What is it?
Get over the wow factor of a sculpture on a motorshow stand and Mercedes' artistic endeavours reveal a lot about how the next CLS will look. There's more than a hint of the SLS AMG about the grille and front end for starters. The 'Rising Car' sculpture has been designed to look as if it's appearing from the ground or has been covered with a silver cloth.
Why's it here?
It's here because Mercedes likes to tease us with a glimpse of what's next on the horizon for them. In this case, it's the CLS, which will be revealed in a more detailed show car later this year. The final production version will be launched at the end of 2010.
Show stopper or floor filler?
Mercedes knows how to draw the crowds and it's done it again with Rising Car. There's just enough of the finished article in the sculpture to keep us car fans searching for more information and it's a delight for every Detroit show visitor to gawp at. Mercedes design boss Dr Dieter Zetsche said: "Creativity and inspiration are always the driving forces behind outstanding engineering achievements. With this work of art, we want to express the characteristic Mercedes-Benz design and, at the same time, convey an impression of our forthcoming new models."
Full 2010 Detroit Auto Show report.
Alisdair Suttie - 12 Jan 2010