Top 8 Mercedes-Benz Concept Cars of All Time

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Today on Top Ten, we’ll be looking at the eight coolest Mercedes-Benz concept cars for 2019.

Starting off this countdown at number eight is the Mercedes-AMG GT Concept, not to be confused with the already in production AMG GT Coupe. This car is a svelte almost shooting brake concept aimed directly at the heart of the Porsche Panamera. However, this concept would easily outmuscle the Panamera with 805 horsepower on tap from its four-liter twin turbo V8, which is actually shared with the AMG GT Coupe. Zero to 62 miles per hour will take under three seconds according to Mercedes, and the car boasts large carbon ceramic brakes and active aerodynamics. This concept is nearing close to production ready, and you should expect Mercedes to release a vehicle not too far off of this Concept in the upcoming years.

Number seven is one of my personal favorites, and it’s got a mouthful of a name. Ready? This is the Vision Maybach Ultimate Luxury Concept, and it’s huge. Measuring 19 feet long and riding on 24-inch wheels, this vehicle is stuck between segments. Is it a luxury SUV from Maybach, or is it more like a big sedan? Well, to put it simply, it’s kind of both. Similar to other cars later in this video, the Ultimate Luxury Concept has a 750 horsepower electric powertrain with four electric motors and an 80-kilowatt hour battery. The behemoth of a vehicle isn’t necessarily aerodynamic, but it still manages a top speed of 155 miles per hour. The interior is pure opulence, but unique features include the distinct split rear window and a tea set in the interior. Yes, you heard that right, the vehicle has a tea set that is kept to an ideal temperature of 85 degrees Fahrenheit for passengers to enjoy.

Number six is the only hydrogen-fueled concept here. The F125 has four electric motors that are powered by a fuel cell. The system output is rated at 231 horsepower and Mercedes estimates that the car can reach 60 miles per hour from a standstill in 4.9 seconds. This concept was released in 2011, and obviously never made it to production, though the company did have plans to start releasing fuel-cell vehicles in 2014. Either way, the aggressive styling and gullwing doors on the concept earn it a spot on this list.

Number five is the second longest car of the group at 18 feet long. The Mercedes-Maybach 6 is an all-electric concept that makes the standard concept Benz 750 horsepower and can drive for 200 miles on one charge. The car is a mere design exercise and will not spawn a production vehicle, but technology in the concept will slowly make its way down to other Mercedes production cars. The car is themed after a luxury yacht, with some examples coming with a white interior with all sorts of unique lighting elements. Possibly the most staggering statistic about the vehicle is that it rides on massive 24-inch rims.

Here at number four is the Mercedes-AMG Project One hyper-car. This is an approximately 3000 pound vehicle with an amazingly high-tech 1.6 liter V6 engine mated to four electric motors that result in a combined horsepower number well above 1000. That’s right, over 1000 horsepower from a one point six-liter V6. It wasn’t that many years ago the 1001 horsepower from the Bugatti Veyron seemed impossible from its eight-liter W-16, the biggest engine in a production car. Here’s more exciting news, the Project One is slated for production in the near future, most likely under a different name and slightly different styling. Benz has already sold all 275 cars slated for production, even though the production car will cost in excess of $3 million. Many say this vehicle is the more tamed down version of the next car—at least stylistically—the Vision Grand Turismo.

So here it is, the Vision GT—at number three. This vehicle was first seen in the Grand Turismo video game series in virtual form, but took physical form for the movie Justice League, as Bruce Wayne’s daily driver. The stunning concept had to be enlarged to 110% of its original size to be able to fit actor Ben Affleck’s tall frame and an interior also had to be developed since the video game car didn’t feature one. The vehicle has Mercedes’ familiar tuned twin-turbo V8 making 577 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. The Vision Grand Turismo is one of the more developed concepts of the ones presented here, but don’t expect it to go into production.

Coming in at number two is the SL Pure, which is inspired in style and name by the classic 300SL. The Pure is incredibly futuristic featuring butterfly style doors and no windows. The interior is presumed to be filled with 360 degrees of screens to allow the driver to see a virtual representation of the world around him or her. The headlights are mounted low on the front fascia ahead of the wheels, which are enlarged to fill massive wheel wells. Super low-profile tires wrap smokeless rims. As of now, the Pure is a mere design exercise, but it could have clues as to where Mercedes will go, stylistically. Note the light bar for the taillights and look for it in future cars.

Finally, the number one Mercedes-Benz concept is the Silver Arrow, a 750 horsepower one seat concept made entirely of carbon fiber. The car is a sight to behold at 17 feet long, which is only a foot short of a new Chevy Suburban. The side of the car features a blue under glow with ‘EQ’ signatures all over the vehicle. EQ is the name for Mercedes’ electric division which supplied this project with an 80-kilowatt hour battery that also allows the car to go about 250 miles on a single charge. The interior is just as futuristic as the rest of the car and it incorporates a wide panoramic screen that displays information about the surroundings of the car and can even superimpose ghost cars to race against on a racetrack.

We’ll see if Mercedes-Benz releases any more awesome concepts in the following year, and I’ll keep everyone updated. Thanks for reading!

