Mercedes Benz

This week the very first Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupes are hitting the road. Complete with bold AMG styling and a standard panorama sunroof, the new two-door coupe marks the first time Mercedes-Benz has offered a traditional coupe in this market segment. Also arriving is the popular four-door C-Class sedan which has undergone a major restyling involving 2,000 new parts, including new bumpers, headlights, front grille, an aluminum hood, LED taillights and a redesigned interior that incorporates color gauges, a new 5.8-inch display and new-generation telematics.


More Convenience, More Safety

In addition, there are 13 new standard equipment features on the 2012 C-Class sedan and coupe line, as well as five new safety systems. Standard-equipment Attention Assist warns drivers when they get drowsy, and a new HOLD feature for the Adaptive Brake system allows the driver to remove their foot from the brake pedal at a stop. Optional Blind Spot Assist provides a warning whenever a turn signal is activated with a car in a blind spot, while Lane Keeping Assist alerts drivers if the car drifts from its lane without the turn signals on. PARKTRONIC now incorporates a parking guidance system that can identify right-size parking spaces and provide helpful steering guidance in the instrument cluster.

Two Body Styles, Seven Models

Both the C-Class coupe and sedan are available in three different versions: the C250, powered by a new direct-injection, turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine (201 horsepower, 229 lb.-ft. of torque); the C350 Sport, with a new direct-injection 3.5-liter V6 (302 hp, 273 lb.-ft.); and the high-performance C63 AMG with a normally aspirated 6.3-liter V8 (451 hp, 443 lb.- ft.) and AMG's MCT multi-clutch transmission. With an optional AMG Development Package, the C63 AMG jumps to 481 hp.

In addition, the C-Class sedan is available as a C300, with standard 4MATIC all-wheel drive and the familiar 3.0-liter V6 engine (228 hp, 221 lb.-ft.). The C250 and C300 sedans are available in a choice of Luxury or Sport trim. Sport models feature staggered-width, fivespoke 17-inch wheels; sport shocks; springs and stabilizer bars that provide a crisper ride and more than a half-inch lower ride height; and standard AMG styling, including deeper front and rear aprons as well as sculpted rocker panels. Inside, Sport models are equipped with a three-spoke steering wheel and metallic trim, while Luxury models come with a fourspoke steering wheel and burl walnut trim. In addition to the standard body styling, Luxury models have equal-width tires, front and rear.

New Transmission

All 2012 C-Class models (except the C63 AMG with its high-performance MCT transmission) feature a new seven-speed automatic transmission with a more advanced torque converter lock-up clutch that provides even better fuel mileage, more responsive driving, quieter operation and increased durability. The new transmission is also designed to work best with a new type of low-viscosity ATF transmission fluid - colored blue instead of the usual red. Together with new planetary gears, bearings and internal seals, the "FE-ATF" fluid provides less friction and improved fuel mileage.

New-Generation Telematics

All C-Class models for 2012 are equipped with a new 5.8-inch color display that's located at the top of the console. The new head unit includes a Bluetooth interface for wireless audio streaming and hands-free phone operation, an FM phase-diversity twin tuner, HD/AM/ weatherband radio, an MP3-compatible CD drive and a USB port in the center console.

ATTENTION ASSIST Cautions "Time For A Rest?"

Among the many standard life-saving features on the C-Class is the innovative ATTENTION ASSIST system that can alert the driver to the first signs of drowsiness, a factor that causes more than 100,000 accidents a year in the U.S.

The software receives signals from the steering sensor and monitors 70 different parameters that have proven to be strong contributors to fatigue and drowsiness. Between 50 and 112 mph, the system identifies the erratic steering corrections drivers make as they begin to get drowsy and triggers an audible warning, and a "Time for a Rest?" message with a coffee cup icon appears in the instrument cluster.

More Safety Systems Assist the Driver

Other examples of trailblazing C-Class innovations include: Lane Keeping Assist, which alerts the driver by simulating rumble strip vibration in the steering wheel if the car drifts from its lane without the turn signals on. It operates at speeds above 37 mph via a system that recognizes lane markings, thanks to a small camera in the windshield and a computer that analyzes the video images.

Also available is Blind Spot Assist, which monitors both blind spots behind and to the side of the vehicle. Whenever a turn signal is activated with a vehicle in the blind spot, the driver gets visual and audible warnings.

Adaptive Highbeam Assist uses a small video camera to sense both headlights and taillights, then softly and automatically transitions between high and low beam operation to avoid dazzling other drivers. With this system, the range of the headlights can be varied infinitely from their current 220 feet to up to 1,000 feet.

