Premium

The car of tomorrow? Mercedes-Benz Auto 2000 (in the historical report)

This article was auto-translated. We apologize if some words are confusing or simply amusing. Would you like to help us improve?

Created on November 4, 1981

Reading time 9min

Written by:

Wolfgang König

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Daimler AG

Daniel Reinhard

Daimler AG

Mercedes-Benz Auto 2000 (1981) - Forschungspersonenwagen von Daimler-Benz - fahrfertiges Auto mit ABS, Abstandsradar und weiteren Innovationen

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz 280 SE (1981) - zusammen mit dem Forschungsprototyp Auto 2000, der vom W 126 abgeleitet worden war

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz 280 SE (1981) - zusammen mit dem Forschungsfahrzeug Auto 2000, das mit ABS, elektronischer Vortriebsregelung und einem Abstandsradar ausgerüstet war

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz Auto 2000 (1981) - Forschungspersonenwagen von Daimler-Benz - fahrfertiges Auto im Stadtverkehr neben einem Taxi der Baureihe W123

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz Auto 2000 (1981) - Forschungspersonenwagen von Daimler-Benz - Design-Studie

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz Auto 2000 (1981) - Forschungspersonenwagen von Daimler-Benz - Durchsichtszeichnung

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz Auto 2000 (1981) - Forschungspersonenwagen von Daimler-Benz - Modell 1 zu 1

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz Auto 2000 (1981) - Forschungspersonenwagen von Daimler-Benz - konnte mit Gasturbine, Benzin- oder Dieselmotor ausgerüstet werden

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz Auto 2000 (1981) - Forschungspersonenwagen von Daimler-Benz - diente ab Herbst 1981 zur Erprobung neuer Motoren- und Aerodynamikkonzepte

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz Auto 2000 (1981) - das innovative Display mit Menüführung

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz Auto 2000 (1981) - Forschungspersonenwagen von Daimler-Benz - mit integriertem Kinderrückhaltesystem

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Drei Antriebskonzepte wurden erprobt - V8-Benziner mit Zylinderabschaltung, V6-Turbodiesel und Gasturbine - Mercedes Benz Auto 2000

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Moderne Aerodynamikkonzepte wurden mit diesem Zukunftsauto umgesetzt - Mercedes Benz Auto 2000

You have only

1 out of 20

images seen in high resolution

Summary

"The future of large saloons is assured." To prove this, in 1981 Mercedes-Benz built a car of the future for the year 2000, which could be equipped with three different drive concepts - gasoline, diesel engine and gas turbine. A great deal of safety, comfort and aerodynamics know-how was integrated into the research car, but it is still surprising how Daimler engineers envisioned the future of the car, although some aspects did find their way into series production. This article reproduces the original wording of the presentation by Wolfgang König in the magazine Auto Motor und Sport from back then and shows the research car in many historical and current pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

Consumption like a small car
Petrol engine - inexpensive, but low fuel consumption
Diesel engine - encapsulation for noise reduction
Gas turbine - for the avant-gardists
Educating automatic
Information system of the future with menu control
Innovative air conditioning
Lighter and safer
Aerodynamic
Conventional chassis technology
Comparison of technical data and measured values

Estimated reading time: 9min

Preview (beginning of the article)

When the technicians at Daimler-Benz in Stuttgart tell us how they see the future, they are sure to get the undivided attention of the Germans. And when they show it on top of that, it is a sensation in itself. While other car manufacturers have been talking about their plans for the future with increasing frequency and ease in recent years, the Swabian company has so far remained tight-lipped. The fact that the company has now cast off this elegant reticence is a reaction to a request from the Federal Ministry of Research and Technology (BMFT). Supported by taxpayers' money, the public is finally to be given an enlightening insight into the automotive landscape of the year 2000.

Welcome to Zwischengas!