BLOC MAGAZINE WINTER 18-19

52 // WWW.BLOCHOTELS.COM T his stunning one-seater ve- hicle is an homage to the successful record-breaking W 125 car from 1937. The paint- work in alubeam silver is remi- niscent of the historic Silver Ar- rows which, for weight reasons, did not have a white paint layer. The interior is dominated by tra- ditional, high-quality materials such as genuine leather, polished aluminium and solid walnut. The digital cockpit, meanwhile, points directly into the future: It includes a curved panoramic screen with back projection, as well as a touchscreen integrated into the steering wheel. With its clear, seamless design, the design idiom of the Vision EQ Silver Arrow is a brand-spe- cific embodiment of the design philosophy of Sensual Purity. The streamlined silhouette of the approximately 5.3-metre long and approximately one me- tre shallow one-seater vehicle is slender yet sensuous. The show car's body structure is made of carbon fibre. The multiple layers of paintwork in alubeam silver appear like liquid metal over the top. This con- cept represents the design polar opposites of "hot" and "cold". Functional attachment parts made of carbon fibre such as the front splitter epitomise the cool and rational aspect of this phi- losophy. The same applies to the front trim designed as a display, as well as the continuous light- ing strip at the front. The side skirts also feature a lighting strip and the large, recessed EQ let- tering in front of the rear wheels is illuminated blue as is charac- teristic of the brand. Other highlights include the driver's cockpit, which can be folded forwards, and the par- tially free-standing multi-spoke wheels. The non-rotating hub caps and the partial trim on the wheels are other stylish and innovative highlights. The 168 spokes per wheel are made of lightweight aluminium and are painted a rose gold colour as is typical for EQ. The interior of the Vision EQ Silver Arrow represents the val- ues of Progressive Luxury. The design idiom combines timeless aesthetic appeal with futuristic visions. When the driver's cockpit is folded forwards, it provides a view of the surprisingly wide interior. A contrast brings it to life: On the one hand, it uses traditional, high-quality materi- als. These include saddle brown genuine leather on the seat and steering wheel, polished alu- minium throughout the interior and solid walnut with darker co- niferous wood pinstripes on the floor. This creates a bridge back to the historic racing cars of the Silver Arrow era. On the other hand, modern, high-tech solu- tions such as the large projection surface for the panoramic screen and innovative user experience solutions such as the virtual race option represent the EQ's typ- ically visionary character. This contrast is an intentional merg- ing of past and future. The sitting surface and backrest have an unusual pattern which is aligned with the seat con- tour: Stars have been stitched in with the help of laser engraving. AIRSCARF neck-level heating is integrated into the seat. A four- point seatbelt inspired by mot- orsport holds the driver secure- ly in place. The pedals can be adapted to the driver's specific stature, with a controller located on the seat for adjusting the ped- als. To match the exterior paint finish in alubeam silver, the side walls of the interior are covered in a luxurious, grey suede. The driver of the Vision EQ Sil- ver Arrow is encompassed by a large panoramic screen on which a 3D image of the surroundings is projected from behind. As a pointer to future possible charg- ing technologies, the lane of the roadway on which inductive charging is possible is superim- posed onto the screen. With the help of artificial intel- ligence it is possible to engage in a virtual race against historic or present Silver Arrow racing cars. For this a virtual race- track is superimposed onto the real roadway on the panoramic screen and the driver sees their opponent either ahead of them or behind them as a "ghost". The Virtual Race Coach assistance function helps you become a bet- ter driver by giving instructions during the race. There is also a touchscreen on the steering wheel. The driv- er can use it to select programs