Tag Archives: auto show
2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class L Extended Wheelbase Gets Bigger And Better Cabin
Mercedes-Benz is truly making an impact in the Chinese market, or at least, trying to infiltrate the biggest auto market in the world. At the 2018 Beijing Motor Show, Asia’s largest car expo, the luxury brand introduced the Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury concept SUV and the all-new Mercedes-Benz A-Class L sedan.
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Extended Wheelbase is the newest model under the German brand to get enhanced legroom, keeping in mind China’s affinity for rear seat legroom. The 2019 C-Class L will sit under the E-Class L in China. It will also be sold exclusively for the Chinese market.
Luxury car buyers in China place great importance on rear seat legroom. After all, these rich Chinese mostly have drivers that allow them to stay on the rear side of the vehicle, enjoying whatever amenities Mercedes can throw at their feet. The extended wheelbase will give this car a significant edge over its competition.
The styling details of the C-Class L Extended Wheelbase will remain the same as the European model, but the wheelbase (which is why the Extended Wheelbase name) has been stretched by 80 mm or 31 inches for added legroom in the rear seats. China, being a left-hand drive market, will receive a different layout for the C-Class L than the European version. The rear-right seat passenger can electronically adjust the front passenger seat by sliding it forward.
Other features of this Chinese-market-directed sedan are the LED headlights and the optional Multibeam LED headlights. Inside, there are fully digital driver’s display, a wider infotainment screen, multi-contour seat package with a massaging function, 64 LED ambient colours, and a new multi-function steering wheel. The German automaker also introduced the Energizing comfort control system, the same one in the S-Class last year.
Originally launched in 2014, the C-Class L will also get the new 48v electric architecture mild system that comes with petrol engines to boost performance and efficiency.
Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan Version Debuts At Beijing Motor Show
Mercedes-Benz wants a bigger chunk of the premium car market. The automaker is breathing new life to the lower rungs of its lineup by launching newer versions of the compact Mercedes-Benz A-Class. The sedan version of the A-Class has made its way to the 2018 Beijing Auto Show after the hatchback version aimed primarily at the European market made its debut at the 2018 Geneva Auto Show in March.
Mercedes showed the A-Class L version of the sedan in the show. “L” stands for long wheelbase, which is common in the auto market of China. We’re sure that a US-spec A-Class will soon arrive in the United States.
The A-Class L has been stretched by 6 centimeters or 2.3 inches. It will be sold exclusively in China. A soon-to-come standard wheelbase will most likely be available for the US market as the new entry-level Mercedes. The CLA-Class, the current entry-level Mercedes, will move by a level.
The A-Class sedan stands similar to the hatchback model in Geneva, sans the presence of a trunk in the longer wheelbase model. Even the MBUX infotainment system (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) was the same as it features a screen setup closer to the larger Mercedes models. There’s also a sophisticated voice-recognition system.
In China, this model will be launched with a 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 163 horsepower. There will also be a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder with 187 horses later. Both these engines will be paired with a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission and it will use a front-wheel drive platform. Mercedes, however, may also offer as an option an all-wheel drive system.
The powertrain lineup for the US models will be revealed at a later date, and there will also be new details on high-performance AMG models. Aside from the A-Class L model, Mercedes will also be launching the Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury electric SUV concept in Beijing.
BMW And Mercedes-Benz Pull Out Of Detroit Auto Show
Six weeks ago, Mercedes-Benz announced that it won’t be a part of the 2019 Detroit Auto Show. BMW is following suit with an announcement mirroring Mercedes’ sentiments.
The pullout of Europe’s top car brands is pushing the Detroit Auto Dealers Association to contemplate moving the annual January fair to October starting in 2020. The association also wants to recast it as a less expensive show centered primarily on products and technology.
Luxury brands and supercars maker Jaguar, Land Rover, Porsche, and Volvo also did not attend the Detroit show this year. Mazda and Mitsubishi skipped it as well. Aston Martin, Ferrari, Bentley, and Porsche have no display on the show, but have vehicles at The Gallery. Alfa Romeo, Audi, Chrysler, and Dodge all have displays, but did not hold press conferences. Lamborghini revealed the Urus there while Cadillac brought nothing new because its focus is on the New York auto show.
BMW released a statement, explaining why it would skip the trade show next year. “This decision was made as BMW Group is constantly examining our presence at trade-shows and other engagements, while, at the same time, also exploring alternative platforms and formats. The overall goal is to communicate our ideas and plans regarding future mobility in the best way and achieve the greatest possible visibility for our products, technologies and innovations.”
