BMW BLOG

Big day for the U.S auto industry, President Obama has announced new rules for fuel efficiency and emissions that will require require all automakers selling automobiles in the U.S. to increase fleet fuel efficiency by 5% PER YEAR starting in 2012.

We have already heard  in the past about the California Zero Emission Vehicles regulation which stipulates that large auto makers have to sell between a few hundred and a few thousand Zero Emission Vehicle every year starting in 2012.

The new rules announced today will increase the 2009 model year requirements of 25 mpg to fleet fuel efficiency standard of 35.5 miles  per gallon by model year 2016. This breaks down into the following: fleet fuel efficiency standard for all domestically sold passenger cars will be 39 mpg and 30 mpg for all domestically sold light trucks and SUVs.

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It is quite interesting when a large German manufacturer decides to stop competing with the popular midsize-coupes in the premium-segment. Are Audi A5 and BMW 3 Series Coupe suddenly share this market among themselves? Is Mercedes really interesting in only watching the game between the two without their own competitor?

If we believe the new nomenclature from Stuttgart then the answer is YES, the E-Class so it seems to have moved away from this market, especially since historically, any models carrying the E-Class badge, have always been directly competing with the 5 Series.

But a big question arises: Is the new E-Class Coupe the successor of the old C-Class based CLK, of course at a much higher price, or is it simply a model derived from the E-Class line dominating a new market?

Well, let’s see where Mercedes stands on this and take a look at some numbers below.

If we compare the wheelbase of the E-class Coupe with the C-Class sedan and the C-Class T-model with whom the E coupe allegedly has nothing in common, we start to wonder. Is it coincidence that the wheelbase in all three cases is exactly 2,760 mm? Possibly. The E-Class models however have a significantly longer wheelbase, 2,874 mm to be exact.

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It seems like we’re not the only ones with the brochure scan leaks, Mercedes-Benz fans had their fair share with the latest leaked photos of the next generation 2010 E-Class. The 5 Series competitor has been long due for a design refresh and finally, the pictures were leaked onto the web.

The new E-Class will be available a year before the new 2010-2011 5 Series and it is expecting to impress again by the amount of luxury and attention to details.

Engines

Mercedes-Benz E-Class will ofer a variety of engines, from the 4 and 6 cylinder ones to a powerful V8. The base petrol models is the E200 CGI which outputs 184hp and 270Nm, followed closely by the E250 CGI - 204hp and 310Nm. The petrol line-up is completed with the V6 E350 CGI - 292hp and 365 Nm - and the 5.5 liter V8 E500 producing 388hp and 530Nm. 

Of course, the diesels play an important role in their future strategy, so the BlueEfficiency models are part of the new line-up. The E200 CDI produces 136hp with an upgraded version, E220, outputting 170hp. At the top end, we find the 204hp E250 CDI and 231hp E350 CDI, the 4Matic with 224hp and BlueTEC with 211hp.

How do they compare against the current BMW 5 Series? Well, for starters, we have the 523i - 177hp, then the 525i with 218hp, followed by 528i with 230hp, 530i 272hp, 535i twin-turbo 300hp. At the top, we have t he V8 540i producing 302hp and 550i with 362hp.

A bit of advantage for the high end MB model.

As far as the BMW diesels, we have the 530d upgraded last year to 231 hp, 535d with 286 hp. Advantage BMW this time. Read the rest of this entry »

He also mentioned that several engines from the A and B-Class models will move into the C-Class range, similar to BMW’s plans to bring four-cylinder engines in their 3 Series. 

We are definitely traversing difficult times and I am glad to see the carmakers becoming more responsible and acting accordingly. Their R&D departments must be a busy place these days.

In a recent development, Mercedes’s tuning division, AMG, announced their plans to launch a diesel model within three years. Volker Mornhinweg, the boss of Mercedes’ tuning division describes the diesel  AMG engine as an updated version of the legendary AMG Hammer, a tuned up 5.6-liter V8 outputting 360 hp.

Following the current trend of smaller, lighter and implicitly more efficient cars, Mercedes is looking to use the new diesel AMG in smaller chassis, such as the C-class.

The E-Class could be another candidate for the super-diesel AMG, but of course, all it’s too early in the game to confirm that.

Now to move over into the BMW world, what are the odds that BMW will embrace the idea of an M car powered by a super-diesel engine? We are already seeing the large push for fuel efficiency with BMW’s own EfficientDynamics technology and especially with the recent launch of diesel engines in the U.S, it seems like BMW is looking to push the massive-torque diesels more and more.

So, let me ask again, what are the odds of seeing a BMW M3 powered by a superduper diesel engine? Would that make any sense? Would it “hurt” BMW’s image?

[Source: Autocar ]

Mercedes-Benz recently released its all new SL  65 AMG Black Series. The AMG Black Series is a small amount of special car that Mercedes brands out to be the best of the best in their respective class. A couple of years ago they gave us the very impressive CLK 63 AMG Black Series and its younger sister, the SLK 55 AMG Black Series. While the CLK AMG BS was impressive it wasn’t a supercar for MB, and the SLK 55 Black Series wasn’t much more than a special edition AMG.

Now Mercedes-Benz has parted ways with McLaren, at least in terms of making cars again together. The SLR was such a failure that MB knew they had to come up with a car that could beat the SLR’s performance, have less GT styling inside and out and appeal to that boy racer in all of us… Read the rest of this entry »

The Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series is finally out in the open. And with a $320,000 price tag, a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 and only 200 units on their way to the U.S., it’s a serious stopgap between the deceased SLR and Mercedes’ 2011 SLC gullwing supercar.

The Black is 550 pounds lighter than the stock SL65, coming in at 4,122 pounds. Power is up to 661 hp available at 5,400 rpm, while torque remains the same at 738 lb.-ft. With a five-speed automatic gearbox equipped with AMG’s speedshift software, the Black can hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds on its way to a gearing-limited top speed of 199 mph.

You can expect the SL65 to be selling early next year in the U.S.

Article By CARversation.com 

We knew it wouldn't take long until Mercedes will start building a competitor for the BMW's successful 1 Series coupe. We have also learned in the past that Mercedes will go after the BMW X3 with its new model, GLK, but this time, the rumor is that MB will go after the not-yet-released BMW X1. 

Daimler AG announced today that they have chosen Kecskemet, Hungary, for its new plant that will focus on building models on the A-Class/B-Class platform. Adding a smaller SAV to its lineup isn't something new for Mercedes-Benz. At the beginning of this project, the MB engineers wanted to build a compact four wheel-drive version of the A-Class, but their plans fell through due to the "elk test’ debacle, when the A-class was rolled during rapid avoidance tests and sharp cornering. 

With the new Audi Q3 coming out, Mercedes will have to step up its game and launch a competitive, while still affordable, product.

This is a commercial I came across on Youtube, in which a bimmer fan decides to pick on Mercedes-Benz.

The funny ending is just priceless, a yellow smiley face replaces the BMW roundel, more like a smirk, which I found it just hilarious. 

Article By CARversation.com 

What is the point of having a 450hp AMG Benz if you don't drive it like an AMG should be driven. This is the new C63 AMG TV commercial.[Source Car Scoop]

Article By CARversation.com