Milestones in Automotive Design at Mercedes-Benz State Museum

Thursday, 26 June 2008 00:05

Munich, Germany - Striking in their radical posture – already from a distance they arouse our curiosity: Extremely rare examples of cars bearing the star symbol of Mercedes-Benz. Never before have they been seen in this particular composition, stringently focused on aerodynamics, speed and Gestaltung (form giving processes). On exhibition at Mercedes-Benz State Museum.

The Lightning Benz (Blitzen Benz) – capable of speeds of more than 200 km/h – almost a hundred years old! The Silver Arrow Grand Prix racing car »W 196 R«with its streamlined bodywork, 1954. The jet black painted sculpture of the Autobahn-Kurier of 1938 – unit numbers: 2. Equally rare the futuristic highperformance C111-3 of 1978 – a design study. The icon of style, the 300 SL Coupé – nicknamed the >Gullwing< because of its doors resembling wings, 1955. The Coupé CLS of 2004, untypically with four doors. The Bionic Car – a singular experimental car of 2005 whose shape was modelled on the streamlining characteristics of nature: To be exact – the aerodynamics of the cubicus boxfish (>ostracion cubicus<).

In conjunction with the cars, the exhibition also focuses on the design work. This is illustrated in the form of drafts, sketches, renderings, tapes and models. Die Neue Sammlung presents a walk-in installation in which the cars are featured as the outcome of design processes.

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