Typically when PH cobbles together a news story, it builds on the press material - or aims to at least - with a little additional insight and, if we're lucky, some humour as well. That's not going to be possible with the Mercedes Style Edition Garia Golf Car; not only is our golf knowledge sorely lacking, we also can't make the press release sound any more silly.
Stand and admire the carbon
Ready? The microsite for this thing is
arealsportscar.com
. Really. The car "authentically transfers the unmistakable Mercedes-Benz automobile design idiom of sensual purity to a premium class golf cart." It has a carbon fibre roof and rear diffuser. It also "somewhat resembles a sporty baseball cap with its short overhangs." There's more too, but hopefully you get the idea.
The Style Edition project began in 2013, when Mercedes requested both golf and car fans submit their ideas for the golf cart of the future. Principally this was because golf "has developed into a premium sport with a modern face" but the carts did not reflect his. So with some inspiration from these and a technical base from Garia, the Mercedes-Benz Style team - creating "products for aspects of life beyond the automobile - set about creating their masterpiece."
Where to begin on the styling? Some in the PH office have suggested there's a Peugeot look to the front end, and an overall aesthetic similar to a Smart car. The official aim was to create a beautiful, intelligent product that is both hot and cool. Right...
But inside is what really matters for golf transport, the environment where you can regale your buddies with stories of that albatross on the eighth that nobody else saw. There's carbon, wood decor and plush leather for the ambience, but it gets better than that. There's a refrigerator under the bench seat and bottle holders by the instrument panel for, er, refreshments, and more on the passenger side if you drink all your isotonic drinks on the front nine.
Another Mercedes, another dash tablet
Moreover, it wouldn't be a Mercedes without a tablet tacked on the dash, would it? Here there is a 10.1-inch display, displaying range (up to 50 miles), power consumption and an electronic score card, should you wish. Furthermore, and this isn't a joke, it's suggested you may want to use the standard Bluetooth to "order refreshments for delivery to the green."
To the numbers. The Style Edition is 235cm long, 120cm wide and 172cm high. It weighs 440kg but has a payload of 460kg. Make your own jokes there. Mercedes claims "sporty acceleration" to its limited 19mph top speed, with a charging time of six hours. The front brakes are discs, although there's no word on whether the plus and minus pedals allow left-foot braking to make the most of that downhill run to the clubhouse chicane.
Wondering what the point is? Well, Mercedes is in fact displaying the Golf Car at golf tournaments, beginning with The Open right now. It's also going to Denmark, Germany and the Monaco Yacht Show. Can we take from that Mercedes is gauging public interest? Remember where you saw it first.
here