The End Of Convertible Hair: Mercedes Unveils Perpetual Doldrums Rag Top
It’s good to see an occasional glimpse of the good old Mercedes, solving the great unsolved automotive engineering challenges through sheer triumph of the will. Yes, today’s convertibles are already dramatically calmer than the ’65 Fury that tried to give me a head start on dread locks. But good enough is not good enough at Mercedes. For over a decade, their engineers have been toiling on the challenge of the truly turbulent-free convertible. Their efforts have paid off in the form of the new 2011 E-Class convertible, due this May in the US. All the (un) hair-raising details and more pics of Aircap in action follow:
The new Mercedes E-Class cabriolet features an innovative retractable wind deflector that sits at the top of the windshield. Called Aircap, the driver-operated system raises a wind deflector on the tip of the windshield to direct wind 8 inches (20cm) higher, over the top of the passenger compartment. It works in tandem with the rear deflector to eliminate buffeting and reduce noise with the roof down. And Aircap is the perfect accessory to Airscarf, MB’s heat-blowing head rests. What’s next: Air Shirt? Topless motoring in the chill of a crisp German spring day is only another Mercedes invention away.
More by Paul Niedermeyer
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The AirCap is quite efficient in warding off wind turbulence and noise in Merc roadsters, which is a must-have in modest not-so-premium Verts. But ordinary convertibles still have the option of good wind deflectors like the Windblox wind restrictor and so on to rein in these bogeys.
The wind deflectors take open top motoring to the next level by providing noise- and turbulence-free ride even at motorway speeds. Thanks to the Backblade windblocker now my hairdo stays in form and I need not yell for conversing with my co-passenger.