We found the latest spy shots of the upcoming, next-generation Mercedes-Benz SL. Have a look!
Despite the heavy disguise on this test car, which hides a look which owes much to the SLS supercar, you can see the small camera mounted behind the rear-view mirror. This is part of Mercedes’ latest suite of driver assistance systems, which includes Lane Keep Assist and night vision. All will be offered on the new SL.
The newcomer will also get the Aircap system, which is designed to reduce buffeting when the top is down, that debuted on the E-Class Cabrio. The retractable top will also feature Magic Sky Control electro chromatic glass, which varies the amount of light let in thorough the panoramic sunroof electronically.
The SLS supercar and the next SLK, which debuts at the Geneva show next year, have heavily influenced the design of the SL’s all-new aluminium underpinnings.
We found brand new spy shots of the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG without much of camouflage.
The AMG-prepped model seen here, features some unique styling details such as the specific bumper designs, side skirts, spoilers and larger alloy wheels.
Underneath the sheetmetal, the new M-Class’ chassis is shared with the new Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango models as one of the last legacies from the former Daimler-Chrysler partnerships.
Being an AMG model, this M-Class will no doubt feature several upgrades to the suspension, steering and braking systems, and most importantly, the German firm’s newly developed 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine in place of the current SUV’s naturally aspirated 6.2-liter unit.
Audi is working hard on a diversified electric future. Read here how. In addition the Audi R8 e-tron has been confirmed for 2012.
We had a chance to sit down with Frank van Meel, director of electrification strategy at Audi, to talk about the automaker’s electric plans. He explained to us that e-tron will be Audi’s specific branding for electric cars, similar to the way that TDI is used to brand diesel-powered products. Furthermore, e-tron vehicles will be propelled solely by electric motors, whether a pure electric vehicle or one with a range-extending gasoline generator like in the A1 e-tron concept. Van Meel went on to tell us that the e-tron brand will debut in 2012 with a version of the high-end, R8-like e-tron sports car seen in concept form at the most recent Frankfurt auto show. From a strategy standpoint, he explains that Audi wants to take a top-down approach to electric vehicles.
Very interesting comparison here of the Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo.
The ML 63 is honestly still the meat hammer of all high-performance Euro trucks, weighing in at at least 5,093 pounds at the curb and propelled forth by the fat-barrelled 6.2-liter naturally aspirated “M156″ V8 that made AMG a real builder of its own engines in 2005. For each of the 503 horses there are 10.1 pounds to deal with in the ML. And they deal with it in just less than five seconds in getting me to 62 mph from a stop. The thing is pure momentum hurtling through space, displacing more air than some school buses. The wheels for The Last Great Oligarch.
This better looking Cayenne incarnation weighs in at a feathery light 4,784 pounds. Divide that fluffiness by the 493 horses of the 4.8-liter twin-turbo V8 and we get roughly 9.7 pounds per steed. No large surprise then that acceleration to 60 mph can conceivably happen in just 4.4 seconds, while the ML 63 lists at 4.8 seconds. And the Cayenne Turbo actually carries the more resistant drag coefficient at 0.36 versus the ML 63 at 0.34, when I was expecting quite the opposite. Shut my mouth!
We got a mail from one of our UK readers claiming that he has pre-ordered the Audi RS3 and that his dealer gave him the following intel:
- the Audi RS3 will be shown at Paris Motor Show
- Audi RS3 will be limited to 2700 copies worldwide
- Q3 concept also to be shown in Paris
True or not, we will find out very soon. Stay tuned!
Thanks to Nicholas for the tip!
Interesting test drive report here of the Mercedes-Benz CLS 550.
Slipping in behind the wheel of the new CLS, the first thing you notice, is in fact, the wheel. The thick, leather-wrapped wheel with perforated sections at the 3- and 9-o’clock positions with cutouts for your thumbs feels great in your hands and is something a little different from Mercedes-Benz. And the steering itself is also something different. The electronic power steering is among the very best we’ve experienced from any manufacturer, with a direct response not found on recent M-B sedans. The feel tightens up when pushing the car a bit harder into corners while giving a nice, easy response for city driving.
