1996 Mercedes Benz F 200 - Images, Specifications and Information

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Mercedes Benz launched this F200 concept at the 1996 Paris Motorshow. Among the most important innovations on board the F 200 Imagination was a trailblazing control system which permits the driver to control all movements of the car by means of so-called side-sticks located in the interior door trim and centre console of the coup� study. To steer the car, the driver moves the side-sticks to the left or right, for braking, he moves them backwards - and forwards for accelerating. Conventional controls or connecting elements such as a steering wheel, steering column and pedals are not to be found in the F 200 Imagination - all of the driver's commands are transmitted electronically. The experts refer to 'drive-by-wire'.
The control system of the F 200 Imagination is coupled with an active suspension that differs from conventional suspension systems in that it features dynamically adjustable hydraulic cylinders at the wheels. Using these cylinders and several sensors, 'Active Body Control' (ABC) fully evens out bodywork roll while cornering and matches the springing and damping characteristics to the driving condition at any given point in time. This means greater handling safety and improved ride comfort.
The Mercedes engineers have integrated electronic cameras replacing interior and exterior rear-view mirrors into the distinctive stainless steel panels on the glass roof of the F 200 Imagination. Screens in the cockpit of the coup� study inform the driver of what is going on behind the car. Other large-format screens in the dashboard provide indispensable information such as road speed and fuel level, as well as the displays of an on-board video recorder, a TV receiver, an on-board computer and a navigation system, providing information for the driver and entertainment for the passenger.
For the doors of the F 200 Imagination a swing-out and lift system was developed that is activated at the push of a button. Hydraulic cylinders move the doors upwards at an angle of 30�. The advantages: the door opening is some 15 centimetres larger and thus makes getting in and out more comfortable, and the car requires clearly less space for parking. The doors are opened from outside by means of a magnetic card which the driver simply has to carry in his or her pocket. When he or she approaches the car, the on-board elec-tronic system of the F 200 Imagination automatically communicates with this magnetic card and, if the right code is transmitted, unlocks the doors.
Headlamps with variable light distribution, which automatically adjust to the driving situation and road speed, improve vision at night. Special reflectors permit the headlamps to adjust depending on the front wheel turning angle and thus ensure optimum illumination of the road when cornering.