Mercedes’ stunning show car the Vision EQ Silver Arrow is a homage to the record-breaking car that Benz built way back in 1937.
Inspiration for the original, W 125 12-cylinder version of the car which set a record the fastest trip on the autobahn, came from the aviation industry.
Based on the grand prix race car, Rudolf Caracciola was able to hit 432.7 km/h on the A5 autobahn between Frankfurt and Darmstadt — based on the average speed travelling there and back.
This speed record on public roads stood until November, 2017.
Unlike the original with its 12 cylinder power plant the show car, unveiled at Pebble Beach, has been conceived as a fully electric model.
The whisper quiet Silver Arrow has an output of 550kW, with a thin rechargeable battery located in the underbody that has a useable capacity of about 80kWh giving it a range of more than 400 km — with side air vents help to cool the battery.
The driver of the Vision EQ Silver Arrow is encompassed by a large panoramic screen on which a 3D image of the surroundings is projected from behind.
With the help of artificial intelligence it is possible to engage in a virtual race against historic or present Silver Arrow racing cars.
For this a virtual racetrack is superimposed on to the real roadway on the panoramic screen and the driver sees their opponent either ahead of them or behind them as a “ghost”.
“Over 80 years ago, the historic Silver Arrows demonstrated that Mercedes-Benz was a pioneer when it came to speed thanks, among other things, to their streamlined shape,” Chief Design Officer at Daimler AG, Gorden Wagener, said.
“The Vision EQ Silver Arrow draws on that legacy. Intended for acceleration and driving pleasure, it embodies progressive luxury and provides an insight into the future of our design.”
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