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Short-distance vehicle (NAFA) - Short on size, big on ideas

- Study of an urban and short-distance vehicle with Mercedes breeding
- Four-wheel steering, automatic transmission and air conditioning all part of the package

They called it the "snack trolley". Short and sweet and perched on its narrow tyres, it quickly became somewhat of a talking point. "A Mercedes which is only 2.50 metres long? What's it for, carrying sandwiches?" sneered the sceptics who gave it its nick-name. "At last, a car which is perfect for city driving," praised its supporters.
It was the summer of 1982. The mini-car which had been developed by the research engineers at DaimlerChrysler was officially titled "Short-distance vehicle" but was affectionately known by its German abbreviation - NAFA – for short. An automotive study with front-wheel drive and two seats that packaged together ideas for an innovative city car with Mercedes-Benz flair which the manufacturer also intended to offer in an extended three or four-seater version.

The only reason the study did not make it to the factory production line was that it simply could not match up to the car maker's strict safety criteria which place occupant protection at the top of the list of priorities. In order to overcome this hurdle, ingenious new ideas were needed which only materialised many years later in the form of the sandwich concept in the A-Class and the passenger safety cell in the smart.
On the plus side, however, the NAFA's short dimensions endowed it with supreme manoeuvrability in even the tightest spaces, and parking would never be a problem again either. Slots of around just four metres in length were quite sufficient for its miniature proportions, with the four-wheel steering meaning that it could be guided into spaces forwards too. The NAFA boasted an array of further features which made it perfectly compatible with the demands of city driving: a low waistline, high seating position and expansive windows affording an optimum allround view.

There were also sliding doors offering effortless access even when parked up close to other cars or garage walls, while the ingenious dimensional concept ensured occupants enjoyed sufficient levels of comfort and freedom of movement despite the body's short length. Automatic transmission, power steering, air conditioning, belt tensioners plus other features you would expect to find in a Mercedes were all intended to make short-distance motoring safer and altogether more enjoyable.

Evolving from NAFA to smart

Although NAFA was not put into series production, the fundamental design considerations put forward by its inventors did not just fade into oblivion at Mercedes-Benz. The concept for a "compact car" was continuously honed by research and advance development teams until they eventually scored a breakthrough at the start of the 1990s with the sandwich construction principle. This new approach divided the bodyshell into two horizontal levels, neatly resolving the technical conflict of interests that arose from trying to combine compact dimensions with Mercedes' uncompromising standards of safety.

Housing the drive unit in the bodyshell's "lower level" ensured that it dropped downwards in the event of a collision instead of penetrating the interior. This revolutionary new concept made its world debut in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class in early 1997, with the smart City Coupé utilizing the same kind of sandwich platform to offer its occupants sound impact protection. There can be no doubt though that both of these exceptional cars owe a great deal to the original NAFA short-distance vehicle.

here are some pics

EDIT: My old site is so bad that you have to log in to view the attachments...horrible...no one join.

Here are photos from another site...enjoy:D
http://www.mercedes-praha.cz/mercedes-benz-fotogalerie/mercedes-benz.php?mercedes=vize-mercedes-nafa&autorizace=06d446cb5b81eba209f9029d4024c 440

Very interesting thread. The car isn't much to look at, but the ideas are good.

can't believe the smart evolved from that piece of crap.

they should use those in airports. they look exactly like the ones there except replacing the old ones with these would make it look more modern. but lol thats a nice find. It looks very modern but too squared-up and boxy. I like it though.

Hmm, this car looks very innovative and economical. Parking should be very easy since it's small and has 4 wheel steering. It's also very maneuverable and has good gas economy i guess. But i would rather have a Smart if i was looking for similar cars. This one just looks ugly and weird in my opinion, but it's ideas are good.

reminds me of the pope's car :p

That's probably one of the funniest concepts from Benz. Seriously, how on Earth is that entitled to be called a 'car'?!

shuold be good for a cargo van or somethin like that, hook another box thingy behind it and you are on the move....

anyways, Benz is designing good cars i say...in the year 1982 i mean. actually dosent look taht bad, but the front looks like a civic or CRX or whatever you call it

Looks like the front of a Transit van with the rest chopped off.

Weird, but in a cool way.

Looks like a mutant version of a Suzuki Mightyboy only in all the wrong ways.

How square is it? Too square.