L.A. Auto Show Robocar: 2057 Mercedes-Benz SilverFlow
click above image for more views of the 2057 Mercedes-Benz SilverFlow
The Car: The 2057 Mercedes-Benz SilverFlow is the most traditional shape we've seen so far of the 2007 Design Challenge entrants. It looks like a futuristic car with a super sleek designed inspired by Merc racers of yore. The designers, however, didn't leave their imaginations at the door, having crafted the SilverArrow from micro-metallic particles that can be arranged by magnetic fields into pre-selected forms kept on the car's key fob. For easy storage, the entire car can melt into a puddle of metallic goop, only to be reassembled by the power of magnets when you're ready to drive again. The Future According to Mercedes-Benz: After the market was flooded with cheap carbon fiber from China in the early 2020s, Mercedes-Benz engineers went on the hunt for a new material that would be exclusive enough for automobiles crowned with the silver star. They found their ingredient when downloading the classic film Terminator 2: Judgment Day into their brains via the NetFlix neural delivery service. Inspired by the T-1000 character's liquid metal form, Benz engineers went about reverse engineering the technology that came back from 2029 to 1991. Because of their efforts, the world was blessed with liquid metal a few years before it was supposed to be developed by Skynet. Take that future computer overlord!
Weirdness Factor (1 - I can buy that today, 10 - OMG WTF): 4
The annual LA Auto Show Design Challenge entries have been revealed and we'll be showing off the entire series today on Autoblog. The challenge's theme this year is "Robocar 2057" and we think each team tells a story with their design of how that particular manufacturer views the future in 50 years. We'll tell you those stories, which are entirely fictional, written by us and not associated with the actual automakers involved in any way, as we introduce you to the cars, and at the end of the day we'll have an unofficial poll to crown our own winner.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
DJ_Swammi 3:51PM (10/12/2007)
Nice, and when you're not driving it, you can play Monopoly with it.
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Wally 3:58PM (10/12/2007)
best one in the series so far. I like the GM one too. I thought i was the only one that rooted for the T1000 in Terminator 2
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2004m3driver 4:27PM (10/12/2007)
I am just excited about the cheap carbon fiber from china part !
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British_Rover 7:27PM (10/12/2007)
Cool that there are two Terminator references.
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500 11:44PM (10/12/2007)
My favorite out of the series, but gee, people bash GM for showing concept cars (the Volt) based on technology that doesn't exist yet? :-P
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Dario 1:12AM (10/13/2007)
Someone's been sipping the sake made by the Toyota concept while reading some nanotech sci-fi. Incidentally, all manufacturing is out of business since the liquid metal stuff can be instantly formed into anything.
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PH 12:03AM (10/13/2007)
Honestly everyone, who cares?
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MGBYG 12:08PM (10/13/2007)
With Global Warming...shouldn't all these in this 2057 futuro-crap be BOATS??????
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jpcnyc 7:44PM (10/27/2007)
We aren't going to be around in 50 years if Mercedes keeps making cars that get 12 miles to the gallon! Lets focus here!
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