There are some special fantasies for every person. For Bike- lovers, it may be the Ghost-rider bike and for Car- buffs, Bat-mobile most certainly qualifies as one of them. Remember the Gotham-knight fighting off the villains in his super shape-shifting car? Well, Batman might still be only in the comics, but his Bat-mobile has come closer to reality. In a bid to introduce a whole new chapter in the history of automobiles, Mercedes-Benz has put forward the concept of IAA, that is, Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile. Showcased in the Frankfurt International Motor Show 2015, the design of the Benz is such that it allows the car to change from an aesthetic mode to aerodynamic at the touch of a button, or, automatically as it reaches the speed of 80 kph.
Being advertised as the ‘two-in-one’ car, its shape-shifting technology transforms the S-Class coupe into a world-class aerodynamic champion with a drag coefficient value of 0.19. It has eight segments at the rear that undergo the said transformation, lengthening the car by 390 millimeters in process. The air-movement is enhanced at the front end around the front wheel arches by extension of the front flaps of the bumper by 25 mm to the front and 20 mm to the backside. The under-body also experiences better air-flow when the Active rims lower their cupping from 55 to zero and the louvers in the front bumper move back 60 mm. The design is streamlined and minimalist in nature. Paying homage to a long-time heritage of race-cars produced by Mercedes, the “Digital Transformer” extends the line a mile further and offers us a glance into the near future of the automobile industry. The complex engineering and geometry of the design were made possible by specialized groups with systematic digital networking. Digitization is the topmost level in any field nowadays and that is what drove the designers to use the latest algorithms to ensure the feasibility of the “Digital Transformer.” Technologies like rapid prototyping and numeric flow simulation allowed the possibility of an aerodynamically efficient design with a cd value that is hard to beat. Examining the aesthetics of the Concept IAA, one would find a modernized interpretation of a sports car with classical essence. Technology and design come together to produce an offspring that is more evolved and in possession of all the standard characteristics of its older generations and plus some.
Complete with a long bonnet, set-back greenhouse with sloping roofs, apparent wheel arches, and an elegantly sharp profile, the car does not hurt the eyes of the beholder at all. It is evident that it is next in the line of S-class series and also the next generation of luxury sedans, employing a unique finishing of cut-glass and aluminum on the exterior. The interiors are an altogether another level to be reckoned with, presenting an entirely touch-based experience of a futuristic and posh business saloon. It is in contrast with the exterior when talking in terms of color and materials. Its two-spoke steering wheel is light-weight, highly functional, and ergonomically efficient. The whole system is run on OFN or Optical Finger Navigation technology. The 5040 millimeters long (5430 mm in aerodynamic mode), 1995 mm wide and 1305 mm high Concept IAA provides the speed of 250 kph and is powered by petrol and electricity both. In the words of Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales, the “Digital Transformer” is equipped with ‘’captivatingly sporty lines, fascinating technical solutions: the ‘Concept IAA’ symbolizes the emotional core of Mercedes-Benz: The best or nothing. And it shows in a host of details what our customers can look forward to in future production models.’’ “Fascinating and technically sophisticated cars form the core of Mercedes-Benz. The ‘Concept IAA’ applies intelligent innovations to resolve the conflicting aims of functionality and aesthetics and shows that we still have plenty of ideas on how to achieve further improvements in efficiency,’’ Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber, Member of the Daimler Board of Management responsible for Group Research and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, elucidates his views thus. The beautifully captivating and intelligent Concept IAA is not just an engineered car, it’s a work of art on its own, symbolizing the truly modern thought of being functional as well as stylish.
By: Antara Jha
