Posts tagged mercedes-benz
Mercedes-Benz unveils 2014 CLA, world’s most aerodynamic production car
Jan 15th
Mercedes-Benz just unveiled its new “four-door coupe,” the 2014 CLA-Class. If the car’s baby-CLS looks are anything to go by, BMW’s 1-Series may have to watch its back.
The new compact sports sedan is based on the latest A-Class hatchback and shares the smaller car’s sleek styling and complex surfaces. Most impressive of all is the CLA’s drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.23 (0.22 for the CLA 180 BlueEFFICIENCY edition for other markets), which makes the CLA the most aerodynamic car in production (the only car with a lower Cd was GM’s 1990s electric car, the EV1, at 0.195). To achieve this, Mercedes engineers focused on underbody paneling, side-view mirrors, and aerodynamic wheels.
Mercedes will equip the CLA with a variety of engines: the CLA 180 gets a 1.6L I4 engine good for 122 HP / 147 lb-ft and 0-62 mph in 9.3 sec. The CLA 250 packs a 2.0L engine, 211 HP / 258 lb-ft, and 0-62 mph in 6.7 sec. For diesel fans, the CLA 220 CDI gets a 2.2L block that puts out 170 HP, pushing the car to 62 mph in 8.2 seconds. Transission options will be a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and a 6-speed manual. Mercedes will probably bring only the CLA 250 to America, with the automatic in tow.
Of course, the company’s in-house tuner, AMG, is working on a hopped-up version. The CLA45 AMG packs a turbocharged version of the 2.0L I4, producing over 350 HP / 295 lb-ft. That’s a lot of muscle for such a small car.
Inside the cockpit, you’ll find Mercedes’ latest COMAND infotainment system, which includes Garmin-powered navigation with real-time traffic and Google Street View imagery, internet radio, Facebook / Twitter support, real-time location sharing, and for iPhone users, Siri integration. Among the options are ambient fiber-optic lighting and a large panoramic sunroof. The car gets an array of hand-me-down safety features from the E-Class, such as drowsiness detection and radar-based collision prevention with adaptive brake assist.
Slotting in under the C-Class, the CLA is on track to hit U.S. dealers later this year, starting at around $30,000.
Smart introduces 2013 Fortwo Electric Drive with out-of-this-world ad
Oct 6th
Daimler’s kicking off the ad campaign for its tiny new 2013 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive with a pretty neat advertisement that…well…features the car’s last few moments on Earth. See the video below (after the break).
The 2013 Fortwo Electric Drive is actually the third-generation electric variant of the Smart microcar. When it hits U.S. early next year, the Fortwo ED3 will be the cheapest electric car in America, at $25,000 (or $28,000 for the convertible) before federal and state incentives– meaning $17,500 after the $7,500 federal EV tax credit. That compares to $14,890 for a comparable variant of the gasoline Fortwo (or $12,490 for the stripped “Pure” model).
The third-gen Fortwo ED offers a 55 kW motor, 17.6 kWh lithium-ion battery, 78 mph top speed, 90 mi range per charge (EPA rating will probably be around 65 mi), fast-charging port, smartphone connectivity, LED driving lights, and lots more, all in a curb weight of 1,808 lb. One unique feature is a 22 kW on-board charger (compared to 3.3 kW in the Nissan Leaf and 6.6 kW in Ford’s Focus Electric), fully charging the car in under an hour.
Interestingly, the new car goes 0-60 mph in 11.5 seconds, which is not terribly fast but eats the 2nd-gen Fortwo ED alive (22.6 sec) and even beats the standard gasoline Fortwo (14.5 sec, powered by a 70 hp, 1.0L 3-cylinder). More importantly, like most electric cars, the Fortwo ED produces a lot of torque (96 lb-ft, vs. 68 for the gas model), making it faster off the line (0-37 mph in 4.8 sec) and more fun in urban environments– which is where Smarts are at home anyway.
An upgraded BRABUS-tuned edition will boost motor output to 60 kW, increase top speed to 81 mph, drop 0-60 mph to 10.1 sec, and add several styling tweaks, for around $7,000 extra.
Pre-orders are open at Smart’s website.
Read on to see more photos and the new Smart Fortwo Electric Drive ad video.
Mercedes unveils 740 hp SLS AMG Electric Drive for 2014
Sep 28th
Gullwing doors, shockingly shiny blue finish, white wheels, a sports car-stomping 740 horsepower, and… no exhaust pipe?