The DADA is looking at moving the event to fall when the weather is more comfortable in Detroit. It also believes that reducing operational costs could lead these major car companies back. The DADA wants to revamp the show by trying to pattern it after the Geneva motor show, where the focus is vehicles and technology. The group will vote about this proposal in mid-April.
When it joined the Detroit show in January, BMW released no new updates on its Rolls Royces, its Minis, and even its motorcycles. This is a good indicator of its plan to backdown from the show in 2019, seeing as it had traditionally showed off its luxurious models.
3 Factors That Make The New Fiat 124 Spider S-Design Special
Fiat launched another variant of its ever-popular Fiat 124 Spider at the Geneva Auto Show. Remember, the Spider 124 was revived in 2016 after 50 years of dormancy to compete with the likes of Mazda Mx-5 Miata. The Italian roadster, however, was decidedly more stylish than the Miata, thanks to Fiat’s decision to come up with various variants and trims, including an Abarth model and a racing edition.
1. Exterior
This little Italian number gets more polished and elegant because of a number of things—steel finish roll bar, A-pillar, side mirror caps, standard foglamps, chrome exhaust pipes, exclusive 17-inch wheels, red side sill stripe, and tricolor badge. The red side sill stripe is not something everyone can go gaga over but if it is offered in other colors, then that’s more options for owners.
2. Interior
The S-Design comes with a bit of more extra fun and sophistication in the cabin. The interior will remain familiar to those who previously owned a Fiat 124 Spider in the past, but there’s a slew of features that extra standard features that owners will get to enjoy. Among these are the leather-wrapped seats and steering wheel, automatic climate control, cruise control, and the Keyless Go system. There’s also an MP3 radio unit with USB port and four speakers. Safety features are also enhanced through the inclusion of four airbags.
3. Drivetrain
Everything remains standard under the hood. It will come equipped with the same turbocharged, 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine as the regular 124 Spider. The output remains at 140 horsepower and 240 Nm of torque. The engine is paired with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
Photos
Check out the official photos of the Fiat 124 Spider S-Design Special at the Geneva Motor Show in the gallery below, which were provided by Motor1:
Video
Here is also a video highlighting the awesome driving features of the new Fiat 124 Spider S-Design:
Top Picks From The 2018 Geneva Motor Show
The 2018 Geneva Motor Show is in full swing with heart-stopping decadence of vehicles and concepts and everything else in between. There’s truly nothing like it and when it comes to bucket list, the Geneva Motor Show is in every car lover’s list.
Here, we looked at the top three picks that were revealed just recently in the ongoing Geneva Auto Show other than the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door.
1. RUF SCR
If you love vintage cars, look no further than the RUF SCR. The $650,000 price tag may throw you off, but there is simply nothing like this. It looks like a classic Porsche 911, except that this one uses completely custom chassis that will reduce weight and improve handling conditions. All of this will help fuel the 4.0-liter water-cooled flat-six that is able to produce 510 horsepower.
2. Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo
Porsche plans to release the actual Mission E next year as competition in the EV industry heats up. Directly, the Mission E will compete with Tesla and will finally fulfill Porsche’s dream of an all-electric Mission E. The one previewed at the Geneva Motor Show is not the final design yet, but it is closer in design to the actual Mission E than the ones we saw in the past years. According to Porsche, the Mission E will be able to do 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds and 0-125mph in 12 seconds flat.
3. Bentley Bentayga Hybrid
The Bentley Bentayga Hybrid unveiled during the motor show will be the same one that will come rolling off the factories. This is the first hybrid car that Bentley ever created, making sure it’s as special as they come. It has a plug-in system and batteries to power its twin electric motors that are paired with 3.0-liter V6 turbo gasoline engine. As a result, it will only emit 75g/km of carbon dioxide, far less, of course, than the three Bentayga models. The twin electric motors can go up to 30 miles before the gasoline engine kicks in. The batteries, on the other hand, can be fully charged in just 2.5 hours at a high-output charging station.
4 Self-Driving Cars We Expect To See At The Geneva Auto Show
Whether they’re merely concepts for now or in planned production, the Geneva Auto Show will be home to some of the most fantastic innovations of modern time—self-driving cars.
Here is a list of the top 4 self-driving cars we are anticipating at the show:
1. Volkswagen I.D. Vizzion
The I.D. Vizzion is fourth on Volkswagen’s futuristic I.D lineup of concepts. The Vizzion is a long, low sedan with no steering wheel or pedals. Much like the other I.D. concepts—the Buzz bus, the Crozz crossover, and the original I.D.—the Vizzion will be quick and powerful. It will pack a 111kWh battery car that can go 413 miles on a single charge. It will have dual motors with an output of 302 horsepower and a top speed of 112mph.
