Mercedes-Benz Vision Iconic Marries Vintage Glamour with Futuristic Tech
The concept pairs throwback elegance with innovations like solar power, Level 4 autonomy, and brain-inspired computing.By Natalie NeffPublished: Oct 14, 2025 4:00 AM EDT
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VIEW GALLERYMercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz mined its own historical design library for its latest concept car, the Vision Iconic, which melds cues from the brand’s prewar luxury cars with a full slate of modern technology.
Unveiled in Shanghai, Mercedes says the intent of the Vision Iconic is to serve as both a design study and a technology testbed. Its bold chrome grille jumps out straightaway, ringed by a chrome frame and housing a smoked-glass lattice insert. Similar to that seen recently with the unveiling of its 2027 GLC EV, it’s worth noting a conventional grille is largely unnecessary on an electric car from a performance standpoint, but as a statement-making piece of styling, a grille can do a lot of the heavy lifting.
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Special lighting touches include contour accents around the edges of the grille insert, with a lighted hood ornament up above.
Mercedes says the look draws from its classic sedans of the 1960s as well as luxury icons like the 600 Pullman, but elements like its maxed-out wheel openings, smooth contours, and minimal adornments mean it retains a very modern feel.
“Vision Iconic embodies our vision for the future of mobility,” said Markus Schäfer, the company’s chief technology officer. “With groundbreaking innovations such as neuromorphic computing, steer-by-wire, solar paint, and Level 4 automated driving… we are setting new standards for the electric and digital age.”
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Inside, the cabin features a sweeping glass dashboard Mercedes calls “hyper-analog,” which combines physical controls with hidden screens. A floating instrument cluster animates when the doors open, while blue velvet seats and brass accents give the space a decidedly lounge-like atmosphere. And the floor is finished in straw marquetry rendered with an Art Deco motif.
On the technology front, Mercedes is experimenting with solar paint, which essentially covers the body with a photovoltaic “paste.” Under ideal conditions, Mercedes says this coating could power up to 7,400 additional miles of driving per year.
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Another new system, what Mercedes calls neuromorphic computing, mimics the human brain to process data more efficiently. Mercedes says it could cut energy use in automated driving systems by as much as 90% compared to current chips.
The car also uses steer-by-wire technology, and previews Level 4 autonomous capability, allowing hands-free driving under certain conditions.
Chief designer Gorden Wagener described the Vision Iconic as “a sculpture in motion,” calling it both an homage to the brand’s 1930s design heritage and a preview of where Mercedes styling is headed.
Nothing has been revealed about what type of propulsion system something like the Vision Iconic would use beyond it being an electric setup. No matter. Like as not, don’t expect the Vision Iconic to reach production in this form, but as a statement on where Mercedes wants to position itself in the EV age, we’re keen to see where the automaker takes it.
But for a couple of sketchy, short-lived gigs right out of college, Natalie Neff has had the good fortune to spend the entirety of her professional life around cars. A 2017 Honda Ridgeline, 1972 VW Beetle, 1999 Ducati Monster and a well-loved purple-and-white five-speed Schwinn currently call her garage home.
Willow Springs Throws a Big Hoedown to Celebrate Its Rebirth
Some 5,000 people, more than have probably ever been near the place, plus stars of racing attend.By Mark VaughnPublished: Oct 13, 2025 11:38 AM EDTSave Article
VIEW GALLERYWillow Springs
- Willow Springs has new owners and a ton of improvements, and to mark it, track owners held a big celebration so big it got a name: Willow Springs Reimagined.
- Some 5,000 people, most of whom had paid $20 for the privelige, milled about the pits, paddock, and even the grandstands to watch Jimmie Johnson, Jenson Button, and Lia Block, among others, do hot laps and donuts to entertain the crowd.
- But still left to our imaginations is whether Willow—or Willow Springs Motorsports Park as it’s known now—will remain an affordable track day option for SoCal racers.
Willow Springs has new owners, a new look, and might be moving upscale… and boy do they want you to know it.
To that end, on October 11, the track hosted the biggest party that has probably ever been seen out in the desert west of Edwards Air Force Base. The event even had a name: Willow Springs Reimagined. You had to buy a $20 ticket to get in, but that was apparently no problem for the 5,000 guests who showed up, so many that traffic was backed up for miles down the normally empty Rosamond Blvd. that stretches from Hwy. 14 six miles to the track.
