skip to main |
skip to sidebar
L.E.A.D.E.R. stands for Leaders in European Automotive Development, Excellence and Research. The award recognises innovation excellence in product development and environmental technology. The award was presented by Automotive News Europe.
Mercedes-Benz is a winner for its 125 years of innovation within the automotive industry, which started in 1886 when Carl Benz invented the motor car. The company was also chosen for its work towards boosting efficiency and reducing emissions by way of the many measures that come under the BlueEFFICIENCY banner. One recent example of these activities was the Mercedes-Benz F-CELL World Drive. A trio of B-Class F-CELL vehicles covered more than 30,000 kilometres around the globe in 125 days. The hydrogen-powered B-Class cars and their support vehicles started their journey in Stuttgart at the end of January to coincide with the official 125th anniversary of the motor car, taking in 14 countries on four continents.
Source: Daimler Media
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
It was only a week or so ago that we saw the first spy photos showcasing a heavily-camouflaged 2012 A-Class prototype. Recently, spy photographers met the car in Stuttgart, near the Mercedes-Benz R&D Centre. The test car reveals mere clues on the looks of the hatchback, but that's hardly a surprise now after everybody saw a set of leaked patent sketches in May. Designers were in charge to create a crisp and youthful theme for the new model, as this is company's first 5-door vehicle attempt. The boring MPV shape is gone forever now that it was solely reserved for the new B-Class, which, as earlier stated, is indeed more elegant and stylish than in the past.
The new A-Class will closely follow the aesthetic footsteps of the concept car presented in April at Shanghai. That means we'll see the intricately-pampered LED headlights and the arched side windows panel make it onto the serial production model. The dashboard, although different from that of the B-Class, won't feature many of the futuristic materials found on the Concept A-Class, but will preserve some the airplane wing visual effect - mind those aircon vents that look like jet engines, because there's a chance they will be kept for the series car.
Other than that, the underpinnings and the entire technologycal package will be shared with the new B-Class, scheduled for the official reveal at the IAA Frankfurt. So, expect the same level of efficiency and almost the same equipments (depending on the variants). Rumors claim a hardcore, 350-hp version AMG version for the A-Class is also said to be under secret development by the Affalterbach-based tuner and it should hit streets in 2013 if the project gets fully greenlighted.
I expect the new A-Class to be slightly more expensive than its fellow brother - the base price should start at around 23,000-24,000 euros for the most countries in Europe. Mercedes-Benz announced that it will also start selling the car state-side, where it is prone to arrive by early 2013.
Photo source: Motor Authority
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
The new B-Class arrives this September and it will mark a definitive turnover in the Mercedes-Benz lineup. While the current model managed to attract a positive number of customers according to recent statistics, it was never perceived as a true Mercedes-Benz: the roomy interior and the elegant design didn't manage to counteract the obvious issues related to driving dynamics, overall efficiency and build quality. Having born in the cloudy Schrempp era, the first generation B-Class really had to resist some serious arguments against it to live up to these days and eventually surpass the little A-Class in what sales numbers are concerned. As for the forthcoming W 246, the minds that developed it had to deliver a tough work to fix the problems and create a whole new car both visually and technically.
I think they accomplished the task pretty well, if we have a look at the silhouette hidden under the minor FEP camouflage. The exterior styling has been clearly influenced by the nonconformist Concept BlueZERO if you look at the shape of the headlights, extensively fitted with colourful LEDs, and those weird seen on the side profile. To create a more aggressive stance, the roof line is lower compared to the outgoing model and slopes beautifully towards the back end of the car. Inside, the new B-Class will welcome the passengers with an attractive dashboard and quality materials, that are said to be even more premium than those found in the C-Class, according to Prof. Gorden Wagener, head of Mercedes-Benz design department. The spacious interior offers more storage places, more travelling comfort, more high-tech gimmicks such as the COMAND Online with multiple media and infotainment devices, as well as a revised luggage compartment boasting a greater capacity.
The MPV sits on a brand new modular platform called MFA - this will enable more powering solutions to be easily accommodated without changing the entire chassis or the basic architecture of the underpinnings. For the beginning, conventional internal combustion engines will be offered: Renault will supply the low displacement units up to 1.6 litres, whereas Mercedes-Benz will provide the high-end powerplants, such as the 2.1 litres 4-cylinder diesel engine with 204 hp and the 1.8 litres 4-cylinder petrol motor with the same peak output. To ensure a smooth and efficient run, each and every engine in the range will undergo the BlueEFFICIENCY treatment.
Some of the new assistance technologies which the Stuttgart-based constructor has premiered along with the latest models will make their way onto the upcoming B-Class. Moreover, an upgraded version of the Brake Assist system, which helps reduce the number of rear-end collisions, will also be available. The safety package will further include a high number of airbags for an ultimate passenger protection, pretensioned 3-point seat belts for all the five occupants, PRE-SAFE crash anticipation system, DISTRONIC PLUS, ABS, ESP and certainly many other.
When the new B-Class is launched for sale in Europe by the end of 2011, the standard price tag should reach around 22,000-23,000 euros. There are plans to market the MPV in the USA for the first time in history beginning with the second part of 2012.
Photo source: Motor Authority
Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.
blogger templates | Blogger
