Frankfurt 2015: Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA is an aerodynamic showoff

Serving as a preview to its future designs, Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the Concept IAA. Known in Mercedes-Benz as the Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile, the concept is also a design study for the next generation S-Class and CLS-Class.

According to Mercedes-Benz, the Concept IAA is, “an aerodynamics world champion” with a drag coefficiency of just 0.19 Cd. Viewing it from the front, the Concept IAA features a bold three-pointed star and a grill that takes the width of the front. Instead of grill slats, four thin LED headlights make their way in the grill. With aerodynamic efficiency in mind, the concept car comes with a low hood-line, a rakish windshield that blends into the low roofline which then swoops downwards to form the rear for maximum aerodynamic efficiency.

Contributing to the low drag efficiency is the Concept IAA's active aero panels. Front flaps in the front bumper extend by 25 mm to the front and 20 mm to the rear, improving the airflow around the front end and the front wheel arches. The rims also get active aerodynamics with its spokes closing shut for less drag. Lastly, eight segments extend at the rear, improving airflow and increasing its length by up to 390 mm.

The interior, finished in white leather, has four individual bucket seats and a wide LCD screen that houses the infotainment system and speedometer. It also comes with Optical Finger Navigation buttons embedded in the clusters in a similar hovering manner as the touchpad in the center console. The OFN enables the driver to scroll through the instrument cluster menus.

Power for the Concept IAA comes from a plug-in hybrid system that produces 278 PS. Mercedes-Benz claims that the concept car can get to a top speed of 250 km/h and its CO2 emissions can get as low as 28 grams per kilometer. In full-electric mode, the Concept IAA can travel up to 32 kilometers on a single charge.