Brian Joss –
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé and Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet world premieres are the highlights of the “Mercedes Dream Car Collection” at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt. The defining feature of the appearance by Mercedes-Benz Cars, traditionally located in the Festival Hall directly at the main entrance to the exhibition site, is the “Silver Flow” – a dynamically shaped large-scale sculpture consisting of silver slats. Daily live programmes at www.mercedes-benz.com show the highlights on the Mercedes-Benz stand.
The free-standing steel construction of the Frankfurt Festival Hall forms the horizon for the exciting Mercedes-Benz brand architecture at the Motor Show: the technically sculptural Silver Flow appears to float weightlessly through the hall, which is over 100 years old. Even on entering the Festival Hall, visitors experience the multifaceted nature of the Mercedes-Benz brand worlds showcased there. An escalator in the open central room takes the visitors from the live stage to a height of 13 metres.
The themed rooms along the route are architecturally varied: from the character of a pit lane at Mercedes-AMG through the cosy atmosphere at Mercedes me to the luxurious spaciousness beneath the dome at Mercedes-Maybach. The balustrades to the central room offer numerous seats and areas for standing as in a stadium, for whiling away the time with exciting views of the “Mercedes live” stage show.
The entire route is accompanied by the sculptural Silver Flow. The play of light creates dynamically fluid atmospheres in the room. The Silver Flow comprises over 400 individual slats which, arranged next to each other, add up to a length of over two kilometres. The new Mercedes-Benz show concept with the Silver Flow celebrated its premiere at the Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris in 2014. Through the flexibility of the slat structure the brand image can be adapted to the individual trade fairs with a high recognition effect.
Around 150 employees have been working for a year on planning and realising Mercedes-Benz’s appearance covering more than 9000 square metres. Some 850 tons of steel, over 230 kilometres of cabling and some 4500 lights have been installed in the Festival Hall, for example.
When walking through the exhibition, visitors experience vehicles and services up close and personal.. It is not just in a large exhibition area on the theme of Mercedes me that the visitors are the centre of attention. From here they can also interactively become part of the media installation.
The live idea also shapes the on-stage showcasing. A camera technique familiar from sports and show broadcasts brings unexpectedly dynamic pictures to the media space. Coupled with vehicle movements, live participants and kinetic elements a new type of real-time showcasing is created.
The focus of smart’s appearance at the show in the Forum in front of the Festival Hall is on the new smart fortwo cabrio. The individualisation range smart Brabus also plays an important part. The architectural framework for the brand presentation is taken up by the hallmark smart tridion cell as a space-defining metaphor. The framing architecture also divides the stand into various themed areas – Individuality, Mobility, Technology and Design. The brand values Innovation, Functionality and Joy of life are to the fore here. There is the potential for discovery in all areas. Design spy cases and interactive exhibits invite the guests to become better acquainted with the smart brand and its mobility concept.
Fun in the City awaits the International Motor Show visitors in the outside area, where they can test the manoeuvrability and agility of the new smart in a smart City Trial. In the smart Lounge Area the load compartment concept of the smart forfour can be playfully experienced, whilst the smart forgigs, a cooperation between JBL and smart, provides the Sound of the City.
Mercedes-Benz Cars is presenting around 100 vehicles in Frankfurt, including several world premieres: the exciting C-Class Coupé; the new smart fortwo cabrio heralds a very special cult variant of the new model series. The fresh-air fun can be adapted to match weather, wish and whim: at the touch of a button, the new smart fortwo cabrio is transformed from a closed two-seater into a car with a large folding sunroof and then a cabriolet with a completely open roof and the new Mercedes-Benz GLC, to name some.
Mobile added value with multimedia content on vehicles and show cars comes courtesy of the specially developed “Mercedes-Benz IAA App 2015”. Via a search function, all of the Mercedes-Benz vehicles presented at the show are easier to find. Interactive hall plans also help with orientation. With exclusive download material the app also provides yet more added value: the user can load the spectacular images and insights into the design and technology of the premiered vehicles directly onto their own screen.
