Just hours after its debut in Frankfurt, the futuristic Mercedes-Benz IAA Concept goes viral on the internet.
The video presents the world champion of aerodynamics starting out on a journey into the wild of the wind tunnel, just to prove its amazing 0.19 figures for the drag coeficient. The short clip shows exactly how the aerodynamic elements extend at speeds of over 80 km/h, completely altering the shape of the car.
Front flaps, the louvers in the front bumper, the active rims, the tail end extension make it the most aerodynamic vehicle ever built. The Inteligent Automobile looks as if it is floating on water.
- The front flaps in the front bumper in front of the wheel arches move outwards by 25 mm and 20 mm to the rear, up to the rear edge of the wheel crescent.
- The louvre in the front bumper moves 60 mm 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 mm, transforming them from sporty 5-spoke wheels into flat disc wheels.
- In conjunction with the diffuser, the rear extension, which is extendable by up to 390 mm 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. The rear extension in ‘boat tail’ design consists of eight segments produced in CFRP in a sandwich structure which close to form a ring.
At present the models from Mercedes-Benz hold the leading position for aerodynamics. 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.
The spaceship-like cockpit in white and anthracite with red and blue ambient lighting, cut glass and aluminium certify that the IAA Concept is indeed, the car of the future. It is all based on flowing lines, high-quality materials and touch technology.