2. Rinspeed Snap
The Snap is Rinspeed’s latest concept vehicle that first debuted at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show. As promised, the Snap is more than just a self-driving car, but it’s a “mobility ecosystem” that is pieced together. The Snap has a skateboard for the mechanicals and technology components and a pod where the riders sit. The idea is for the skateboard piece to be able to retire without necessarily diminishing the whole function of the vehicle. The pod will be able to survive even without the skateboard.
3. Renault Self-Driving Concept Car
Still unnamed at this point, the latest self-driving concept car from Renault was spotted being filmed in Barcelona ahead of its debut at the Geneva Auto Show. The pod-like vehicle is a testament to Renault’s “vision for shared urban mobility.” It is also designed for ride-hailing services like Uber.
4. Icona Nucleus
Italian design house Icona will attend the Geneva Auto Show for the first time with its self-driving car concept called the Nucleus. Icona calls it “the ultimate self-driving living room” because it focuses more on the cabin and how to make the interior functional.
Top 3 Expectations From the New Mercedes-Benz G-Class
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class will get a redesigned model this year. The iconic SUV of the three-pointed star brand has been confirmed to make its world premiere at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week.
Last year, we have been seeing spy shots of the new G-Class under a zebra camouflage. Mercedes also released several teasers of the vehicle’s interior, and its camo-free photos were leaked a few days ago.
Based from spy shots, teasers and leaks, here are the top three things that we are expecting from the new G-Class:
1.Exterior Design
The leaked images of the Mercedes G-Class reveal that its distinct, classic, boxy styling will remain. Examining the auto closely though will show an updated design in the bumpers, grille and lighting system. The SUV looks more spacious than its predecessor too.
2. Interior Elements
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- The G-Class gets a more luxurious layout.
Major changes will be introduced in the interior of the new G-Class. Some of the tech found in the S-Class and in the E-Class cars of its maker will make their way into the SUV.
The most prominent feature its cabin is its dual display integrated in the dashboard. Then the layout of its controls have been updated for easy access of its functions.
The occupants of the auto are treated to its high-end two-tone leather surfaces as well that adorn its seats, panels and dashboard. Moreover, chrome linings highlight its knobs, handles, buttons and air vents.
3. Driving Performance
The G-Class recently completed its last leg of testing in the rugged and 1,445-meter high Schockl track. The SUV navigated its way to the demanding 5.6 km route of the mountain demonstrating its improved climbing ability, suspension and front axle design.
The new G-Class promises approach and departure angles of 31 degrees and 30 degrees, respectively with max fording depth of 27.5 inches.
Furthermore, a nine-speed automatic transmission will be carried into the G-Class. Lastly, it will introduce the “G-Mode” drive program for better off-roading experience with the vehicle.
Top 7 Most Anticipated Cars and SUVs at the 2018 Detroit Motor Show
The year 2018 is here and there are many things for us to get excited about in the automotive world. Major global events hitting us this January will be the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), and the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) or simply known as the Detroit Motor Show. But in this article, we will only focus on the Detroit Motor Show.
Here is a quick look at the top 7 new vehicles that we are looking forward to see in the show:
1. Infiniti Concept Car
Inifiti recently teased what appears to be a snout of a new concept sedan. Based on sources, the car will likely be powered by a hybrid powertrain or it might be an all-electric Q series model.
2. Mercedes-AMG 53 Models
A new line of AMG models will be introduced in Detroit. The cars will bear the 53 moniker. The output of the AMG 53s will be higher than the 43s. The E-Class and the CLS range were confirmed to carry the 53 line.
AMG CEO Tobias Moers said in an interview that the CLS will no longer have the 63 model. Instead, the range-topper of the CLS family will be the Mercedes-AMG CLS 53.
3. BMW i8 Coupe
The BMW i8 Coupe takes many cues from the i8 Roadster, except of course the hard top of the coupe. However, the coupe will get an 11.6 kWh battery and 105 kW electric motor. It will keep its 1.5-liter turbo three-cylinder engine. The total output of the car is at 275 kW with a zero to 100 km/h acceleration of 4.4 seconds and top speed of 250 km/h.
4. Mercedes-Benz G-Class
The iconic G-Class in the SUV range of Mercedes is getting an overhaul. So far, the German automaker has released official photos of the vehicle’s interior, which suggest that it will probably be wider than its predecessor. As for its design, Mercedes might stick with the classic boxy body of the SUV that has been its signature trait since it was introduced to consumers decades ago.
5. Hyundai Veloster
Hyundai will be debuting a new generation model of the Veloster. The car is expected to use a variant of the 2018 Elantra’s platform. Then, it will be benefiting from the different engine options offered by the i30, including a high-performance “N” trim.
