If you want to buy a German mid-sized sedan, you have three choices: Audi A4, BMW 3 Series or Mercedes C-Class. Still, the C-Class has lost lots of ground in the past few years and it was about time for Mercedes to do something about it.
The next-generation Mercedes C-Class has been caught testing in many times, but until now we had no details on the engines to be featured in the new model. However, in a recent interview Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Steve Cannon revealed that the next C-Class will be offered with a series of firsts: the first diesel and hybrid powertrains, first time with an all-wheel-drive system will and the first time the next C-Class will have an engine built in the United States: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder developed in cooperation with Nissan.
Also, next to the current sedan and coupe variants, the next C-Class will also add a convertible and station wagon versions. All these changes were required to make the C-Class more competitive with the BMW 3 Series.
Mercedes will unveil the next-generation C-Class at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show; the coupe and convertible will arrive in 2015. The hybrid version will also arrive in 2015.
The market’s current trend is to develop more and more hybrid models. Apparently Mercedes is going to follow this trend, but its current V-12 engines will still be offered for at least five or six years.
According to Mercedes-AMG Chairman Ola Källenius, AMG is going to unveil hybrid models, but not until the market is really ready for it. Until then it will work on improving fuel consumption by at least 20 percent by the company’s 50th anniversary in 2017. AMG is still unsure about the hybrid powertrain because the battery needed to provide power to the electric motor is very heavy and will add unnecessary mass to the car’s total weight.
As a result, until AMG will be ready to offer a proper hybrid model, it will work on getting more power from the current gasoline engines and has no intention of offering a powerful diesel engine anytime soon.
On the other hand, Källenius confirmed that the current V-12 engine is EU6 (emissions compliance) and is offered with start-stop technology, so it’s absolutely safe for years to come.
Along with the unveiling of the revised E63 AMG, Mercedes has also added a new top-of-the-line version to the lineup. The new E63 AMG S-Model will be offered in both the sedan and station wagon versions, and will add a distinctive look when compared to a standard E63 AMG model, plus a more powerful engine.
With the extra horsepower, the new E63 AMG S-Model will be a little bit faster than the standard model, plus it comes equipped with a performance-oriented all-wheel-drive system and a limited-slip rear differential that helps delivering better vehicle dynamics and more driving pleasure, especially on the race-track
The new Mercedes E63 AMG S-Model will make its world debut next week at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, with sales to begin later in June.
Updated 01/21/2013: Mercedes has unveiled a pretty cool video presenting the new E 63 AMG S-Model in action. Enjoy!
Updated 04/11/2013: Mercedes has unveiled a new commercial for the E63 AMG S-Model called "Opposites Attract". The main idea of this commercial is "when opposites fuse together, they create something unique. Like the new E 63 AMG." Enjoy!
Hit the jump to read more about the 2014 Mercedes E 63 AMG S-Model.
The latest Mercedes SLS model reviewed by Chris Harris was the Black Series version. Today, however, he went from the most powerful supercar developed by Mercedes to its first electric one: the Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive. The test was performed at the Circuit Paul Ricard and, as usual, he offers a pretty amazing test drive and some cool insight on the electric supercar.
The SLS AMG Electric Drive is powered by four electric motors – one at each wheel. This system delivers a total of 740 horsepower and 737 pound-feet of torque. This amount of power is enough to sprint the car from 0 to 60 mph in only 3.9 seconds, making it only 0.2 seconds slower than its gasoline bother and 0.5 seconds faster than the Tesla Model S.
Be patient and watch the full 20-minutes video. We can assure you it’s totally worth the time spent.
The Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive is very different from the norm for Mercedes. Instead of the big V-8s featured across the network, this little car hums along silently on batteries driving its front wheels. It will be the first all-electric vehicle from Mercedes-Benz, and the first of any B-Class to cross the pond. This matches the latest company strategy to fatten the range of models from all sides.
Most of the systems that charge and run the little B-Class will be shared with its bright-yellow sibling: the upcoming SLS AMG Coupe E-Cell. Both systems are part of a deep tech partnership between Mercedes parent company Daimler and Tesla. Fruit from this sharing agreement has been limited to date, and arguably, some of the most sour fruit on the branch via the Smart ED. That car ran Tesla Roadster parts, but downsized. The resulting “car” was appallingly slow. Tesla didn’t seem to be sharing the good, M5-beating stuff yet.
This is set to change when the B-Class Electric Drive hits U.S. showrooms in January 2014. The model will arrive in dealers first before a limited roll-out in Europe.
As Mercedes’ first viable EV, the B-Class Electric is a complete package that excels in its mission of effortless city efficiency plus Mercedes-levels safety, durability, luxury and ownership experience.
This is the second time that Mercedes has taken its baby performance SUV out for a testing session. Instead of hitting the cold weather with the GLA 45 AMG, like the first time we caught it, Mercedes took it for an extreme test at Nürburgring in Germany.
