Tag Archive for: Mercedes-Benz

Vision AMG show car offers glimpse of all-electric future of Mercedes-AMG

Dedicated AMG.EA architecture for all-electric AMG models forms basis for extraordinary study

Affalterbach/Nice.  Spectacular proportions defined by a long wheelbase and emphasised by short overhangs, powerful shoulders, large wheels, a distinctive rear spoiler and star-shaped headlamp signature – the Vision AMG makes an emotional statement from every perspective.

Design Essentials IV – The Art of Creating Desire, 2022, Nice: Vision AMG

This extraordinary show car from Mercedes-AMG offers a glimpse of the all-electric future of AMG Driving Performance. Beneath the breath‑taking exterior design of the four-door coupé is the equally extraordinary dedicated AMG.EA platform, which is currently under development in Affalterbach for all-electric performance models.

“AMG is reinventing itself. As was once the case with our founding fathers, there has been an amazing feeling of new beginnings here in Affalterbach for quite some time now. The course has been well and truly set for an electrified future, and we’ve set the bar high. That’s because our customers expect something very special from all-electric cars. We have already well and truly proven our expertise in this regard with the SLS AMG Electric Drive, our own E PERFORMANCE hybrid technology and the first Mercedes-EQ derivatives. With this study, we are now offering a first glimpse of how we are transferring the AMG DNA into the all‑electric future, starting in 2025. Gorden and his team are pointing the way from a visual perspective with this extraordinary design. At AMG, we have always stood for that extra shot of emotion, driving fun, handling, ingenious aerodynamic features and other innovative solutions. And that’s what we continue to stand for with our first BEV developed entirely in Affalterbach. We’re developing everything from scratch, from the dedicated AMG.EA platform to the revolutionary drivetrain technology with which we will take performance electric mobility to a whole new level,” says Philipp Schiemer, CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

Design Essentials IV – The Art of Creating Desire, 2022, Nice: Vision AMG

“The Vision AMG shows in spectacular style what electrification could look like at Mercedes-AMG, while staying true to the brand aesthetic. The study’s extreme proportions create fascination and passion for performance – that’s what AMG is all about. The Vision AMG is an impressive embodiment of the brand’s dual polarity – the interplay of beauty and the extraordinary.

Design Essentials IV – The Art of Creating Desire, 2022, Nizza: Vision AMG

At the same time, elements from the future, such as the light signatures with the illuminated high-tech grille, underscore the progressive evolution of our design language of Sensual Purity,” says Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. “With its contrasting modern surfacing and radical proportions, this car showcases the next design step, building on the VISION EQXX and moving further towards performance luxury. The seamless flow of beautifully formed surfaces and the monolithic sculpture complete the powerful aesthetic of the Vision AMG. The result is an electric supercar, a style icon that stimulates desire – and that’s exactly what sets a luxury sports car apart.”

Design Essentials IV – The Art of Creating Desire, 2022, Nizza: Vision AMG

Monolithic sculpture and radical proportions

The concept car is characterised by flowing, beautifully formed surfaces. Joints and shut lines are reduced to a minimum, and the rear and side windows are painted in the same Alubeam silver as the car itself. The result is an overall look that reinforces the impression of a monolithic sculpture.

Design Essentials IV – The Art of Creating Desire, 2022, Nice: Vision AMG

The sporty proportions are particularly evident from the side, and are defined by the technical layout – long wheelbase, sharply raked A-pillar positioned far forward, short front overhang and slightly longer, aerodynamically optimised rear overhang. It clearly expresses the design language of Sensual Purity with distinctive sports car cues such as the widely flared wheel arches and broad, muscular shoulders at the rear.

Design Essentials IV – The Art of Creating Desire, 2022, Nice: Vision AMG

The graceful greenhouse is integrated into the flowing overall form and blends seamlessly into the low-lying silhouette. The roof tapers as its line drops elegantly towards the rear, flowing directly into the rear spoiler. The overall effect is a visually fascinating and aerodynamically advantageous teardrop form, not unlike that of the VISION EQXX. The sensual surfacing and the powerfully defined sculpture are representative of the hallmark Mercedes design language. Similarly, the brand’s aspiration to the extraordinary is realised through the radical proportions and sharply chiselled shark nose. The Vision AMG is thus an impressive example of the dual polarity of the brand’s design approach embracing “Beauty & the Extraordinary”.

