mercedes-benz

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate breaks cover

Photos of the Estate variant of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class were released on Tuesday and, in the immortal words of Sir Mix-a-Lot, "Baby got back!." The Estate starts with the E-Class sedan platform and pumps up the rear storage to create a surprisingly handsome wagon.

The Estate takes many of the design cues that we first saw on Mercedes' ConceptFascination design study, such as the defined rear-fender bulge, but with a pair of extra doors and a much less severely sloped roof.

The photos also hint at power train configurations, with both gasoline and diesel power plants available with … Read more

Mercedes patent hints at three-seater Smart

Recent patent filings by Mercedes-Benz indicate that a three-seater Smart may be in the works.

According to Autocar:

"Nothing's official at this stage, but Mercedes-Benz insiders contacted by Autocar suggest the new car could take the name 'Forthree' into showrooms by 2014 as part of plans to extend the Smart lineup into a complete range of models by the middle of the next decade."

Smart Forthree? How about something more exciting like McSmart F1?

Obviously drawing inspiration from the McLaren F1 supercar, the rumored Smart will feature a 1+2 layout with a centrally positioned driver's … Read more

Five diesel cars you can buy in the U.S.

It's taken many years, but we've finally gotten a few diesel cars to choose from in the U.S. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen are all offering versions of their cars with diesel engines, and from what we've seen the fuel economy can be impressive. And unlike older diesel cars, these new models have good acceleration and no black soot spewing from the exhaust.

Check out five diesel cars you can buy in the U.S.

Mercedes debuts new, efficient, four-cylinder E-Class models

Mercedes-Benz has announced the addition of new four-cylinder E 200 CDI and CGI BlueEfficiency models to the European 2010 E-Class lineup.

The thrifty E 200 CDI is powered by a common-rail, direct-injected, 2.1-liter, diesel engine that outputs 136-horsepower and a staggering 365 pound-feet of torque. Zero to 62 mph happens in a decent 10.2 seconds, but what's most impressive is the 45.2 mpg that it averages while doing so.

Those who want a little bit more speed can hit 62 mph in 8.7 seconds in the E 200 CGI, which is powered by a turbocharged, … Read more

Mercedes-Benz serves up virtual coffee

The new E-class features quite a few cutting-edge driver aid gadgets, such as night vision, blind-spot detection, and adaptive cruise control. We saw these features previously in the Mercedes-Benz S550, but the E-class will also include Attention Assist, a new feature for Mercedes-Benz that keeps you from falling asleep at the wheel.

Attention Assist monitors the car's driver, using 70 parameters to determine if he or she is dozing off. If it detects a drowsy driver, the system sounds a warning tone and lights up a coffee cup icon on the speedometer display. The system relies heavily on monitoring … Read more

Mercedes-Benz does the driving for you, almost

Ah, the good life, where your car negotiates traffic speeds for you and gives you a massage. The Mercedes-Benz S550 actually does all of the above, using its adaptive cruise control to not hit the car ahead and letting you choose from four settings on its massage seats. This car also gives you an enhanced view out the front for those pitch dark nights driving through the mountains, and a blind spot-warning system, alerting you to cars in the lanes to either side.

There is quite a bit to like about this car, but in our hypercritical way, we found … Read more

Mercedes ESF 2009 Concept is the most inflatable car ever

In an effort to create the world's safest sedan, Mercedes-Benz has equipped its ESF 2009 S400 Hybrid Concept with more airbags than you can shake a stick at.

It starts with the Braking Bag, an auxiliary airbag mounted to the bottom in the vehicle floor that inflates when the ESF's systems conclude that an impact is unavoidable (within 0.6 seconds, or faster than a human reaction time). According to Mercedes, the Braking Bag basically adds additional friction to the road, thereby assisting the brakes and tires in slowing the vehicle quickly. As an added bonus, the Braking … Read more

Fuel cell cars hit the road

Electric cars have been getting plenty of buzz lately, but the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is still going strong. The California Fuel Cell Partnership, along with Powertech Labs, National Hydrogen Association, and U.S. Fuel Cell Council, will seek to regain the spotlight with a road trip to demonstrate the practicality of these vehicles.

Twelve fuel cell cars from seven automakers will drive from Chula Vista, in Southern California, up to Vancouver, Canada, a trip of 1,700 miles. Vancouver was chosen for the destination because it will play host to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, where a … Read more

M-B E-class coupe built on a C-class platform

STUTTGART--The new Mercedes-Benz E-class coupe was given the signature look of the E-class sedan, visible in the sweep of the rear-pontoon fender.

But beneath its compact, muscular exterior lies the platform of the smaller, less expensive C class.

The E-class coupe was introduced at the Geneva auto show in March.

Wolfgang Bremm, product manager for the coupe, says Mercedes aims for a high score on environmental issues. The new E250 CDI diesel delivers 204 horsepower, 36 percent more than its predecessor, the E220 CDI. But the E250 consumes 17 percent less fuel.

Mercedes lists the European Union fuel economy of … Read more