What The Heck Is Going On?
One semi-amazing thing about the guests: They emerged from seemingly all socioeconomic backgrounds, not just rich guys parking their Porsches in the dirt lots that stretched for acres and acres, but families and young kids.
“Look! A Speedtail!” shouted one little guy about 10 years old walking around the paddock with his dad.
Seems the appeal of motorsports and performance is universal.
Indeed, part of Willow Springs Reimagined was a car show consisting of supercars, museum pieces, and the fun sporty cars of more or less average Joes and Janes. All part of a day of motoring good times that saw on-track demos of everything from Singer Porsches to Mazda RX-2s and everything in between.
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5,000 people from all walks of life enjoyed the new Willow.
The nine-turn Big Willow road course hosted everything from screaming-bee B-Sedan racers to seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson in his No. 84 Carvana Toyota Camry Cup car, to Formula 1 champ Jenson Button and three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti in all kinds of cars, as well as demo laps by cars from the Petersen Automotive Museum, Singer, Czinger, and more.
In all there were more than 200 of what organizers were calling “the world’s rarest and most iconic vehicles.” And they weren’t kidding.
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Even F1 champ Jenson Button liked it.
“Really enjoyed the @willow_springs_raceway Reimagined launch event yesterday. Took the family and we had a brilliant time,” he posted on his Instagram account. “They let me loose in the new GT4 RS track cars with buddies @mfranchitti @dario_franchitti @maz_fawaz @jimmiejohnson @tomwagnerofficial which was mayhem 🤣. We also took the little Alfa GT junior out for a spin. Feel very privileged that the kart track has been named after me 🙏🏽. Need to get out and set some times. Really looking forward to seeing the future of this great track.”
One of the day’s most memorable moments came when 19-year-old Lia Block—daughter of the late, great Ken Block—did donuts at the wheel of her father’s Hoonitruck, the first time the truck had been driven publicly since Ken Block’s passing two years ago.
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Jimmie Johnson does a donut.
Attendees were hosted by Jarod DeAnda (“Are you ready to send iiiiiiit?”), the official voice of Formula Drift, who emceed the day, and they even enjoyed a live recording of The Smoking Tire podcast with hosts Matt Farah and Zack Klapmann.
Also parked in the paddock were cars and trucks from Ken Block’s collection presented by the 43 Institute, a collection just released from the Petersen Museum after a months-long exhibit there. There were also, though I couldn’t find them, life-sized replicas of Hot Wheels models, including the 2011 “Bone Shaker” and the 2001 “Twin Mill” (which we all know is just a ripoff of the great “Splittin’ Image” Hot Wheels car of 1960-something). There were even DirtFish rally racing cars.
VIEW GALLERYMark Vaughn
The former cinderblock garage at Streets of Willow.
So it was a great day. I was there and I agree with the hype. The reconditioning of the cinderblock garage at Streets of Willow, which was turned into some sort of private hookah lounge without the hookahs, was beyond impressive. Those once rickety looking pressboard buildings between the track and the pits sure looked new.
Questions remain
But left unanswered was the question of whether the track will become just another private racetrack for rich guys after decades as an affordable outlet for club racing and track days that you could attend for a couple hundred bucks. Owners have suggested it will remain open and affordable to all. But if you go on Willow’s fancy new website, there’s no mention of prices for rental days.
Another unanswered question is whether it’ll host condos all around it like Thermal and so many other racing facilities have done. Would billionaire owners tolerate the Alfa Romeo Club holding a race weekend with their buzzy little two-liter Milanos and Giuliettas?
Only time can answer. And you and me you know we got nothin’ but time.
Mark Vaughn grew up in a Ford family and spent many hours holding a trouble light over a straight-six miraculously fed by a single-barrel carburetor while his father cursed the Blue Oval, all its products and everyone who ever worked there. This was his introduction to objective automotive criticism. He started writing for City News Service in Los Angeles, then moved to Europe and became editor of a car magazine called, creatively, Auto. He decided Auto should cover Formula 1, sports prototypes and touring cars—no one stopped him! From there he interviewed with Autoweek at the 1989 Frankfurt motor show and has been with us ever since.
