Mercedes F200 Concept Car Reimagines Driving With A Joystick For Just $10 Million Dollars

Mercedes-Benz developed a concept car back in 1996 that will have gamers even today both eager and hesitant to take it for a test drive. The F200 Imagination replaced the traditional steering wheel with a joystick controller, and recently sold for a reported $10 million.

In the world of concept cars, pushing the boundaries of the ordinary are what they do best. Whether it is a futuristic body design, or a new technology that changes how you drive it, companies use these sample cars to introduce new ideas to its customers. The 1996 Mercedes-Benz F200 Imagination was no different, as it removed the traditional method of steering, and replaced it with a joystick.

Imagine being asked to drive a Mercedes concept car from 1996 off the travel trailer, only to find out the steering wheel has been replaced with a joystick. Not only that, but the car is valued at $10 million. That is exactly what someone experienced as the Mercedes F200 was driven off its travel trailer recently at the London Concours.

To look at the nearly 30-year-old vehicle today, one may not be all that impressed with its exterior design. However, once you take your place in the driver's seat, you begin to see how in 1996 this may have seemed futuristic. From the digital dashboard that goes all the way across the interior cabin, side-view cameras instead of mirrors, to the nearly all glass roof, this Mercedes-Benz in the mid-90s surely felt innovative. Throw in the replacement of a steering wheel with a joystick, and this car definitely had a futuristic appeal. Oh yeah, the front seat passenger can also take control of steering the car with a joystick of their own.

Adding to the cutting-edge design of the 90's is the fact that the enormous screen-dashboard is capable of displaying information for your phone, navigation, radio, CD, and DVD. The front passenger can also listen to their favorite road trip music with a pair of wireless headphones.


Would you lay down a cool $10 million for this Mercedes-Benz concept car if you had the money to burn? How nervous, or excited, would you be to drive any vehicle via a joystick? Let us know in the comments.

Top Image Credit: Mercedes-Benz