Mercedes has revealed the cabriolet variant of its E-Class. It is set to make its live unveiling at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.
Tag Archives: Daimler
Car of the Year Nominees: Part 4
This is the most important part of the nominees list. This where the the Car of the Year nominees are listed. It’s not the longest list of nominees, but choosing should be hard, as all the contenders are quite good ones.
Car of the Year
Yes, this is the big one. The best car of the year. This must excel in everything. It should be able to satisfy the little child in you, while taking you shopping and your children to school safely and comfortably. Price shouldn’t be too high either.
Volkswagen Golf: Great looks, plenty of practicality, comfortable and it’s good fun, especially in GTI form.
Mazda3: The new small Mazda is based on the Ford Focus so it drives brilliantly. It’s also cheaper than the Ford, it’s built with the same quality and it looks good.
Vauxhall/Opel Astra: As they did with the Insignia, Opel/Vauxhall broke tradition (one more time) with the new Astra, giving it a modern design.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Alex isn’t a fan of the styling but the new E-Class offers a very complete package combined with classic Mercedes quality.
There you are then. All the nominees are now out there. We’ll be working on picking out the best of the best to bring you the winners. We’re already running into arguments, so it won’t be easy and we can’t predict when the winners will be released.
Mercedes C-Class facelift leaked
Pictures of the upcoming Mercedes-Benz C-Class facelift have leaked on the internet through Mercedes UK’s online configurator.
Changes include a slightly modified front fascia, a new set of wheels, and LED daytime running lights.
I’m not really liking the new wheels, but otherwise, the car seems alright to me.
Source: Jalopnik
Mercedes recalls 2009 G550
Another recall today, this time from Mercedes. They’re recalling 352 2009 G550s due to issues with the fuel line quick connectors, which could be a fire hazard.
The NHTSA says: “The fuel line quick connectors located under the vehicle away from the engine compartment may not have been connected properly on the assembly line and completely seated in the connection. In case of a frontal crash, the fuel pump would no longer function, but a partial dislocation of the line could lead to a potential for fuel loss from the line at the quick connector. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.”
Dealers will check the connection of the fuel line quick connectors and install a new clamp. The recall is expected to begin in January.
If you own a G550, call your local dealership to arrange to get this fixed. Try not to use your car until the fix is installed.
Source: Inside Line
Mercedes' AMG considering use of alternative fuels
Mercedes’ AMG division is considering the use of alternative fuels, one of which includes diesel.
AMG’s product manager for the C-Class, E-Class, SLK and SL, Oliver Wiech, said that “We are taking an open view and looking at lots of options, but if you look at our announcement on the electric SLS, you can see what is in the future.” He did not exclude diesel.
So electricity as an alternate fuel is definitely on the way, while others such as hydrogen, solar energy, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are under consideration.
To back up the possibility of diesel, there were reports back in 2008 that by 2011, Mercedes would build a diesel AMG version of the E-Class. It was said to be called the Super Hammer. It was supposed to have a twin-turbo diesel developing over 500bhp and a whopping 900nm of torque. The chassis would be taken from the C-Class, but the body was said to most likely be from the E-Class, and would be offered in cabriolet and coupe form. It’s only 2009, so maybe this car is still on its way.
AMG has made a diesel before. Back in 2002, they made the C30 AMG, which was based on the Sport Coupe body. So they’ve got some experience.
Source: WorldCarFans (As well as this page there)
Car of The Week: Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series
So then, this is our second car of the week, this time done by Igor (Blog doesn’t show the author of the posts, I’m aware and working on getting this fixed).
The car I’ve chosen is Mercedes’ CLK Black, my favourite car. I’ll start you off with some facts. They based it on the CLK63 AMG. They pulled out some unnecessary parts though, changed the body, modified the engine and a few other things. The result is that they’ve turned the fairly civilized CLK63 AMG into a full on road warrior. That 6.2L V8, standard issue on most AMGs, is putting out 507hp and 465lb-ft of torque. That’s plenty of power. It’s sent to the rear wheels through a 7-gear flappy-paddle gearbox, which also has an automatic mode when you just want to relax. The car weighs just under 2 metric tonnes, which seems like plenty, but the power compensates, resulting in a 0-60 time of 4.1 seconds, and it’ll keep on going up to 186mph.
