Editorial

"This mobile research laboratory gives an insight into how automotive technology is set to look in the future and showcases more than a dozen new technical features," so says Mercedes’ Prof Jürgen Hubbert. Debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show the German company’s F500 concept vehicle, curiously subtitled ‘Mind’, once again brought out the familiar themes of a motoring future bereft of personal control, with cars guided by wire travelling in convoy centimetres away from each other in total ‘safety’. A host of features are included in the car to make the tremendous amount of (totally superfluous) information and control deemed necessary in 21st Century motor vehicles actually usable.

The company is proud of the F500’s improved interior packaging made possible by ‘using new electronic accelerator and brake pedals, which take up far less space than their conventional mechanical equivalents’. Well, what will they think of next? If I may mention it Mercedes, the standard human being will still have to sit in the driver’s seat and position their size 10s somewhere, how are you going to get round that – or is one of the alternative motive sources being considered a Flintstone-like paddling of the feet under the car?

Some friends of mine in London have just taken delivery of a new Mercedes E320 CDI Estate, by all accounts one of the finest models in the whole manufacturer’s range. Having fathomed out a tome of biblical proportions that is the instruction manual, they are delighted with its performance. “What we really want,” they said “is a chance to take it on a long journey, to really enjoy the performance – but of course you can’t really do that nowadays.” Haven’t heard so much from the car manufacturers on that one. If the future of driving in Western civilisation is wall to wall gridlock then I for one am quite happy sitting in any old bus (and I don’t mean public transport of course) if it’s got an auto ‘box, aircon and a decent stereo.

Can we have less of the ‘Star Wars’ please and a little more co-operation with government in providing a better road system that allows us to use the superb cars we have at the moment properly? Even better, can we have the excellent Mercedes (with zero technical gadgetry) of ten or twenty years ago with the less densely populated roads of those times?

More ‘Time Machine’ than ‘Star Wars’ I think.

Steve Wakefield Managing Editor sw@classicdriver.com

THIS WEEK IN CLASSIC DRIVER

New Range Rover 'Autobiography' limited edition in UK

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Mercedes Benz unveils F 500 'Mind' research vehicle in Tokyo

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Bonhams at Olympia December 1st, Veterans and the Wingrove Collection

The Bonhams’ annual sale at Olympia is traditionally the strongest of the season offering some of the most valuable and coveted collectors’ motor cars. This year Bonhams’ sale includes a trio of exceptionally early French vehicles, and the sale of world-renowned model maker Gerald Wingrove’s original models...

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12th November 2003 Bonhams at Harrogate, Great Yorkshire Showground - Preview

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Tour d’Espana Auto, Spain
5 – 9th November 2003

The International Classic Motor Show, NEC, UK
8 – 9th November 2003

Bonhams Auction, London Olympia, UK
1st December 2003

Christie's Auction, The Jack Barclay Showroom, UK
2nd December 2003

Barons Auction, Sandown Park Exhibition Centre, Esher, UK
2nd December 2003

Coys Auction, The Royal Horticultural Halls, London
4th December

H&H Auction, Buxton, UK
9 – 10th December 2003

Bonhams Europe Auction, Gstaad, Switzerland
19th December 2003

see further event details

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