2010 Mercedes Benz C300 Luxury 4matic on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Daimler says straight up it doesn't cheat on emissions tests

Distancing itself from VW and its diesel emissions scandal, Daimler has put out a statement saying that it has never installed devices on their vehicles that would artificially reduce emissions during a testing process. The company added that it "actively" supports European regulators' efforts to improve emissions-testing methods to better measure emissions during "real" driving conditions. BMW put out a similar statement last week, saying that its diesels are programmed to be tested properly. While Mercedes-Benz diesels were a fixture on US roads in past decades, the company's diesel sales are now concentrated overseas. "We categorically deny the accusation of manipulating emission tests regarding our vehicles," Daimler said in Friday's statement. "A defeat device, a function which illegitimately reduces emissions during testing, has never been and will never be used at Daimler." There's a reason for that sort of straightforward statement. Namely, heads continue to roll at VW after the automaker admitted it manipulated software in its diesel vehicles to pass US emissions testing. VW followed up by saying that as may as 11 million vehicles worldwide may contain that software and has set aside $7.3 billion to address the issue. VW CEO Martin Winterkorn stepped down as well. Take a look at Daimler's press release below. Daimler AG categorically denies any and all allegations of manipulation Stuttgart, Sep 25, 2015 In light of the ongoing assertions from the Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), a non-government organisation, and the related speculation, Daimler AG once again clearly states that: We categorically deny the accusation of manipulating emission tests regarding our vehicles. A defeat device, a function which illegitimately reduces emissions during testing, has never been and will never be used at Daimler. This holds true for both diesel and petrol engines. Our engines meet and adhere to every legal requirement. In light of the written request by the DUH, which was sent to us this morning with a deadline to respond by 3:00 pm (CET), and the seven questions they posed, we can confirm that none of the allegations apply to our vehicles. The technical programming of our engines adheres to all legal requirements. We have no knowledge of measurements that indicate our vehicles did not meet legally required standards.

2015 Mercedes-Benz ML400 Quick Spin

Mercedes-Benz has taken a risk in its quest to downsize its engine range. For 2015, the brand's popular M-Class five-passenger CUV did away with its trusty 4.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V8, and has replaced it with a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6. It's no surprise that power is down thanks to this move. Outputs of 402 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque are replaced by 329 hp and 354 lb-ft, but weight is down significantly as well. The new ML400 is nearly 300 pounds lighter than the 4,982-pound ML550. Will that tradeoff be enough to satisfy a buying public that's embraced falling fuel prices by buying bigger and thirstier vehicles? To find out if the blown V6 is a suitable replacement for the twin-turbo V8, we spent a week at the helm of the all-new ML400. Driving Notes This 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 is the same engine being offered in the C400 and E400 sedans. Typical of today's turbocharged engines, peak torque is spread lavishly across the rev range, from 1,600 to 4,000 rpm. That's not as generous a spread as the ML550, which offers all its torque between 1,600 and 4,750, but the power on offer is easy to access. Importantly, the new V6 never feels flat-footed or unable to answer our commands. In fact, the ML400 feels even quicker than its six-second sprint to 60 would indicate, although it's not so fast as to challenge the 5.3-second time of the ML550. After a slight and expected bout of turbo lag, the power arrives suddenly and proceeds linearly until just south of the engine's 6,500-rpm redline. The throttle response is soft in Eco mode, as expected, but sharpens up slightly when the fuel-sipping mode is off, where the gas pedal is still easy to modulate. It's a quiet engine, too. Compared to the brawnier exhaust note of the old ML550 or the howling six-cylinder in the BMW X5 xDrive35i, the ML400's note is smooth and refined, befitting of a V6. Its turbocharged nature is instantly noticed, though. Get on the throttle and the 3.0-liter happily hisses its way up the tachometer. But, it's only when you get on the throttle hard that the engine really weighs in. In day-to-day driving and traffic its soundtrack is unobtrusive and relaxed. The EPA rates the ML400's fuel economy at 18-miles-per-gallon city and a 22-mpg on the highway. That's better than the 14 city and 19 highway of the old V8 ML, but it still seems a bit low, especially for the highway figure.

Next Mercedes-Benz C-Class spotted in the snow

The entry-level Mercedes-Benz C-Class has long felt like nothing more than, well, just that. Aside from the potent and delicious C63 AMG models, there hasn't been much to set the C-Class apart in the entry-level luxury/sport segment, leading to the model being regarded by many as "The Cheap Mercedes." No, it's certainly not a bad car, but for our money, it hasn't stood up particularly well to competitors like the BMW 3 Series or Audi A4.
So with the handsome new CLA-Class coming to round off the entry-level end for Mercedes-Benz, big plans are in store for the C-Class. We can see some evidence of that in this latest set of spy shots from our friends at CarPix. According to earlier reports, the new C-Class will be "far more dramatic" in the visuals department, and while the sedan's sculpting is still covered by camo, the much sleeker headlamp design we see here is, at the very least, a good start. The car's overall size is expected to grow a bit to further distance itself from the CLA, though thanks to lightweight materials, curb weight isn't expected to increase.
Just like the current model, the new C-Class is expected to use four- and six-cylinder engines, both gas- and diesel-fed, and overall power output for the global engine range should span from 120-ish on the low end to as much as 330. These new engines are expected to be mounted lower and farther rearward than before, offering better balance for both rear- and 4Matic all-wheel drive configurations. And as for that AMG? Rumors suggest a turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 will fall underhood.