The Mercedes-Benz Vario Research Car Was Way Ahead Of Its Time
If you thought the idea of interchangeable bodies on one platform was a bit far fetched, Tesla has done quite a lot to reverse that assumption. They have forced a quick change in the consumer’s mind about what can actually be done with an automobile. They still don’t have an interchangeable body, as of yet, but their current lineup indicates we are closer than ever.
Beating them to the punch, by a good two decades, was Mercedes. The Vario Research Car didn’t have “insane mode,” but it could fully transform from a pickup, to a 4-seater cabrio, to a coupe, to a 2-door SUV. Similar to a proposed idea with Tesla’s battery packs, you’d drive to the dealer, and a technician would perform the change for you. Or, as depicted by a picture below, a couple of your friends could also help out.
Running prototypes were made, but the program got cancelled before it ever reached a production line. There are, however, some interesting technical aspects about the Vario Research Car that follow the theme of being way ahead of its time. Power was sent to the front wheels through a CVT transmission, and it also employed drive-by-wire technology. There was no physical link between your foot and the brakes, nor your hands and the steering wheel. Also note, that roof line of the “SUV” body made its way onto the ML320 W163, two years later.
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via [Jalopnik]
