Mercedes-Benz F300 Life Jet

Work on the concept car F300 Life Jet was initiated by one rather specific question: how can you combine the dynamics and agility of a motorcycle with the safety and comfort of a car? ^[1] In order to find the answer to this question, on December 23, 1995, skeptical managers of Mercedes-Benz gathered at the Hockenheimring road to test the first prototype of the F300 Life Jet. The project manager was Günter Hölzel ( Günter Hölzel ). The test drive was successful and the project was given the green light ^[2] .

Motorcyclists enjoy the freedom that their vehicle provides: they will bend over corners, feel the engine power, feel the unity with the motorcycle and enjoy the ride on the road - they all tried to translate it into the F300 Life Jet. However, it took into account the advantages of the car: instead of two wheels, three were installed, which significantly increased the stability of the vehicle. The upper part of the tricycle made removable and closable, and the seats equipped with seat belts. Next to the driver, a place was set for the second passenger, in which both may not wear a helmet and special protective gear ^[1] .

The Mercedes-Benz F300 Life Jet replenished the F-series of experimental cars of the German automaker in 1997 , presented to the public at the 57th Frankfurt Motor Show ^[1] . In the same year, the Mercedes-Benz board of directors was asked about the future of the project: to develop it further or leave it as the only prototype in the brand’s museum ? As a result, the second variant and concept was realized, and it was never once launched into serial production, however, some of the ideas considered in the framework of the concept were later implemented in Smart cars ^[2] .

The research car F300 Life Jet is the first vehicle in the history of the Daimler AG concern, the project of which was fully developed first on a computer and only then put into practice ^[1] . It has become a test platform for CASCaDE software ( Computer Aided Simulation of the Car, Driver and Environment - “computer simulation of a car, driver and environment”) developed by Daimler-Benz . From the very early design stage, the computer was able to transmit data about the F300 Life Jet through simulation tools ^[1] .

The concept is a 2-seater 3-wheeled convertible / tricycle . It is equipped with 150/80 ZR16 front and 190/50 ZR 17 rear wheels ^[2] . The mass of the car is 800 kg. The lighting system is equipped with electronics and provides the best illumination of the carriageway, including when entering into turns, following the angle of rotation of the wheels. The light sensor controls the beam: the light automatically turns on at dusk or when the vehicle enters the tunnel ^[3] . The heart of the F300 Life-Jet control technology is Active Tilt Control ( ATC ) ^[4] technology. For turn signals and brake lights, neon lamps are used ^[1] .

Exterior

The design of the car is also unusual, as well as its dynamics on the road. The advanced technology of the car roll, which is responsible for the inclination of the front axle and the body at the time of maneuvers, was the most difficult to implement (from a technological point of view). She limited design decisions, creating an extremely narrow space in the cabin and on the floor. If the car has to experience a 30 degree tilt, the front axle and chassis will need enough space to move freely. That is why the car body is made in a V-shape ^[1] .

Aluminum roof with transparent polycarbonate, consisting of two parts, provides protection from bad weather ^[3] . The two parts of the roof are very light and can be removed if desired and folded into the rear wheel aft compartment, thereby turning the F300 Life Jet into a roadster ^[1] . The side windows are separated from the front triangular vents and completely lowered by pressing one button. Only the front windshield and the integrated rear rollover are in a secured position to ensure safety in the car ^[1] .

Interior

The interior of high quality and sophistication is close to luxury cars, although the F300 was designed as a two-wheeled vehicle for maneuverability.

The steering wheel, which is similar in shape to the steering wheel, the instrument panel, the gearshift lever and the seats create the illusion of being in the cockpit of a jet aircraft ^[3] . Buttons for working with car radio and telephone are integrated in the steering wheel so that the driver does not have to break away from driving. Large windows, sloping backs and a transparent roof reinforce this illusion. Because of its unusual design, the passenger is located behind the driver's seat. It has not only its own door and comfortable seat, but also enough space to feel comfortable and free ^[1] .

Air conditioning, installed in the concept car, regulates the temperature in the cabin ^[3] .

Engine

The rear-wheel drive car is equipped with a 4-stroke 4-cylinder gasoline engine with a displacement of 1.6 liters, taken over from the A-class ^{[2] [3]} (A160) and generating power of 75 kW (102 hp), 50 N · m at 4000 rpm It is compactly placed between the inner and rear wheels. Power is transmitted using a toothed belt to the rear wheel. Gear shifting is performed using a 5-speed manual gearbox (weighing 32 kg) with electro-hydraulic control ^{[1] [2]} .

The concept develops a speed of 100 km / h in 7.7 seconds, the maximum speed is 211 km / h. Average fuel consumption is about 5.3 liters per 100 kilometers ^[1] .

Chassis

The chassis of the two-seater is made of aluminum and weighs only 89 kg ^[3] . Sensors assess the situation and ensure the correct tilt of the car, using its roll, speed, acceleration, steering wheel angle and the position of the hydraulic drum controlling the front axle of the car ^{[1] [2]} . The computer calculates the corresponding slope of the body and sends the necessary commands to the hydraulic system. At high speeds, the system allows only a slight tilt, which helps stabilize the car body, while at medium speeds it reacts very quickly, which allows you to create body slopes up to 30 degrees ^{[3] [5]} .

Together with third-party manufacturers, special tires were developed for the concept, which made it possible to establish a large wheel alignment and slip angles ^[1] .

Technologies and systems that have been applied to the F300 Life Jet ^{[1] [2]} :

• Active tilt control system
• Active driven headlights
• Light sensor - launched in 1998 with the model W220 S-class
• Electro-hydraulic manual transmission ( shift-by-wire )
• New tire format

• The 1:43 scale model is manufactured by Spark ^[6]

• F300 on emercedesbenz.com
• Official press release and photos at SeriousWheels.com