Mercedes-Benz reveals 550kW EQ Silver Arrow

Mercedes-Benz has taken inspiration from its celebrated streamlined record breakers from the 1930s for a contemporary new concept car revealed at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concourse d’Elegance in Monterey, USA.

Called the EQ Silver Arrow, the spectacular 5.2-metre long single seater officially acts as an homage to the 80-year-old W125 Rekordwagen (pictured, below) – a teardrop-shaped prototype powered by a 541kW 5.6-litre V12 petrol engine that was driven to a public road record speed of 432.7km/h on a stretch of the A5 autobahn between the German cities of Frankfurt and Darmstadt by Rudolf Caracciola in 1938.

However, the new 550kW concept, whose exaggerated proportions and pronounced wheelarches recall those of the W125 Rekordwagen, has also been constructed as a pointer to current stylistic and aerodynamic developments at the German car maker.

Additionally, the EQ Silver Arrows acts as a technological figurehead for Mercedes-Benz’s newly established EQ sub-brand, through which it will market a range of new electric-powered models starting with the EQ C that is set to make its debut in production guise in early September.

Destined to remain a one-off, the EQ Silver Arrow is based around an extended version of Mercedes-Benz’s new MEA (modular electric architecture) platform that uses a flat floor to house battery modules. Its body structure, painted silver in recognition of the W125, is made of carbon fibre.

While the design of the low slung concept is credited to Mathias Schenker, who works at Mercedes-Benz North American design studio in Carlsbad, California, the flamboyant appearance of the EQ Silver Arrow was finalised under a team headed by Mercedes-Benz’s Chief Design Officer, Gorden Wagener, at the company’s main studio in Sindelfingen, Germany.  

Various design elements, including the blue light band between the front headlamps and red light band at the rear, are claimed to evoke the treatment of upcoming electric powered EQ production models, which are set include the EQ C SUV, EQ A hatchback and an EQ S luxury sedan by the start of 2022.

Meanwhile, a series of active aerodynamic elements, including spoilers that extend out of the rear bodywork at speed in a similar fashion to those incorporated on the earlier Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA show car, are designed to act as an air brake by providing added downforce at speed during hard braking.

As with the W125 Rekordwagen, which was built around Mercedes-Benz’s Grand Prix car of the time, the EQ Silver Arrow features a single seat cockpit. The wood and leather lined interior takes on a futuristic appearance with curved panoramic main digital display, a motorsport-inspired steering wheel that incorporates a secondary display, four-point harness, adjustable pedals and, as in Mercedes-Benz’s open-top production models, an Airscarf ventilation system integrated into the seat that blows air to the neck of the driver.  

The new Mercedes-Benz concept has been conceived to run a pure electric drivetrain claimed to develop up to 550kW. Electrical energy is provided by an 80-kWh battery that officials from the German car maker says provides the low slung single seater with a theoretical range of up to 400km.

A similarly specified drivetrain is rumoured to be under development for a new electric-powered AMG performance model that Mercedes-Benz sources suggest is being considered to sit at the very top of the EQ line-up as a rival to the likes of the Porsche Taycan.

The EQ Silver Arrow is the third concept to be revealed by Mercedes-Benz in recent years at the Pebble Beach Concourse d’Elegance, following on from the Mercedes-Maybach 6 and Mercedes-Maybach 6 Convertible shown in 2016 and 2017 respectively.