Master Wayne, your Mercedes has arrived
A hint at the future with a healthy dollop of the past makes for a stunning Vision Iconic concept
As the legacy European carmakers face the biggest threat to their dominance for a generation, perhaps ever, from China, heritage looks set to influence design more and more. It’s the one thing Chinese manufacturers can’t boast, and it’s proved enormously successful for electric cars like the Renault 5. Design will become increasingly important as it becomes harder to distinguish cars based on mechanical makeup. Being able to hark back to previous famed models is likely to prove a key advantage.
So that’s exactly what Mercedes has created with this, the Vision Iconic. It’s a concept ‘inspired by the brand’s rich heritage and designed for its future’, chock-full of details that evoke classic Benzes (look at that steering wheel) while also hinting at what’s to come - hopefully we weren’t the only ones that didn’t know what neuromorphic computing was. You hardly need to be told that the Vision Iconic is inspired by the automotive design of the '30s, with its long prow, narrow glasshouse, and tapering rear. It looks like nothing else and seems immediately identifiable as a Benz, with a rear like a 300SL, the new three-pointed star design like a CLA in the front lights, and maybe a bit of old 600 Pullman in the uprightness of the front end.
Plus, of course, a ruddy great grille. Apparently, if you can’t beat BMW, you have to join them, the Vision Iconic borrowing a new design trend first seen on the new GLC last month. Apparently, the design ‘expresses both emotion and intelligence, and enables Mercedes-Benz to stand out from the sea of sameness’; that latter point seems hard to argue with, though it could also be said that a vehicle shaped like this, the kind of thing Batman and Cruella de Vil would happily carpool, would have done that already. So look forward to seeing the giant illumination on everything going forward.
As is often the way, some of the Vision Iconic’s technology feels like it’s not very far from production (an AI companion shaped like the three-pointed star inside), while other features still sound like science fiction. Which, knowing the pace of tech development right now, means they’ll probably be mainstream by the end of the decade. ‘Neuromorphic computing’ is the latest new thing, which essentially aims to make computers mimic our own brain functions when it comes to safety features. Like reading traffic signs correctly, even if it’s a bit murky. Or recognising that cyclist safety overrules the function of a lane keeping assist, that sort of thing.
Mercedes suggests that neuromorphic computing could make AI calculations in cars 10 times more efficient than right now. Obviously, the Vision Iconic can do all sorts of autonomous driving, and the velvet-lined interior has been designed to ‘become a luxurious lounge’ at the right moment, which the new computing technology can also benefit from; apparently, it can reduce the data processing energy requirements by 90 per cent. When Level 4 autonomous driving becomes possible in the real world (and not just in America), rest assured Mercedes wants to be at the forefront of it.
The Vision Iconic also debuts a ‘photovoltaic-active surface’ for its dramatic bodywork, which could one day allow EVs to harness energy from the sun for extra range. It’s a solar coating in the form of a thin paste, doesn’t contain any rare earths, and works even when the car is off - and could add up to 7,500 miles a year. Handy.
The Vision Iconic is being debuted as part of Shanghai Fashion Week, and its arrival is being marked with the launch of the ‘Vision Iconic capsule collection’ - six outfits that reflect the concept’s colour scheme and Art Deco vibes. Mercedes is seemingly going all in on style and design to mark out a new era. Gorden Wagener, Mercedes-Benz Chief Design Officer, said: “Our Vision Iconic is more than just an automobile – it is a sculpture in motion, a homage to timeless elegance, and a statement for the future. The symbiosis of traditional craftsmanship, state-of-the-art technology, and an unmistakable design language makes it the ultimate expression of value, prestige, and grace: the most beautiful, most prestigious kind of thing.”
Expect a few of the themes seen here - the grille, more than anything - to make their way to showrooms soon. And cross your fingers that perhaps one day the S-Class coupe could return looking a little like this as well…
t at the same time
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