Design Essentials IV – The Art of Creating Desire, 2022, Nice: Vision AMG

The sharply angled tear-off edge at the rear incorporates an active spoiler, elongating the side view while at the same time improving the aerodynamics. It is framed by a precisely cut band of light that accommodates a variety of different light installations, providing an effective contrast with the large black AMG logo on the rear of the car.

Design Essentials IV – The Art of Creating Desire, 2022, Nizza: Vision AMG
Design Essentials IV – The Art of Creating Desire, 2022, Nice: Vision AMG

Breathtaking technology for hallmark performance

The technology of the Vision AMG tributes the spectacular design in many ways. All of its drivetrain components are developed entirely from scratch: not only the AMG.EA platform itself, but also the dedicated high-performance high-voltage battery and the revolutionary drive technology. The powerful heart of the Vision AMG is its innovative Axial Flux Motor developed by Mercedes-Benz’ wholly owned subsidiary YASA. With its compact and lightweight design it delivers substantially more power than conventional electric motors.

Closed-off AMG grille with illuminated bars

The AMG-specific grille with vertical bars is retained as a distinctive brand feature – despite the fact that an all-electric drivetrain does not require a classic radiator at the front. The high-tech development of the grille is therefore closed off, painted in body colour and fully integrated into the front end. As the visual focal point, the grille emphasises the futuristic look of the Vision AMG with its illuminated bars and three-dimensional exterior contour. The three-pointed star is positioned prominently on the bonnet – as on the Mercedes‑AMG Project ONE.

Design Essentials IV – The Art of Creating Desire, 2022, Nizza: Vision AMG

Extraordinary star-shaped light signature

The headlamp light signature points directly into the future. Three LED elements form a stylised, three‑dimensional Mercedes star, ensuring the Mercedes and AMG branding is immediately apparent and unmistakable by night and day. The two headlamps are visually connected via the horizontal band of light above the grille. This light band can display a variety of animations – ranging from a welcome signature to constant light.

The round lights at the rear have a light design that is new yet familiar. On each side, three LED rings are positioned in cylindrical tubes. Here, too, small stars offer a nod to the Mercedes brand. By way of contrast, the expressive rear diffuser is painted deep black.

Design Essentials IV – The Art of Creating Desire, 2022, Nizza: Vision AMG

Connection to Formula 1 through form and colour cues

The direct connection to the successful Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team is evident in further visual details. These include the silver paintwork with a large-format star pattern across the shoulders and rear wings, functional elements in exposed carbon-fibre, the aerodynamic design of the 22-inch wheels with aero claddings, the AMG logo and elements on the sills and diffuser in the Petronas colours.

The sporty high-tech seamless design and the breath-taking proportions give the Vision AMG a futuristic character. The four-door configuration also makes clear that the show car offers a taste of a functional all‑electric sports car of the future. Despite the battery pack in the floor of the car between the axles, the study sits considerably lower than the EQS and, thanks to its intelligently designed interior floor, offers plenty of space for four.

RM Sotheby’s | The Most Valuable Car in the World Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé soldfor an all-time record price of 135 million EUR to establish “Mercedes-Benz Fund”

  • All time record: One of two ultra-rare original 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupés from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Collection has been auctioned for 135 million EUR to a private collector, making it the most valuable car of all time.
  • Using this value to drive change: The proceeds will be used to establish a worldwide “Mercedes Benz Fund” that will provide educational and research scholarships in the areas of environmental science and decarbonisation for young people.

Stuttgart.  A Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé from 1955 has been sold at auction for a record price of 135 million EUR to a private collector. This icon of automotive history is an absolute rarity – one of just two prototypes built at the time. Named after its creator and chief engineer, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, it is considered to be one of the finest examples of automotive engineering and design by automotive experts and enthusiasts worldwide.

“The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupés are milestones in sports car development and key historical elements that have shaped our brand. The decision to sell one of these two unique sports cars was taken with very sound reasoning – to benefit a good cause. The proceeds from the auction will fund a global scholarship programme. With the “Mercedes-Benz Fund” we would like to encourage a new generation to follow in Rudolf Uhlenhaut’s innovative footsteps and develop amazing new technologies, particularly those that support the critical goal of decarbonisation and resource preservation,” says Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. “At the same time, achieving the highest price ever paid for a vehicle is extraordinary and humbling: A Mercedes-Benz is by far the most valuable car in the world.”

