mercedes concept iaa press release

Daimler Communications, 70546 Stuttgart/Germany

Mercedes-Benz – A Daimler Brand

Mercedes-Benz "Concept IAA" (Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile)

Digital transformer

Contents Page

Abridged version

Digital transformer 2

The Mercedes-Benz management team on the "Concept IAA"

"Fascinating and technically sophisticated" 6

Long version

The exterior design

sensual purity and innovative aerodynamics 7

The interior

Flowing lines, high-quality materials and touch-based operation 9

Aerodynamics

New Cd world record achieved through active transformation 12

The heritage

Aerodynamically perfected record-breaking cars 14

The descriptions and information in this press kit apply to the international model range of

Mercedes-Benz and may vary from country to country.

Press Information

14 September 2015



Mercedes-Benz "Concept IAA" (Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile)

Digital transformer

Frankfurt/Stuttgart. The Mercedes-Benz "Concept IAA" (Intelligent

Aerodynamic Automobile) is two cars in one: an aerodynamics world

champion with a Cd value of 0.19 and a four-door coupé embodying

irresistible design. The study, which is celebrating its world premiere at the

Frankfurt International Motor Show, switches automatically from design

mode to aerodynamic mode when the vehicle reaches a speed of 80 km/h,

whereby numerous aerodynamics measures alter the shape of the vehicle.

Inside, the "Concept IAA" continues the design line of the S-Class and S-Class

Coupé, offers new touch-based functions and provides an idea of what the

interior of a business saloon might look like in the near future.

At the touch of a button, or automatically on reaching a speed of 80 km/h, the

Mercedes-Benz "Concept IAA" (Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile) performs a

fascinating transformation in which the captivatingly beautiful four-door coupé

turns into an aerodynamics world champion: eight segments extend at the rear,

increasing its length by up to 390 millimetres; front flaps in the front bumper

extend by 25 mm to the front and 20 mm to the rear, improving the air flow around

the front end and the front wheel arches; the Active Rims alter their cupping from

55 mm to zero; and the louvre in the front bumper moves 60 mm to the rear,

improving the underbody air flow.

"Fascinating and technically sophisticated cars form the core of Mercedes-Benz.

The 'Concept IAA' applies intelligent innovations to resolve the conflicting aims of

functionality and aesthetics and shows that we still have plenty of ideas on how to

achieve further improvements in efficiency," says Prof. Dr Thomas Weber, Member

of the Daimler Board of Management responsible for Group Research and Head of

Mercedes-Benz Cars Development.

Equally, the "Concept IAA" exemplifies the fundamental technological changes

which are taking place in the automobile industry. The primary driving force behind

this process of change is digitisation – commonly referred to in a business context

as "Industry 4.0". For Mercedes-Benz, a continuous digital process chain from

research and development through production to marketing and sales, logistics and

the service area is already becoming reality.



The design and aerodynamic shaping of the "Concept IAA" would not have been

possible without the systematic digital networking of different specialist

departments. The designers have employed the latest algorithmic design methods

to handle the complex geometric design. The individually adapted software enables

dynamic design in three-dimensional space. This dynamic modelling makes it

possible to display and model different states simultaneously. The resultant highly

complex geometries were turned into reality with the aid of innovative production

technologies (rapid prototyping).

The world-beating aerodynamics were developed in parallel with the aid of numeric

flow simulation. In around one million CPU hours, the aerodynamics experts from

Mercedes-Benz simulated the flow characteristics, calculating some 300 variants.

This roughly corresponds to the scope of work involved in developing a production

model.

The "Concept IAA" also offers a look into the future in areas which are not apparent

at first glance. The study features Car-to-X technology, for example, which enables

the study to communicate with other vehicles or other sources of information. This

represents a major advance in helping to avoid accidents, as obstacles or events

which are not visible to the vehicle itself can be detected - the "Concept IAA" is

able to look around the corner, as it were. With this and its interior and operating

concept, the "Concept IAA" also offers a foretaste of the business saloon of the

near future.

