MAGIC VISION CONTROL : New Wiper/Wash system
Reading about the MAGIC VISION CONTROL, Mercedes’ intelligent wipe/wash system, you can’t help but think, ‘What took you so long?’
The concept is simple. The laser cut wiper blade sprays the washer fluid, through minute discharge openings, just in front of the wiper blade from channels in the blade, in both directions of wipe. This ensures the driver’s field of view remains undisturbed. When you also take into account the fact that the most of the time the car is going to be driven with the top down, there couldn’t be a better solution to clean the windscreen without inconveniencing the occupants.
The wiper blades are also programmed to demand more water on the downward stroke thereby further reducing chances of water spraying on the occupants during the upward stroke. Water is required in lesser quantity compared to conventional systems. If you’ve been on a bike, you’ve probably come across the occasional idiot who thinks traffic lights are the best spots to clean their windscreens. Around an SL 350 though, you know you do not have to worry about getting water on your riding gear, even if, God forbid, an idiot is in the car.
For the first time a fully heated wiper blade is available as an option that prevents snow or ice from forming on the blade in winter. This heating function also allows warm water to be applied directly onto the windscreen for the first time, even in cold temperatures.
The system consists of a washer fluid container heated through coolant residual heat, electric heating for the entire hose system a fully heated wiper blade. This effectively prevents the formation of snow on the wiper blades. Each of the spring rails of the blade is has heater foil that heats the spoiler and the wipe lip.
Below a temperature of minus 20 degrees Centigrade the system makes use of the maximum output of 270 Watts. Between 5 degrees above and 20 degrees below zero the heating operates in an energy-saving mode and only requires the output needed to thaw out the wiper/washer system and keep it snow and ice free.
FrontBass system
Open-air pleasure and musical enjoyment could hardly be expected in a roadster. Mercedes-Benz now presents a solution to this conflict: the unique FrontBass system, which at last creates the conditions for a concert hall ambience in a roadster too.
Tall claim, that.
The FrontBass system is all about the bass loudspeakers being installed in the footwell in front of the driver and front seat passenger. While it isn’t possible in most other vehicles, the front longitudinal members in the front aluminium skeleton of the new SL provide the space needed for this arrangement. The loudspeakers are fitted directly in the openings in the firewall shown in the image below.
The loudspeakers are fitted directly in two openings in the firewall on either side of the footwell. The spaces inside the longitudinal members behind the speakers act as resonating chambers. Mercedes-Benz also claims that the outstanding inherent rigidity of these structural components results in ultra-precise low notes with little distortion, right up to very high signal levels. This, Mercedes says, leads to clear, crisp bass sounds with a high dynamic range as part of its standard equipment. We would have to experience this before making any comment.
Since the bass speakers do not take up space in the doors, this space is instead used by the mid-range and high-tone loudspeakers. These speakers are also placed in the dashboard and in the vehicle rear optimally close to the waistline and thus almost at the same height as the occupants’ ears.
As the FrontBass system focuses the sound, the powerful sound is concentrated on the vehicle occupants – the surroundings are significantly less disturbed than is the case with conventional sound systems.
More from the press release
The FrontBass concept is the standard basis in every version of the new Mercedes-Benz SL. In the entry-level variant it is coupled with an amplifier that is integrated in the COMAND head unit with an output of 4×25 Watts, two FrontBass loudspeakers with a diameter of 217 mm, two two-way systems for high and mid-range tones in the doors and two more mid-range speakers in the rear.
The optionally available Harman Kardon® Logic 7® surround sound system in conjunction with the FrontBass system are a further enhancement and a musical delicacy of concert hall quality. The heart of the matter is a Class D amplifier with a total output of 600 Watts and digital signal processor (DSP) for ten audio channels. The two FrontBass loudspeakers and six two-way systems provide an even more precise and better defined sound reproduction quality.
And finally, the absolute summit is the also optionally available Bang&Olufsen sound system. Its two Class-D ICE power amplifiers with a combined output of 900 Watts deliver exclusive audiophile high-end sound to the vehicle via their integrated digital signal processor and its 12 high-end loudspeakers.