Mercedes-Benz
Latest
Car Connectivity Consortium forms to bring more smartphones to more interiors
Though Terminal Mode has always been an open standard we've never really seen any tech companies outside of Espoo show much interest in the stuff, which lets a car mirror a phone's display. When Nokia sort of shifted gears and signed on with Microsoft that left us wondering what would be next for the company's infotainment efforts. Good things, as it turns out. The Car Connectivity Consortium has been founded to drive "global innovation for in-vehicle connectivity," and both Terminal Mode and Nokia will play a big part -- though a bigger part will be played by Daimler, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Toyota, and VW. They're joined by electronics companies Alpine, LG, Panasonic, and Samsung, making us think that maybe Terminal Mode's time has properly come. Also on the docket for the CCC is study of NFC, which will hopefully standardize the sort of awesome key interactivity BMW recently showed off.
Harman-Mercedes Map Pilot modular built-in nav system becomes reality
A little over two years ago, we opined on the lack of decent built-in nav systems, hopelessly waiting for Harman and Mercedes to make good on their promise of an easily upgradable in-dash setup. Well, the day has finally come, and the partners in automotive innovation are gearing up to introduce the Becker Map Pilot to the world at the Geneva Motor Show. As promised, the system combines the flexibility and features of a PND with the integration and good looks of a built-in setup -- although the interface shows up on the auto's central display panel and relays voice instructions over the car's speakers, the main unit is stored in the glove compartment, where it's easily removed and upgraded via the internet. If you can afford the mammoth price tag, Map Pilot will roll out in the new Mercedes-Benz SLK and C-Class, but if you don't have an extra $50,000 lying around, we'll still let you peep the PR after the break.
Smart shows off Forspeed electric roadster concept
We've got some good news and some bad news for folks eager for a sportier, all-electric Smart vehicle. The good news is that parent company Mercedes-Benz has just taken the wraps of its brand new Smart Forspeed concept vehicle, which will make its debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. It's a compact, all-electric roadster that promises a top speed of 75 miles per hour, a range of 84 miles on a charge (which, incidentally, can be done using a normal 220 volt socket), and a luxury interior that even includes a special smartphone housing. The bad news? The company is saying up front that it "won't make production," but that "elements of the car will be carried over into future projects." Hit up the link below for a closer look.
Mercedes F-Cell World Drive gets off to an inauspicious start
Circling the globe on hydrogen power sounds like a bit of a challenge, what with the lack H2 pumps and all, but Mercedes-Benz set off to show that it could do just that -- with the help of a mobile filling station, natürlich. It's the F-Cell World Drive, and unfortunately, things got off to something of a bad start with two cars running out of fuel on the very first leg of the journey, one with Autoblog's Michael Harley at the wheel, no less. This first leg apparently began with a trip down an unrestricted bit of the Autobahn and, well, it seems the drivers of the cars decided to see what the little green B-Class F-Cells could do. The answer is 110mph, and of course moving along at this rate of speed did little for their range. The two cars came up 20km short of their first planned refueling stop, heavy right feet resulting in consumption of 1.5Kg of hydrogen per 100km distance -- roughly equivalent of 45mpg and way less than the 71mpg equivalent the cars usually manage. We're told day two, when drivers kept the speed to around 70mph, progressed much more smoothly, with both cars covering their expected legs without issue.
Daimler says fuel cell vehicles will cost the same as diesel hybrids by 2015
It may currently you cost you $849 a month to lease a Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell (one of the few hyrodgen-fueled vehicles currently available to consumers), but Daimler says that cost will come down considerably in the next few years. Speaking with Automotive News, Daimler's Herbert Kohler said that by 2015 he expects a "fuel cell car will not cost more than a four-cylinder diesel hybrid that meets the Euro 6 emissions standard," which would seemingly place it in a race with Toyota and its promise of a $50,000 hydrogen-powered sedan. What's more, Kohler also said that he expects fuel cell vehicles to actually be cheaper than comparable electric vehicles within the next few years, and he said that Daimler is hoping to bring a "four-digit-number" of fuel cell vehicles to market by 2013 or 2014.
