It’s been 54 years since Mercedes launched their C111 concept car, and the 1969 engineering wonder helped introduce concepts such as turbocharging to the market. It was a revelation to the car industry, and apparently one of Mercedes’ proudest achievements.
So it’s with excitement that the company introduces the follow up, the Vision One Eleven. Matching the original’s copper-infused orange color, the new concept car is decidedly sleek and futuristic, but also harkens back to the 60s and 70s with a stance and haunches that feel new and old at the same time.
The gull-wing design mirrors the original, but opens up to a jaw-dropping interior, full of white, chrome, and orange accents, along with a huge amount of speculative tech and fascinating features. These include an extensive use of pixel designs and information displays, as well as silver racing seats, built-in, matching luggage, and sophisticated augmented reality controls.
“The modern interior of the Vision One-Eleven contrasts with the flat pixel display that runs across the entire width of the dashboard and takes up the shape of the two light strips at the front and rear.”
The original C111 was a technological achievement, and to attempt this for the 2020s, Mercedes is introducing a number of new designs and technology, including an axial-flux motor on each wheel, developed by a British subsidiary of Mercedes, called YASA. Axial Flux on its own sounds like something from a sci-fi movie.
That motor is unique amongst electric cars, offering substantial thermal advantages, as well as improved power density. All of that adds up to a much more efficient, powerful, and long-range experience. And while there are no specs on the Vision One Eleven, we have a feeling it’s not a slow car.
A thoroughly worthy successor to the original, the Vision One Eleven carries Mercedes’ spirit into the future, with an emotionally resonant design and a slew of innovations for the next fifty years.
