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Mercedes testing C-Class plug-in hybrid modes in Germany

Testing appears to be underway for what would be the first Mercedes-Benz C-Class with a hybrid powertrain. We can see a pair of the prototypes undergoing testing in Germany, with one, a C-Class Wagon, still heavily clad in camouflage and featuring a more noticeable outlet on the passenger side of its rear bumper.
There's also a more production-looking sedan, which features a not-so-discreet flap over its rear-bumper outlet. It's difficult to speculate on power outputs for this fuel-sipping C-Class, although our spies seem to think that this car will feature some combination of a four-cylinder gas engine with an electric motor, although just which four is unclear (note, we wouldn't mind if MB fit its 2.0-liter turbo with some batteries and motors). Regardless, the four-pot/electric motor seems like a pretty reasonable combo, although it probably means that Mercedes won't be challenging the six-cylinder-powered system of the BMW ActiveHybrid3 any time soon.
When the plug-in C-Class arrives later this year as a 2015 model, it will likely offer a full range of driving modes, including both gas or electric, only, as well as a more traditional hybrid mode.

F1's Vettel leads, Verstappen and Grosjean crash at Silverstone

SILVERSTONE, England — Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel pushed Formula One title rival and home race favorite Lewis Hamilton off the top of the British Grand Prix practice timesheets on Friday while Max Verstappen crashed. Hamilton, winner for the past four years at Silverstone, had started the day by leading a Mercedes one-two in the sunny opening session. Vettel, who leads the Briton by a point in the championship after nine races, put in a lap of 1 minute 27.552 seconds in the afternoon to end the session 0.187 faster than his fellow-four-times world champion. That was still slower than Hamilton's morning time of 1:27.487, however, with Vettel third then and half a second slower. Hamilton's Finnish teammate Valtteri Bottas, with a new engine in his car after last weekend's mechanical retirement in Austria, was second and third fastest respectively in the two sessions. Australian Daniel Ricciardo and Kimi Raikkonen traded fourth and fifth places while Max Verstappen, winner in Austria for Red Bull, was sixth in the morning but crashed after lunch without setting a time. The 20-year-old Dutchman had ended the first session early after he was told to stop the car. Haas's Romain Grosjean had a heavy crash at the fast first corner, slamming into the tire barriers after failing to close the drag reduction system (DRS), in the morning and did not take part in practice two. "The car is destroyed," the Frenchman, who was unhurt in the impact, said over the radio. "I'm very, very sorry guys. I think it was the bump. I missed the (DRS) button." Team boss Guenther Steiner said the team needed to rebuild the chassis. Grosjean's team mate Kevin Magnussen and McLaren's Fernando Alonso were called to see stewards for a "potentially dangerous maneuver" after an incident between them early on but stewards ruled there was no further action needed. "Magnussen tried to hit me two times - in one and three," Alonso reported over the radio. "Very dangerous."Reporting by Alan BaldwinRelated Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Image Credit: Reuters Motorsports Ferrari Mercedes-Benz Racing Vehicles F1 Lewis Hamilton Sebastian Vettel Kimi Raikkonen silverstone Max Verstappen british grand prix Romain Grosjean

Firing of M-B boss upheld

Ernst Lieb, the disgraced former CEO of American operations for Mercedes-Benz, will not be getting any more money from the Silver Arrow'd teat. His wrongful dismissal suit against MB's parent company, Daimler, was tossed out of a German appeals panel. This, followed the initial rejection by a lower court last year.
According to court documents acquired by Automotive News, Lieb was found to have "accepted payments of substantial value to which he - as he was aware - had no claim."
Lieb took over American operations from former CEO Paul Halata in September of 2006. Reports surfaced in October of 2011 that Lieb was dismissed from his posting at MB, with a variety of rumors swirling. Eventually, news broke that financial wrong doing was responsible for the German's firing.