Mercedes-Benz F100, the 1991 concept that anticipated the future

The Mercedes-Benz F100 is a concept from the star brand that was unveiled in 1991, specifically at the Detroit Motor Show that same year. It was named with the F as an indicator of the future, and its aim was to show the world what the future of the car would look like. The engineers and designers responsible for the Mercedes-Benz F100 concept put all their efforts into incorporating every possible technology into the model to make it the most daring car to date.

This eye-catching Mercedes-Benz F100 featured controls for the phone on the steering wheel, distance control for safety, and even a system capable of monitoring tyre pressure. Ideas that in 1991 seemed outlandish and that today we see as commonplace in all vehicles.

A commitment to visibility

One of the most novel technologies included in the Mercedes-Benz F100 is gas discharge headlights. This innovation, presented in this concept, was fitted four years later to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class W210 in the form of xenon headlights. Nowadays LED headlights are usually used, but at that time xenon headlights revolutionised the market. Another of the F100’s innovations is rain-sensing windscreen wipers. The first time they were used on a production car was on the Mercedes-Benz CL-Class 140 of 1996.

Comfort and interior equipment

One of the main goals of this concept was for passengers to be comfortable and have as much information as possible at their fingertips. It featured controls for mobile phones on the steering wheel, which were later introduced on production models in 1998, specifically on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class W220. The keyless entry and start system was also first seen on the Mercedes-Benz F100 but did not appear until 1999 on the S-Class of the star brand. It was called Keyless-Go. Nor can we forget the tyre pressure monitoring system, which was added in 1999 to the Mercedes-Benz CL-Class C215.

Powertrain and safety

The Mercedes-Benz F100 was front-wheel drive and had a powertrain that used energy from hydrogen combined with a solar panel on the roof. In 1991 this was unheard of. As for safety, the F100 featured a revolutionary distance control system very similar to the adaptive cruise controls we see and use today. It was called Distronic and was fitted in 1998 to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class W220.

This concept also included other driver assistance systems such as blind-spot assist and rear cameras. These were introduced on production models in 2007 and 2005 respectively, both on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class W221. As you can see, these are assistants that today can be found in modern cars, yet the star brand was already thinking about them 30 years ago. In addition to safety technologies and accident prevention measures, Mercedes-Benz also designed the F100 concept with many physical features that resist possible impacts. The central driver’s seat, easy-open doors and greater distance from interior surfaces help the F100 protect its occupants in the event of an accident, while also allowing them to get out easily.

And that’s not all. It’s true that the Mercedes-Benz F100 was a revolutionary and futuristic car, but above all it championed the use and development of networked technology in an automobile.