Mercedes-Benz reveals design future

It might look like the fossil remains of a prehistoric creature, but this skeleton is in fact a pointer to the future design direction of Mercedes-Benz.

What you're looking at is dubbed the 'Aesthetics 125', and it was unveiled during Merc's 125th anniversary celebrations in Stuttgart last Saturday (January 29).

In the company's words, the sculpture "combines elements of an automobile's interior and exterior by means of sweeping, almost soaring shape transitions."

The model has added significance as it was constructed using new rapid-prototyping technology, which enables digital data to be transferred directly to a design object and dramatically shorten development time. It's said to be a very efficient process as the materials used are applied in fine layers so that no waste is produced.

Mercedes-Benz also used the anniversary event to wheel out Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg and David Coulthard as the starting shot was fired for the F-CELL World Drive, as part of which three B-Class cars with fuel-cell propulsion will travel around the world in 125 days.

As previously reported by the Carsales Network, the World Drive passes through 14 countries, including Australia, to spread the hydrogen message and gain data in the process.

At the anniversary celebrations Mercedes-Benz also announced it had been granted a patent for its so-called 'bipolar flat-cell frame', touted as a further step along the way to the industrialisation of lithium-ion batteries.

This technology is said to be more compact, cooler and more efficient than current accumulator batteries for electric cars -- clearly high on the company's priority list following the announcement at the Detroit show that the SLS E-Cell would be put into production by 2013.

Also trumpeted on the 125th anniversary celebrations was the fact that Mercedes-Benz has sold 30 million vehicles since post-war production began in 1945.

"This unit-sales jubilee is another major milestone in the history of our brand and demonstrates the popularity our cars have enjoyed for many decades with customers around the world," said company chairman Dr. Dieter Zetsche.

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