Vision with silver legacy

Mercedes-Benz unveiled the Vision EQ Silver Arrow show car during Monterey Car Week, which has just been staged at Pebble Beach in the US state of California.

The event attracted car aficionados and collectors from all over the world and one of the highlights was the one-seater vehicle that pays homage to the successful record-breaking W 125 car from 1937.

“More than 80 years ago, the historic Silver Arrows demonstrated that Mercedes-Benz was a pioneer when it came to speed thanks, among other things, to their streamlined shape,” said Gorden Wagener, chief design officer at Daimler AG.

“The Vision EQ Silver Arrow draws on that legacy. Intended for acceleration and driving pleasure, it embodies progressive luxury and provides an insight into the future of our design. As a result, the show car drives the design idiom of our new EQ product and technology brand to the top.”

The paintwork in alubeam silver is reminiscent of the historic Silver Arrows which, for weight reasons, did not have a white paint layer.

The interior is dominated by traditional, high-quality materials such as genuine leather, polished aluminium and solid walnut. The digital cockpit, meanwhile, points directly into the future: It includes a curved panoramic screen with back projection, as well as a touchscreen integrated into the steering wheel.

The EQ brand is shaped by the avant-garde, distinct aesthetic of the marque’s ‘progressive luxury’ philosophy.

The show car’s body structure is made of carbon fibre. The multiple layers of paintwork in alubeam silver appear like liquid metal over the top.

This concept aims to represent the design polar opposites of ‘hot’ and ‘cold’. Functional attachment parts made of carbon fibre such as the front splitter epitomise the cool and rational aspect of this philosophy.

The same applies to the front trim designed as a display, as well as the continuous lighting strip at the front. The side skirts also feature a lighting strip and the large, recessed EQ lettering in front of the rear wheels is illuminated blue as is characteristic of the brand.

Other highlights include the driver’s cockpit, which can be folded forwards, and the partially free-standing multi-spoke wheels. The non-rotating hub caps and the partial trim on the wheels are other stylish and innovative highlights. The 168 spokes per wheel are made of lightweight aluminium and are painted a rose gold.

Offering exceptional traction and correspondingly fast acceleration, the Vision EQ Silver Arrow has slick 255/25 R 24 tyres at the front and 305/25 R 26 tyres at the rear. The rear diffuser is reminiscent of motorsport. Two extendible rear spoilers act as an air brake by increasing the wind resistance when deceleration is desired.

When the driver’s cockpit is folded forwards, it provides a view of the surprisingly wide interior.

A contrast brings it to life, on the one hand, it uses traditional, high-quality materials. These include saddle brown genuine leather on the seat and steering wheel, polished aluminium throughout the interior and solid walnut with darker coniferous wood pinstripes on the floor. This creates a bridge back to the historic racing cars of the Silver Arrow era.

On the other hand, modern, high-tech solutions such as the large projection surface for the panoramic screen and innovative user experience solutions such as the virtual race option represent the EQ’s typically visionary character.

This contrast is an intentional … merging of past and future.

The sitting surface and backrest have an unusual pattern which is aligned with the seat contour: Stars have been stitched in with the help of laser engraving. AIRSCARF neck-level heating is integrated into the seat.

A four-point seatbelt inspired by motorsport holds the driver securely in place. The pedals can be adapted to the driver’s specific stature, with a controller located on the seat for adjusting the pedals.

To match the exterior paint finish in alubeam silver, the side walls of the interior are covered in a luxurious, grey suede.

The driver of the Vision EQ Silver Arrow is encompassed by a large panoramic screen on which a 3D image of the surroundings is projected from behind. As a pointer to future possible charging technologies, the lane of the roadway on which inductive charging is possible is superimposed onto the screen.

With the help of artificial intelligence it is possible to engage in a virtual race against historic or present Silver Arrow racing cars. For this a virtual racetrack is superimposed onto the real roadway on the panoramic screen and the driver sees their opponent either ahead of them or behind them as a “ghost”. The Virtual Race Coach assistance function helps you become a better driver by giving instructions during the race.

There is also a touchscreen on the steering wheel. The driver can use it to select programmes such as Comfort, Sport and Sport+, which offer different driving characteristics. Sound settings can also be configured here: Choices include the sound of a current Formula 1 Silver Arrow or a Mercedes-AMG V8 engine.

The Vision EQ Silver Arrow is conceived as an electric vehicle. This soundless Silver Arrow has an output of550 kW (750 hp). The thin rechargeable battery in the underbody has a useable capacity of approx. 80 kWh and enables a calculated range of over 400 km according to the WLTP. Side air vents help to cool the battery.

The role model for the Vision EQ Silver Arrow is the W 125 twelve-cylinder, record-breaking car which Mercedes-Benz built in 1937 on the basis of the Grand Prix racing car.

For the new body in 1937, Mercedes-Benz was inspired greatly by the aviation industry: Examples include the recommendation from the development departments of the aircraft factories of Ernst Heinkel and Willy Messerschmitt to shorten the front overhang and to make the front more rounded.

 The front was also extended further down and ended more steeply at the tip. As desired, this reduced lift on the front axle. A longer and more strongly raised rear reduced lift on the rear axle. One striking feature – and inspiration for the designers of the Vision EQ Silver Arrow – was the round cockpit glazing modelled on a drop of water in terms of outline and cross-section.

With it, Rudolf Caracciola achieved 432.7 km/h on the A5 autobahn between Frankfurt and Darmstadt based on the average speed travelling there and back. This speed record on public roads stood until last November.

l Check out the range of Mercedes-Benz models by visiting the Al Haddad Motors showroom in Tubli or by calling 17785454.