Mercedes’ EQ Silver Arrow blends classic design with electric superpowers

The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQ Silver Arrow. That’s the name Mercedes has given to its latest breathtaking concept car, which the company actually deems a “show car” because it’s meant as an homage to the historic 1937 W125 Silver Arrow as well as an exciting teaser for electric supercars to come. So nothing here is imminently coming to an electrified Mercedes near you, and yet, the mere sight of the EQ Silver Arrow is a celebration in itself. Flamboyant, exaggerated, elongated, seamless, and smoothed and polished to a fine sheen, this car is the sort of thing we all daydreamed about in our youth.

Needless to say, this electric Silver Arrow pays no heed to practical considerations. The original car was silver because painting its aluminum body would have added to its weight, whereas this one is all about its aesthetics and has multiple layers of “alubeam silver” applied to give it that liquid metal look. I suppose you can afford a bit of flair when you switch aluminum out for a carbon fiber frame. In terms of performance, though, Mercedes claims 750 horsepower and estimates an acceleration of 0 to 60 mph in under two seconds. And the EQ Silver Arrow is functional and can be driven; it’s not just a pretty shell with bombastic promises.

At the front, the aggressively styled headlights are framed by a blue monobrow of LED lighting, and additional blue lighting accents adorn the side skirts of the car. There’s a similar single-band taillight at the rear that sits beneath a split wing. Rose gold can be found on the sides and on the half-covered wheels. (This color will be a signature theme for Mercedes-Benz’s EQ series. The company is also proudly featuring it in its upcoming EQC SUV.) The blue, on the other hand, seems to be a broadly accepted color for indicating that the car is electric; it was also featured prominently on BMW’s i3 and i8.

Aside from the enthusiastic use of LED lights to glam up this new Silver Arrow, Mercedes also reaches into its future tech bag for the display in front of the driver, which is said to be a curved panoramic screen with back projection. Mercedes envisions this panel projecting a 3D image of the road ahead, with the option to engage in a so-called virtual race wherein a racetrack is superimposed on the road. I’m guessing it would be only the look, not the actual layout of a racetrack that the driver gets to see, though there would also be ghost cars that you can compete against. It’s not the most thought-out idea I’ve ever heard for a concept, but Mercedes outdoes itself by also building a touchscreen into the steering wheel. Because the company’s vision for some far-future racecar includes drivers precise and patient enough to operate a touchscreen.

The 2018 Silver Arrow’s seat and steering wheel are clad in a classy tan leather, the interior of the cockpit is dressed in a mix of polished aluminum and gray suede, and the floor is a pinstriped walnut. Mercedes defines this aesthetic as “progressive luxury.”

Ultimately, I’m left a little dumbfounded by some of the choices Mercedes made with this show car, but I don’t suppose practicality and logic were high on the priority list with the new Silver Arrow. The point was to be eyebrow-raising and attention-grabbing, and the Vision EQ Silver Arrow certainly achieves that.

Photography by Vlad Savov / The Verge