Historische Aufnahmen des legendären Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé.

“As a global company and as a luxury brand we bear a great level of responsibility towards society,” says Renata Jungo Brüngger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG for Integrity and Legal Affairs, who is responsible for the governance of the “Mercedes-Benz Fund“. “The proceeds from the sale of the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé provide us with a unique opportunity to strengthen our commitment with a long-term flagship project: We will establish the global scholarship programme “Mercedes-Benz Fund” supporting young people in their studies, commitment and actions towards a more sustainable future. We are convinced that access to education in these areas will be crucial in encountering the great challenges of our time and contribute to greater stability, prosperity and social cohesion.”

Ola Källenius, Vorsitzender des Vorstands der Mercedes-Benz Group AG und Renata Jungo Brüngger, Mitglied des Vorstands der Mercedes-Benz Group AG für Integrität und Recht vor dem Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé bei „The Economics of Desire“ an der Côte d’Azur

Seed capital for scholarship programmes from proceeds

The proceeds from the auction of the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé serve as seed capital for the global initiative. Mercedes-Benz is committed to investing additional resources in the coming years. The “Mercedes Benz Fund” will be divided into two sub-categories: University Scholarships in order to connect, educate and encourage students to realize/conduct research on environmental science projects and School Scholarships focussing on pupils to realize local environmental projects in their communities. The programme funds will be directed to individuals who otherwise do not have the financial means for their projects and career paths. The programme will go beyond financially supporting the young people and include extracurricular elements like Mercedes-Benz mentorships opening up new career prospects. The “Mercedes Benz Fund” will be jointly developed with and managed by an experienced partner which is currently being evaluated. The detailed set-up and roll-out planning as well as the partner organisation will be announced later this year.

Das Motiv zeigt eines der beiden 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupés zusammen mit dem Erfinder Rudolf Uhlenhaut. Dieses Fahrzeug ist im Mercedes-Benz Museum ausgestellt.

History and auction of 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

The sale of the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé took place on May 5th at an auction held at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in cooperation with renowned auctioneer RM Sotheby’s. The invitees were among selected Mercedes-Benz customers and international collectors of cars and art, who share the corporate values of Mercedes-Benz. The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé sold at auction was part of the non-public vehicle collection belonging to Mercedes-Benz Classic, comprising more than 1100 automobiles from the invention of the automobile in 1886 until today.

“We are proud that we can contribute with our historical collection to this initiative connecting the past with the future of engineering and decarbonisation technology”, says Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Mercedes Benz Heritage. “The private buyer has agreed that the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé will remain accessible for public display on special occasions, while the second original 300 SLR Coupé remains in company ownership and will continue to be displayed at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.“

Offert-Zeichnung zu dem wertvollsten Auto der Welt: Das Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé.
Quotation drawing of the most valuable car in the world: the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé.

The special circumstances behind its creation, its unique design and its innovative technology have endowed the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé with a remarkable level of mystique that endures to this day. The design of the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé set benchmarks that put it among the world’s most significant automotive icons – not least on account of its distinctive “gullwing” doors. Added to this is the outstanding performance delivered by its thoroughbred racing technology. Together, both have secured the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé its acclaimed position in sports car mythology and a very special place in the hearts of Mercedes fans around the world.

More information about the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé is available in our web special.

Exclusive Eyewear Collection from Mercedes-Benz and ic! berlin

Exclusive Eyewear Collection from Mercedes-Benz and ic! berlin

Two German design icons sought and found each other: Berlin-based eyewear manufacturer ic! berlin and Mercedes-Benz are jointly launching a sunglass collection. The Designers of both brands have worked hand in hand to develop a design language that goes far beyond a pure logo cooperation. It combines the essential expressive features of both worlds. The result is five new exclusive eyewear models, which are based on design elements of Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG vehicles and are crafted in the ic! berlin manufactory in Berlin-Marzahn.

Exclusive Eyewear Collection from Mercedes-Benz and ic! berlin

Exclusive Eyewear Collection from Mercedes-Benz and ic! berlin

Dynamic shapes, exclusive materials, colour accents in lacquer and excellent wearing comfort characterize the new Capsule 2021. The Puristic design, typical of ic! berlin, meets the avantgarde spirit of Mercedes-Benz and interprets the vehicle design in each model in a special way. Stainless steel frames, high-performance ZEISS lenses, soft silicone nose pads and high-quality temple hinges ensure that every pair of eyewear remain an expression of individual lifestyle for a long time. In addition to the classic Mercedes-Benz logo, the new Mercedes-Benz pattern is lasered onto the temples as stylish branding.