An Agile C-Class

All C-Class models boast Agility Control, which provides the benefits of both soft and stiff shock absorbers. Each twin-tube shock absorber is fitted with a hydraulic by-pass piston that acts like a very soft shock absorber to effectively dampen road noise and tire vibration. However, over bumpy or uneven roads, the by-pass piston is out of the picture, which preserves the outstanding steering and handling response of a stiffer shock absorber.

Source: Mercedes-Benz USA

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Presumably on the basis of the positive results from the first hybrid bus deployed in the Munich administrative district, the Munich Regional Transport vehicle fleet now also includes a Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid Omnibus. The handover of the vehicle for its intended use took place on 22 September 2011, when Ulrich Piotrowski, the Market Launch Manager for Mercedes-Benz hybrid and electric buses, presented a symbolic key to Jörg Schuchtmann, the Operations Manager of Busservice Watzinger GmbH & Co. KG.


The Citaro is part of a new pilot project in the “Munich District Energy Vision” initiative, aimed at reducing the district’s energy consumption by 60 percent by the year 2050, and meeting the 40-percent demand with renewable forms of energy. Passenger public transport is also one of the modules in the overall emissions balance, so this too is an area for research and incentives. On the basis of favourable past experience, the Munich administrative district has now decided to subsidise more hybrid buses and carry out a long-term test on them. According to Ulrich Piotrowski: “In terms of exhaust emissions and noise reduction, hybrid as an eco-friendly drive technology stands out as the best option at the moment, because of its practical advantages and high level of electrification.”

Deployment on a particularly difficult route

The Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid will be used on one of the operator’s most important routes, number 266, running between the Planegg suburban railway station and the Grosshadern hospital. This route will be an effective showcase for the benefits of the new sustainable technology. “A dense network of bus stops, the central business district nearby and high passenger use provide ideal conditions to test and raise the public profile of the pioneering technology of these vehicles. The hybrid bus will now allow an almost noiseless and emissions-free service in the vicinity of the hospital,” said a delighted Jörg Schuchtmann.

Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid

The Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid is at present the only hybrid bus with capability to complete a distance of up to ten kilometres on electricity only, given ideal topographical conditions. In this case, the familiar rumble of the diesel engine is not heard at all. The bus pulls up silently at the bus stop, and continues in the same fashion for several more stops along the route. The drive system consists of four electric hub motors, which draw their current from one of the world’s largest in-vehicle lithium-ion batteries.

This current is generated from braking manoeuvres, or also where necessary via a generator driven by the diesel engine, which is a comparatively small unit for this vehicle class. Experts refer to this as “serial hybrid drive” technology. Diesel fuel savings, and the associated reduction in CO2 emissions, are around 20 percent.

High tech in a proven vehicle design

This sophisticated diesel-electric hybrid design concept has been implemented in the proven articulated version of the most successful city bus family worldwide, the Mercedes-Benz Citaro. From the outside, it is difficult to tell the vehicle apart from a conventional diesel bus, except for the higher roof structure to accommodate the battery. But travelling in the bus is a very different experience: the four electric motors rapidly accelerate the 18-metre-long bus virtually silently, and with no jerks or jolting (because there is no transmission). The motors are fitted close to the wheel hubs on the middle and rear axles, together providing total drive power of 320 kW, supplied where necessary from both the battery and the generator operated by the diesel engine. These electric motors are also used for braking purposes, operating as generators, or like the dynamo device familiar to cyclists, to convert the energy braking into electrical current for the battery. The diesel engine is automatically activated to provide supplementary current whenever additional demand is indicated by the battery. In comparison with a straight diesel bus, the internal combustion engine is only half the size in total, weighing just 450 kg instead of 1000 kg, and with a displacement of only 4.8 litres as compared with 12 litres. Output is approximately one third lower, at 160 kW.

One of the world’s largest in-vehicle lithium-ion batteries

The energy storage device used in the new Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid is a lithium-ion battery that is the first to provide a power rating of this order of magnitude. The battery system delivers a maximum of 240 kW, and it is also relatively light, weighing less than 350 kg. Key advantages over conventional battery systems include a higher energy density, higher storage capacity and low weight. By way of comparison, the hybrid buses on trial in Stuttgart three decades ago had lead batteries on board, weighing as much as 3000 kg.