Exterior design: sensual purity and innovative aerodynamics

With its dynamic basic shape ("drop shape"), elegantly purist overall design and

aerodynamic innovations, the four-door "Concept IAA" Coupé Saloon is a symbiosis

of design and aerodynamics. The vehicle interprets classic sports car proportions in

a modern vein: the long bonnet flows aerodynamically into the compact, set-back

greenhouse, whose roof slopes down elegantly towards the rear, ending in an

airflow break-away edge.

The vehicle's elegant side view combines a purist, long basic volume with highly

pronounced wheel arches. The sporty, minimalist front of the show car boasts a

striking "shark nose" profile. Like the front, the show car's rear end also presents a

clear-cut and purist appearance. As on the front grille, horizontal louvres lend

structure to the shape of the rear end. An illuminated ring running around the rear

end adds the finishing touch to the high-tech appearance.



"The 'Concept IAA' continues our series of visionary concept cars," explains Gorden

Wagener, Head of Design at Daimler AG. "The symbiosis of alluring forms

showcasing intelligent aerodynamics is an expression of our unique Mercedes-Benz

design philosophy."

The interior: touch-based operating philosophy

The interior of the "Concept IAA" combines stylish sportiness with modern luxury.

The interior continues the design line of the S-Class and S-Class Coupé while

providing an idea of what the interior of a business saloon might look like in the

near future. The choice of colours and materials conjures up extrovert contrasts

between anthracite and white as well as between aluminium and cut glass.

Elegantly curved forms, flowing lines, carefully chosen high-quality materials and

the touch-based operating philosophy provide for a high level of functionality.

The two-spoke steering wheel is a progressive further development of the

Mercedes-Benz steering wheel philosophy. The open structure of its horizontal

spokes is highly intricate in design, as a manifestation of intelligent and elegant

lightweight construction. The steering wheel also incorporates touch-based

operating functions, offering great functionality in the most compact dimensions as

a study in perfect ergonomics: OFN (Optical Finger Navigation) buttons, embedded

in the clusters in a similar hovering manner as the touchpad in the centre console,

enable the driver to scroll through the instrument cluster menus. The OFN button

on the left controls the left-hand display, while the button on the right controls the

right-hand display. In this way, the "hands on the wheel, eyes on the road"

operating philosophy which has been applied by Mercedes-Benz for many years

now is implemented in a manner which is at once brilliantly simple and

uncompromising.

"Captivatingly sporty lines, fascinating technical solutions: the 'Concept IAA'

symbolises the emotional core of Mercedes-Benz: The best or nothing. And it

shows in a host of details what our customers can look forward to in future

production models," says Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of

Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales, summing up the visionary

concept.

The "Concept IAA" is 5040 millimetres long (5430 mm in aerodynamic mode),

1995 mm wide and 1305 mm high. Its wheelbase measures 2975 mm, and the

front/rear track widths are 1710 and 1770 mm respectively. The concept car is

powered by a petrol/electric plug-in hybrid drive with a total output of 205 kW



(279 hp). This provides it with a top speed of 250 km/h (electronically limited).

CO2 emissions and electric range depend on the mode in which the vehicle is

tested: in aerodynamic mode the "Concept IAA" manages an all-electric range of

66 kilometres and emits 28 g CO2 per km. In design mode the range stands at

62 km and CO2 emissions at 31 g per km. As urban driving is accorded a two-thirds

weighting in the current New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), the advantage of

aerodynamic mode is not revealed as clearly in this test as in real-life driving.

Real-life fuel savings are all the greater, however – in keeping with

Mercedes-Benz's customer-oriented "Real Life Efficiency" philosophy.

The "Concept IAA" show car forms part of a long line of aerodynamically perfected

vehicles from Mercedes-Benz. With a dimensional concept that makes it suitable

for everyday use, this four-seater attains a Cd value of 0.19, assuring it of a place in

the gallery of record-breaking and racing vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz W 25

record-breaker of the 1936 season.

At present the models from Mercedes-Benz occupy the top position for

aerodynamics in practically every vehicle segment. In 2013 the Mercedes-Benz

CLA attained a Cd figure of 0.22 – marking a new all-time low both within the

Mercedes-Benz model portfolio and amongst all series production cars.

Contact:

Koert Groeneveld, tel. no.: +49 (0)711 17-92311, [email protected]

Further information about Mercedes-Benz is available online:

www.media.daimler.com and www.mercedes-benz.com



The Mercedes-Benz management team on the "Concept IAA"

"Fascinating and technically sophisticated"

"Fascinating and technically sophisticated cars form the core of Mercedes-Benz.

