They like the smooth ride. And note the price may be $91,000, which is less than previously posted…

Car news, road tests, photos and insight

Mercedes S-class becomes a hybrid

By WES RAYNAL

Mercedes-Benz has been busy. Having just introduced a new E-class, it now presents the 2010 S-class. The lineup includes the S400 hybrid, and the first production Mercedes hybrid is aimed squarely at Lexus’s LS 600h.

The S-class hybrid, based on the long-wheelbase S-class, was introduced at the Shanghai motor show. The car is powered by the 3.5-liter Mercedes V6 gasoline engine. The engine will be familiar to C- and E-class owners, though it’s not exactly the same, because in the hybrid, the V6 has new cylinder heads, pistons and camshafts. Combined with the hybrid system, the engine produces 295 hp and 284 lb-ft of torque and is mated to the Mercedes seven-speed automatic transmission. The small lithium-ion battery-hybrid system is neatly integrated, and the battery–the first lithium-ion used in a production car–is guaranteed for the life of the car. The hybrid system adds 165 pounds.

Mercedes estimates that the S400 will get 23 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway. We spent a day in one and were astonished at one thing:

The hybrid was so quiet, so smooth and seamless, that we barely noticed the gasoline engine cut out at traffic lights. Except for graphics on the dash and subtle exterior badges, you’d never know you were in a hybrid. It’s the smoothest gasoline-electric hybrid we’ve driven yet.

The car is no rocket; 0 to 62 mph takes 7.5 seconds, but under power, the car barely emits a sound. And we found that the hybrid system worked great at freeway speeds. Top speed is electronically limited to 130 mph, and when you apply the regenerative brakes gently, energy is sent to the battery.

Other than stop/start, it drives the way any other S-class does: The ride is peaceful and quiet, and the independent suspension keeps body motions in check.

The interior is gorgeous and typical high-quality S-class. One cool feature we don’t get in the United States yet is the split-view display, which allows the driver to operate nav or radio while the passenger can see a DVD on the same screen at the same time. It’s amazing technology, and Mercedes is waiting for U.S. regulators to sign off on it, which should happen by the end of the year, according to Thomas Weber, Mercedes board member in charge of research and development.

Weber also said that the entire Mercedes lineup eventually will be available as hybrids, either gasoline or diesel. He is aiming for that to happen in the next five years. “Our goal is to show that we can combine fuel efficiency with luxury throughout the lineup,” he said. “The S400 hybrid dispels the myth that good economy can only be had with small cars.”

The rest of the S-class line has been updated for 2010 as well. Changes include a new grille, new LED headlamps, a new front bumper with a chrome strip below the air intake and three color choices (amber, white and ice blue) for the ambient lighting inside.

The S400 hybrid is a good car that really moves the hybrid needle in terms of smoothness. Mercedes hasn’t determined final pricing but is aiming for $91,000. The car goes on sale in August.

To read more visit the AutoWeek Car news, road tests, photos and insight section.

This article was last updated on: 06/08/09, 10:11 et

Got invited as press to preview the infamous 5-Series that has brewed some very heated debates here at GCZ. Pictures paint images of what a car looks like but are always short of the experiencing of a close encounter. In this instance the photos don’t fully encapsulate the appearance of the 5-Series GT. And sadly photographing the car was prohibited.

My absolute first impression was "Good lord it’s huge…………..but sleeker thank expected". In the same case with the Porsche Panamera, the rear end is highly controversial but contrary to my preconceived notions, the 5er GT has quite a slender appearance for a car of its size because it is rather large. As a matter as fact I’d undoubtedly proclaim is an MPV. On the inside awaits a large and airy atrium with a very wide panel stretching from left to right. And the center console is a tall order just like large family saloons, though it’s worth mentioning that this car has a slight twist to it thanks to BMW DNA which has resulted in a more driver orientated cockpit. Interior-wise there was nothing to fault and on a par with new E-Class although I haven’t had the chance to critically examine both in the fullest details. But I’m very content with what I’ve experienced so far and both manufacturers have done a terrific job.

BMW decided to bring the car in a grey/green paint job which I find a bit grim as opposed to the beige colour used in some of the photographs that we’ve seen. Although the grey colour didn’t do the best job accentuating the car’s exterior, it did have some very beautiful lines. Fabulous new design language. I do believe the lines will work best on a smaller car – the F10. The white angle eyes are highly tasteful and close the chapter for the signature orange ones we’re used to. Tail lights look absolutely stunning when someone hits the brake pedal, and the lights are of monstrous size. Make no mistake, this is a very large car so don’t kidd yourself. In terms of size it’s a blown up X6 and my photographer was the one who pointed out the cars similarities in size and shape. But the X6 is more athletic and feels a bit like a sedan on the inside compared with generous 5er GT. Sliding into the rear is where the card house collapsed. I’m 180cm tall and have roughly 5 cm of hair height which I could disappointingly feel rubbing the ceiling. This is not the case when I’m in the back of a 7-series, R-Class or a Volvo C30. With that being said the car is not for parents who plan on breeding basket ball players or princesses that enjoy wearing tiaras. It’s a bit of a waste given how large the car is.

