In pics | All you need to know about Vision One-Eleven, Mercedes-Benz’s new gullwing-door concept car
The Vision One-Eleven is based on the experimental C111 car from the 60s and 70s. Featuring a wedge design that earmarked the bygone era and gullwing doors, the One-Eleven offers a peek into Mercedes’ future battery and motor technology
Mercedes-Benz’s concept cars, more often than not, push the boundaries of creativity and visions of future mobility. With the Vision One-Eleven, the German manufacturer has once again showcased that talent, blending a beautiful retro design with futuristic possibilities. Based on the C111 concept car unveiled at the 1969 Frankfurt Auto Show, the One-Eleven is a ‘progressive interpretation of a 70s brand icon,’ according to Mercedes. (Image: Mercedes Benz)
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The C111 concept car never made it to the streets as a full-blown production model. Instead, it was used as an experimental car for tests and development programmes, with only 16 units made over a decade. (Image: Mercedes Benz)
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As far as styling goes, the One-Eleven’s retro inspiration is marked by the bright orange colour, gullwing doors and the wedge shape that signified the era of supercars. However, this is where the similarities end. The front fascia of the One-Eleven is a lot more futuristic, with a panel of pixels where the grille should have been. This serves as the car’s headlamps and can display messages to others on the road. (Image: Mercedes Benz)
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At the rear, there is a similar design for the tail lights – a sea of pixels that can be customised to the owner’s liking. A massive dual-ridge diffuser embodies the rest of the tail section. In the profile, one can clearly see the smooth-flowing design of the car. Even the glass canopy has been designed to sit flush on the body, with the front windshield raked steeply at 70 degrees and extended to form the rooftop. This is also where the massive 22-inch rims sit under very pronounced wheel arches. (Image: Mercedes Benz)
On the powertrain, Mercedes hasn’t given out any range of power figures as of yet. What we do know is that the One-Eleven is driven by a set of axial-flux motors that drive the rear wheel. The motors are powered by liquid-cooled cylindrical cells developed by Mercedes-AMG’s Formula 1 division. The motor is produced by Yasa, a British firm wholly owned by Mercedes since 2021. (Image: Mercedes Benz)
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The use of this motor gives us a peek into the drivetrain developments that we are likely to see in Mercedes’ future cars. According to Mercedes, the new axial-flux drivetrain has ‘the potential to take electric mobility to a new level of performance and efficiency.’ Mercedes and Yasa have been developing axial-flux motors for large-scale production. The new configuration allows for smaller packaging, lighter weight and increased torque and power densities. (Image: Mercedes Benz)
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On the inside, the seats aren’t traditional and they have been integrated into the floor. The pedals, seatback and F1-style steering wheel can be adjusted to the driver’s preferences. The dashboard is nothing like the infinity screen in Mercedes’ flagship cars today. Instead, it is a large, narrow and pixelated screen that displays driver information. The touchscreen also runs the company’s latest MBUX software and can be extended with augmented-reality functions. (Image: Mercedes Benz)
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Now, of course, the Vision One-Eleven will never make it to production, at least, not by itself. But if Mercedes uses the One-Eleven as inspiration for some cars, certainly no one would be mad. The gullwing doors in a modern production car, even as a flagship model, would make for an interesting option in Mercedes-Benz’s lineup. (Image: Mercedes Benz)
