2008 Mercedes Ml320cdi White With Tan Interior Nav, P2, Ipod, Towingpkg, Htdsts on 2040-cars

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Mercedes FWD platform to last until 2018, convertible and two-seater future uncertain

Mercedes-Benz seems to be expecting a lot of success from its front-wheel-drive CLA-Class. Automotive News is reporting that the sub-C-Class sedan could grow when its second generation arrives in 2018.
The current FWD platform for MB underpins the CLA, the B-Class, the GLA-Class, and the A-Class. The B-Class will arrive in North America as an EV for spring of 2014, while the production GLA crossover will arrive three to four months after that. The five-door A-Class won't be crossing The Pond. Sad faces all around.
According to AN, another model will be based on the front-drive architecture, but it won't be coming to the US market. Set to arrive next year, rumors are that it'll be a wagon version of the CLA, sort of like the ill-named five-door CLS Shooting Brake that is also a Europe-only item.

Next Mercedes E-Class to get quad-turbo inline-six, augmented reality

It's been 10 years since an inline six-cylinder engine sat up front in a Mercedes-Benz road car, but the straight-six shooter returns with the 2016 E-Class. According to a report in Car we'll see a modular family in gasoline and diesel versions, and Auto Evolution adds that the bore and stroke will be shared by both fuel types. Car says a 2.9-liter diesel variant arrives first in global markets, putting out 313 horsepower when twin-turbocharged and "over 400bhp" when fitted with two more battery-powered turbos. Auto Evolution's numbers match those and add torque figures, with 516 pound-feet for the former and 627 lb-ft for the latter - but it makes no mention of the two extra turbos. AE believes the gas versions will ring in at 367 hp and 479 lb-ft, and 435 hp and 553 lb-ft. Keep in mind that until we hear it from Stuttgart, this is all (exciting) speculation. Elsewhere in E-ville, more aluminum and that scalable MRA platform mean a weight loss of somewhere between 154 and 330 pounds compared to today's car. Seven bodystyles (including the CLS-Class) will continue to make up the range, with the coupe and convertible growing a bit to provide proper four-seater comfort. It will bear the new standard for Daimler technology, showcasing the next step in the company's Intelligent Drive with features like phone-controlled self-parking in confined spaces and augmented reality in the heads-up display. Related Video: Featured Gallery Mercedes-Benz E-Class Spy Shots View 12 Photos News Source: Car, Auto Evolution Rumormill Mercedes-Benz Technology Diesel Vehicles Hybrid Luxury Performance Sedan augmented reality

Mercedes-Benz Vision Tokyo concept shows us our lazy future

The first autonomous vehicles to hit the road will likely look much the same as the ones we drive currently. But as self-driving technology evolves, so too will the shape of the vehicles themselves. And this is what Mercedes figures that future could look like. The Vision Tokyo concept, so named for the show now ongoing at which it's been unveiled this morning, is an odd yet forward-looking shape, rendered in Alubeam silver and glowing blue. Power comes from a hybrid hydrogen fuel cell and inductive electric charging system that give it a theoretical zero-emissions range of over 600 miles. One look at the lozenge-like shape should tell you that the design is all about the interior space. The driving station – should it be needed – offers a clean dashboard with HUD-only instruments and a central driving position with unobstructed view through the wraparound windscreen. The cabin is clearly focused, however, on the lounging occupants more than on the driver. Accessed via a single, giant gullwing hangar door, the approach is closer to that of a mobile lounge space than a traditional automotive interior, with a wraparound sofa, some manner of high-tech 3D game projected in the middle, and a wide infotainment screen on the inside of the door. The concept clearly foretells of a different future – one that demands less of the driver and offers more relaxed comfort. So while the driver within us grows concerned at his numbered days, the rest can't help but be strangely intrigued. Scope out the live images from the floor of the Tokyo Motor Show and share your thoughts on the concept in the Comments section below.