Dramatic Mercedes Concept IAA unveiled at Frankfurt

Amongst all the production-ready new cars at the Frankfurt Motor Show, there is now (of course) a new forward-thinking design study: the appropriately-named Mercedes IAA Concept.

Design to preview Merc's future large car design direction, the Concept IAA is a vision of things to come in the next decade from the S-Class luxury car range. Although the over-exaggerated features won't make it to future road cars, the brand is giving us a look at the future of Mercedes car designs.

Mercedes IAA Concept on video

The design focus for the Concept IAA is on "world-beating aerodynamics". A super-slippery Cd value of 0.19 is claimed, thanks to active aero tech such as electrically extending front and rear flaps, boosting the concept's length by 390mm to ensure it carves through the air. 

The 5.04m long concept is powered by a 274bhp petrol-electric plug-in powertrain that propels it to a 155mph top speed. Yet CO2 emissions are claimed to be just 28g/km in its most efficient mode, with a 20 mile all-electric range.

Inside, the bright white cabin debuts a variety of tech that could filter down to production models. Gesture control pads on the dashboard allow the driver to control in-car functions by hovering their finger above the pad and moving it directionally. The overall design is, Merc claims, a preview of a near-future executive car's cabin.

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Mercedes' head of R&D Dr Thomas Weber claims that the Concept IAA "applies intelligent innovations to resolve the conflicting aims of functionality and aesthetics and shows that we still have plenty of ideas on how to achieve further improvements in efficiency."

Now see all of our coverage live from the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show.