2019 Toyota Sienna vs 2019 Honda Odyssey vs 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan vs 2019 Chrysler Pacifica

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The 2019 model year is here, so it’s time to return to our comparison tests. The four minivans being compared here are always constantly fighting to be the best people mover, and this year is no different. As minivan sales slouch and SUV sales continue to increase, however, some van’s very nameplates are at stake. Take the 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan, for example. 2019 appears to be the last year this vehicle will ever be in production, until all Fiat Chrysler minivan sales are redirected to the Pacifica. Ironically, the Grand Caravan still outsells the Pacifica handily, despite the van being essentially 11 years old. The Toyota Sienna is a fan favorite and thousands sell every month. Honda hopes to steal some of these sales with their relatively new van, the Odyssey. Before we begin evaluating each vehicle, I need to explain how I will conduct the comparison. I use a numerical points-value system at the end of the article to assess every area of each vehicle as objectively as possible. With that being said, let’s begin with our first area of appraisal: value. Our first van, the 2019 Sienna XLE, starts at $37,090. Standard features on the XLE include heated outside mirrors with blind spot warning and rear cross traffic alert, power sliding doors, one touch door handles, a power moonroof, 17-inch alloy wheels, and a three-zone climate control system. On the interior, the Toyota has a 7.0-inch color touchscreen that houses Entune 3.0, Toyota’s in-house infotainment system. The XLE version comes with a subscription to SiriusXM, Toyota Connected Services with WiFi, and other things. However, most of these items are on a subscription basis. All seats in this trim Sienna are leather and the front two captain’s chairs are powered and heated. Other features include dynamic radar cruise control, a leather trimmed steering wheel, a 4.2-inch display in the instrument cluster, remote start, and a smart key system also come in the Sienna. Parents will appreciate the universal garage door receiver, ten cupholders, the wide variety of USB and 12V sockets, and the power tailgate. They will further appreciate all of the active safety systems preventing the Sienna from running into other cars and people: included are pedestrian detection with a pre-collision system, and lane departure alert with steering assist. Though the Sienna may seem as though it is optioned well, the van was last fully redesigned in 2011, and it is starting to show. It does not accommodate for new technologies, like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, the Sienna does excel at moving people and objects, which is the main goal of a minivan anyway. Let’s move on to the 2019 Honda Odyssey EX-L, which begins life at $37,610. The exterior of the van features heated outside mirrors, power sliding doors, and a keyless entry and exit system. The Honda will automatically lock or unlock the car after the key either enters or exits an eight-foot radius around the vehicle. The moonroof on the Honda is powered like the Sienna, as is the tailgate, however users can set programmed height for the tailgate on the Odyssey. Push-button start and a tri-zone climate control system as well as a universal remote and a leather-wrapped steering wheel make life easier for Honda buyers. Additionally, the front two seats can be power adjusted many different ways, and are heated. The first two rows in the Honda are leather, and it also has remote engine start. Bluetooth, and seven speakers with a subwoofer come standard and the Honda has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability on the Honda’s 8-inch color touchscreen. SiriusXM, collision mitigation braking, blind spot detection, a lane-keeping system and a road departure mitigation indicator are on all EX-L Odyssey’s. The 2019 Chrysler Pacifica Touring L starts at $35,945. Standard exterior features include 17-inch, ten-spoke wheels, LED headlights and taillamps, power sliding doors and liftgate, and heated exterior mirrors. On the interior, the vehicle has heated front seats, and an 8-way power adjustable driver’s chair. The Pacifica makes use of Chrysler’s excellent Stow-N-Go system, which allows for the second and third rows in the Pacifica to be folded into the floorboard with ease, so that the load floor of the rest of the van is flat. This eases cargo carrying capability and makes life with the Pacifica significantly easier. The Chrysler is dotted with 12-volt outlets and USB ports, and it also has a tri-zone climate control system, all leather seating and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. In the dash sits a 7-inch color touchscreen housing Uconnect, which is Chrysler’s infotainment system. Weirdly, the Pacifica supports Android Auto, but not Apple CarPlay. Fiat-Chrysler is the first company I have seen contract with one technology company but not the other. Six speakers, keyless entry, and push-button start round off the interior. Active safety systems on the Pacifica are actually pretty slim, offering only blind-spot detection and rear-cross path detection. It does have a parking aid that will brake for you when you are about to hit another vehicle or object, but other than that, more advanced safety systems will cost you extra. The 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan somehow manages to continue on into the year 2019, with only changes to the curtain airbags. Originally, 2018 was supposed to be the last year this vehicle was in production, but its sales have continued to be strong so FCA renewed its lease on life. Unfortunately, though the Grand Caravan sells in numbers, it cannot be the best van here. The Grand Caravan has been around since 2008 without any major updates, and it cannot compete with the likes of the Odyssey or even its own cousin, the Pacifica. However, since it remains such a strong sales contender, it is worth comparing it to the other