More than 50 years after Mercedes-Benz launched the bright orange C111 automobile, the company has pulled back the curtains on a stunning reboot.
Called One-Eleven, the two-person all-electric supercar looks like some kind of exotic beetle thanks to its striking orange and black exterior paint.
It also has a super-slim aerodynamic body and upward-opening gullwing doors on each side – much like the DeLorean in the 1985 American sci-fi classic “Back to the Future”.
Inside the One-Eleven is a sci-fi inspired “lounge” interior with two F1-style silver seats and a rectangular steering wheel, as well as a pixelated dashboard, sunroof and ample storage space. storage.
One-Eleven is a reinterpretation of the C111, the experimental vehicle of the 1960s and 1970s, and is even adapted to work with an augmented reality (AR) headset to bring the dashboard navigation elements to life.
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the One-Eleven concept supercar with gullwing doors that open to reveal a silver “salon”. At the front of the car is a “rectangular element with rounded ends” – a pixelated external display that can display messages to other road users
The German automaker says the concept car “has a seamless blend of muscular lines and elegant curves” and “is more like a sculptural work of art” with its “iconic, minimalist and smooth surface design”.
“It’s beauty and the extraordinary united in a single vision of the future,” said Gorden Wagener, automotive designer of the Mercedes-Benz Group.
“Our all-electric show car vision is the modern interpretation of the C 111, which was avant-garde at the time.
“The element of surprise comes from its exceptionally clean, purist and, at the same time, extremely muscular proportions.”
Mercedes-Benz appears to compare the One-Eleven to a living, breathing animal in its ad, calling it “highly dynamic” with a “low-slung front end” and “muscular rear end.”
Indeed, it looks like a brightly colored jungle creature ready to pounce thanks to the swooping front end, which sits only about 20 inches off the ground for greater aerodynamics.
One-Eleven’s acceleration and top speeds are yet to be confirmed, although the original C111 hit 251 miles per hour on a test track in 1979.
The whole One-Eleven is low, as the highest point only reaches 46 inches, or just under 4 feet, although all riders would need the extra height if they don’t want to. not that the butterfly doors touch the ceiling once they’re open.
At the front and rear of the car, where the license plates would be, are a set of “rectangular elements with rounded ends” – which the firm says is a pixelated external screen that can display images. messages to other road users.
Around the two rectangles are rings of light – clear light for the headlights in front and red taillights in the rear.
The new One-Eleven is a reinterpretation of the Mercedes-Benz C111, the company’s experimental vehicle of the 1960s and 1970s
At the front and rear of the car, where the license plates would be, is a “rectangular element with rounded ends” – which the company says is a pixelated external screen that can display messages to others road users.
Mercedes-Benz calls the new design a ‘study’ because it’s not expected to go on sale, but it could be a preview of the kind of machines the company has in the works
On the butterfly doors there are side windows that are opaque from the outside and camouflaged by a pixelated pattern, but from the inside they can be seen on the outside.
But it’s really inside the car that it starts to feel even more futuristic, thanks to what Mercedes-Benz describes as “the first sports car interior with a saloon concept”.
Inside are two silver racing driver-style seats with orange harnesses, like something inside a game room or an old NASA space shuttle from 50 years ago.
Both seats have cushions that recess into the floor, giving the initial impression of a bucket seat in a Formula 1 racing car, according to the company.
A retro-looking flat pixel display that spans the full width of the dashboard – mirroring the design of the rectangles on the car’s exterior – provides drivers with basic information such as current speed and time.
The rectangular leather-wrapped steering wheel has four buttons – including the on/off button to start the engine and the button to activate the traction control (TC) system
Inside are two silver racing pilot-style seats with orange harnesses, like something from the interior of an old NASA space shuttle from 50 years ago.
A retro flat pixel display spans the full width of the dashboard, providing drivers with basic information such as current speed and time
As for the rectangular leather-wrapped steering wheel, it is equipped with four buttons, including the on/off button to start the engine and the button to activate the traction control system.
The steering wheel is complemented by a nearby touchscreen which is angled towards the driver and displays other additional vehicle information, as well as the display for phone calls and music control.
Drivers can also wear an augmented reality headset to “enrich themselves with high-definition digital content that contextually integrates with their surroundings.”
They can use the headset to see map instructions such as arrows and other navigation features to get to their destination.
Mercedes-Benz says: “This creates a seamless spatial blend of physical interior and digital user interface beyond the screen.
“In effect, the whole car becomes the user interface.”
Drivers can also wear an augmented reality headset to enrich themselves with high-definition digital content contextually integrated into their surroundings.
It’s unclear how this would work with the safety rules, although given that this is only a concept car, it’s fair to say that Mercedes-Benz has one foot in the fictional world for the moment.
Mercedes-Benz calls the new design a “study” because it isn’t expected to go on sale, but it could be a preview of the kind of machines the company has in the works.
Another concept car that has been turning heads recently is the color-shifted BMW i Vision Dee, unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.
The body of the BMW i Vision Dee contains microcapsules which contain color pigments which, depending on the chosen setting, are stimulated by means of an electric field.
However, BMW told MailOnline the car was only a prototype and would not release it.
Lazy drivers, rejoice! BMW’s new £50,000 5-series saloon lets you change lanes using only your EYES
If you’re a self-proclaimed lazy driver and manual steering takes too much effort, BMW’s latest car is for you.
The all-electric 5-Series sedan from the German automaker lets you change lanes just by looking at your exterior mirror.
The car – which starts at £49,850 – is fitted with cameras behind the steering wheel which monitor the driver’s gaze.
When the vehicle suggests a lane change, for example when the car in front is driving too slowly, this can be confirmed by the driver by looking in the exterior mirror.
The new BMW 5 Series includes a feature called “Active Lane Change Assistant” which tracks driver eye movements
Once this confirmation signal is received, the vehicle automatically resumes the necessary steering movements and changes lanes.
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