FRANKFURT, Germany — Mercedes-Benz had hinted that the so-called DiesOtto engine in its F 700 concept vehicle would be revolutionary. What it didn't tell us in advance of the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show was that the car would also — in typical Mercedes fashion — provide us with a powerful glimpse of the future in many other ways, from its flexible interior to its cutting-edge PreScan adaptive suspension.
More important, the sleek exterior design of the F 700 sedan furnishes some strong clues as to the styling direction of the next-generation S-Class flagship that is due in 2012.
The DiesOtto engine, a direct-injection 1.8-liter four-cylinder with two-stage turbocharging and controlled auto ignition, is intended to combine the power of a conventional gasoline engine with the torque and fuel economy of a diesel. Mercedes says the engine delivers performance comparable to that of a 3.5-liter V6 gas engine or a 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel in the current S-Class. In the F 700, the DiesOtto returns a projected 44 mpg, with extremely low emissions, including a CO2 level of only 127 g/km.
PreScan appears to be the next step in active suspensions. It employs twin laser scanners to check the roadway ahead of the car, with the hydraulically controlled suspension then "proactively" compensating for any detected obstacles or hindrances — in effect, leveling out the pavement.
The F 700's spacious cabin has several distinctive features, including seats that can swivel in any direction. Most intriguing is a potential solution to the iDrive-type controllers that irk so many owners of expensive touring sedans. The Mercedes alternative has the inelegant name Servo-HMI (presumably for "human-machine interface"). It reduces the complexity of the menu and controls, while using Web technology to enable driver input via dialogue with an "avatar" — a virtual operating assistant, according to Mercedes.
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