The 'Concept IAA' applies intelligent innovations to resolve the conflicting aims of

functionality and aesthetics and shows that we still have plenty of ideas on how to

achieve further improvements in efficiency."

Thomas Weber, Member of the Daimler Board of Management,

Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development

"The 'Concept IAA' continues our series of visionary concept cars," explains Gorden

Wagener, Head of Design at Daimler AG. "The symbiosis of alluring forms

showcasing intelligent aerodynamics is an expression of our unique Mercedes-Benz

design philosophy."

Gorden Wagener, Head of Design at Daimler AG

"Captivatingly sporty lines, fascinating technical solutions: the 'Concept IAA'

symbolises the emotional core of Mercedes-Benz: The best or nothing. And it

shows in a host of details what our customers can look forward to in future

production models.

Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG,

Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales



The exterior design

Sensual purity and innovative aerodynamics

Sensually shaped surfaces and volumes providing stimulating contrasts with

functional high-tech details: the "Concept IAA" shows how intelligence and beauty

can be combined to form an exciting whole. With its dynamic basic shape ("drop

shape"), elegantly purist overall design and aerodynamic innovations, the four-door

"Concept IAA" Coupé Saloon is a symbiosis of design and aerodynamics.

The vehicle interprets classic sports car proportions in a modern vein: the long

bonnet flows aerodynamically into the compact, set-back greenhouse, whose roof

slopes down elegantly towards the rear, ending in an airflow break-away edge. A

short overhang at the front and a longer one at the rear emphasize the vehicle's

dynamic character, as does the cab tapering towards the rear. The cab is

supported on the muscular shoulders at the sides and merges into the powerfully

shaped rear fenders.

The sporty, minimalist front of the show car boasts a striking "shark nose" profile

and a flat and wide radiator grille opening. The design of the horizontal louvres in

the opening is continued in the LED headlamps. The seamless transition of the

louvres into horizontal headlamp elements underscores the vehicles purist and

powerful yet sensual and technoid appearance. The louvres open and close from

the outside inwards according to the required levels of cooling air. The spoiler lip

moves 60 mm to the rear when the vehicle reaches a speed of 80 km/h.

The vertical aero flaps look spectacular in the front bumper in front of the wheels.

They can extend to the sides for an ideal air flow around the front wheels (see

Aerodynamics section). During extension, that is, when switching over to

aerodynamic mode, the edges of the wings light up in blue. Cameras in the side air

outlets behind the front wheel arches monitor goings-on to the rear. Their images

are projected onto the split-screen rear view mirror in the interior. This makes

exterior mirrors superfluous.

The vehicle's elegant side view combines a purist, long basic volume with highly

pronounced wheel arches and precisely executed details such as joints or air

intakes and outlets. The side windows have been printed in the body colour

(alubeam) by means of a screen printing process. This reduces the amount of

sunlight entering the interior while at the same time lending the vehicle the



appearance of a sensual, silver high-tech sculpture. As the vehicle speed increases,

the Active Rims are transformed by centrifugal forces from sportily sculptured

wheels into flat, supremely aerodynamic disk wheels. In this way, they contribute to

the vehicle's overall performance not only on an aesthetic level but in functional

terms, too (see Aerodynamics section for further details).

The designers have dispensed with traditional door openers. Instead, pulsating blue

LEDs indicate where the touchpad to open the doors is located. A tap of the finger

suffices to open the doors.

Like the front, the rear end of the "Concept IAA" also presents a clear-cut and

purist appearance. At higher vehicle speeds, two-dimensional elements are

extended within the air flow break-away edge in aerodynamic mode, forming a ring-

shaped rear extension. This causes the air flow to hug the vehicle for longer,

eliminating unpleasant turbulence. The vehicle's drop-shaped overall volume is

further improved in this way (see Aerodynamics section).

As on the front grille, horizontal louvres lend structure to the shape of the rear end.

An illuminated ring running around the rear end adds the finishing touch to the

high-tech appearance. It is not visible in aerodynamic mode, however - shell-

shaped LED lamps then assume the rear lighting functions. The tail lights are a

stand-out feature, with a look that is evocative of stardust or the glow of a jet

engine. The "stardust look" lights will make their debut in a series-produced model

at the beginning of 2016.