vans. The top of the line Grand Caravan SXT starts at a comically low $31,750. On the exterior, the Dodge is gussied up with 17-inch aluminum wheels, heated mirrors, and a power liftgate and doors. On the interior, the Grand Caravan has a tri-zone climate control system, the same fantastic Stow-N-Go seats for the second and third rows seen in the Pacifica, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. All seats are leather, and the driver seat is 8-way power adjustable, but the passenger will have to adjust their seat manually. Here again, the Grand Caravan has Android Auto but not Apple CarPlay. In the center console is a 6.5-inch touchscreen housing the usual Bluetooth and SiriusXM found in the other vans. The final two features on the SXT are remote start and keyless entry. Next, let’s evaluate the powertrains and performance of each van. The 2019 Sienna comes with a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 296 horsepower and 263 lb-ft of torque. This motor is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission that drives the front wheels—AWD is optional. The powertrain is good for a 6.8 second run to 60 miles per hour, with a quarter mile time of 15.5 seconds. The 2019 Honda Odyssey also has a 3.5-liter V6, this time rated at 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. The Honda has the most modern transmission of the group, a 9-speed automatic with paddle shifters. The 9-speed and V6 propel the Honda to 60 miles per hour in 6.7 seconds and the quarter in 15.2 seconds. The Pacifica has a slightly bigger 3.6-liter engine with 287 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, and it matches the Honda’s 9-speed automatic. This setup is good for a 7.2 second 0-60 time and a 15.3 second quarter. Let’s move on to the Grand Caravan, which has the same 3.6-liter V6 as the Pacifica, but makes slightly less power at 283 horsepower and 260 lb-ft. Unfortunately, because FCA hasn’t put as much effort into the Grand Caravan as they have in the Pacifica, it retains only a 6-speed automatic. This hinders performance, and the Grand Caravan takes 7.9 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour and 16 seconds flat in the quarter. Next, let’s try and look at how family-friendly these vehicles are, because that’s what they’re designed for. The Grand Caravan and Pacifica have the Stow-N-Go seats which make increasing the cargo space significantly easier. The Pacifica has 165 cubic feet for passengers and can stow 140.5 cubic feet with all the seats down. It seats seven comfortably, but 8 in a pinch. The Honda has 160.1 cubic feet for passengers and 140.7 cubic feet behind the front row of seats, and seats 8. The Grand Caravan can hold 140.3 cubic feet of cargo space and is unrated for passenger space but seats a maximum of 7. The 2019 Sienna has a massive 150 cubic feet behind the front seats and is unrated in passenger space and can seat 8 if need be. Now, let’s move on to safety. Of course, each van has some array of active safety features, but let’s see what the crash-worthiness of each van is, per the IIHS. The 2019 Sienna gets ratings of ‘Good’, the highest mark possible, except for the small-overlap on the driver-side, which was ‘Acceptable’. The 2019 Pacifica is a top safety pick, and the only area it gets an ‘Acceptable’ rating on is the headlights. The trim we are comparing, the Touring L, has better headlights anyway. Oddly, the 2019 Odyssey gets the exact same ratings as the Pacifica, but the child seat-latch anchors are apparently easier to use. This means it too, is a top safety pick. The Grand Caravan is old, and as such wasn’t engineered to meet the small front overlap test, where it gets a rating of ‘Poor’. Most of the rest of the ratings are ‘Good’, but it wasn’t enough to give it a top safety pick. Let’s now look at fuel economy, as this is something every minivan driver is sure to have on their mind. The 2019 Sienna gets 19 miles per gallon in the city and 27 on the highway, for a combined 22 miles per gallon. The Odyssey gets similar mileage at 19 in the city, 28 on the highway, and the same 22 combined mpg. The Chrysler Pacifica gets identical ratings to the Odyssey, but the Grand Caravan shows its age with ratings of 17 in the city and 25 on the highway for a combined 21. Next, let’s look at our most controversial segment, which is styling. This is a subjective category, mind you, so take my ratings with a grain of salt. The Pacifica is about as seductive as a minivan can be, both inside and out, and manages to have the best looking exterior and interior. The Honda comes in a close second in terms of exterior, as does the interior, though to a lesser extent. I like the Dodge’s exterior better than the Sienna’s, but I like the Sienna’s interior more. Again, as are many other features of the Grand Caravan, the styling seems like an afterthought. This van was never meant to be beautiful though; form always follows function with this particular vehicle. Finally, let’s move on to our last area of evaluation, which is reliability. Of course, families want their van to be as dependable as possible, and the Toyota has them covered. According to Consumer Reports, the predicted reliability of a new Sienna is much better than average, compared to the Odyssey’s average rating, and the FCA cousin’s ratings of much worse than average. Well, that’s it for the 2019 minivan comparison! Here are the rankings of each van in each category on a scale from one to ten. The Sienna and Grand Caravan offer the most features for the money, hence their value scores. The Grand Caravan’s aging powertrain set it back in the powertrain and performance category. Its age shows again in the safety evaluation, where the two top safety picks each score a nine. The two Fiat-Chrysler vans score low in reliability, and the Grand Caravan falls behind again in fuel economy. For ease of use, the Pacifica and Grand Caravan both make gains for the Stow-N-Go seats, but the Odyssey and Grand Caravan are docked a point for seating one less person. Overall, the Sienna turns into the most well-rounded vehicle.