Mercedes-Benz stretches sleeper concept

A bigger bed and a place to stretch the legs are the premise behind a new sleeper cab concept Mercedes-Benz plans to reveal at the Brisbane Truck Show in May.

The feature is called the SoloStar Concept and could soon be available for Australian Mercedes-Benz trucks, pending evaluation with a range of customers.

Mercedes-Benz truck buyers already have the option of a fixed 750mm mattress in the sleeper cab but Mercedes-Benz is looking at increasing comfort with a larger mattress and a clever lounge-style passenger seat arrangement.

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When the bed is folded up against the wall, the driver can enjoy a corner lounge-style seat that rests in the back corner of the cab and opens up a vast amount of legroom. When not in use as a relaxation post for the driver, the seat also doubles as a traditional passenger seat. The seat folds forward to allow the large bed, which features a locally sourced mattress, to fold down.

Re-imagining the existing cab interior means there is no change to the external structure of the cab, which keeps down costs and avoids weight gains that could hurt productivity. It also retains the integrity of the original cabin, which passes both the ECE-R29 crash test standard and the Swedish cab strength standard.

Mercedes-Benz Australia says it considered adopting the European SoloStar Concept (pictured) but decided its bed was simply not wide enough and subsequently worked to develop a larger bed that would better suit local requirements.

The Australian version also includes a dual fridge set-up, which sits below a fixed table, as well as a row of cabinets mounted high on the back wall for optimum storage.

The SoloStar Concept will be one of several attractions on the Mercedes-Benz stand at the Brisbane Truck Show, which will be held at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre from May 16 to 19.