The interior

Flowing lines, high-quality materials and

touch-based operation

The interior of the "Concept IAA" combines stylish sportiness with modern luxury.

The interior continues the design line of the S-Class and S-Class Coupé while

providing an idea of what the interior of a business saloon might look like in the

near future. Attractively curved forms, flowing lines, carefully chosen high-quality

materials and the touch-based operating philosophy provide for a high level of

functionality.

The designers have adopted a holistic approach to the material and colour concept:

the interior cites the exterior, with white and anthracite predominating as elegantly

high-tech basic colours. Other features linking interior and exterior are colour

highlights in the colour blue, which stands for efficiency, graphic patterns such as

the engraved lines in the trim elements, which suggest air flows, and the dynamic

high-tech perforations which are to be found both on the wheel rims (in design

mode), on the seat side bolsters and in the door panels above the loudspeakers.

The entire floor of the show car is covered in leather, over which dynamic lines run

like a flow of energy.

The instrument panel seamlessly merges into the doors in a wrap-around design.

The curved trim element emphasizes the horizontal. The wavelike motion continues

in the door panels. The trim element is all-aluminium, with milled lines alluding to

the aerodynamically optimised exterior.

The eight air vents have been produced by Swarovski on commission by

Mercedes-Benz as a work of art in glass. This authentic material offers an

unparalleled depth effect which endows the vents with a rich variety of reflections.

They are showcased by ambient lighting in a thrilling combination of blue and red.

A functional and aesthetic trilogy: the display and operating concept

The triad of steering wheel, instruments and head unit in the "Concept IAA" forms

an aesthetic, classy whole which has been adopted from the Concept S-Class

Coupé (IAA 2013) and subjected to further refinement. The basic colours of the

highly aesthetic and clear interface design are based on the blue ambient light and

create a harmonious, stylish link between interior lighting and user interface.



Instrument and head unit become an information landscape, combining displays

embodying high-tech clarity with cutting-edge, flowing design.

The instrument cluster consists of two 12.3-inch screens positioned alongside one

another. The displays are flush-mounted behind glass. The glass features ground

edges and an all-round aluminium chamfer. The glass elements are all bonded - this

entails filling the minimal gap between front glass and film with a transparent

adhesive in the production process, which provides for substantially improved

optical quality and more robust screens.

The centre console features a trim element consisting of three-dimensionally

curved glass in which a touch display is integrated. The air conditioning and seat

adjustment functions are operated here, and there are entry buttons for the

different operating menus. The aerodynamic exterior elements can be controlled in

a new menu. Hovering over a base directly under this is the touchpad to control the

menus of the head unit.

The two-spoke steering wheel is a progressive further development of the

Mercedes-Benz steering wheel philosophy. The open structure of its horizontal

spokes is highly intricate in design, as a manifestation of intelligent and elegant

lightweight construction. The steering wheel also incorporates touch-based

operating functions, offering great functionality in the most compact dimensions as

a study in perfect ergonomics: OFN (Optical Finger Navigation) buttons, embedded

in the clusters in a similar hovering manner as the touchpad in the centre console,

enable the driver to scroll through the instrument cluster menus. The OFN button

on the left controls the left-hand display, while the button on the right controls the

right-hand display. In this way, the "hands on the wheel, eyes on the road"

operating philosophy which has been applied by Mercedes-Benz for many years

now is implemented in a manner which is at once brilliantly simple and

uncompromising.

Sculptural lines and extremely light: the seats

The torso-shaped seats have a highly sculptural appearance, their lightweight

design underscoring the emphasis on efficiency which is integral to the "Concept

IAA". The seat shells consist of brushed aluminium. The thin seat bases are covered

in white leather. The brand's signature vertical fluting suggests dynamism. The side

bolsters additionally feature elaborate perforations with a metallic effect. In

addition to being perfectly matched to the seat upholstery layout, the CNC

perforation also underscores the shape of the seats by virtue of the dynamic



orientation of the punched holes. This kinetic effect of the perforation is achieved

by a fading of the hole sizes, which is further emphasised by the metallic reverse

side presenting a very high-tech look.

