The first hybrid model from Mercedes, the S400 BlueHYBRID will go on sale in Europe in the summer of 2009 and on the US market on the fall of the same year. It will be followed by two other vehicles: E-class hybrid will debut when the new generation goes on sale in 2010 and the C-Class hybrid will be the last one to come. An electric version of the Smart ForTwo will also be available.
"We have decided on hybridization on all of our cars in the future and so far we have had a lot of questions and excitement, but I don’t know how that will translate into a take rate," Zetsche said at the Paris auto show.
Mercedes also will build 1,000 electric Smart ForTwo cars in the coming year for pre-production trials in Europe and possibly the United States. In 2012, annual production will rise to between 12,000 and 15,000 electric Smart cars, and some will be offered in the United States, Zetsche said.
The latest generation of the Mercedes C-Class is maybe the most customized Mercedes of all time. The new W204 C-Class received today a complex body kit from the Belgian tuner Expression Motorsports. The new package includes a front bumper fascia with fog lamps and LED indicators, front carbon fiber lower lip spoiler, hood from C 63 AMG, hood vents, 10 piece fender flair set, side skirts, rear bumper fascia with carbon fiber diffuser and integrated LED F1 brake light and deck lid wing plus additional carbon deflector.
Also, according to the manufacturer, the bumper features larger air vents. The wider body kit can fit now up to 22-inch wheels. To finalize the complexion of the new EX C Motorsport kit there is also a double twin-tip exhaust system.
Mercedes is ready to launch a new diesel engine in the fall of 2008. First model that will receive this engine will be the C 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY Prime Edition, a 500 units limited edition that will be priced at €40,638. Mercedes has not given any information on if the car will be available in the traditionally diesel-unfriendly U.S.
In this model the engine produces, with its 2.2 liters of displacement, 204 hp and almost 370 ft. lbs of torque. The premiere model can accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 7.0 seconds, on the way to its top speed of 250 km/h. The Prime Edition only consumes an average of 5.2 liters of fuel per 100 km (NEDC), with CO2 emissions of 138 g/km.
BRABUS revealed its latest work, the B63 S performance kit built specially for the powerful engine of the Mercedes C 63 AMG. The new kit features free-flow high-performance metal catalysts, sport air filters and recently programmed engine electronics with custom mapping for ignition and injection. All these improvements manage to rise the total output to 530 hp. Another addition to this package is the BRABUS Vmax unit, available in two versions for top speeds of 186 or 195 mph. Now the car can reach 60 mph in just 4.1 sec and 124 mph in 13.1 sec.
Important modifications were made also at the tires, suspension and brakes considering the impressive speed of the tuned C63 AMG engine. The car gets 19-inch high-performance tires from Pirelli or Yokohama fitted in multi-piece BRABUS Monoblock VI, E or S light-alloy wheels serving as support for reaching the top speed of 315km/h. The rear axle stops with 360 x 28 millimeter (14.2 x 1.1 inches) discs and 6-piston aluminum fixed calipers. These high-tech brakes can keep even the enormous performance of a tuned C 63 safely in check at all times.
The Mercedes C63 AMG is probably one of the fastest cars in its class. Still, more tuners are beginning to modify it in order to make the little Mercedes faster and take it to its limits. One of the tuners who follows these rules is Renntech, who unveiled today its new customization program for the C63 AMG.
According to the manufacturer, the first step in customizing the vehicle is to de-restrict it. After that the car is updated with the ECU1 software obtaining 475 hp and 465 lb-ft. But this wasn’t enough so Renntech used the ECU2 software upgrade obtaining an astonishing 548 hp and 510 lb-ft of torque. With these numbers, the American tuning company had to fit the car with a fully adjustable sport suspension and adjustable front and rear camber bushings. To stop all this power, a new braking system was developed with 15.2" 2 PC rotors clamped by Renntech calipers. No words about the price yet.
So you didn’t just buy a wagon, but a diesel wagon. It’s time to show the world you’re still cool. That’s why Kicherer, a German tuning company, revealed its new product: the tuned C 320CDI 4-Matic wagon inspired by the C-Class wagon. The company brought several modifications to the new model such as adding an AMG body kit, lowering the suspension and fitting new 19-inch RS-1 alloy wheels wrapped in performance tires.
On the inside, the car features a new speedometer, a leather/wood steering wheel and a two-tone leather trim that also covers the dashboard. The 3.0L V6 turbo diesel engine received an additional 31 hp, raising the total output to 265 hp. Due to these upgrades the new hot wagon can reach 60 mph in 6.7sec while the top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.
It’s time to head to Vegas in a 2008 Mercedes C63 AMG. Don’t have one of your own? Well then visit www.AMG-360.com. Mercedes has posted video that allows you to have an all-around view of a black and a white C63 AMG taking to the dragstrip, raceway, and Las Vegas Boulevard (strippers not included.)
Although the real thing is always better, its still fun to sit in your office chair and get a small taste of the roar from the V8 power. Remember to hold on, the 6.2-liter is rated at 451 horsepower in this Mercedes sedan.
Mercedes plans to give the C-Class and GLK SUV a new 2.2-liter diesel engine in North America by 2010. Because of emissions regulations, Mercedes needs to re-engineer the engine to accept BlueTEC technology. A company spokesman said, "The 2.2-liter in the GLK already averages 34 miles per gallon U.S. With BlueTec that will improve to just under 40."
The decision has been made first because of the rising fuel prices and also because of the weak dollar.
Wald International, the well-known Japanese tuning company, unveiled its latest body kit for the Mercedes C-Class. Dubbed W204 Black Bison, the new kit consists in a front bumper spoiler with new fog lights, side steps, a rear bumper spoiler with rear diffuser featuring integrated exhaust system, roof spoiler and a rear wing.
Price of the kit: approximately $5,000. More information when the official data will be released! Until then enjoy the photos from the image gallery!
We are in an era where technology is capable of wonders and magic. But one would agree the human element is inevitable, and talent and skill determines whether you can enjoy the result or feel dreadful.
The Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series is well, should be another case which demonstrates how much customization is humanly possible by a specialist company, whose ability sends a shrill through our spines. Some say this car is the outcome when you redline AMG. Others claim it’ll play the game of ’die when living’ with its drivers (we made that up, no one claims so)
Anyways, a talented artist by the name Jonathan has created a computer generated image using Photoshop of the SL65 AMG Black Series which will go live very shortly. By the looks of it, John has done a terrific job. Some foretell this car is competent enough to reach 60 mph from a standstill in under 4 seconds, courtesy of it’s massive 6.0-liter engine that offers 670 hp.
Another fabulous rendering of the yet-to-be-released or planned Mercedes CLC Convertible has popped up on the internet. This time it’s a work of art by CWW Car design, who has also gone on to design a directory of other future cars. There is no plan as of yet by Mercedes to manufacture a CLC convertible, but if they ever do, there is no doubt that the production version would exactly resemble CWW’s illustration.
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