Click on the Mercedes F700 for a high-res gallery

At the Frankfurt Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz has taken the wraps off their F700 concept featuring their DiesOtto engine. Like the engine recently demonstrated by General Motors, this one is a combination HCCI/spark ignition design. However, Mercedes has decided to add turbo-charging to the mix to provide a a 1.8L four cylinder that yields performance in this large sedan that's comparable to the 3.5L V-6 in the current S-Class with average fuel economy of 44.3 mpg. The carbon dioxide emissions of the F700 are only 127 g/km which would put it below the proposed EU limit of 130 g/km.

This new engine technology is wrapped in a full-sized luxury sedan that takes the look of the current S-Class to a whole new level. Short overhangs are combined with a low nose that appears to have no bumper. The body is supported on an electro-hydraulic active suspension system that uses front mounted lasers to scan the road surface and make adjustments proactively. The press release is after the jump.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

There's a video out of the Mercedes-Benz F700 concept being prepped for the Frankfurt Motor Show while Daimler's Thomas Weber is being interviewed. Unfortunately the audio is in German, but you can get an early glimpse of the big luxury sedan with the tiny turbocharged HCCI engine. Evidently it's also equipped with a hybrid drivetrain and gets 44 mpg. Mercedes is also apparently going to start series production of fuel cell vehicles in 2010. What kind of vehicle and how many is still unknown at the moment.

[Source: eGMCarTech]