Mercedes-Benz F800 Concept

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• Looks like: Mercedes is stealing designs from Volvo
• Defining characteristics: Plug-in hybrid powetrain, minivan rear door
• Ridiculous features: A touchpad control system that uses a video camera to sense where your hand is reaching
• Chance of being mass-produced: The design is actually very close to what the next CLS sedan will look like

If you thought the season of new concept and production cars was over after the L.A., Detroit and Chicago auto shows, you’re wrong. Not only do we have the New York show looming in April, but Europe’s big outing, the Geneva International Motor Show, kicks off in early March.

That’s where Mercedes will show the F800 Style research vehicle shown here. It’s truly a research vehicle because it’s unlikely the tech underneath the hood will make it as-is to any car any time soon. The design, however, is close to what the next-generation CLS sports sedan will look like, but we’re unsure of a release date for that model.

What won’t be found on the CLS are rear doors that open like a minivan’s or a plug-in hybrid powertrain mating a 300-horsepower V-6 engine to a 109-hp electric motor for total power of “around 409 hp,” Mercedes claims. However, Mercedes says this type of powertrain will be found in the next-generation S-Class in an S500 plug-in hybrid. No release date was given for that, either.

If the design is heading to production and the powertrain is likely headed to production, what besides that minivan door is a pie-in-the-sky concept? Try a center console with a touchpad. What’s so wild about that? The touchpad isn’t capacitive touch, like the upcoming MyFord Touch system. Instead, it uses a camera to track where you hand is moving to coordinate what controls to adjust. Sounds intriguing, but it might be hard to use while in motion.

More photos of the F800 are below.