The next GLA 45 AMG will be based on the same platform as the new-generation A-Class and will be offered with the same engine as the CLA 45 AMG and A 45 AMG: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that delivers a total of 360 horsepower and a peak torque of 331 pound-feet.
Unlike the standard GLA-Class, the AMG version will feature a more aggressive look with dual exhaust pipes, bigger wheels and cross-drilled brakes – pretty standard stuff for the AMG lineup.
The standard GLA-Class is expected to be unveiled in September at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, with the AMG version to follow few months after.
German aftermarket company, Vath, is no stranger to building some of the most desirable Mercedes programs in the market. The company has a portfolio of these models, including programs for the A-Class, the C63 AMG and the SLS AMG, among others.
Not one to be content with just fitting useless components on the SL63 AMG, Vath opted to use parts that would improve the sports car’s aerodynamic capabilities, beginning with a carbon front spoiler, a new rear diffuser with fins and a large underbody, and a rear lip that was also made from high-class carbon. Rounding out the exterior mods is a set of 20-inch, three-part forged rims with titanium-colored spokes to go with a high-performance brake system that features a 390 mm (15.35-inch) brake discs at the front axle with six-piston brake calipers, as well as Castrol SRF racing brake fluid and brake line kit.
The interior of the SL63 AMG was treated to a fancy carbon-black finish, all of which was exclusively handmade in Germany. Among the components finished in carbon black include the middle console, the front ashtray cover and two-part door stripes. From there, Vath gave the SL63 AMG’s sport steering wheel a leather treatment, while also replacing the speedometer with one that goes all the way up to 224 mph and adding aluminum pedals.
Under the hood of the SL63 AMG, Vath worked with a reprogrammed 5.5-liter V-8 Biturbo engine that shot the output of the sports car up to 780 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque, a staggering increase from the standard model’s 537-horsepower and 590 pound-feet figures.
Click past the jump to read about the Mercedes SL63 AMG
Mercedes has expanded its C-Class lineup with the addition of a new "Edition C" package that requires an additional €1,785 ($2,400 at the current exchange rates), or €1,011 ($1,300) if you opt for a C-Class Avantgarde. This upgrade can be applied to all sedan, coupe and station wagon variants.
On the exterior, the new Edition C adds an exclusive grille with high-gloss black louvers and chrome trim flanked by darkened headlamps; AMG-styled front apron, side sill panels and rear apron; and, of course, "Edition C" badge on the wing. There is also an exhaust system with chromed tailpipe trims, 170inch five-spoke alloy wheels in a high-gloss black on the sedan and estate models.
For the interior, the model adds sports seats in black ARTICO manmade leather and DINAMICA microfiber with two-tone (blue/alpaca grey) contrast stitching and dark-aluminum trim. Also added in is a three-spoke multifunction sports steering wheel covered in Nappa leather with alpaca grey contrast stitching, a DINAMICA-microfiber-trimmed door center panels with alpaca grey contrast stitching and a gearshift knob featuring the same alpaca contrast stitching.
As standard, the Edition C includes an 11.4-inch multifunction color display that includes ATTENTION ASSIST to make sure your attention is always focused on the road ahead.
Hit the jump to read more about the Mercedes C-Class.
In the same time with the standard E-Class variants: sedan, coupe and convertible, Mercedes will also be unveiling the most powerful version of the lineup: the E63 AMG. As the previous spy shots have revealed, the new E63 AMG is the first model to feature the new AMG design language and it also received an improved version of its AMG 5.5-liter V8 bi-turbo engine.
As usual, the new E63 AMG will be offered in both sedan and station wagon variants and all models will be offered with permanent all-wheel drive is standard. As a first for the E-Class AMG lineup, Mercedes will be offering a S-Model version that is both more powerful and faster than the standard version.
Official debut will be made next week at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, with sales on the U.S. market to being in the summer of 2013.
Updated 03/27/2013: Mercedes has unveiled at the 2013 New York International Auto Show the 2014 E63 AMG S 4MATIC Wagon and all of its performance credentials. We are still awaiting details on the S version of the sedan. Check out the performance of the E63 AMG S 4MATIC after the jump.
The Mercedes CLA has been officially unveiled at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, and, as the spy shots revealed, the next logical step was a more powerful, AMG version. The model made its debut today at the 2013 New York Auto Show and will be put on sale in September.
When compared to the standard CLA-Class, the new AMG version will add a more aggressive design language, with elements we have already seen on models like the CLS 63 AMG. These specific elements include an AMG "twin blade" radiator grille, an AMG front apron, large cooling air intakes and for the rear an AMG apron and of course the two chrome-plated twin tailpipes of the AMG sports exhaust system.
Even if a tiny sedan, the new CLA 45 AMG is offering technologies used in the SLS AMG sports car, like the cooling system for the four-cylinder engine.
Updated 03/19/2013: This review has been updated with the official details, images and specifications.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2014 Mercedes CLA 45 AMG.
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