Mercedes is nearly ready to unveil a new concept car that could resurrect the spirit of the long-departed S-Class Coupe and Cabriolet. The unnamed model has already appeared in official teasers, flaunting a massive light-up grille and a classic two-door coupe shape that feels like Benz trying to remind everyone it still knows how to do glamour.

The brand’s design chief, Gorden Wagener, dropped a few hints about the upcoming debut on Instagram. He called the mystery model “the shape of things to come” and said the new grille first shown in Munich was “the spark for a creative impulse”

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One of the teaser shots captures the car’s front three-quarter angle, mostly shrouded in darkness. Even so, the details are telling: slim headlights with star-shaped LED graphics, a deep front splitter, and large, black-finished alloy wheels.

The grille, fully illuminated and completely enclosed, points strongly toward an electric powertrain under the sculpted bonnet.

Another teaser zooms in on the car’s swollen rear arches, confirming its two-door coupe layout. The door handles sit unusually close to the side gills, hinting at rear-hinged doors and frameless windows.

Gorden Wagener / Instagram

Art Deco Interior

The company has offered a fleeting look at the cabin, bathed in blue light and lined with materials that seem plucked from a bespoke atelier. The styling nods to the Art Deco era, pairing intricate details with a modern layout.

Based on Wagener’s recent remarks about the Audi Concept C, the dashboard will likely feature expansive digital screens that blend into the interior architecture.

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Earlier Instagram posts by Wagener cited the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Coupé and Cabriolet concepts as sources of inspiration for the upcoming model. Those show cars, unveiled at Pebble Beach in 2016 and 2017, remain some of the brand’s most memorable recent design statements, even if they never reached production.

Rumors about the return of a flagship coupe in the Mercedes lineup first sparked earlier this year when the company trademarked a pair of two-door S-Class models in Maybach and AMG forms.

However, these were based on the current generation of the S-Class sedan, which is expected to undergo a facelift next year. The next generation model, expected closer to the decade’s end, should offer both internal-combustion and battery-electric powertrains.

Whether this new concept is merely a design study or a genuine preview of what’s to come remains uncertain. But if the teasers are any indication, Mercedes isn’t done exploring the art of the grand coupe just yet.

Daihatsu joins Toyota’s larger showcase at the Japan Mobility Show 2025, taking part in a series of concept car debuts that highlight each brand’s vision for the future. Among them is the Midget X, a fully electric concept designed to bring one of Daihatsu’s classic nameplates into a new era.

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The Midget is a pint-sized workhorse with a big personality. Born in 1957 as a tiny three-wheeler for shopkeepers and delivery drivers, it zipped through Japan’s narrow streets with motorcycle-like agility.

The model returned in 1996 as the Midget II, blending nostalgic styling with a can-do spirit. Production ended in 2001, but it seems Daihatsu isn’t quite ready to let the story end there.

A Tiny Classic Recharged

The Midget X concept appeared in a short teaser ahead of its official debut in Tokyo later this month. Now, the model has been reborn as a tiny LCV with an electric powertrain.

Its exterior design nods to the original Midget lineage, featuring round LED headlights and a helicopter-style windshield. It also has semi-exposed wheels with integrated lights and a battery charge indicator on the profile.

Inside, the cabin adopts a central driving position with an unconventional steering wheel flanked by two passenger seats. The concept shown includes a backpack-style storage compartment and an extended rear bed, although more variants could follow. Another cool feature is the rotational handle design for the rear hinged doors.

Daihatsu

Daihatsu hasn’t released technical specifications yet, only noting that “because it’s small, it can fit into a variety of lifestyles,” and that the company “aims to make everyone happy.”

Carrying the Torch

The Midget X stands as the next chapter in Daihatsu’s story, carrying forward the legacy of some of its most influential models. Among them are the original Midget three-wheeler, the fourth-generation Hijet LCV, the first-gen Charade hatchback, the sporty Mira TR-XX, the Copen roadster, the second-gen Tanto kei car, and the Nibako mobility service that transforms LCVs into mobile shops.

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For now, the Midget X remains a concept. Even so, it wouldn’t be surprising if it eventually transitions into a production model, potentially for both Japan and export markets. More details will follow once the Japan Mobility Show opens its doors, and we’ll update this story as soon as new information becomes available

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