km : Automotive News

The original CLS-class, designed to be a sporty coupe that just happens to have four doors instead of two, was an innovator that has since inspired the design of vehicles as mainstream as the Volkswagen CC and even Hyundai's new Sonata. So where can the car go from here now that it has been copied in the mass market? Well, if the F800 Style is any indication, Mercedes-Benz has chosen to turn the beauty quotient up considerably. We know, that's pretty hard to do.

Mercedes-Benz is also using the F800 Style as a platform to show off future powertrain concepts, including plug-in hybrids and fuel cells. Thanks to a "Multi-drive" platform, the F800 is designed to accommodate either of those, with batteries or hydrogen storage tanks swapped out under the rear seat and cargo floor. The idea is to demonstrate that the brand realizes there are many possibilities for future propulsion, so engineers would be wise to design platforms that are modular and will be ready for any technology that becomes cost-efficient. In plug-in hybrid form, Mercedes estimates the F800 would emit just 68 grams of CO2 per kilometer.

This may or may not be indicative of a size reduction for the next generation CLS, but the F800, at about 15 feet in length, measures a full foot shorter than the current production model. While this might take away just a slight bit of grace from the car's road presence, it might also help to reduce weight and add a touch of sportiness.

The F800 Style is loaded with technology, including an evolution of the Comand system called "HMI with cam," meaning camera, and behind the touchpad is a small camera that recognizes hand gestures and can accurately regulate climate, telephone, or other systems on command, without all the finger smudges of a typical touch screen. Another neat, and more production-ready feature, is a "range on map" feature that shows a radius on the navigation screen of how far the vehicle can go on its current tank of fuel.



Destined for greatness, though, is Distronic Plus Traffic Jam Assistant. This feature uses cameras to measure the road and surroundings, just like current Distronic Plus, but adds the capability of the car to completely drive itself at speeds up to 25 mph. It will steer, brake, and accelerate itself in slow moving traffic, then the system slowly deactivates when the maximum speed is passed. The Brave New World is here.

The concept's LED headlights could very likely make production, since the CLS should be one of the brand's technology leaders. The F800 also demonstrates that like the current car, the future CLS will make use of copious, sprawling expanses of wood for the interior, giving a very intimate, warm feel to the cabin. We can't wait to see the full production car that should hopefully debut later this year.

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