Lithium-ion batteries first became commercially available in 1991. This technology is now used in almost all situations where there is a high energy demand and low weight: mobile telephones, digital cameras, camcorders, notebooks, etc. They have been used only relatively recently in large vehicles such as passenger cars, trucks and buses. Daimler already has experience with the use of lithium-ion batteries in buses. Over 1000 of the 3000 Orion hybrid buses are now running on lithium-ion batteries produced by the same manufacturer. Orion is a Daimler AG brand in the USA and a world leader in hybrid buses. It also supplies the battery system for the new Mercedes-Benz Citaro G BlueTec Hybrid. The output delivered by this system is equivalent to that of around 9000 large laptop batteries.

Busservice Watzinger GmbH & Co. KG

The Watzinger bus company has a total workforce of 347 employees, making it one of Bavaria’s largest. The company has depots in Munich, Bad Abbach, Siegenburg and Regensburg, and transports a total of approximately 18.7 million passengers each year. Its fleet of 159 state-of-the-art buses cover a total distance of 8.4 million kilometres per year.

Source: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Lately, it was discovered that Mercedes-AMG might be in a quite embarrasing situation due to possible problems that might affect the M156 6.2-litre V8 powerplant. The issues were already detected as early as 2007, but appear to have been constantly ignored since then.


To put it straight, the materials used for building certain components of the engine are incriminated because it was found out that they could eventually be suffering from premature deterioration and thus putting at risk the proper functioning of the entire unit. Precisely, the nodular iron camshafts have been clearly incriminated in this case, as they might not work in conjunction with 9310-grade steel valve lifters. One customer has already complained the V8 powerplant installed on his leased, pre-owned E 63 AMG broke up, which meant more than $ 25,000 were spent on service repairs and on covering the loss of value of the car.

This issues have been reported back in 2007 in an internal service bulletin of Daimler, but AMG engineers postponed a solution to the uncovered errors and, in this way, they basically spread across the entire range of products trimmed in Affalterbach, excluding the V12-powered models.

As a conclusion, Mercedes-AMG might be facing some serious legal difficulties if the judge decides to start a class-action lawsuit against the German company, offering a clear path for other clients experiencing similar failures on their AMG models to make themselves heard in justice.

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Still heavily-disguised, the 2012 A-Class continues to cover mile after mile during the development programme that comes to the finish line right before the car's premiere in April next year. Last time it was spotted on streets, the test prototype caught on tape by spy photographers was boasting, besides the great deal of camouflage, a beautiful, red exterior paint finish, which indeed managed to highlight some of the (visible) key visual points of the new compact Mercedes-Benz. Check out more relevant images after the break!

Launched back in spring 2008, the GLK-Class is destined to undergo a substantial facelift that's intended to keep the car attractive until a replacement generation is premiered sometime after 2015. The latest spy photos showcasing a camouflaged prototype of the SUV come from the Nurburgring.


The GLK is being readied for a mid-cycle revamp. Scheduled for release in the second semester of 2012, the medium-sized SUV from Stuttgart will display a new front fascia featuring slightly revised LED headlamps, differently styled radiator grilles with either two or three chromed slates depending on the version and retouched intakes and bumper. While the side remains solid and boxy, with no visible changes at all, designers will operate several changes to the tail lights, which appear to feature LED technology and consequently a new arrangement for the braking lights, indicators and reverse lamps. The cockpit should not be given any major rehaul, but an increase in the quality of the assembly and materials used as well as new colour combos are expected. Engineers will fit the 2013 GLK with the latest assistance technologies developed by Mercedes-Benz, such as the ATTENTION ASSIST, Blind Spot Assist and PRE-SAFE. Also, the new GLK facelift will be optionally fitted with the COMAND Online infotainment system, which provides in-car internet access to the driver and occupants. Engines will become more powerful and efficient with the aid of the BlueEFFICIENCY package; the high-end variant, the GLK 350, will be powered by the new 3.5-litre direct-injection V6 gasoline unit with up to 306 hp. The basic price list could look the same as for the current model, but versions with richer specifications might increase pretty much the final tag.

JENSON BUTTON
- MP4-26A-04
- Started: 3rd
- Finished: 2nd
- Fastest lap: 1m48.454s (1st)
- Pitstops: Three: laps 14, 30 and 48 (Op-Pr-Op-Op)
- 2011 points: 185 (2nd)

“I was being told throughout the race to look after the car and the tyres; the only time I was really able to push was in the last 12 laps, when I chased down Seb on the super-soft tyre.


“I gave it everything - but, in the end, we didn’t quite have the pace to make up the gap. Still, I think we had the best possible strategy for both Saturday and Sunday, and I couldn’t realistically have asked for a better result this weekend.

