Category Archives: Spark

Mercedes F 200 Imagination 1996 ( Spark 1/43)

 
Luis Castilla Ellera Design Mercedes F200 Imagination

collectionis-Luis Castilla Ellera Design Mercedes F200 Imagination

The mercedes F 200 Imagination was presented in the automobile room in Paris in 1996, and not only did it have a beautiful design (precursor to the CL class that appeared in 2000), but it also exemplified a great many technical innovations. Some of these innovations would be incorporated years later in other vehicles, such as:

  • The swiveling gullwing doors, used in 2003 in the SLR McLaren.

  • The panoramic crystal roof with intense light control (on very sunny days the roof gets dark to lower the interior temperature), used in 2002 in the Maybach 62.

The most novel system is the substitution of the steering wheel, as well as the gas and brake pedals; they are controlled by a joystick gearshift similar to the one used years later in many video games.

When the driver wants to accelerate he pushes the joystick toward the front; when he wants to brake he pulls it back; analogously to the left and right to turn. With the car stopped, pushing the joystick back will make the car start to move backward. It also has electronic systems to increase security, with a multitude of sensors that help to interpret the orders received through the gearshift and execute them in the safest way possible, for example, turning the wheels to the right or left will be more or less smooth depending on velocity, as it is not the same to be at a high velocity than to be parked, etc.

The gearshift is found 4 times in the front seats of the car so that a right handed or left handed person can drive seated in the right seat or left seat. This allows for the vehicle to drive in every country, without requiring a special configuration with a steering wheel adopted for the position used in each country (for example, in the UK the steering wheel is on the right but in all other EU countries, it is on the left).

It also has other technological advancements that can be seen subsequently in other models of other makers. Some of these are the substitution of the rearview mirrors for cameras (in this case 5- 2 on each side and one in the rear windshield), or the adjustable headlights that turn with the tires. Also in the F 200 each headlight consists of 6 modules (a detail reflected perfectly in our miniature) that light up or shut off according to the external light conditions and velocity, to offer the most appropriate light intensity for each situation.

In conclusion, the Spark miniature presented is of a high level of finesse, starting with the metallic green color, true to the original model; if there was a downside, it would be that it doesn’t rolle, but in this as in everything, it depends on your preferences.

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