Luxury flagship Mercedes-Maybach, a forerunner of the new Audi A8, a prototype of an affordable urban crossover Volkswagen and other concept cars at the Munich Motor Show.
At the Munich Motor Show, which replaced the motor show in Frankfurt, there were not so many serial novelties. But in the capital of Bavaria, a lot of all kinds of concept cars for every taste and color were on display: from the future Gelendvagen for the hero of the Terminator to a racing Porche with a linen body.
Mercedes-Maybach EQS
Mercedes-Maybach is one of the few brands in the world that continue to use huge V12 gasoline engines, but at the same time actively develops green technologies. As soon as the Germans started selling the new Maybach S-Class with a 12-cylinder unit, the forerunner of the luxury flagship electronic crossover Maybach EQS debuted in Munich. Despite the new "filling" and blurred aerodynamic silhouette, the car has retained the signature features of the luxury brand such as huge metal rods on the radiator grille cap, massive 24-inch wheels, and an abundance of chrome.
The interior is fitted with four separate seats with backrests, in the design of which they used inserts in pink gold, and the dashboard is made following the MBUX Hyperscree concept. It is a 56-inch solid glass surface with three digital displays underneath. The Germans call the concept crossover "almost ready for production"― the production version of the model will appear within two years ― by 2023.
Mercedes-Benz EQG
By the same time, the "battery" version of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, the concept of which was also shown at the exhibition in the capital of Bavaria, will be on the assembly line. The brutal SUV was transferred to alternative traction before: take at least a special "Wagon" from the Austrian Kreisel Electric, made especially for Arnold Schwarzenegger. But those were isolated handcrafts, and now the Germans are going to put the release of such Gelendwagen on a stream. All that was known about the interior of the concept car so far is that the car is driven by four individually controlled electronic motors ― one for each of the wheels.
Despite the absence of an internal combustion engine, the electric car inherited a lot from the classic SUV, including a ladder frame, independent front suspension, and a rear continuous axle. In fact, there is nothing particularly unusual about the appearance of an electric modification of the legendary SUV with more than 40 years of history. After all, earlier, battery-powered versions were received by canonical American all-terrain vehicles like the Hummer and Ford F-150.
Audi Grandsphere
In five years, Audi will finish the development of new cars with gasoline and diesel engines, and the last car with a classic internal combustion engine with four rings on the hood will roll off the assembly line in 2033. Therefore, the main Munich premiere of the Ingolstadt-based company was the Grandspere concept car, which gives an idea of the flagship A8 sedan of the future, in which the Germans will bet on ecology and minimalism. For example, there is There leather in the interior of the car ― only wool, synthetic fabric, hornbeam veneer, and processed metal, as well as recycled materials, are used in the interior design. There was a place for living flower between the front seats.
Despite the presence of controls, Audi Grandsphere can move completely independently on a given routes thanks to the fourth-level autopilot. When automatic mode is activated, the steering wheel, pedals, and dashboard are retracted into the body, and the space inside the car turns into a "digital chill-out". The concept car is powered by a pair of electric motors located on the front and rear axles, which develop a total of 271 hp and 950 Nm of torque. Without recharging, Audi Grandspere can travel up to 750 kilometers.
BMW i Version Circular
BMW is also going to produce cars with great regard for the environment in the future, having presented the concept car i Vision Circular at the exhibition. The main feature of the hatchback was the design, which is 100% made of materials, suitable for subsequent processing. For example, the body panels are made from recycled aluminum, the bumpers are made from recycled plastic, and the tires are made from natural rubber. Even a solid-state battery in an electric vehicle can be recycled. Interior elements, including the front panel, were 3D printed, thus achieving structural integrity and eliminating the use of glue.
Another feature of the experimental eco-car is the special sound emitted by electric units when driving. The soundtrack for the car was invented by Oscar-winning German film composer Hans Zimmer, who has collaborated with BMW over the past few years. The author of the music for the cartoon "The Lion King" recorded for I Vision Circular an unusual mix of the sound of old musical instruments and sounds produced by the materials from which the electric car itself was created. BMW says a similar electric hatchback could hit the road by 2040.
Volkswagen ID. Life
Volkswagen also presented its concept of a compact city electric car at the Munich Motor Show. At the moment, the German concern is developing a new family of relatively affordable battery cars worth up to 25 thousand euros, which should appear by the middle of this decade. It was their precursor that the ID concept car became. Life concept, created on the front-wheel-drive modification of the MEB electric chassis. The car has a modest size(less than 4.1 m in length), but at the same time it has an impressive 190 mm ground clearance and very short overhangs, so at least it will not be difficult for it to climb onto curbs.
The salon, in tribute to modern trends, is made with a clear emphasis on minimalism. So, the car does not have the usual displays inside ― all the necessary information is displayed on the projection screen or the driver's smartphone, which can be recharged by putting it in the door pocket. At the same time, a real home theater is provided for the car ― a tension cinema screen is hidden in the front panel, which is attached from the inside to the windshield. Thanks to it, while parking, you can watch movies or play video games.
Porsche mission R
Porsche did not bring serial novelties to Munich, but presented at the motor show a prototype of the Mission R electric racing car, which "should in no way be inferior to analogs with internal combustion engines." The units located on the front and rear axles of the coupe are capable of delivering up to 1,088 horsepower in a special qualification mode. Thanks to this, the car can gain the first "hundred" in 2.5 seconds, and its maximum speed is 300 km per hour. A set of 82 kWh batteries, according to the developers, will allow the pilot to squeeze a maximum of at least half an hour on the track from the Mission R.
The racing supercar's arsenal includes active aerodynamic elements, an adjustable massive rear wing, and mechanical limited-slip differentials. Porsche has not forgotten about caring for the environment: for example, the car body is made of biocomposite ― plastic reinforced with linen fiber.
Smart Concept # 1
Two years ago, Smart, currently equally controlled by Daimler and China's Geely, announced that it was abandoning the development of new cars with traditional internal combustion engines. Moreover, the miniature city car maker is now going to focus on crossovers. At the same time, not so small: the concept car Smart Concept # 1 in its dimensions turned out to be similar, for example, to the MINI Countryman.
There are still few details about the production car, which will enter the assembly line in 2023. However, the developers promise support for fast battery charging systems, next-generation multimedia with advanced features, and automatic download of updates "from the cloud", as well as excellent dynamics and incredible manageability.
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