2011 Mercedes-benz Sls Amg Base Coupe 2-door 6.3l on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: Daimler spending big for fuel cells, Ford Go!Drive experiment advances

Ford's Go!Drive experiment is entering its beta phase in London. The project, which is one of the automaker's global smart mobility experiments, uses a mobile app for on-demand carsharing of Ford Focus Electric and Ford Fiesta vehicles. The beta phase involves increasing the number of available vehicles from 20 to 50, and collecting new data from users. The program offers one-way rentals and guaranteed parking, with no membership fees and a cost of 26 cents per minute. Ford hopes to get 2,000 drivers involved in the program. Read more at Green Car Congress. Daimler will invest billions of dollars to upgrade the Mercedes-Benz Unterturkheim plant over the next few years. This year alone, it plans to spend $1.06 billion. The company expects cost savings "in the range of hundreds of millions of euros until 2020," while maintaining its workforce of 18,700 employees and adding 150 vocational training positions. The upgrades will allow the plant to become a center for building more efficient engines, hybrid powertrains and fuel cell systems. "Alternative drive systems are an important element of our future mobility," says Mercedes-Benz's Markus Schafer. "Their share of automotive production is set to steadily rise over the next few years, complementing our highly efficient engines within the portfolio. This is what we have laid the groundwork for today." Read more at Reuters, or in the press release below. The Department of Energy is providing $20 million in funding for the development of more efficient high speed industrial motors and drives. Ditching old motors and gearboxes for ones that use integrated power electronics could help decrease the energy consumption of the industrial sector, which currently uses more than 25 percent of the electricity generated in the US. The projects being funded will reduce losses and decrease the size of drive systems used in industries like petroleum refining and natural gas, which could affect the lifecycle efficiency of transportation fuels. Read more at Energy.gov.

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

Rare Isdera Imperator 108i flexes its considerable muscles

The Isdera Imperator 108i is a remarkably rare supercar from the late 80s and early 90s. Born of a Mercedes-Benz concept car, it's powered by a range of AMG-developed V8s, with five to six liters of displacement, depending on the engine. The example shown here, lapping the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit, features the most potent 6.0-liter V8 available. And rather than just being driven about on a perfectly clean racing line, it's freaking power sliding!
Yes, there's something eternally childlike about a wedge-shaped supercar from our formative years being flung about a Belgian racetrack. Adding to the appeal is the Imperator's stumpy, periscopic rear mirror, sticking out of the roof. Even after being out of production for 20 years, this is still a wild, wild car and we'd happily snap up the opportunity pilot one of the 36 Isderas that were built. Take a look below for the full video from Spa.