That’s what was on tap at AMG as Mercedes-Benz’s performance division unveiled its 2014 SLS AMG Electric Drive supercar at the Paris Motor Show. The electrified SLS is a production version of Mercedes’ earlier SLS AMG E-Cell concept and is the most powerful series-production electric vehicle ever. It’s also the most expensive Mercedes road car to date (minus the Maybach line and race-homologation street cars like the CLK-GTR).
Four drive motors (one per corner) provide permanent four-wheel-drive and deliver 552 kW — or 740 hp – and a potent 738 lb-ft of torque. That gives the Electric Drive a 177 hp and 259 lb-ft advantage over the 6.2L V8 in the normal SLS AMG. The EV goes 0-60 mph in 3.9 sec and is electronically limited to 155 mph. 60 kWh of batteries yield 155 miles of driving range.
Despite the added weight of the 1,200 lb battery pack, the Electric Drive is just 0.2 sec slower to 60 mph than the gasoline car, and the four-wheel-drive and low center of gravity should improve traction and some aspects of handling. To counteract the battery weight, AMG replaced much of the standard car’s aluminum structure with carbon fiber and gave the car a redesigned suspension, carbon-fiber ceramic brakes, and a battery pack that fills the former transmission tunnel and fuel tank areas. Body mods are limited to a grille insert, badging, new bumper trim (where the exhaust pipes would be), and a crazy chromed blue color (at least on the demo car).
The normal SLS AMG has an obnoxiously loud exhaust note, so to prevent Electric Drive owners from being envious, the EV includes a sound generation feature. At the press of a “power button,” the car’s sound system will emit a “typical AMG sound tailored for each driving situation.”
Deliveries begin in June 2013. If you’re in Germany, all you need to do is fork over €416,500 (the equivalent of $540,000, including a 19% sales tax). For reference, that’s more than double what the standard SLS AMG costs (€177,310 to start). That’s probably more due to the carbon fiber structure than all the EV components, though.
via AutoWeek
Mercedes unveils 2012 C63 AMG Coupe
Mar 20th
Mercedes-Benz just released some photos of its 2012 C63 AMG Coupe. The coupe is based on the recently introduced 2012 C-Class Coupe, which is essentially a C-Class sedan with two door lopped off and a slightly lower roofline. AMG’s smallest model is scheduled to be introduced at the New York Auto Show later this month and should hit showrooms by September.
Key specs are nearly identical to the 2012 C63 AMG sedan– the rear-wheel-drive coupe sports AMG’s 6.2L V8 engine producing 451 HP (or 481 with the optional AMG Development Pack) and a 7-speed Speedshift MCT transmission. 0-60 mph should come in 4.4 seconds, with an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph. The AMG Development version boosts those numbers to 4.3 seconds and 174 mph, respectively.
Compared to its non-AMG siblings, the C63 Coupe gains a stiffer suspension, wider tracked, sharper steering, larger wheels, and more powerful brakes, along with an aggressive AMG body kit.
Press release after the break.
Super Bowl 2011 Auto Ad Roundup
Feb 8th
This year’s Super Bowl had its fair share of entertaining ads. Here’s our roundup of some of the interesting automotive ads:
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Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell: Electric Supercar for 2013
Jan 12th
Mercedes-Benz just announced at the Detroit Auto Show that it will be putting the electric version of its SLS AMG supercar, the E-Cell, into production in 2013. The E-Cell sports four electric motors (one per wheel) that together produce 526 hp and 629 lb-ft of torque. The standard SLS has a 6.2L V8 putting out 563 hp and 479 lb-ft, so the electric version is down 37 hp but up 150 lb-ft versus its gas counterpart.
Unfortunately, the E-Cell weighs a whopping 880 lb more (400 lb of which is in the 48 kWh lithium ion battery) than the regular SLS, which was already not terribly light at 3,571 lb. Auto Express reports that the extra heft does have a decidedly negative effect on the car’s handling. Mercedes says, however, that the weight should be reduced by the time the car hits production, and regardless, the motors’ massive, instant torque is an undeniable attraction. The E-Cell even manages a respectable 125 mile range.
The normal SLS AMG attracts so much attention that should Mercedes choose to produce the E-Cell in the color it’s being displayed in (“AMG Lumilectric Mango”), you’ll always be the center of attention for miles around in one of these. And hey, maybe the extra weight won’t matter, because with all the wide-eyed bystanders surrounding the car, you won’t be moving terribly fast anyway.