“In fact, we didn’t make any mistakes this weekend and, as a team, I think we did the best possible job with the equipment we had. We need to improve a few things in our package, but I think Suzuka should suit us a little better (than Marina Bay).

“I’ve had a run of podium finishes recently, so I’d really love to finish one step higher at the next race!”

LEWIS HAMILTON
- MP4-26A-03
- Started: 4th
- Finished: 5th
- Fastest lap: 1m50.832s (+2.378s, 4th)
- Pitstops: Five: laps 11, 13 (front-wing change), 15 (drive-through), 29 and 48 (Op-Op-Pr-d/t-Op-Pr)
- 2011 points: 168 (5th)

“Congratulations to Seb on a great drive - he drove fantastically all weekend.

“And well done to Jenson, too - he showed what was possible from our package by really getting the maximum out of it. He nearly brought home the victory too - so I’m encouraged that we can continue to challenge for wins for the rest of the season.

“I had fun picking off cars after my penalty, but it was frustrating to once again be down the field when I felt we had a car that could have challenged up at the front.

“For me, this weekend was a bit of a missed opportunity. As always, though, I’ll put it behind me - I’m already looking forward to Suzuka!”

MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

“Jenson drove a truly fabulous race yet again - and bagged 18 valuable world championship points as a result.

“He controlled his pace faultlessly, looked after his tyres brilliantly, and then attacked the Marina Bay circuit with total commitment at the end when aggression rather than circumspection was called for. But for a bit of bad luck in the form of a few backmarkers whom he encountered at precisely the inopportune moment, he could well have snatched a truly sensational victory.

“He’s now a clear second in the drivers’ world championship too.

“Lewis had a more frustrating day, but drove with great determination to finish fifth at the chequered flag, pulling off some fantastic passing manoeuvres in so doing.

“All in all, he had to make five visits to the pit lane - so, as I say, bearing that in mind, fifth place was a seriously impressive achievement.

“Next, though, we go to Suzuka, which is one of the great circuits on the Formula One calendar from a driver’s point of view.

“Both Lewis and Jenson will be aiming for ultimate honours there - as indeed they will in all the remaining races of the 2011 season.”

Nico Rosberg finished the Singapore Grand Prix in seventh place this evening whilst team-mate Michael Schumacher retired from the race following a collision.


• Nico ran a three-stop option/option/option/prime strategy stopping on laps 9, 22 and 29
• After starting on options, Michael stopped on laps 10 and 24, both times for options, prior to his retirement
• Michael was running in ninth place when he collided with the rear of Sergio Perez’s Sauber at turn eight on lap 28

Nico Rosberg
“The optimum today would have been sixth place but it didn’t quite work out for us this weekend. I was struggling with the rear end in the race, and our car just really didn’t suit this demanding track. I had more problems with tyre degradation than the cars around me, which combined with having to switch our strategy when the safety car came out, meant it was impossible to make any progress. Whilst we might not be happy with the outcome of our weekend here in Singapore, we will now work hard to improve the car for the next races here in Asia.”

Michael Schumacher
“It was a very unfortunate ending to my race in Singapore tonight and obviously I am a bit disappointed. What happened was what I would call a misunderstanding between Sergio Perez and myself. He was about to go inside and lifted, and I was not expecting him to do that so early, and therefore hit him. It’s probably one of those race incidents which look more impressive from outside than from inside, as I am totally ok and my impact in the end was not too heavy. It was a pity because my car and the tyres worked well, and therefore the pace was very good. I will look ahead to the next races and hope to have better endings there.”

Ross Brawn
“It turned out to be a fairly tough race for us this evening. As expected, we didn’t have the pace to match the leaders but we were quite comfortable in the gap behind the top six cars. Unfortunately Michael’s accident hurt us both from his own point of view and that it brought out the safety car at the wrong time for our strategy. Nico then did a very good job to make the set of tyres that he had last for over half of the race. Seventh place was about as much as we could have expected today, and whilst it feels disappointing, we will keep working hard and pushing forward.”

Norbert Haug
“The race developed quite well for us until Michael´s incident with Sergio Perez which brought out the safety car. We had no choice but to pit Nico and put him on the prime tyres, on which he then did 31 laps, more than half the race distance. Nico did a very good job to keep the tyres together for such a long stint. Michael´s speed before the accident looked good, considering our current technical package, so it is a shame for him as he could perhaps have finished in front of Nico. Without the safety car, and with an ideal strategy for Nico, he could have been in a position to finish one place higher. Thank you to the organisers here in Singapore for hosting this race, which is one of the most spectacular events in the calendar, and produces the best television images over the course of the season.”