The Mercedes-AMG model AMG 02 for men is a masculine and a sporty reinterpretation of the pilot shape design. They are available in four colour variations. The frame of the AMG 02 shows a powerful edge with its straight lines and underlines the extroverted appearance with accents in the three paint colours; red, yellow and blue. These colours were also developed in collaboration with the Mercedes-AMG designers. The hand-applied varnish adorns the thin-connecting brow arch over the bridge and the front upper sides of the temples.

The AMG 02 is available in the following colour variations:

  • Storm Grey and Gun Metal / Yellow – grey-blue frame, grey glass with colour gradient, yellow lacquer accents
  • Ultra Beam and Chrome / Blue – frame and temples in chrome, mirrored glass, blue colour accents
  • Nightfall and Black/ Red – black frame and temple, dark grey lenses, red accents
  • Black to Grey and Black – black frame and bracket, black glass with a gradient, no colour accents

The Mercedes-Benz variant, MB Shield 02, is a unisex model with a futuristic look. The simple mono disc is held in place by a stainless steel half frame, which is accentuated by a Plotic Clip in the area of the bridge. This is painted in the colour variant Ultra Beam and Fashion Silver as a contrast to the mirrored glasses and the silver frame in iconic Lemon Verbena. The Plotic Clip is black in the colour variant Night Shadow and Electric Light Blue with dark blue lenses with a colour gradient and light blue frame. In addition to the clean version, the Night Shadow glass is also available with a striking Mercedes-Benz pattern.

“The collection proves how our design philosophy of ‘sensual clarity’ can be expressed in different styles – from classic and elegant to sporty and futuristic – in the form of eyewear. For me, it was important to develop a wide range of formal interpretations, analogous to the range of our vehicles, in order to appeal to different customers. The high aesthetic standards, which include the continual reinterpretation of stylistic elements which create the identity of both partners, form a convincing product with the goal of maximum functionality. This goal is also inherent in both companies,” says Martin Bremer, Head of Creation Corporate Design at Mercedes-Benz.

The MB 04 is a unisex model with sporty elegance and a real flyweight at only 17 g. The trapezoidal glasses with bevelled sides are held by a discreet stainless steel frame. Here, too, the design highlight is the lacquer accent on the brow-bones and on the temples – in colour variants:

Black to Clear and Graphite / White in white
Night Fall and Black / Red versions in red
The MB 04 Blueberry Fade and Electric Light Blue, on the other hand, achieved their colour brilliance through the blue-violet glasses with a colour gradient in the light blue frame.

A reinterpretation of the iconic trapezoidal shape is the men’s MB 05 model. The sophistication of the MB 05 lies in its cool simplicity. It is offered in the colour combinations:
Storm Grey and Gun Metal / Yellow
Ultra Beam and Electric Light Blue / Off White
as well as Nightfall and Black / Red.
On this straight frame, the subtle lacquer application on the middle brow arch sets the colour accent.

The women’s model of the collection, MB 06, is a fashion statement. Oversized in the shape of a butterfly and with an accentuated frame on the side, these sunglasses combine trendy retro chic with luxurious style. The combination of ocean fade and rose gold is particularly striking. The colour gradient of the lenses change from dark blue to a delicate shade of purple, which the frame, with the widened side sections and the bridge in rose gold, take up again. The model in Sunset Boulevard and Aubergine with brownish-purple lens is a little less playful and yet very feminine. The classic colour combination Black to Grey and Black has a delicate mauve stripe along the upper edge as a design element.

“With our new Capsule Collection, we want to show that something very special can arise in the eyewear segment when two design-savvy brands as ic! berlin and Mercedes-Benz team up,” explains Harry Skinner, Lead Designer ic! berlin.

About ic! berlin

The eyewear manufacturer ic! berlin was founded in Berlin in 1996. It manufactures innovative eyewear made in Berlin by hand. ic! berlin models are extremely light, flexible and are characterized in particular by a screwless joint solution that is unique worldwide. Each collection line stands for its own unique form language and represents a part of the company’s own design identity. By now, eyewear from ic! berlin is sold in over 60 countries around the world. The company has its headquarters in Berlin and currently employs more than 180 people.  www.ic-berlin.de