Mercedes
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The changing of the guards in motor racing is underway: both Porsche and Mercedes-Benz have announced they will join the FIA Formula E electric-car racing series in 2019. To make that possible, both German teams will end their tenures in respected motorsport; Porsche will end its World Endurance Championship LMP1 program, while Mercedes plans to pull out of DTM (German Touring Car Championship). The news leaves Toyota as the only factory team left in the LMP1 class; both Audi and BMW appear to be reevaluating their own commitments to the DTM series as well. DON'T MISS: 11 things you need to...
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Mercedes to show all-electric hatchback concept this fall, countering Audi: reportGerman luxury carmakers often follow each other's product plans in something close to lockstep. Let one maker—BMW, say—introduce a new category of vehicle—sport utility "coupes," say—and soon Mercedes-Benz and Audi will have their own too. And the premium brands appear to be...
John Voelcker -
Mercedes-Benz S550e plug-in hybrid to offer wireless charging
Mercedes-Benz will offer wireless charging on the S-Class plug-in hybrid as part of an upcoming mid-cycle refresh.
Stephen Edelstein -
Particulate filters for Mercedes diesels to come to gasoline vehicles too
Mercedes-Benz will use particulate filters in both gasoline and diesel cars.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Mercedes S 550e plug-in hybrid to get wireless charging
The Mercedes-Benz S 550e plug-in hybrid will get wireless charging as part of an upcoming refresh, an executive says.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Infiniti Q30 Video: 'Lust And Logic' In Compact Hatchback For Frankfurt Show (UPDATED)
Two years after the unveiling of a concept car that previewed it, the 2017 Infiniti Q30 compact luxury hatchback will launch at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September. Nissan's luxury brand confirmed the launch yesterday, for the same show where that concept--in reality a thinly-disguised version of...
John Voelcker -
Two years ago, the launch of the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid produced the first ostensible large luxury plug-in sedan competitor to the Tesla Model S electric car. The Porsche is a plug-in hybrid, with an electric range of 15 or 16 miles; the Tesla is all-electric, with ranges of 208 to 275 miles. DON'T MISS: 2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid: Gas Mileage Review Of Plug-In Hybrid At the time, many commentators suggested the Porsche would eat into Tesla's sales, giving a new option to luxury buyers who wanted a large plug-in sedan from a prestige brand. Porsche sells about 100 plug-in Panameras...
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Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche Electric Cars To Target Tesla Model S (Plug-In Hybrids Too)
This was the year when it became obvious that upstart electric-car maker Tesla Motors has startled and worried all of the German luxury-car companies. And now that they're taking the Tesla Model S electric luxury sedan seriously--as well as the expected arrival next year of the much-delayed Model X...
John Voelcker -
How Audi, BMW & Mercedes Plan To Compete With Tesla--And Why
We already know that in the next few years, we'll see a slew of mid-size SUVs offered with plug-in hybrid powertrains--most from luxury brands like Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, and Range Rover. But the German luxury marques are making plans to compete more directly with Tesla Motors and its Model...
John Voelcker -
Three Mercedes Plug-In Hybrids On Sale By End Of 2015: S-Class, C-Class, ML-Class
The first wave of electric cars and plug-in hybrids has been largely centered on smaller vehicles, mostly from mass-market brands (Tesla excepted). Four years later, German luxury makers are entering the fray--and the plug-in cars and utility vehicles they sell will markedly expand the offerings on...
John Voelcker -
2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 BlueTec: Diesel Priced Right
Mercedes-Benz has made the ML350 BlueTec diesel an affordable upgrade from the gasoline variant. Will a payback of under four years appeal to consumers?
Kurt Ernst -
Is Mercedes Ignoring Electric Cars in 125 Birthday Exhibition?
This coming Saturday, January 29, Mercedez-Benz will be celebrating its 125th birthday. One-hundred-and-twenty-five years after Carl Benz received the first patent for his Motorwagen, the German automaker will open its latest exhibition: New Start-The Road to Emission-Free Mobility. Sadly, however...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Mercedes-Benz likes to launch technologies and lead trends, but sometimes they follow along with the crowd. In this case, Hyundai's doing it. Chevy's doing it. Chrysler's going to do it. Even Porsche will be doing it. And now Mercedes-Benz has joined the gang: The luxury carmaker too will fit a downsized, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine to a car where sixes were previously the rule (or at least a popular option). The German brand will offer a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine to its 2012 C-Class, the first four it has offered in the U.S. in several years. More striking, it...
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Electric-Car Deliveries? Mercedes-Benz Says, Hey, Fuel Cells Too!
It's the week of green-car delivery publicity. Nissan delivered its first Leaf in San Francisco Saturday (and three more in San Diego, Portland, and Southern California this week), and not to be left out, Chevy delivered a Volt this morning in New Jersey. Well, damnit, says Mercedes-Benz, we...
John Voelcker -
Latest Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive Licensee: Mercedes-Benz ???
Toyota leads the world in hybrid-electric vehicles, having built well over 2 million of them since 1997. That's more than half the hybrids on the planet. Now, with new electric cars about to hit the showrooms--the 2011 Nissan Leaf and 2011 Chevrolet Volt, for example--Toyota wants to cement its...
John Voelcker
![2014 BMW i3 and 2014 Tesla Model S [photo: Tom Moloughney]](https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/ibimg/hgm/1600x900-1/100/489/2014-bmw-i3-and-2014-tesla-model-s-photo-tom-moloughney_100489233.jpg)
