Audi has the E-tron and BMW has just announced their new i line-up, but what about Mercedes? British magazine, CAR, suggests that Mercedes is considering a new E Superlight saloon for the 2015 model year. This new model will bethe same size as the CLS and will have the S-Class’ price, but will combine design elements from concepts like the F800 and the F125.
The new E Superlight sedan will be based on the platform of the next generation E-Class and will feature short rear pantograph panels that swing out and back. It will come with a stiff and strong carbon fiber structure that will help it reduce its weight considerably - down by about 350 kg/772 lbs, thanks in large part to the carbon fiber’s 1300 kg/2,866 lbs weight - as well as its cost and complexity.
Mercedes will opt for a load-based confectioning scheme that will allow the suspension and the drivetrain to be integrated into the monocoque. The car’s hybrid system will combine a 150 HP fuel-cell which drives the rear wheels in sync with a 50 HP electric motor.
The Mercedes E Superlight will go on sale as a limited edition in 2015, but by 2017, Mercedes hopes to sell about 20,000 units.
Now that Mercedes has officially unveiled the high-powered 2012 ML63 AMG, the tuning birds have been circling the SUV to see who can make the first tuning program for it.
Now it appears the winner is Russian tuning firm, TopCar.
Wait, you didn’t just read TopCar, did you? Those boys who are known for Porsche and BMW programs are actually making one for a Mercedes?
Well, it appears that way after they released a few renderings of what their program for the new 2012 ML63 AMG is going to look like. The program, as you can see from these images, shows an extensive aerodynamic wide-body kit that includes a restyled front bumper fascia with LEDs, flared out fenders, side skirts, door skin panels, flared quarter panel wheel arches, and a new rear bumper fascia. All the materials, according to TopCar, are made entirely out of Kevlar and carbon fiber using vacuum molding technology, which only goes to show you that with all the technological elements used on the program, it probably won’t come cheap.
Performance upgrades have not been announced yet, but knowing these guys and their history for some pretty off-the-wall projects, they won’t hesitate to put some extra beef under that hood. After all, the ML63 AMG’s 518-horsepower 5.5-liter V8 engine is certainly ripe for some bad ass modifications.
Shortly after the release of the 2012 Mercedes SLK-Class, members of the automotive community began wondering what the AMG versions would be carrying under their bonnets. After a few months of teasing and spying, Mercedes has finally released the details surrounding the 2012 Mercedes SLK55 AMG leading up to its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
With all the details and information we received about the car, it seems that most of them will come with the version we’ll see in Frankfurt, including changes like an improved hood/nose shape with a new front spoiler, a new air dam with larger intake inlets, and rectangular quad-tipped tailpipes. The Mercedes will also get its usual array of large and shiny forged alloy wheels, big brakes, AMG badging, and color options.
The 2012 Mercedes SLK55 AMG is powered by a new 5.5-liter V8 engine that will deliver 422 horsepower with a peak torque of 398 lbs/ft. This engine will be mated to a 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic with AMG SpeedShift technology.
UPDATE 12/29/2011: Mercedes has unveiled yet another new video of their latest SLK 55 AMG in action. Enjoy!
More details on the 2012 Mercedes SLK55 AMG after the jump.
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Christmas may be over, but the spirit still lives on with some new spy shot gifts. These new images show off two Mercedes A-Class prototypes, one painted in red and one in white, with a little less camouflage than before. With the drop in attire, the new A-Class has revealed new details for the front and rear, as well as a shot of it’s new interior.
The A-Class’ new interior looks very much like the one found on the new B-Class, which would make sense considering the A-Class shares a few features with the B-Class, including its engine lineup. Expect to see a range of five gasoline engines with power ranging from 109 to 204 HP and four diesel models with power ranging from 122 to 204 HP. Previous spy shots have also revealed that Mercedes is working on an AMG version that will be powered by a turbocharged 2.0L four cylinder engine with an output of about 325 HP. A Convertible version is also in the works.
Expect to see the new A-Class launched in early 2012.
Updated 01/20/12: Mercedes has unveiled a first teaser video for the new generation A-Class set to be unveiled in March at the Geneva Motor Show.
Since the official launch of the Mercedes SLS AMG, there’s been an endless number of tuning packages provided for the sports car, so it would only be appropriate to end the year with one more. The new package comes from Senner Tuning and, for a price of 19,500 euro (or about $25,500 at the current exchange rates), you can add an extra 35 HP to the 571 HP 6.2L V8 engine, a new set of wheels, and some extra goodies.
To achieve the extra power, Senner added a new high performance air filter kit and a new exhaust system with throttle control. The exhaust system is made from the finest stainless steel with an intelligent dynamic head control that together make up 15 HP of the 35 HP upgrade. The rest of the power is achieved through careful adjustment of the propulsion system. Altogether, the Mercedes SLS AMG by Senner Tuning can push out 606 HP.
The tuned Mercedes SLS AMG now sits on a new set of 20" specially made wheels called Corniche Vegas with stainless steel outer bezels and diamond-turned rims in glossy black from the Aerotechnik house. The only other modification is the addition of new carbon fiber mirrors. Next to these standard upgrades, Senner Tuning is also offering an optional special 3 KW travel carriage with individually adjustable pressure and traction stage, as well as weight-optimized aluminum housing.
