The F125! research vehicle continues the legend of the S-Class into the future.

RADICAL REINTERPRETATION OF A SPORTS SALOON.

125 years after the invention of the Benz Patent Motor Car, in 2011 Mercedes-Benz presented a vision which could be just as significant for personal individual mobility: the F125! research vehicle. It demonstrates that emission-free motoring in the luxury segment need not remain just a dream. 

Yet above all else, the design of the F125! is visionary. It embodies the radical reinterpretation of a sports saloon and represents the pioneering further development of the current Mercedes-Benz design strategy.

LOOKING RESOLUTELY TO THE FUTURE.

The entire shape of the F125! conveys a sense of dramatic harmony. The front is characterised by an innovative grille set into the front architecture, suggesting the classic Mercedes-Benz radiator grille but bestowing the research vehicle with its own particular signature. The floating, aerodynamic front wings also add visual width to the front section. The bonnet has a stretched look, and dips in the centre. The vehicle's lines stretch through it like the tensed sinews of a muscular body. 

The so-called dropping line extends from the radiator grille and over the front wheels, then descends dramatically towards the rear. The roof structure emerges organically, with the A-pillars growing from the front end like sinews to blend into the roof.

The C-pillar supports the roof at the sporty rear end of the research vehicle, tapering as it descends in the manner of Mercedes-Benz coupés. The B-pillar, on the other hand, is completely omitted. The dramatic entry line (E-line), which becomes visible when the doors are opened, forms an elegant curve. All of the lines come together at the front end, and accentuate the forward-thrusting, dynamic appearance of the F125!. "In this way we have created contrasts in the visual perception: calm and quiet, yet dynamic", explains Prof. Dr. h.c. Gorden Wagener, Head of Design at Mercedes-Benz.

GULLWING DOORS ADD TO THE SENSE OF FLOWING HARMONY.

Overall, the shape of the F125! focuses radically on what is essential and contributes to an optimum interplay between design, function and energy consumption. Exterior mirrors and door grips have been dispensed with. The front wings are integrated into the single-piece, seamless bonnet. These measures help to reduce aerodynamic drag significantly, something to which the materials used also contribute. Through the use of carbon fibres, aluminium and high-strength steel, the body provides particularly high levels of safety and weighs in at just 250 kilograms, around 40 percent lighter than vehicles of a comparable size.

A particularly eye-catching feature comes in the form of the two gullwing doors, which open up along the entire vehicle body, including the rear seat area. They add perfectly to the flowing

harmony of the entire design and make getting into and out of the vehicle extremely convenient, even in parking spaces. Above all, however, they create a link between the exterior and the interior, providing a clear glimpse of the full extent of the interior of the passenger compartment.

INTUITIVE CONTROLS.

The interior of the F125! features just as many visual highlights as its exterior. The steering wheel boasts appointments which are futuristic and of extremely high quality. While the cockpit has a very sporty and driver-oriented design, the rear opens up as an extremely relaxing lounge area. These contrasts are visually underlined by a varied colour scheme. Anyone sitting in the F125! for the first time might wonder where all the switches and buttons are. The vehicle is controlled almost exclusively by means of spoken commands and intuitive hand gestures. Whether navigating, accessing the latest news, or reading SMS messages, emails and Facebook updates – the driver is able to do this and much more via natural voice commands.

"What sort of growth are the analysts predicting?" - "Play some romantic music please!" - the car of the future understands the needs of drivers and passengers and responds to them immediately.

In the F125!, exterior and interior come together in perfect harmony. The same applies to the vehicle's development: the shape was a result of the close cooperation between the technical research and

preliminary development departments, as well as the Advanced Design Studios in Sindelfingen and Carlsbad, USA. The trend-setting interior, meanwhile, was designed at the Mercedes-Benz Design Center in Como, Italy.

www5.mercedes-benz.com