Jan 2010
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Concept Cars: Mercedes-Benz BlitzenBenz
The Mercedes-Benz BlitzenBenz concept was created by George Yoo, a designer at
Mercedes-Benz Research and Development in Carlsbad, California. The BlitzenBenz
was developed during his final year at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.
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The BlitzenBenz is an innovative and thought provoking concept which was designed as a futuristic racing vehicle to be used for
testing and evaluating cutting edge technology. According to Yoo - "The BlitzenBenz is a statement of history coming back to
influence the future. With Mercedes' long lived racing heritage."
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The design of the BlitzenBenz concept was inspired by two very different sources. The original Blitzen-Benz from 1909 provided
the overall idea for the vehicle, with it's elongated tubular shape and rearward cab positioning. However it was the influence of
Alex Erlandson and his work of creating "sculptures" from trees which were grown into certain shapes or patterns which gave
Yoo the idea of, "what if automotive parts were to be grown and tamed to hold certain shapes".
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Obviously the technology is not quite there yet to create such a vehicle, but the current research into nanotechnology is paving
the way for intelligent and adaptable components which can be grown instead of manufactured. It's an incredibly interesting
prospect which would completely alter the way cars are built, maintained, upgraded and recycled.
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The exterior structure of the BlitzenBenz is designed to act as a base for the organic structure to sprout out from and form itself
around. The individual wheel pods are held in place by this organic component. These can can sense whenever the electric
motors inside need to be cooled, the structure would then open up - similar to how a plant opens up to receive sunlight or water.
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The cool-blue lighting system of the vehicle was inspired by the bioluminescent capabilities of deep sea creatures.
Powering the Mercedes-Benz BlitzenBenz is an advanced next-generation Hygenius hybrid hydrogen engine and four in-wheel
electric motors. In the side pocket of the car, just below the cockpit, is a hydrogen storage tank that shows the fuel level in a
small window to provide a visual sense of water being recycled throughout the vehicle - as if it maintains itself.
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