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2016 Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG Sport bridges the gap between C300 and C63

Mercedes-Benz is looking to its new C-Class for the second member of its new AMG Sport line, unveiling the C450 AMG 4Matic at today's 2015 Detroit Auto Show. Like the GLE450 AMG Coupe that debuted in early December, this particular C-Class bridges the gap between the standard C300 and the new Mercedes-AMG C63. Considering this, the C450 builds on the standard C400's 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6, rather than getting a bespoke, high-performance engine. Output is up from 329 horsepower to 362 ponies, while torque is turned up from 354 pound-feet to 384 lb-ft. The result of these upgrades is a zippy 0-60-mile-per-hour sprint of 4.9 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. Those figures are identical to the Audi S4, while the BMW 335i xDrive is just a smidge quicker to 60, getting there in 4.8 seconds (the Bimmer is, however, limited to just 130 mph). Shuffling the 3.0-liter's grunt to a 4Matic all-wheel-drive system is the responsibility of Mercedes 7G-Tronic automatic gearbox that, despite not being a member of AMG's Speedshift dual-clutch family, still has its own mind for performance. Along with a quick-shifting, automatic Sport Plus mode, the C450 has a full manual shifting mode that, notably, will not automatically upshift, even when the engine is bouncing off the rev limiter. The C450 AMG hasn't only had its straight-line abilities boosted. Mercedes saw fit to include an AMG adaptive sport suspension with three-stage adjustable dampers, which have been pilfered from the C63 AMG. Paired with the aforementioned all-wheel-drive system, which can send up to two-thirds of its power to the rear axle, it's a fair to say this particular sedan should be one of the brand's more agile and entertaining. Beyond the mechanical bits, Mercedes has beefed up the exterior and interior aesthetics for its second AMG Sport model. The exterior has been touched up with new, staggered 18-inch, five-spoke wheels (or optional 19s), a more aggressive front fascia, a new rear bumper with a matte iridium diffuser, distinctive AMG badges and plenty of chrome and gloss-black elements. The cabin, meanwhile, is home to black MB Tex upholstery with red contrast stitching on the dash and doors, while AMG-specific upholstery lines the sport seats. The flat-bottomed, three-spokes steering wheel, meanwhile, is finished in Nappa leather. We'll have more on the 2016 C450 AMG Sport, including live images, coming soon from the floor of the 2015 Detroit Auto Show.

US buyers show little interest in big hybrids

The idea of producing large, luxury-vehicle hybrids is turning into a "what were they thinking?" exercise in futility, USA Today reports. General Motors is discontinuing hybrid versions of the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs, while Mercedes-Benz and Toyota's Lexus division are doing the same with their S-Class hybrid and LS hybrid sedans, respectively. The culprit? Big price increases for fuel economy improvements that border on the unimpressive. Granted, the Escalade hybrid gets 31 percent better fuel economy than the standard version, but that still maps out to a combined fuel-efficiency rating of just 21 miles per gallon. That can be seen as a worthwhile increase, if it didn't cost over $8,000 extra. The 2014 Escalade Hybrid, for example, starts at $74,425 while the non-hybrid can be had for $66,295. Meanwhile, the Lexus full-size hybrid costs $6,000 more than the regular version but only gets 1-2 mpg better combined fuel economy. The result of all these high costs? Low sales. Through April, GM sold 82 of its hybrid SUVs and pickups, down from 541 a year earlier. And the LS hybrid sales were in single-digit territory for April. That isn't stopping Lexus from promoting its hybrids as the right solution (with the wrong facts), though. There are still automakers giving big hybrid vehicles a shot, though. Nissan's Infiniti division is selling a hybrid version of its QX60 and says an impressive 10 percent of QX60 buyers choose the hybrid, which costs just $3,000 more. Looks like money talks. Featured Gallery 2015 Cadillac Escalade: First Drive View 35 Photos News Source: USA TodayImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Brandon Turkus / AOL Green Infiniti Lexus Mercedes-Benz Hybrid lexus ls gmc yukon mercedes-benz s-class infiniti qx60 chevrolet tahoe

The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class interior is the new standard [w/video]

You can choose from 64 ambient light colors in the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Sixty-four. It's this sort of personalization that highlights Mercedes' approach with its new midsize sedan, a car I'm comfortable saying will once again secure its place as the most luxurious car money can buy in that class. It's the true Mercedes of the segment. All you have to do is look inside. If the cabin of this new E-Class looks familiar, it's because it builds on a successful Mercedes-Benz formula. There's a wealth of luxurious materials at your fingertips; leathers and trims from the S-Class trickle down to Mercedes' midsize E, and work in perfect harmony with beautifully sculpted surfaces. If I told you the pictures above show a new S-Class Coupe, you'd (probably) believe me. That's exactly how I felt during an intimate preview of the new E-Class' interior at one of Mercedes' research and development buildings in Sindelfingen, Germany. After hearing Merc's suits talk about the mission of the new E-Class, my iPhone was confiscated, and I was ushered behind a dark curtain where I met a lightly camouflaged car. Sitting inside, my first impression was the same as when I first met the current S-Class a couple of years ago: wow. Much like how the new C-Class is often referred to as a "baby S-Class," the same can be said of the new E, with even more validity. Here's why. Everything On The Big Screen The first thing you notice is the flat, dual-screen display that makes up the instrument panel and central infotainment headunit. This large piece of tech is a "Mercedes interior signature," according to lead designer Hartmut Sinkwitz. All versions of the E-Class have this setup, but in two different levels of execution. Base models get traditional fixed speedometer and tachometer gauges, with a seven-inch color display between them and an 8.4-inch color display off to the right for the COMAND system. Uplevel cars, like the ones you see here, get two 12.3-inch screens, with a huge range of customization options, and a revised main menu interface for COMAND. With that premium system, three different skins can be selected for the gauge cluster. The standard configuration – Classic – is exactly what you expect from a new Mercedes, with a clean, two-gauge design and different driver-selectable information screens in the middle. But new for the E-Class are two other views, branded as Sport and Progressive. Sport still uses the two-gauge setup, but uses different fonts and colors.