I’m not one to take a high interest in concepts and “vision” cars as I feel they don’t transcend into anything solid. Well, not all of the time, but most of the time. However, this week in motoring there have been several cars to have hit motoring headlines around the world, some of these cars include the McLaren 720S revealed at Pebble Beach, the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet, the BMW Z4 Concept and BMW’s new M5.
Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet
2017 Mercedes Maybach 6 Cabriolet
Mercedes promised a big surprise at this year’s Monterey Car Week and certainly delivered. On display was an open top fully electric nineteen-foot long stunner. It carries the same name of a hardtop car that was revealed at last year’s Monterey Car Week.
2016 Mercedes Maybach Vision 6 Concept
So what is it?
Much like its predecessor, the Vision 6 Cabriolet is art-deco-inspired. Its design has been influenced by superyachts blended with alluring super-coupe looks. The Vision 6 has a rear deck back-end and wooden flooring. Under the bonnet is a storage unit that contains dinner plates, cutlery, umbrellas and trolley bags. Talk about excessive… this reminds me of why I don’t write about concepts.
But apart from its obvious design cues, under the hood is what gets petrolheads excited. There is an electric motor at each wheel that collectively produces 550 kW (750 hp). A battery pack sits beneath the vehicle’s floor and when connected to a 350 kW CCS fast-charger, it will add an additional 100 kilometers to the driving range. Its electric powertrain can propel the car to a 100 km/h in 4 seconds.
Its dimensions read 5.7 metres long and 2.1 metres wide and still it only seats two people. What I’m glad to see is that it’s not another future “pod car”, it still exuberates fun and freedom. The Vision 6, or anything like it, will never be built. However, it showcases Mercedes-Benz design ideas and what its engineers are capable of.
2018 BMW M5
2018 BMW M5
If you’re struggling to decide between a rear-wheel drive sports sedan or an all-wheel drive car, then you can turn your head to BMW’s new M5. The new model was revealed this week with an innovative all-wheel-drive system that can be locked in a rear-wheel-drive mode. This enhances the dynamic driving experience.
Think super-smoky burnouts and sensational powerslides where all of the twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8’s 441kW/750Nm are sent to the rear wheels.
The M5 jets off from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and does a 0 to 200 km/h in 11.1 seconds. With the optional M Driver’s Package the M5 will manage a top speed of 305km/h.
Along with the launch of the new M5 comes a special edition model, the BMW M5 First Edition, which will be limited to 400 units. South Africa will be receiving a few of these and more details along with pricing will be announced by year-end.
Following in the M2’s debut, the 2018 M5 will make its virtual-world appearance in the forthcoming Need for Speed Payback game launching on November 10 worldwide.
McLaren 720S
Another an attention-grabbing car to hit newsfeeds this week was a one-off pink McLaren 720S that was debuted at the Pebble Beach Concours in California. It doesn’t come with any additional performance boosts but it’s unique colour, ‘Fux Fuschia,’ is the interesting story here. This colour was created by Rolls-Royce for Mr Fux.
Michael Fux is a self-proclaimed “car freak” and a Cuban-American businessman. His love for automobiles has lead to him owning what is described as Disneyland for car lovers. Instead of listing what this renowned car collector owns, just a have a look at his garage:
Back to the car, the colour was redeveloped by the automakers bespoke McLaren Special Operations (MSO) division for his 720S. Inside the cabin is a white leather interior.
The fuchsia colouring has also been incorporated on the wheels, inside the doors, and as a pinstripe on the steering wheel and rear-view mirror.
Fux also has a previously specced McLaren 12C in orange, a 12C Spider in purple, and a McLaren P1 in a commissioned green.
The MSO revenue increased by 143% last year, as high-end buyers are splurging on one-off designs.
BMW Z4
Lastly, if you follow motoring news you would have seen the new BMW Z4 Concept. The concept was revealed in teasing buyers ahead of the iconic Z4’s full reveal next year. The Z4 was first launched in 2002 and its long-nose has become quite a favourite. This concept is not just any random car that will never go into production, what we gather from this concept is a glimpse the third-generation range. It looks sportier than ever, retaining its compact build.
Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior VP of BMW Group design describes this model as “total freedom on four wheels.”
The interior is luxurious and contains a touchscreen infotainment system mounted in an all-black central console, and a Heads-Up Display for the driver.
So we look to this car as we eagerly await the arrival of the new model.
