Mercedes F-CELL Roadster news - - 2009

See more Merc F-CELL Roadster pics

Ever seen a car more retro-future than this? It’s the work of design students at Mercedes-Benz and draws its inspiration from so many eras of motoring it’s hard to know where to start.

It’s called the F-Cell Roadster and is the latest in a line of Merc F-Series research concepts – this time about training in ‘sustainable motoring’.

So that means it’s powered by a 1.2kW fuel cell system (like the Honda FCX James May drove on the telly) with a range of 217 miles and a heady top speed of 15mph. Even if it’ll go that far flat-out, you’ll need 14.5 hours to do the journey.

It’s controlled by drive-by-wire technology using a joystick that, like the massive spoked wheels, seems vaguely reminiscent of the Benz Patent Car from 1886 (also in the pic above).

And look at those gorgeous carbon-fibre hand-stitched leather seats - ’50s era F1? We reckon the fibreglass nose has a hint of McLaren about it, too, and the body tub definitely echoes the SLR Stirling Moss.

Strangely beautiful, isn’t it?