Mercedes Benz - The Bionic Car Concept in 2005 - showed that they were capable of optimizing aerodynamic form in a very unorthodox way; they used the R&D of nature itself and modelled it after the angular but streamlined boxfish.
Even though this example is not new it shows how expertise and open-mindedness can be combined to explore the possibilities of intersectional innovation.
The luxury division of Daimler Chrysler has begun a study on using bionics in a car as a way to better conserve fuel and the study team looked to nature for the design of the vehicle. What they found was that the boxfish was an excellent example of an aerodynamic animal. The Mercedes design team chose the shape of the boxfish due to its square shape (like a car), and its aquadynamic abilities.
The Mercedes Bionic concept could hardly be described as a beautiful or graceful looking vehicle. It is what it is, a car that looks a bit like a fat fish. However the figures don't lie, and the Mercedes Bionic had a very low drag coefficient of just 0.19. If you don't know your drag numbers, that's very, very good. That means it's more fuel efficient, and can hit a higher top speed thanks to its slippery shape.
When styling the Mercedes-Benz Bionic, the design team didn't stop at just making the basic shape in the mold of the pufferfish. They also took the time to tailor some of the minor elements of the car to more closely mirror that of its aquatic influence. For example, the streaked taillights give the impression of a fish's tail, while the slightly raised central roof contour mimics the dorsal fin.
Powering the Mercedes Bionic concept is a direct-injection diesel engine which produces 140 horsepower. Because of the aerodynamic shape of the vehicle, the car gets around 70 mpg, can hit 60mph in just 8 seconds, and go on to a top speed of 118mph.
The boxfish, the aerodynamic model for the concept car, is also a prime example of rigidity and light weight. Its skin consists of numerous hexagonal, bony plates which provide maximum strength with minimal weight and effectively protect the animal from injury. DaimlerChrysler researchers examined this bionic structure and transferred this principle to the Mercedes-Benz bionic car study with the help of a special calculation process. The process is based on the principles of bone formation and for instance allows up to 40 percent more rigidity to be achieved in the external door panelling than would be possible with conventional designs. If the entire bodyshell is calculated according to this bionic principle, the total weight is reduced by around one third with undiminished strength and crash safety.
Daimler Chrysler is using an additional operating fluid known as 'AdBlue' in the bionic car to help decrease the amount of emissions by up to 80%. AdBlue is an aqueous urea solution that is sprayed into the exhaust system and converts nitrogen oxides into harmless nitrogen and water.
The end result is a truly unique car, and one which explores an influence not many have tried before.