The choice of colours and materials conjures up extrovert contrasts between

anthracite and white and between aluminium and a cut-glass look. White has

deliberately been chosen for the entire roof lining. The bright, radiant colour exudes

clarity. Blue is to be found in the ambient light and the piping on the leather, for

example.



Aerodynamics

New Cd world record achieved through active

transformation

Two cars in one – on reaching a speed of 80 km/h, the "Concept IAA" switches

automatically from design mode to aerodynamic mode, whereupon numerous

active aerodynamic measures alter its appearance. As a result of this

transformation, the Cd value improves from 0.25 to 0.19 – a new world record for a

four-door four-seater. The frontal area totals 2.16 m2.

The active aerodynamic measures at a glance:

The front flaps in the front bumper in front of the wheel arches move

outwards by 25 millimetres and 20 millimetres to the rear, up to the rear

edge of the wheel crescent. This substantially improves the inflow of air to

the wheels and the flow of air over the front wheel arches.

The louvre in the front bumper moves 60 millimetres to the rear,

improving the flow of air towards the underbody.

The Active Rims alter their cupping with the aid of centrifugal force from

55 to 0 millimetres, transforming them from sporty 5-spoke wheels into flat

disc wheels offering exemplary aerodynamic characteristics.

In conjunction with the diffuser, the rear extension which is extendable

by up to 390 millimetres ensures that the air flow hugs the vehicle more

closely and that the after-flow zone behind the vehicle's rear end is

substantially smaller. This results in a considerable reduction in drag. The

rear extension in "boat tail" design consists of eight segments produced in

CFRP in a sandwich structure which close to form a ring.

As a result of the streamlined design, the downward slope of the roof line begins

further towards the front. In order to offer the rear passengers sufficient headroom,

the roof thus incorporates two rises over the rear seats.

Numerous other aerodynamic optimisations contribute to the vehicle's excellent

performance in the wind tunnel. These include windows which fit flush on the

outside, the omission of door openers and lowering of the chassis, resulting in a



ground clearance of only 100 millimetres. The underbody panelling comprises

partial covering of the centre tunnel, with perforation of the panelling here to allow

cooling of the exhaust system, and extensive cladding on the rear axle.

As on the new C-Class, an adjustable radiator grille shutter (air panel) helps to

reduce drag. When only low cooling requirements apply, the concentric louvres in

the radiator grille are closed in order to prevent air from entering into the engine

compartment. Basic ventilation then takes place primarily via the Mercedes star

and the cooling air opening in the bumper.

The "Concept IAA" aerodynamics world champion was initially evolved with the aid

of numeric flow simulation. In around one million CPU hours, the aerodynamics

experts from Mercedes-Benz simulated the flow characteristics, calculating some

300 variants. This roughly corresponds to the scope of work involved in developing

a production model. Fine tuning then took place in the wind tunnel in Sindelfingen

– another parallel with series production development.



The heritage

Aerodynamically perfected record-breaking cars

The "Concept IAA" forms part of a long line of aerodynamically perfected passenger

cars, racing cars and record-breaking vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, which began

in 1909 and achieved a spectacular milestone in the Olympics year of 1936. With a

dimensional concept that makes it suitable for everyday use, this four-seater

attains a Cd value of 0.19, assuring it of a place in the gallery of record-breaking

and racing vehicles described below - although the other cited examples were able

to exploit substantially more extreme dimensional concepts without any

consideration for spaciousness and comfort.

The Mercedes-Benz W 25 record-breaking car of the 1936 season featured a

chassis bearing a fully streamlined body for the first time which also included the

wheels and the underside of the car. In the wind tunnel at the Zeppelin plant in

Friedrichshafen, the experts analysed the body's air flow characteristics and

optimised its aerodynamics. These efforts yielded a Cd value of 0.235, a world

speed record and three international class records. Rudolf Caracciola clocked up a

top speed of 372.1 km/h in the 419 kW (570 hp) record-breaking car.

