Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA: Frankfurt motor show concept previews future Mercs
All will be revealed as the Mark III CLS moves towards production in 2017
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Your support makes all the difference.The Frankfurt motor show is also known as the ‘IAA’ (Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung, since you asked), so it was about time someone did a car with the same name.
That someone, perhaps inevitably, is Mercedes-Benz. And in the case of its latest concept, IAA stands for Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile.
It justifies both those elements to its name with a body that extends at higer speeds. Normally, it’s 5040mm long – but above 50mph the rear body extends to a total length of 5430mm.
This helps it slip through the air with a Cd of just 0.19, aided by movable elements in the grille and front bumper which aid airflow around the arches and beneath the car.
Toss in a 275bhp plug-in hybrid powertrain and you’ve got a car which can surge past that 50mph mark with ease – as well as achieving up to 191.6mpg at the pumps.
But the IAA is not just a futuristic concept car. Its styling has more than a touch of the four-door coupe to it – and indeed it’s the broadest hint yet at what the next CLS will look like.
The IAA’s interior also previews the sort of cabin treatment you can expect when the CLS and next E-Class hit the streets. The concept has a 100mm longer wheelbase than the current version of those two, suggesting that Mercedes is working towards a major increase in passenger space.
‘It shows, in a host of details, what our customers can look forward to in future production models,’ confirmed Mercedes’ marketing boss Ola Källenius. All will be revealed as the Mark III CLS moves towards production in 2017.
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