Yikes, Mercedes is doubling down on huge grilles with its new Vision Iconic concept

Meet the Mercedes-Benz Vision Iconic. It’s a two-door coupe from the German carmaker that’s a concept for now, but previews what its cars of the future will look like. And where else to start than with the elephant in the room: that grille.

Because, well, there’s no hiding from it. It follows on from the GLC and upcoming C-Class we saw at the Munich Motor Show back in September, both of which were wearing new gigantic light up faces. This takes things to a whole new level.

We’re told it draws inspiration from previous models including the delightful W108, W111 and 600 Pullman, and gets a chrome frame, smoke glass lattice and contour lighting. It can also be animated to display different graphics.

You’ll also have noted the three-pointed star standing proudly at the front of the bonnet is also illuminated, because of course it is.

But look beyond the grille for a minute if you can, because there’s more than meets the eye here too. Behind its gloss black paintjob it gets innovative solar modules (because electric), which Merc says applied to the surface of a mid-size SUV could produce enough energy for up to 12,000km (7,456 miles) each year.

The cabin gets an art deco-themed design, including a large four-spoke steering wheel, a floating glass dashboard, and a pillar-to-pillar screen. Oh, there’s also all the blue velvet you could possibly want, plus polished brass door handles.

It also gets a new steer-by-wire system and level four autonomous tech, complete with a neuromorphic computing system designed to mimic the human brain. Mercedes says this system is designed to recognise traffic signs, lanes and other road users, as well as react faster – and is 10 times more efficient than current systems.

We’re also told it has the potential to reduce the energy required for autonomous driving by up to 90 per cent.

Just us that thinks this thing is kinda… cool?