Auto Express driving impressions video after the break.
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Leaked: 2012 Mercedes C-Class Coupe
Jan 7th
Mercedes’ new C-Class coupe is scheduled to be unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show in March. Some European bloggers seem to have beaten Mercedes to the punch, however, releasing three leaked press shots of the new car. The coupe shares its front-end styling with the facelifted 2012 C-Class sedan but is unique from the A-pillar aft.
Interestingly, this is not the first Mercedes two-door to resemble the latest C-Class. For a while, the company sold the CLC (outside of America), which was actually a previous-generation (W203) C-Class Sportcoupe (hatchback) facelifted to match the current sedan’s (W204) exterior styling. This time around, however, the car has standard trunk instead of a hatchback.
No further details have been confirmed, though we expect the coupe to gain the same engine options as the sedan- the C250 (a new 1.8L twin-turbo direct-injection inline-4 with 201 hp, 229 lb-ft), C300 (retaining its 3.0L V6 with 228 hp, 221 lb-ft), and C350 (a new 3.5L direct-injection V6 with 302 hp, 273 lb-ft).
The C-Class sedan and coupe are almost sure to get AMG, and possibly AMG Black Series, versions sporting AMG’s 5.5L twin-turbo V8.
McLaren resurrects Mercedes-Benz SLR for 25-car limited edition
Dec 5th
The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was discontinued a year ago, when the German automaker and British racing specialist decided to part ways. Mercedes has since released the SLS AMG, and McLaren has its new MP4-12C. But it looks like McLaren has one last ace up its sleeve for the old supercar.
The new SLR McLaren Edition sports revised bodywork (front bumper, grille, hood, side gills, rear diffuser, rims) and interior parts, along with upgraded steering and suspension components and new ceramic brakes. The 5.5L supercharged V8 appears to have been left untouched and is expected to deliver 626 hp, 575 lb-ft of torque, 207 mph top speed, and a 0-62 mph run in under 3.8 seconds.
In line with its name, the limited-edition car’s Mercedes badges have been given a smoked finish to blend in with the rest of the car, while the McLaren badges are highlighted in red. The company plans to build just 25 examples of the McLaren Edition, which it showed off recently at the Essen Motor Show in Germany. No word on pricing or availability, though we’d imagine they’re probably all spoken for already.
More photos and a walkaround video after the jump.
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Leaked: 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS
Aug 17th
The 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS is scheduled to debut at the Paris Motor Show in October, but several photos of the car’s interior and exterior have already leaked. The second-generation model, codenamed C218, has a tough act to follow– its swoopy predecessor single-handedly created the market for “four-door coupes.” The new car inherits much of its styling from the Concept Shooting Brake, including a prominent grille, aggressively styled front bumper, daytime LED running lights, and a long hood.
The new CLS sports two gasoline engine options– the the CLS 350 CGI with a new direct-injected 3.5L V6 putting out 301 HP and 272 lb-ft of torque and the CLS 550 CGI, with a new 4.6L twin-turbo V8 delivering 429 HP and 516 lb-ft of torque. The company’s 4Matic four-wheel-drive system will likely be available on the 550 CGI. Mercedes will offer two diesel options (outside America), the CLS 350 CDI with a 3.0L V6 producing 248 HP and the CLS 250 CDI with an inline-4 putting out 201 HP.
AMG will join the party with the 2011 CLS63 AMG, sporting the tuner’s new 5.5L twin-turbo V8 putting out 544 HP and 590 lb-ft of torque. An optional Performance Pack will be available, boosting power to about 570 HP and 663 lb-ft of torque.
Full photo gallery after the jump. No word on pricing yet.
Spied: 2011 Mercedes C-Class Coupe
Jul 10th
Mercedes looks to be putting the final touches on a new coupe version of its C-Class sedan. The company recently discontinued the CLC, a version of the last-generation C-Class hatchback facelifted to look like the current C-Class, and is only now making a proper coupe from the current sedan.
Interestingly, the E-Class Coupe actually rides on the C-Class platform (despite styling cues, features, and engines from the E sedan), so it looks like Mercedes shortened the C Coupe a bit to differentiate it. Pricing is unconfirmed, but we suspect it’ll be set slightly higher than the C sedan. Cabriolet and AMG variants are also on the way.
More photos after the break.
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