6. Lexus LF-1 Limitless
Lexus just teased some exterior elements of the LF-1 crossover last month. From the images revealed by its maker, the car will be slightly inspired by the LC 500h. The auto is expected to be marketed as the flagship SUV of Lexus.
What is very interesting about the vehicle though is its “LF” name. It should be noted that the letterings were once applied to a supercar of Lexus called the LFA. So does that mean that the LF-1 will have a top-of-the-line performance in the Lexus hierarchy?
7. Volkswagen Jetta
The next-gen Jetta is on its way. Teasers, concept arts and spy shots of the car hint that it will be sleeker than the current model. The interior of the auto appears to have a similar layout with the Mk VII Golf. The engine options will likely include a 1.4-liter turbo inline-four and a 2.0-liter turbo inline-four. The transmission will either be a six-speed or eight-speed automatic. The output of the vehicle should be higher than the existing model and a hybrid version of it is a possibility.
Reminder
It should be noted that some of the information here are based on predictions, insider scoops, official teasers and limited hints from automakers as most of them refuse to discuss models that haven’t had their official world premieres yet. Therefore, better take these with a grain of salt as we wait for the opening of the 2018 Detroit Motor Show.
Top 3 Features of the Audi E-Tron Unveiled at 2017 Shanghai Auto Show
Not to be outdone by its major German rivals like Mercedes-Benz and BMW, Audi just unveiled its own electric-powered concept car at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show. The vehicle is called the e-tron Sportback concept.
The new concept car gives everyone a preview of what to expect from the future crossover coupe models of Audi. It embodies their next evolution in styling, technology and power.
Here are the top 3 features of the Audi e-tron Sportback concept based on its maker’s official website:
1. Exterior
The e-tron offers sporty lines and muscular body in its exterior. Then it is fitted with 23-inch six-spoke 3-D wheels. The measurements of the auto is similar to the Audi A7.
The concept car is further highlighted by futuristic-looking headlamps and taillamps. Even the logo of the auto in its nose is illuminated by LED lights. The lighting system of the vehicle is capable of projecting images in the road to communicate with drivers and pedestrians. Examples of those are a braking indicator or zebra crossing projection. It uses digital animation to do those.
2. Interior
The interior of the concept vehicle is highlighted by Audi’s signature luxurious leather treatment. It is also adorned by high-resolution touchscreens providing information on navigation and other functions of the auto.
3. Power Unit
The e-tron is powered by a 95 kWh Lithium-ion battery pack and three electric motors. The output of the car totals 320 kW, or even up to 370, according to Audi. That allows the vehicle to sprint from zero to 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds.
The battery of the concept car is capable of covering a distance of 500 km at full charge. Its maker claimed that it can get an 80% charge in just 30 minutes using a fast DC charger.
Photos
Check out the official photos of the Audi e-tron Sportback concept in the gallery below:
Video
Here is a video of the Audi e-tron Sportback concept during its introduction:
2 World Premieres From Mercedes-Benz at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show
Giant luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz wasted no time in making its presence felt at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show. The German automaker unveiled two new models for the world to see.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
The flagship range of Mercedes just got a facelift for its current generation. Outside, the car features new set of bumpers, more advanced headlights and tailights, redesigned grille and 20-inch wheels. The interior is pretty much the same than its earlier version, which is highlighted by twin displays measuring 12.3 inches diagonally.
The different models under the range now offer engine upgrades. Everything from the standard Mercedes-Benz S-Class models up to their Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Maybach counterparts take the next-generation power units of the automaker. The S 450 is equipped with the new V6, the S 560 (including the Maybach model) plus the AMG S 63 and S 65 possess the new V8. The ultra-opulent Maybach S 650 has the new V12 under its hood.
The new Mercedes S-Class will roll out in the European market by July. Mercedes-Benz USA confirmed that the car will hit the dealerships in its territory starting fall.
Mercedes-Benz Concept A
The Concept A is merely a preview of the application of Mercedes’ new design language to its compact vehicles in the future. It is called the “Aesthetics A”, which will be the basis for the styling of the next generation A-Class, B-Class, CLA and GLA. The Concept A comes just after the introduction of the Mercedes-AMG GT Concept at the recent Geneva Motor Show.
Similar to the AMG GT Concept, the Concept A showcases smoother surfaces in its body. It departs from the design of the present models of the three-pointed star brand that sport prominent body lines.
The Concept A noticeably adopts the Panamericana grille of the new Mercedes-AMG GT models, which display larger vents in its nose. Also, similar to the AMG GT Concept, the Concept A possesses advanced-looking headlamps and taillights. Lastly, it comes fitted with 20-inch wheels.