This constraint makes the car unsuitable for anyone over 185cm and thus rule out the use as a corporate car. Families in the market for an A6 Avant and similar will probably be interested in the car but might very well chose to opt for an X6 because of the confined headroom in the 5er GT. So all in all, the existence of the car is very questionable and begs the question of what it really does for you. Physical constraints like headroom in the rear are incredibly hard to whiff off, though it’s a question whether one is willing to do such a compromise but why compromise when the car is not tight as sexy as a sedan? Very risky car by BMW and it suffer the threat of coming across as useless ones the new 5series have debuted because the only selling point it has got right now is the design. Just like initially said a few months ago, the car is very much an MPV with a compromised roof – BMW’s R-Class.

What is it?

This is the Mercedes E220 CDI Sport, and it’s the first time we’ve got our hands on the new E-class in right-hand-drive form.

The E220 CDI Sport is the top-spec trim level of the E-class’s entry-level engine, so you get variable-ratio steering and an AMG bodykit over the mid-spec avantgarde trim.

As for the engine itself, it’s the same 2.1-litre twin-turbo diesel unit you’ll find in the E250 CDI but detuned to 168bhp from 201bhp. Torque is reduced from 369lb ft to 295lb ft.

What’s it like?

The conversion to right-hand drive has been the downfall of many a German executive saloon, and the old E-class was no exception; the pedals on UK cars were distinctly offset, leaving UK drivers with an awkward, twisted driving position.

Thankfully, the new E-class consigns such awkwardness to history. The basic relationship between pedals, seat and steering wheel is spot on, and the vast range of adjustment (especially on the electrically adjustable steering column) means that drivers of most shapes and sizes should find it easy to get comfortable.

Full Story: Autocar – Mercedes E220 CDI Sport

It is so refreshing to hear that Mercedes is building their cars the right way again. Let BMWs chase ultimate cornering speeds and what not, a Mercedes is supposed to be built like and as safe as a tank and be supremely comfortable and be very roadworthy if not the sportiest thing on the block.

M

Brabus tuned new E-Class Coupe!

The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe, a replacement for the popular CLK-class, has received a performance and styling makeover by one of Mercedes’ most respected aftermarket tuners, BRABUS.

The 5.5-litre engine in the flagship E 500 coupe has been stroked to 6.1-litres and now develops 340 kW and 615 Nm of torque. The result is a 0-100 km/h time of around 4.9 seconds and an impressive top speed of 315 km/h.

Styling tweaks featuring new front and rear bumpers – with integrated LED daytime running lights – were developed in the wind tunnel for optimum aerodynamic-enhancement while custom-tailored wheels up to 20-inches in diametre, aluminum front sport quarter panels with integrated clear-coated carbon-fibre inserts and rocker panels visually give the coupe a lower and sleeker stance.

The rear apron features a centrally mounted reflector and custom-tailored cutouts on either side for the four tailpipes of the sport exhaust system.

Braking is provided by six-piston aluminum calipers with 14.2-inch vented and cross-drilled brakes up front while a complete height-adjustable coil-over sport suspension is also available.

BRABUS Mercedes E-class coupe – Cars

The switch in nomenclature from the CLK to the E-Class Coupe made a bit of a stir when word began to leak last year. Just this week, the issue was broken back open when it was revealed that the new E-Class Coupe is actually based on the C-Class platform – much like its CLK predecessor. So what, then, of a true C-Class coupe? These previews show what it might look like.

Mercedes is already thought to be working on a new C-Class cabrio dubbed the CLR, opening the door for a revised two-door C-Class hardtop, though Mercedes could simply split the difference and fit a collapsible hardtop. That would help leave breathing room for the new E-Class Coupe while also providing a niche vehicle in the more affordable C-Class range. The CLC-Class is the current offering in that segment, but it’s a three-door liftback and based around the older C-Class Sportcoupe. Though it has undergone a major revamp, it doesn’t really match the new lineup, and will likely need to be replaced by the time of the mid-cycle refresh of the current C-Class. Mercedes’ decision to fork the CLC off from the C-Class means that the new C-Coupe previewed here could also wear CLC-badging, however.

At this point it’s all speculation, as Mercedes hasn’t confirmed the existence of any plans for a new C-Class-based Coupe. If it does come along, however, expect powertrain options to fall in line with the rest of the C-Class, including a range of four and six-cylinder petrol units and, outside the U.S., diesels. If Mercedes does build a new coupe on the C-Class platform, it won’t be until 2010 or 2011, however, leaving plenty of time for a redeveloped AMG variant. There appears to be room in the lineup for an AMG C-Class Coupe since the CLK AMG died with the CLK, and no AMG model based on the E-Class Coupe is known to be in the works yet.

- http://www.motorauthority.com/previe…ass-coupe.html