Getting a lot of attention at the Frankfurt auto show was the Porsche Mission E, a futuristic, sleek, fully electric sports car from the German luxury car maker. Unlike anything on the road at the moment, it has no rear view mirrors, but instead relies on cameras to cover the blind spots. Capable of travelling 500 km on a single charge, it can replenish its batteries within minutes.
A taste of the car of the future according to its maker: “Since with a concept car you would like to really give a glimpse of the future, you have as a designer much more freedom. You can dare to do things that at least nowadays are not yet legal, but you hope that they will become legal in the future. So we have more freedom,” says chief designer Michael Mauer.
Another concept car that caught attention in Frankfurt was the Mercedes Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile.
A one-off showcase of the brand’s aerodynamic prowess, it boasts a drag coefficient of just 0.19. To accomplish this unprecedented level of slipperiness, Mercedes has developed a dynamic, adaptable body structure that literally changes shape with the push of a button. Even the wheels reduce their indentation to become completely flat, allowing air to slip down the car’s sides.
According to Steffen Koehl, head of Global Advanced Design at Mercedes-Benz, “all the ingredients that are transforming here, that are changing several areas of the car, are technologically totally needed to achieve this fantastic aerodynamic value.”
For motor bike fans who may secretly wish their bikes behaved a bit more like cars, Honda has unveiled its Project 2&4 concept. This car-motorbike hybrid is the result of a contest where designers were asked to put four wheels and a steering wheel on a motorbike engine. The winner, Martin Petersson, came up with a design that looks like a mini formula one car.