Smart USA won't be stopped by snow, delivers first Fortwo Electric Drive to a customer
Hertz may have been the first to get the suckers on the road, but Mindy Kimball of Silver Spring, MD is the first American customer to have a Smart Fortwo Electric Drive of her very own. She's a US Army Major and now has a funky little green (but not olive drab) and white coupe at home -- probably buried under a foot or two of white stuff at this point. She's member numero uno of Smart USA's so-called "Team 250," which will make up the first 250 owners of the cars, each of which offer a maximum of 72 miles of range and a top speed of 70mph. All while looking super cute. [Thanks, Jason]
Daimler and BYD's GOLF electric car getting closer to completion?
Daimler AG is of course best known as the producer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, cars that usually sit toward the higher end of their respective classes. BYD, on the other hand, makes batteries, cellphones, and inexpensive cars that often look an awful, awful lot like other, rather more expensive ones. Strange bedfellows, these, but according to a "knowledgeable individual" quoted by The Wall Street Journal the two are getting closer to finalizing plans for an electric vehicle, freezing the design ahead of production to begin toward the end of 2012. The car is said to be called the GOLF, standing for Green, Oxygen, Light, and Friendship -- though that L could also double for Lawsuit given VW already sells its Golf in China. This partnership is similar to what BMW is doing, working with Brilliance China Automotive to get a foothold into the potentially Chinese EV market, which is already starting to heat up and should only continue to do so over the coming years.
Mercedes kicks off F-Cell World Drive, circumnavigating the globe on hydrogen
Fuel cell-powered cars provide the efficiency and driveability of an electric vehicle while also offering the unlimited range of a traditional gasoline powered car -- assuming you can find a place to top off those hydrogen tanks. Right now that's a bit of a problem, but Mercedes Benz is out to show that it's not nearly as big of a hindrance as everyone makes it out to be. It'll be driving the B-Class F-Cell model around the world, starting in Stuttgart and motoring down to Lisbon, flying over to the US and driving across that, then across Australia before hopping a boat to Shanghai and driving all the way across Asia, ultimately arriving back to Stuttgart facing in the same direction they left. The B-Class F-Cell can cover 400km on a tank and can be refilled in about three minutes. At this point we have no reason to believe that either Ewan McGregor nor Charlie Boorman will be along for the ride, but given how well things went in Log Way Round perhaps that's for the best.
Mercedes-Benz BIOME concept car grows in a nursery, on sale now in Zion
Okay, so there's no actual way to phone up Sad Keanu Reeves and confirm that the Mercedes-Benz BIOME is indeed on sale in the "real world," but it should be. Revealed in The Matrix's own LA Auto Show, this here vehicle has a theoretical weight of just 875.5 pounds, but it's likely far too wide to cruise on this planet's existing roadway system. The vehicle was imagined by designers from the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studios in Carlsbad, California, and it's said to be "fully integrated into the ecosystem, from the moment of its creation right through to the end of its service life." How so? It's grown "in a completely organic environment from seeds sown in a nursery," and just being totally frank here, we've no idea what that means. But hey, if M-B can figure out how to grow cars in Morpheus' backyard, who are we to question the reality of it?
Mercedes-Benz's hydrogen-fueled B-Class F-Cell gets priced at $849 a month
It's unfortunately not the F800 Style "research vehicle" the company is working on, but those looking to avoid a hybrid or all-electric vehicle in favor of fuel cell technology can now place an order for Mercedes-Benz's new B-Class F-Cell vehicle. Those orders actually first opened up in October, but the automaker has only just recently revealed the actual cost to customers. That will be $849 a month on a lease-only basis, which may seem a tad high but does include both fuel and insurance (alright, so it's still high). As you might expect, however, the car won't exactly be widely available -- Mercedes-Benz says the first few will reach "selected" customers by the end of this year, with "at least 70 more" set to become available in the Los Angeles and San Francisco area by 2012. Full press release is after the break.
