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Mercedes-Benz engineers have taken a leaf out of Luigi Colani's book, and designed a car taking inspiration from nature. Inspired by the boxfish - a particularly ugly species of tropical fish - Stuttgart's boffins have produced a particularly ugly, boxy car, the Mercedes-Benz Bionic Concept.

Ungainly it may be, but it is unquestionably effective. An exceptional drag coefficient of 0.19 allows the 140 PS, 1991 cc diesel Bionic Concept to attain ultra low emissions and excellent fuel economy. In the EU driving cycle the concept car has a fuel consumption of 4.3 litres per 100 kilometres - 20 less than a comparable series-production car. At a constant speed of 90 km/h the direct-injection diesel unit consumes only 2.8 litres per 100 kilometres.

The boxfish, the aerodynamic model for the concept car, is also a prime example of rigidity and light weight. Its skin consists of numerous hexagonal, bony plates which provide maximum strength with minimal weight and effectively protect the animal from injury.

DaimlerChrysler researchers examined this bionic structure and transferred this principle to the Mercedes-Benz bionic car study.