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Mercedes-Benz V-ision e Concept ups the plug-in hybrid van game

The various V-Class vehicles from Mercedes-Benz don't get a lot of press around here, but when the German automaker brings something as unusual as the Concept V-ision E (yes, there's a dash in the name) to the Geneva Motor Show, we're happy to make an exception. The standard powertrain V-Class was first unveiled in Geneva last year and it returns in 2015 as a decidedly Daimleresque take on a plug-in hybrid van with a whole heap of cool new technology under the hood. C'mon, you know you want a luxury plug-in hybrid van. Well, if you think you don't want a van like that, listen to the specs and maybe you'll change your mind. It's got an all-electric range of up to 31 miles (if you're going no faster than 50 mile per hour), roughly 78 miles per gallon equivalent (based on the stated fuel economy of 3.0 liters burned per 100 kilometers) and a top speed of 128 mph. That should be plenty to get the basketball team to the tournament on time and in style. The powertrain has a total system output of 333 horsepower thanks to a four-cylinder engine and a 90-kW electric motor. If those numbers sound vaguely familiar, that's because Mercedes said it's "the same advanced drive system" as what's found in the Mercedes-Benz C 350 e, even though some of the performance figures differ. Stylistically, Mercedes has pulled no punches, adding two sun roofs, a real wood floor, nappa leather and executive seats along with something shiny and silver called "designo titanium alubeam" paint. In short, this is an everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach to PHEV design, and we like it. It's just a concept, though, so don't go asking to buy one just yet. Instead take a better look in the gallery above and dream of going to the auto show prom in a van like this. V-Class concept car with a PLUG-IN HYBRID drive: Mercedes-Benz Concept V-ision e - Higher Performance at Lower CO2 Emissions Stuttgart, Mar 03, 2015 At the Geneva International Motor Show the Concept V-ision e from Mercedes-Benz presents a preview of the great variety of development potential offered by the V-Class. The concept vehicle combines environmentally friendly performance with the lightness of modern luxury. The most advanced PLUG-IN HYBRID technology available ensures extremely powerful propulsion in the model, as the highly efficient drive-system duo consisting of a gasoline engine and an electric motor delivers total system output of 245 kW (333 hp) and system torque of up to 600 Nm.

Maybach crossover looking more likely, Smart crossover possible

Mercedes-Benz executives are still making positive noises about the chances of a Mercedes-Maybach SUV. Following Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche's answer of "most likely" at the Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes Cars head of sales and marketing Ola Kallenius told Autocar that a Maybach SUV based on the next-generation GLS is "the more likely scenario." That's the same Kallenius that told Automotive News just last November that "we have no plans for it [a Maybach SUV]." It's a subtle shift, to be sure, but it's still a shift. The GLS – introduced as the latest-generation GL in 2013 – is still undergoing testing for its its mid-cycle refresh, so a Maybach version is a few years off. That would, coincidentally, give Mercedes time to see how the other super-luxe entrants are faring, and prepare its charge accordingly. Autocar expects that should it be built, it will come when the GLS shifts to the S-Class platform and most likely get the twin-turbo V12 from the Mercdes-Maybach S600 sedan, although the company's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 is possible if there are strong intentions for the Chinese market. Also on Stuttgart's agenda of dreams is a Smart crossover, according to the report. It could be Smart's best chance at profitably extending the range, based on the mania for tiny utes, and that would help both Daimler and the ForTwo's Renault Twingo sibling. It sounds like this is a ways off, though, due to coming up with an engineering solution for the Smart's engine packaging. Related Video:

2015 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe

Conventional wisdom would dictate that adding more power and several key performance enhancements to an already very good car, like the 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 Coupe, will end up equaling an even better car. In the case of the 2015 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Coupe, conventional wisdom sort of applies, but perhaps not as much as we'd have initially guessed. We'll get into the nitty gritty details in just a moment, but here's the most immediate takeaway we had in our minds as we walked away from this super coupe: The S63 AMG is excellent, but so is the slightly more mundane S550 Coupe on which it is based, and which is priced some $41,000 less expensive than its more powerful sibling. Chew on those figures while we examine what differentiates the two S-Class Coupes. Drive Notes As expected, the single greatest highlight of the 2015 S63 Coupe is its engine. As a powerplant, it's a gem. As a hand-built engineering exercise, its 577 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque are just as impressive in real life as they sound when recited from stat sheets. Not that the old CL63 AMG was lacking in power, but the new S63 AMG Coupe boasts 41 more horses and 74 more lb-ft than the outgoing engine. The run to 60 miles per hour takes a scant 3.9 seconds, according to M-B, aided in no small part by the car's 4Matic all-wheel-drive system and other assorted electronic brains deciding where, exactly, all those ponies should be sent. The rear-biased system is tuned to send two-thirds of the engine's power to the rear wheels in a bid to make the car feel more like what performance-minded drivers expect. Top speed is electronically limited to 186 miles per hour, which is plenty fast enough, even in the days of 200-plus-mph sedans from M-B's former corporate cousin Dodge. We didn't get anywhere near the car's maximum velocity, but our brief trips into triple-digit territory were quiet, comfortable and completely free of drama. The seven-speed automatic gearbox responds quickly to requests of your right foot, but the steering wheel-mounted paddles don't change gears as quickly as we'd like when in Manual mode. Controlled Efficiency (which we'd call Comfort) maximizes efficiency, keeping the transmission in higher gears and shifting earlier than when in Sport mode, and we didn't find much fault with the computer's shifting algorithms in either setting.