Mercedes-Benz SLK gets Magic Sky Control roof, turns transparent at the touch of a button
Put down those iPads, Mercedes owners, and look to the sky. There's a word of wonder up there and, if you had yourself an SLK with the Magic Sky Control vario-roof, you could be looking at it. Well, of course, you could already be looking at the sky if you had an SLK because, you know, it's a convertible. But, let's say you want to do it without actually having to experience nature. Now we're talking. The vario-roof is a glass panel in the center of the SLK's retractable hardtop and now, if you tick the 2000 euro ($2,800) Magic Sky Control option, you can control that sky, tinting the glass panel at will by re-aligning the light-blocking crystals embedded within. It's like a big pixel on an LCD with the whole sun as your backlight and a truly awful dot pitch. %Gallery-106824%
Mercedes' new Media Interface Plus is smartphone-friendly, Bluetooth-equipped, and Pandora-ready
Mercedes has a new $298 accessory available now that adds another level of smartphone compatibility to its existing in-vehicle controls of iPods and aux audio. The Media Interface Plus allows the car to stream audio from an iPhone, BlackBerry, or any other compatible Bluetooth music player (we're guessing A2DP, though Mercedes doesn't specify). The MIP can also control the Pandora app on the iPhone and BlackBerry, and other features like SMS and email reading / writing are forthcoming. There are iPod / iPhone and Mini-USB plugs for charging, and an optional cable can pull video from your iPhone as well and display it on your in-dash screen -- when the car is at a standstill, of course.
Mercedes-Benz gets in on the factory iPad integration game, makes headrests a little smarter
You didn't think BMW would be the only one releasing hideous in-car iPad integration, did you? Mercedes-Benz, a company we previously thought had a bit more class, has released images of its strikingly similar headrest-mounted iPad docks. The idea is that the person in the back seat can comfortably use and recharge their device whilst their manservant, bodyguard, or parental guardian whisks them to their next destination. Of course, reaching forward to touch the back of the headrest in front of you is hardly an ergonomically sound position, and since that could very well be where your face ends up in a major accident we'd love to see what star rating the tablet's glass scores in a crash test. No price is given for the accessory at this point, but it'll surely be rather more accessible than the truly egregious Brabus iBusiness S Class. %Gallery-104387%
Mercedes-Benz's iPad program expands globally
Citing an "overwhelmingly positive" response to last summer's pilot program, Mercedes-Benz will expand its iPad program to all 355 dealerships across the globe. In an interview with Macworld, Mercedes-Benz Financial VP Andreas Hinrichs expressed his enthusiasm for the program. "The feedback was so positive we said, we need to push this out to all the dealers and take the financing process to a new level." The program's purpose was to streamline the closing of the deal by eliminating the potentially deal-killing walk away from the reality-distorting, shiny new car and into the intimidating sales office (as a former car salesman, I know the detrimental power of that journey). Salespersons can also run credit checks and pull the latest incentives with the iPads, as well as take in returning lease vehicles. Let us know if you see one of these in action. If you're not in the market for a Benz but still want to enjoy some iPad-powered automotive fun, check this out.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-Cell is an E-lectric limited production vehicle
Here's what you could be driving... if only you lived in Europe. Mercedes-Benz has announced, and promptly sold, a limited production run of 500 electric A-Class hatchbacks. Bearing the same E-Cell designation as the somewhat tastier-looking SLS model from the deutschen automaker, this little goer squeezes 95 horsepower and a 93mph top speed out of a 70kW motor. Those are relatively humble specs, but they also mean the electrified A-Class can last a healthy 124 miles between recharges. So long as this thing doesn't go all Tata Nano on us -- and Mercedes says its thermomanagement is top notch -- we wouldn't mind seeing a few more electro hatchbacks rolling off the assembly line and maybe even reaching markets outside the present France, Germany and Netherlands. Let's make it happen, Daimler!
