the way for their commercialization. A fascinating synthesis born of legend and innovation, the new SLR McLaren high-performance sports car will celebrate its Asian region debut in Tokyo.

The modern-day incarnation of the legendary SLR racing sports cars from the Fifties features a supercharged V8 engine developing 460 kW/626 hp which propels the two-seater to 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds. Like the Formula 1 vehicles, the SLR's body is built from carbon-fiber composites. With a body length of 5092 millimeters and a wheelbase of 2965 mm, the F 500 Mind offers a significant gain in legroom in the rear compared with a conventional present-day saloon in this class. This was made possible by using innovative-design electronic accelerator and brake pedals, which take up much less space than their conventional equivalents. The multivision display in the cockpit of the F 500 Mind forms the centerpiece 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. An advanced-design voice-operated control system and an ultrasound-based driver information system take convenience even further.

The ultrasound technology targets the sound at the driver so that only he or she can hear the information from the navigation system, the traffic news and other sound-based information sources, while the front passenger and rear passengers remain undisturbed. In the dark or in poor visibility, the innovative night vision system projects its images onto the right-hand display. The night vision system consists of two infrared laser headlights on the front of the vehicle which 'illuminate' the road with their invisible light over a range of up to 150 meters, and a camera on the windscreen. This allows the driver to spot hazards much earlier than in a vehicle operating on conventional dipped headlamps. Thus, Night Vision offers further opportunities for making night driving safer. The drive system in the research vehicle is a state-of-the-art diesel hybrid unit with a total power output of 234 kW. In the European driving cycle, it uses up to 20 per cent less fuel than a comparable CDI engine.