These figures can’t explain why this car is so great though. Many people have blamed it for being overpriced. You have to look beyond the figures to figure out the appeal though and why it’s worth the price. This car is all about the driving experience. It’s a joy to drive and the engine makes an absolutely fantastic noise. Once you’re done having fun, it’ll take you comfortably home. The gearbox has got an automatic mode, there’s a phone, radio, sat-nav, air-con, and though the ride isn’t the most comfortable thing in the world, it’s tolerable. Practicality isn’t too bad either, while there aren’t any rear seats, the trunk is fairly spacious, and you can always use that space where the seats used to be if something doesn’t fit in the trunk. So then, to finish this off, here’s a video review done by Jeremy Clarkson to demonstrate the noise, and sum up everything I just said.
Mercedes plans C-Class Coupe
Mercedes will be axing the CLC to make way for a C-Class coupe. Even though the CLC is being axed to make way for it, it will actually be replacing the CLK-Class, which, sadly, was discontinued earlier this year.
The shape should be similar to the CLK, but will inherit smaller details from the C-Class sedan.
It won’t have a very long life though. With engineering of the next generation C-Class well under way, the coupe is planned to be sold for no more than 4 years, before it is replaced by a more curvaceous model that will follow in the footsteps of the CLS by boasting a practical, four-door layout, but with a coupe shape.
An open-top model will not be offered because of high costs to implement it.
I like the C-Class, and a coupe version should be interesting. Hopefully it will be a worthy successor to the CLK-Class, which I’ve always loved so much.
Source: Autocar
Mercedes-Benz launches mbrace telematics system
Mercedes has launched a replacement for their Tele Aid telematics system called mbrace. It was developed together with Hughes Telematics. It will provide users with access to 18 different services.
Services include a vehicle locator, someone to direct you if you get lost, and the ability to order online. You can also pair the system to a smart phone, to do things like lock/unlock the car using your phone.
The system also has an automatic emergency service notification service to notify authorities in the case that the car is stolen or in an accident, a vehicle health check function which will provide live info to the nearest dealership (Presumably you can view this info as well), real-time weather and traffic reports, and to give it that Mercedes luxury touch, a concierge service that gives you 24/7 access to a customer-service representative who will help you make dinner reservations, book a hotel or order a flight.
It will be offered as standard equipment on all models except the GLK, C-Class, SLK and E-Class Coupe, though it is available as an option on these models. Subscription to the service is needed, and the first six months are free, but then it costs $280 a year, plus an extra $20 a month for the concierge service.
The best bit about it is that its fully upgradable, new applications can be easily installed as they are developed. Also, if you have a Mercedes with the old Tele Aid system, you can upgrade to mbrace at your local dealership.
Source: MotorAuthority
Mercedes buys Brawn GP
Yes, it seems the rumours were true, Mercedes-Benz has indeed bought the double-championship winning Brawn team and it’s aiming to return to Formula 1 as a manufacturer since 1955. The German giant has bought about 75% of the English team and they say that Ross Brawn will remain team principal. They will also continue their deal with McLaren as they must supply engines for free for another 6 years to them.
Over the next two-year period McLaren will buy back actions worth 40% back from Mercedes. The new Mercedes-Benz GP team will be also based in the current Brawn GP factory in Brackley. The thing is, I just don’t understand what Mercedes is trying to play here. They will return to F1 by buying a team that has won a few weeks ago both world championships.
You might think: ok, that’s very intelligent then, they chose a winning team so it’s very good. You see, in F1, development takes time, so in general, the team which has the most time, experience and money turns up with the best car for the next year. Now Brawn have been fighting for the championship until the penultimate race so they kept their eyes focused on the 2009 car while others like Ferrari for instance had already began their development on their 2010 car.
The driver lineup will also be a problem. Rumours say that there will be an all-British layout at McLaren : Button and Hamilton, and an all-German layout at Mercedes: Heidfeld and Rosberg. Imagine that: the Germans will be laying the red carpet for each other in the ultimate fair-play team game begging each other to overtake while the Brits will be having a massive fight for who should be nr 1 .
Mercedes may sell A- and B-Class in the US, move C-Class production
Mercedes-Benz may be bringing their next generation A-Class and B-Class over to the US, which presumably means Canada will get them as well.
These next generation models will be introduced to Europe in 2011, and if this plan is given the green light, North America would get them by 2012.
This move to introduce more small cars to the US is a bit strange, as sales of their Smart Fortwo are very low, only 661 units were sold in October.
In other Mercedes news, some production of the C-Class may be shifted to Mercedes’ US plant in Vance, Alabama, and reports state that a next generation C-Class is due in 2013.
Source: Inside Line