Mercedes-Benz updates mbrace app with fancy pants 'Concierge' service
Mercedes-Benz just announced a new app that connects its in-car navigation systems with its customers' iPhones. Mbrace version 2.0 still lets drivers unlock their vehicles and, more importantly, find it in a crowded parking lot while adding location-based personal assistance ranging from entertainment, restaurant, directions, and traffic updates via Mercedes-Benz's Concierge service -- assuming you're are an mbrace PLUS customer. Destination information is then fired off directly to your in-vehicle navigation system to get you there. The updated app also includes enhanced Roadside Assistance that transmits the driver's location whenever a call is initiated. Think OnStar with a posh European accent.
Brabus's iBusiness is a Mercedes-Benz S600 tricked out Apple style
We've seen the iPad implemented both at school and at work, but in your car? That's the idea behind the iBusiness, a Mercedes-Benz S600 that's been tricked out with Apple gear aplenty by Brabus. Get this -- you can see the two iPads and keyboards in the back seats, but there's also a Mac mini in the back and a 64gb iPod touch as well. The display above is a 15.2" TFT display, and all of the gear connects to the Internet via a high speed 3G system. The iPads can also control the car's multimedia system, navigation systems, and the built-in telephone system. And it's all built into a car that goes from 0 to 62 in 4.0 seconds, with a top speed of 211 miles per hour. Brabus has tricked out those interiors, too -- there's leather everywhere, power-operated curtains, wood trim, color-changing interior lighting, LED running lights outside, and anodized aluminum pedals under the sport steering wheel. Yowza. Brabus doesn't give a price for this made-to-order monster, but the car itself (without any options) starts around $150k, so the entire package runs into the "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" range. What a set of wheels, though. [via Electronista]
Mercedes SLS AMG and Isle of Man take center stage in 'world's fastest 3D car film'
Frankly, you could've stopped at "Mercedes SLS AMG" and "Isle of Man," but toss in ex-Formula 1 driver David Coulthard, a litany of 3D cameras, helicopters and a closed section of the Mountain Road... and well, you've got magic in the making. The crew here set out to create the "world's fastest 3D film," and honestly, we aren't in any position to doubt 'em. We're also guessing that this 4 minute and 2 second masterpiece will be looped in Benz dealerships around the world, and for good reason. Word has it that the clip will be shown on Sky 3D across the pond, but there's no telling when it'll grace three-dee screens in North America and beyond. While we wait, feast your senses on the 2D version just beyond the break.
Kleer teams up with Mercedes Benz to untether in-car headphones
We hate wires. We can't count the number of times that our headphones were unceremoniously yanked from our heads (or ear canals) because the wire got snagged while ordering our Brazilian man-servant about. Kleer solved this problem years ago but still haven't broken into the mainstream thanks in no small part to the preponderance of low-cost (and low-quality) Bluetooth headphones. That could change with the visibility provided by a new partnership with Mercedes to replace line-of-site infrared technology the company had been using. The deal will equip 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class and S-Class models with Kleer's proprietary, low-power, CD-quality digital wireless audio emitted from a pair of video screens on the back of the seats. Occupants wearing the Mercedes-provided Kleer headphones or any compatible pair can then select which audio stream their headphones receive without interfering with Bluetooth or WiFi connected devices. Win, win.%Gallery-96188%
Mercedes-Benz SLS E-Cell prototype fuels our electric dreams with 526 horses
Oh, electric supercar, why do you tease us so? Mercedes is latest to throw up a prototype of what it expects future rubber burners to look like, and its SLS E-Cell doesn't disappoint. Based on its petrol-guzzling SLS AMG model, this beast produces 526 horsepower and 649 pound-feet of torque, thanks to four motors (one for each wheel) allied to a battery array that can provide an industry-leading 480kW of juice. How fast does that get you to the magical 60mph marker? Try four seconds. There's a handsome 10-inch infotainment panel in the center console, which you may see after the break, but the best news is that this prototype can be driven now and could well turn into a production Benz at some point in 2013.
