2018 Pebble Beach Concours: Mercedes-Benz EQ Silver Arrow

© Rod Hatfield
Future Past
Taking a page from its long history with a look to the future, Mercedes-Benz rolled out the stunning EQ Silver Arrow concept at a private event near Pebble Beach, California, prior to the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance — one of the world’s most exclusive collector car competitions. The single-seat Silver Arrow pays homage to the historic Mercedes Silver Arrows while utilizing a futurist electric powertrain.

VIDEO: Mercedes-Benz EQ Silver Arrow Debuts

© Rod Hatfield
Streamlined
“Over 80 years ago, the historic Silver Arrows demonstrated that Mercedes-Benz was a pioneer when it came to speed, thanks, among other things, to their streamlined shape,” said Chief Design Officer at Daimler AG Gorden Wagener. “The EQ Silver Arrow show car draws on that legacy. Intended for acceleration and driving pleasure, it embodies progressive luxury and provides an insight into the future of our design. As a result, the show car drives the design idiom of our new EQ product and technology brand to the top,” Wagener noted.

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Alubeam Silver
Although the original Silver Arrows bore the silver sheen of bare metal to avoid the weight of a paint layer, the EQ Silver Arrow concept’s body is constructed from carbon fiber and then covered in multiple layers of Alubeam Silver paint. The result gives the appearance of liquid metal, which has a stunning effect in any light.

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Big Wheels
The EQ Silver Arrow sits low to the ground on massive 24-inch front and 26-inch rear wheels. Upon close inspection, the slick tires feature the Mercedes star embossed as the tread. Wheels feature non-rotating hubs with 168 spokes per wheel. The spokes are lightweight aluminum painted in rose gold.

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Blue Accents
Designers fitted the EQ Silver Arrow with blue lighting accents, including a blue strip up front as well as on the side skirts. The EQ name on the sides is also lit in blue.

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Unique Access
The EQ’s driver accesses the single seat when the surrounding canopy lifts up and out of the way.

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Interior
The cabin is a gorgeous mix of traditional and advanced materials. The seat and steering wheel are covered in soft Saddle Brown leather, and the entire cabin gets swathed in soft gray suede that matches the exterior color. The floor is solid walnut, while trim pieces are of brushed aluminum.

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High Tech
With the canopy closed, the driver is encompassed by a large panoramic screen that displays the vehicle’s surroundings in 3-D. A touchscreen on the steering wheel allows the driver to select driving programs such as Comfort or Sport. Since electric vehicles are virtually silent, the driver can also select a “soundtrack” to play such as an AMG V8 or Formula One engine — a Mercedes-Benz F1 engine, of course.

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Fully Electric
The EQ Silver Arrow is conceived as a fully-electric vehicle producing 738 horsepower. The thin battery pack resides in the underbody and offers a range of 250 miles. Side air vents are designed to keep the batteries cool.

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W 125 Record Holder
Also on display at the event was the inspiration for the EQ Silver Arrow — the 1937 W 125. The 12-cylinder Grand Prix racing car achieved a top speed of 268.9 mph on the public Autobahn in 1937. This set the record for the fastest recorded speed on a public road — a record that was finally broken last year.

© Rod Hatfield
Not for Production
The EQ Silver Arrow is simply a design study with no plans for production; however, design elements and technologies featured in the EQ Silver Arrow will likely appear in production cars at some point in the future.

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