Model S

Make
Tesla
Segment
Sedan

With the Frankfurt Motor Show just around the corner, teaser season is in full swing and companies are revealing their upcoming models pixel by pixel. But sometimes, a shadowy single picture is enough to point at a complete revision to an automaker's design language, which could ultimately spread from the concept to the company's entire lineup. Now, Mercedes-Benz has just given us one of those pictures, and it's really got us wondering. They call it the Concept IAA - Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile.

The Concept IAA could be a couple of things or a combination of the two. Based on its swooping 4-door coupe design, it could be a precursor of the next-generation CLS, although that car is not expected until after the next E-Class has its own debut in early 2016. There are also rumors stating that Merc will use this new design concept as a display for new technologies, with some speculators even assuming that this is the company's Tesla-fighting electric vehicle. Whatever it is, even this cloudy image displays some pretty radical departures from any of the lines we've gotten used to in Mercedes' recent models. Is this the right direction for the luxury automaker to take?