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Mercedes working on fuel cell GLC

Autocar reports that Mercedes-Benz is working on a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain that is expected to go into the just-introduced GLC-Class crossover. Mercedes admits it is working on the technology and has the goal of a 600-kilometer range (373 miles), with a refueling time of three minutes. The company has not said, however, what vehicle its hydrogen tech will go in. The compact crossover is the rumored candidate partly because Mercedes feels the cost of the powertrain means it only makes commercial sense in more expensive vehicles. Autocar says we could see the GLC F-Cell introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in the fall of 2017 before it is offered for lease or sale in 2018. At the moment the price is figured to come in around 50,000 pounds ($75,950 US). The price of a conventional GLC in the UK right now is 34,950 pounds ($53,089 US). The Toyota Mirai is on sale in the UK currently with a retail price of 66,000 pounds ($100,254 US). Mercedes has used its B-Class platform as its hydrogen fuel cell vehicle since 2002. We don't know if the B-Class F-Cell will continue once this new offering arrives, but it's clear that the small hatchback alone wouldn't be the best challenge for rivals like the "larger-sized sedan" on the way from BMW and Audi's performance-minded H-tron efforts. If the GLC is the model in question it would also give Mercedes another differentiator from the pack; only Hyundai offers a crossover in that segment, the Tucson Fuel Cell. Related Video:

Smart Cross Connect app changes how ForTwos get used [UPDATE]

UPDATE: The story's been updated with a response from a Smart representative. There are parking spaces, and then there are Fortwo parking spaces. Smart, which is owned by Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler, is looking for a way for its customers to take advantage of the difference. Think of it as a big thing for really small cars. Smart is working on an app for the redesigned Fortwo called Cross Connect that will be available as soon as next month, says Automotive News, citing Smart chief Annette Winkler. The idea is to connect owners of the diminutive two-seat vehicles to, for example, let them tell each other when there's a parking space that's too small for just about any other vehicle but big enough for a Smart. If you think that's a small thing, think again. The Fortwo is 8 feet, 10 inches long. That's almost six feet shorter than a Toyota Prius, which itself isn't exactly a stretch limo. In fact, the length of a Smart Fortwo is just 10 inches longer than the width of a Ford F-150, in case anyone was having misgivings about parking perpendicular in a parallel spot. Parking has become more relevant, and tougher, as more people move to urban centers. For instance, BMW said earlier this month that it would discontinue its DriveNow car-sharing operations in San Francisco because of the challenge of parking vehicles on that city's streets. Other possible amenities with the Cross Connect app including the enabling of personal car sharing as well as information on car washes that offer discounted rates for Smart Fortwo. Yes, there are some out there, apparently, and we salute them. Michael Minielly, a spokesman for Mercedes-Benz, confirmed to Autoblog that the Cross Connect features would be available in November. You can read Autoblog's driving impressions of the 2016 Fortwo here. Featured Gallery 2016 Smart ForTwo: Second Drive View 23 Photos News Source: Automotive News-sub.req.Image Credit: Drew Phillips Green Mercedes-Benz smart Technology Smartphone fortwo

Race Recap: Singapore Grand Prix is about a safety car and submission

The Singapore Formula One Grand Prix is the Monaco GP of the Orient - a weekend known more for its glamour and time-slot than on-track action, with a temporary circuit that punishes every mistake, usually terminally.
Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes-AMG Petronas got the best of Free Practice 1, opening the curtain on a possible resurgence of Silver Arrows performance. By the time qualifying was done, though, it was his teammate Nico Rosberg who lined up second on the grid, followed by Romain Grosjean with a beautiful performance in the Lotus, Mark Webber in the Infiniti Red Bull, and Hamilton all the way back in fifth. Behind them were Felipe Massa outqualifying Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button getting the McLaren into eighth, Daniel Ricciardo with another good Q3 effort to get into ninth, and the shocker of Esteban Gutiérrez getting his Sauber into the top ten for the first time this year.
At the front of the pack was Sebastian Vettel. Again. But he was only ahead of Rosberg by a single tenth of a second...