The V8 has a nice little growl when pushed hard but quiets down at cruising speed. A stop-start feature to save fuel and reduce emissions is standard, and it worked seamlessly on our test drive in Tuscany. The seven-speed automatic can be manually shifted via steering-wheel-mounted paddles. When the car launches in the United States next spring, it will be offered with 4Matic all-wheel drive as an option.
Nive video review here of the pocket-rocket Audi RS3 Sportback. Enjoy!
Audi hasn’t officially released the car onto the market yet but the company hasn’t been shy about showing off the car prior to its launch, and even released a snow drift video a couple of months ago. The Audi RS3 features the same 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine as the Audi TT RS and produces 250kW of power and 450Nm of torque, helping it sprint from 0-100km/h in a claimed 4.6 seconds.
Auto Express does seem to like the overall sportiness of the car, even if the price is a little too high. The team also makes a special mention of the howling engine note, which is surely an attractive buying proposition in itself.
The VW Touareg Hybrid is being shown at the New York Auto Show.
Like its platform-mate, the Touareg Hybrid will emphasize performance and luxury over fuel economy: The combined economy of about 26 miles per gallon is so-so for a hybrid, but the compensation is impressive speed and acceleration. Volkswagen says the Touareg Hybrid will go from zero to 62 miles per hour in 6.5 seconds and will have a top speed of 150 m.p.h. The supercharged V-6 is supplied by Audi. Combined with an electric motor with an equivalent of 47 horsepower, the Touareg hybrid produces 380 horsepower.
Here are fresh spy shots of the upcoming Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe. Enjoy!
The new C-Class Coupe is expected to make its debut early next year as a 2011 model, wearing the front-end looks of the soon-to-be-facelifted C-Class Sedan. As these spy shots show, the Coupe’s proportions are more in line with the rest of the automaker’s range, looking a bit like a down-sized E-Class Coupe.
While the front bumper is still clad heavily in camouflage, it looks like the nose will get a look similar to that of the new E-Class, with LED daytime running lights below the headlights, and a wide, mesh-covered lower air intake below a two-bar grille.
Drivetrain options should mirror the Sedan, meaning here in the U.S., a choice of 3.0-liter or 3.5-liter V-6s, and possibly an AMG variant. If the AMG C-Class Coupe does come, it’ll likely get the new 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 destined for future Mercedes AMG products, like the new CL-Class. Both six-speed manual and seven-speed automatic transmissions are expected across the range.
We found some new spy shots of the Mercedes-Benz ML AMG with less disguise than before. Have a look!
This allows us to see a sleeker front bumper, sweptback headlights, a tailgate-mounted spoiler, and AMG wheels. Like previous prototypes, this model has a dual exhaust but it remains unclear if Mercedes will drop AMG’s traditional four-pipe setup.
Under the hood, power will be provided by a twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 with 544 PS (400 kW / 537 hp) and 800 Nm (590 lb-ft) of torque. Backed up by a seven-speed Speedshift MCT transmission, the SUV should accelerate from 0-100 km/h in less than five seconds.
Here are the latest spy shots of the upcoming Audi Q3. Have a look!
Interesting follow-up driving report here of the VW Golf blue-e-motion. Enjoy!
In the nearby town of Kassel, Volkswagen’s Electro-Mobility Workshop has founded its own manufacturing facility for the 12,000-rpm, 114-horsepower electric motor weighing 176 pounds and mounted in front of the front axle, and driving same. The current 695-pound multi-module array of 180 lithium-ion cells is distributed in such a way that fore-aft weight here reads 50:50 percent, whereas a standard Golf is more front-biased at 55:45. The added 452 pounds of curb weight versus the heaviest series trim car is also placed way down in the structure. This inherently brings on altered dynamics for the drive, which are frankly in some ways better than anything the standard Golf can approach – at least in normal day-to-day toodling around.
