1991 Mercedes F 100, The Car Of The Future 30 Years Ago

1991 Mercedes F 100, The Car Of The Future 30 Years Ago

Back in 1991 Mercedes showed their vision of the future with the F 100 concept. This research vehicle was used to showcase technology to be coming in production cars.

Did any of this come true? Let’s have a look.

The F 100 was first showed to the public at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, USA, on the 12 January 1991. This is a specialist exhibition that has been held since 1907. Mercedes is no stranger to this show having been a major feature for many years, starting with the Patent Motor Car by Carl Benz dating back to 1886. This was the first motor car and also the first experimental vehicle.

The F 100 was a result of years of visionary research that can surprise the public and gauge reaction. Or to prepare them for what their future car might be like. Imagine dropping this on them back in 91 and telling them it’s the new E Class. That would probably be a step too far, in one go at least…

Back in 1991 Mercedes showed their vision of the future with the F 100 concept. This research vehicle was used to showcase technology to be coming in production cars.

Did any of this come true? Let’s have a look.

The F 100 was first showed to the public at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, USA, on the 12 January 1991. This is a specialist exhibition that has been held since 1907. Mercedes is no stranger to this show having been a major feature for many years, starting with the Patent Motor Car by Carl Benz dating back to 1886. This was the first motor car and also the first experimental vehicle.

The F 100 was a result of years of visionary research that can surprise the public and gauge reaction. Or to prepare them for what their future car might be like. Imagine dropping this on them back in 91 and telling them it’s the new E Class. That would probably be a step too far, in one go at least…

So, what features were presented and what has gone into the production cars Mercedes offered in the following years. Well, the F 100 looks a bit like a van, or maybe a people carrier or a large estate car. A station wagon if you prefer. I’m not sure, but it’s definitely not a saloon car or SUV.

But looking at the shapes and style of more modern cars some of the clues are there. The driving position looks higher and it’s a large car at nearly 5 meters long. So, it’s an MPV. the trend for taller vehicles with clever use of interior spaces. And the doors. not gullwing, but they open wider allowing easier access. Look at the Tesla Model X for example.

So, what features were presented and what has gone into the production cars Mercedes offered in the following years. Well, the F 100 looks a bit like a van, or maybe a people carrier or a large estate car. A station wagon if you prefer. I’m not sure, but it’s definitely not a saloon car or SUV.

But looking at the shapes and style of more modern cars some of the clues are there. The driving position looks higher and it’s a large car at nearly 5 meters long. So, it’s an MPV. the trend for taller vehicles with clever use of interior spaces. And the doors. not gullwing, but they open wider allowing easier access. Look at the Tesla Model X for example.

Mercedes F 100 1991 Rear
Other trends seem to have been predicted or created by the concept. Distance control from other vehicles. Tyre pressure monitoring, phone controls on the steering wheel. Xenon headlights, these have come and more or less gone again. But networking was a big development.
 
Ok, what made it. Steering wheel buttons, that was implemented in 1998 in the S-Class, the W 220. The phone-based voice recognition in 1996 as LINGUATRONIC in the W 140 S-Class. Electronic tyre pressure monitoring system, fitted to the 1999 CL, C 215. The W 220 S Class also got KEYLESS-GO. A card with a chip in it instead of a key was an option. It’s not easy to get a key instead now. The rain sensor became standard in 1996 in the CL C 140. The sandwich floor design featured in the W 168 A Class.
Mercedes F 100 1991 Rear

Safety was a big feature. But so was convenience. Research during the development of the F 100 contained accident data but also usage. The average amount of people a passenger car carries is only 1.2 to 1.7 people in day to day traffic. This figure has not changed over decades. In 2018 the average was 1.46 people for all journeys. So, there’s always one person in the car, the driver.

Mercedes F 100 1991 Dash
Mercedes F 100 1991 Doors Open

Safety focuses on the driver as they are always in the car. Ok, some cars can do things on their own, but there isn’t the full driverless car yet. Legislation or technology hasn’t aligned. But this means that as the driver is the main occupant, the safest part of the car should centre around them.

The central driving position provides this, much like the McLaren F1, but outright performance not being a consideration here. The lowest risk in a collision is in the centre of the car, it’s the furthest point from the surrounding bodywork. Cleverly the doors opening formed part of the roof making it easier to get in and out of the car. With the seat in the middle and the large openings you can exit the F 100 on the side where there isn’t the traffic.

No B pillars means that access to the rear is easy too. Though pillarless cars were nothing new. Some great styling was done with this look, but it probably wasn’t a safety feature. But those rear occupants are positioned between two large and strong rear wheel arches. Coupled with the doors that employ an early self-closing feature with servo motors.

The distance between the driver and the instruments is though. Nothing close to hit in the event of an accident. But the second row passengers are sat offset with nothing directly in front of them either. 

Mercedes F 100 1991 Top Doors Open
Safety focuses on the driver as they are always in the car. Ok, some cars can do things on their own, but there isn’t the full driverless car yet. Legislation or technology hasn’t aligned. But this means that as the driver is the main occupant, the safest part of the car should centre around them.
 
The central driving position provides this, much like the McLaren F1. Outright performance not so much a consideration. The lowest risk in a collision is in the centre of the car, it’s the furthest point from the surrounding bodywork. Cleverly the doors opening formed part of the roof making it easier to get in and out of the car. With the seat in the middle and the large openings you can exit the F 100 on the side where there isn’t the traffic.
 
No B pillars means that access to the rear is easy too. Though pillarless cars were nothing new. Some great styling was done with this look, but it probably wasn’t a safety feature. But those rear occupants are positioned between two large and strong rear wheel arches. Coupled with the doors that use early self-closing feature with servo motors.
 
The distance between the driver and the instruments is though. Nothing close to hit in the event of an accident. But the second row passengers are sat offset with nothing directly in front of them either.
Xenon headlights, the scourge of the roads with multiple beams shone from a tall 4×4. It’s fine if you have them. Not so much fun with your dim candlelight lights on your classic which are only good for 50 mph driving at night. Facing one of these is bad. Having one behind you casts a shadow over your own light output making it largely redundant. But still, it’s impressive if sometimes expensive to fix.
 
The rear lights are neat, featuring a central light source activating prism rods. These can light up in any colour needed.
 
The large glass areas are cleaned rather cleverly. The front wiper sweeping across and covering nearly all of the front screen. The rear cleaning the rear lights too, hiding behind the spoiler when not in use. Of course, these operate automatically with rain sensors.
Mercedes F 100 1991 Top
Front wheel drive is somewhat unusual. But is it? Many cars now have moved this way to allow for a flatter floor inside the cabin. Look at the smaller BMW platforms and Mercedes own A Class, the W 168.
 
The hydrogen powerplant is quite different. Hydrogen internal combustion. There was a trend back then to test this approach out, not seemingly to have caught on. Could we see this come to a production car soon. Maybe. 
 
This vision of the future is an exhibit of the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart and well worth seeing.
Thanks to Mercedes-Benz for the images.

Don’t forget to follow Jalopy on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Simon

[shared_counts]