And just what is bionic technology? Well, my first thought on the subject had me harking way back to the '70s when Lee
Majors played Steve Austin in the Six Million Dollar Man, a half-man, half mechanical do-gooder, but this couldn't be what Mercedes was talking about, as there's no human element in this all-mechanical vehicle. So what is it?
Simply put, it's "the science concerned with the application of data about the functioning of biological systems to the solution of engineering problems," or at least that's what Mirriam-Websters Unabridged Online has to say about it. So basically, if a fish, dog or chimpanzee inspires your car, then you're applying the science of bionics, and in effect have a bionic car.
But unlike Plymouth's Barracuda or Chevy's Stingray, Mercedes-Benz actually developed a Darwinian-like series of five body models that chart the automakers progression from boxfish to Bionic Car to aluminum space frame, similar to the drawing of ape transforming into man made up by the controversial scientist for introducing his theory of evolution. Of course, there was that equally controversial statement made by Lady Hope about a deathbed admission contradicting his entire theory, but none
of this has anything to do with bionics or the cool little models Mercedes-Benz created to prove its "theories" of aerodynamics.
The proof of Mercedes' theories, however, is in the wind tunnel test results, that cool 0.17 coefficient of drag I mentioned previously. But there's more, much more about the Bionic Car than just its slippery shape. Underneath the 4.24-metre long monobox skin, which incidentally is formed by connecting hexagonal "bony plates" together for an extremely strong structure despite an overall light weight, and reportedly act to protect the car from potential impact (also backed up by six airbags just in case) just as the real-life plates protect the Boxfish from injury, is a very strong aluminum backbone, known more commonly as a spaceframe. The entire structure is ultra-lightweight, and extremely strong, ideally suited for efficient transportation.
 |
| Mercedes-Benz actually developed a Darwinian-like series of five body models that chart the automakers progression from boxfish to Bionic Car to aluminum space frame. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Simply put, it's "the science concerned with the application of data about the functioning of biological systems to the solution of engineering problems," or at least that's what Mirriam-Websters Unabridged Online has to say about it. So basically, if a fish, dog or chimpanzee inspires your car, then you're applying the science of bionics, and in effect have a bionic car.
But unlike Plymouth's Barracuda or Chevy's Stingray, Mercedes-Benz actually developed a Darwinian-like series of five body models that chart the automakers progression from boxfish to Bionic Car to aluminum space frame, similar to the drawing of ape transforming into man made up by the controversial scientist for introducing his theory of evolution. Of course, there was that equally controversial statement made by Lady Hope about a deathbed admission contradicting his entire theory, but none
 |
| The entire Bionic Car structure is ultra-lightweight, and extremely strong, ideally suited for efficient transportation. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
The proof of Mercedes' theories, however, is in the wind tunnel test results, that cool 0.17 coefficient of drag I mentioned previously. But there's more, much more about the Bionic Car than just its slippery shape. Underneath the 4.24-metre long monobox skin, which incidentally is formed by connecting hexagonal "bony plates" together for an extremely strong structure despite an overall light weight, and reportedly act to protect the car from potential impact (also backed up by six airbags just in case) just as the real-life plates protect the Boxfish from injury, is a very strong aluminum backbone, known more commonly as a spaceframe. The entire structure is ultra-lightweight, and extremely strong, ideally suited for efficient transportation.