Vision GST: Design study for a six-seater tourer of the future

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News of April 10, 2002

Vision GST: Design study for a six-seater tourer of the future

Vision GST

Innovative concept for exciting and enjoyable motoring
Spacious interior with four rear seats
Dynamic body lines with sporty styling touches
SBC™, 4-ETS, AIRMATIC and the new PRE-SAFE safety system
265 kW/360 hp AMG V8 engine

Stuttgart - Mercedes-Benz is once again emphasising its role as a trend-setter among premium-class automotive brands with the Vision GST - a design study for a radically new vehicle concept closely focused on the needs and wishes of people of today.

The letters GST stand for "Grand Sports Tourer" - an interesting vehicle category which combines features of a number of established automotive concepts to create a new and distinctive format. Vision GST is a touring saloon, estate, people carrier and sport utility vehicle (SUV) rolled into one. Above all, the Mercedes study is a vehicle which lends unprecedented excitement and new meaning to the concept of long-distance driving pleasure.

Jürgen Hubbert

Photos: DC

"This concept vehicle is a response to the frequent calls from our customers for a vehicle for all occasions which is superbly styled, exciting to drive and engineered to the highest standards - a car which offers plenty of room for family and leisure outings, for touring and for professional use but at the same time combines this with superb handling and performance.

Mercedes-Benz has defined a new market segment with the Vision GST - a segment with huge potential for the future," comments Professor Jürgen Hubbert, the Member of the Board of Management of DaimlerChrysler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars and smart.

Sporty, elegant design with sports car styling touches

The distinctive arc of the roof line which sweeps gently from the A-pillar to the C-pillar dominates the dynamic styling of the Vision GST. It emphasises the long, sleek silhouette and hints strongly at the powerful, sporty power plant within the spacious body. This impression is further reinforced by the large, 22-inch wheels and the wedge shape suggested by the lines which are a distinctive feature of the sides of the vehicle.

At roof level, a large area of special electrochromic glass runs from the front windscreen to the rear of the vehicle. At the press of a button, the occupants can vary the degree of tinting depending on the intensity of the sunlight. The side windows of the design study are equally striking. The absence of a B-pillar means the window area gives the effect of a continuous band, which again helps to reinforce the sporty character of the vehicle. Other highlights include the rear-hinged "but-terfly" doors, which open to 90 degrees, making boarding and alighting particularly easy while at the same time opening up new possibilities in the field of interior design.

Hand-crafted interior materials

Sumptuous, hand-crafted materials like wood, leather and aluminium underpin the exclusive interior ambience in the Vision GST. The sophisticated lighting system which makes use of a new type of luminous film in the roof lining, in the door trim and on the transmission tunnel accentuates the inviting atmosphere. The driver, the front passenger and the occupants of the rear seats can feel completely at their ease in the comfortable, power-adjustable single seats with integrated belt system. With a third seat row for two additional passengers in the rear, the Vision GST offers comfortable accommodation for six people while the large side window areas and the panoramic glass roof allow them to enjoy the journey to the full.

High-tech specification incorporating trailblazing Mercedes innovations

The heart of the Vision GST is a 5.5 litre Mercedes-AMG V8 power plant which develops 265 kW/360 hp. The design study is also equipped with the 4-ETS four-wheel-drive electronic traction-support system from the M- and G-Classes, AIRMATIC air suspension and the new Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC™) high-pressure brake system. The large brake discs are made of carbon fibre-reinforced ceramic. The occupant protection features are rounded off by the new PRE-SAFE safety system which can detect an impending collision in advance and activates the belt tensioners before the impact actually occurs.

The Vision GST measures 5.15 metres in length - the same as a long-wheelbase S-Class. The wheelbase measures 3.22 metres.

(April 03, 2002)

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