F700 Mercedes Concept Gave Us an Early Look at the S-Class

By Detroit Steel - December 21, 2016

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Mercedes-Benz’s 2009 F700 concept was truly groundbreaking.

Not sure how we missed this wild Mercedes-Benz throwback. The concept, introduced in 2009 as the F700, was (at the time) intended to serve as a preview for the forthcoming S-Class.

As highlighted in a recent Top Gear report, the F700’s most notable innovation was a 238-horsepower DiesOtto engine, which ran on normal petrol, but used variable compression (currently used by Infiniti), auto ignition (found in today’s diesel engines), and twin turbos to achieve a rating of 44 mpg.

The F700 also introduced Mercedes-Benz’s Magic Ride Control, which is equipped in the current S-Class. It uses two pre-scan lasers to survey the road ahead and make necessary adjustments to the hydraulic suspension, in order to absorb bumps.

Of course, like most concepts, the F700 also featured a number of technologies that Mercedes has yet to introduce in a production model — like rear-facing seats and suicide doors. And it’s probably safe to say they never will. Well, at least not any time in the near future.