On 28 January 1930, the following project, the Mercedes-Benz W 125 record-

breaking car, set a new speed record on public roads which stands right up to the

present day, with Rudolf Caracciola having reached a speed of 432.7 km/h. The

record-breaking version of the W 125 Silver Arrow was primed for its special

purpose in the wind tunnel of the German test facility for aviation applications in

Berlin-Adlershof. The flat, fully panelled body with a wedge-shaped rear end

achieved a sensational Cd value of 0.157. A radically scaled-down air intake at the

front was a further contributory factor here. This meant that the record-breaking

car only breathed in the amount of air that the 5.6-litre V12 engine with an output

of 541 kW (736 hp) required in order to operate. The engine cooling system did not

use fresh air at all. Instead, the radiator was encased in a box filled with 500 litres

of ice and water, which at the same time reduced lift at the front axle.

The 8.24 metre-long T 80 three-axle record-breaking vehicle from 1939 was an

even more radical proposition. With this car, Mercedes-Benz aimed to break the

world speed record which had been pushed up to 595 km/h on a salt lake in Utah,

USA in 1939. The powerful vehicle was to be driven by an 807-kilogram

V12 aircraft engine generating a massive 2574 kW (3500 hp) of power from a



displacement of 44.5 litres. The T 80 was never deployed, however, due to the

outbreak of the Second World War.

For the motorway: 540 K Streamliner from 1938

The acquired aerodynamic findings were applied not only for record-breaking

attempts, however, but also on the road. The Mercedes-Benz 540 K Streamliner

built in 1938 crowned the development of aerodynamically optimised

Mercedes-Benz vehicles in the 1930s. The one-off model based on the Stuttgart-

based brand's sporty top-of-the-range model set both technical and aesthetic

standards. In the light of ever-faster travelling speeds made possible by the swift

pace of technological progress and the growing network of fast roads, the

aerodynamics of powerful passenger cars acquired increasing importance with

regard to efficiency aspects in particular. With the flowing lines and the low profile

of its aluminium body, the minimised drag sources on its surfaces and the panelled

underbody, the Streamliner applied the findings of research in exemplary manner –

with a remarkably low drag coefficient of Cd = 0.36.

Mercedes-Benz 2.5-litre streamlined racing car W 196 R, 1954

The streamlined design of the Silver Arrows became a global talking point once

again in 1954 with the arrival of the totally new W 196 R racing car. The

aerodynamically optimised streamlined version, which was still allowed in

Formula 1 at the time, was the first to be built for the 1954, because the opening

race in Reims/France permitted very high speeds. A second variant with open

wheels followed four weeks later. Mercedes-Benz's return to motor racing ended in

spectacular style, with Juan Manuel Fangio and Karl Kling achieving a one-two win.

In the improved version of the streamlined car he also won the last race in which

the W 196 R competed - the 1955 Italian Grand Prix. This sealed Fangio's second

world championship title driving the Silver Arrows.

Mercedes-Benz C 111-III record-breaking car, 1978

From 1969 on, Mercedes-Benz built a series of experimental and record-breaking

vehicles with the internal designation C 111. The C 111-III diesel record-breaking

car from 1978 underwent systematic aerodynamic optimisation. The vehicle was

slimmer than its predecessor, with a longer wheelbase, fully faired wheels and a

long rear end. This design lowered the Cd value of the C 111 to 0.183. On record-

breaking runs at the high-speed circuit in Nardò in southern Italy, the vehicle

provided an impressive demonstration of efficiency, with a five-cylinder in-line



turbodiesel engine rated at 169 kW (230 hp) powering the streamlined car to

speeds well beyond 300 km/h. The nine world records achieved with the C 111-III

include an average speed of 319 km/h over a distance of 1000 miles (1609 km).

The series production cars from Mercedes-Benz also set new benchmarks in

aerodynamics on a regular basis. Examples of the long-standing traditions which

also apply in this area are the S-Class of the 126 model series which was presented

in 1979 with a Cd value of 0.36, the saloons of the 124 model series which were

introduced in 1984 with a Cd figure of 0.29 and the S-Class saloon (W 220)

launched in 1998 with a Cd value of 0.27.

At present the models from Mercedes-Benz occupy the top position for

aerodynamics in practically every vehicle segment. In 2013 the Mercedes-Benz

CLA attained a Cd figure of 0.22 – marking a new all-time low both within the

Mercedes-Benz model portfolio and amongst all series production cars.

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