The Mercedes Benz Blog is always hooking us up with some incredible spy shots of the newest Mercedes Benz cars.  We couldn’t help but marvel at their latest photo roundup of the 2010 Mercedes Benz S 600 Coupe.  Check this shot out here, and a brief description of the new 2010 Mercedes Benz S 600 Coupe below, or head over to the Mercedes Benz Blog for more pictures and information.

“The version captured by the lens of the photo camera is the high-end S 600 Coupe, powered by the thirsty V12 unit, delivering a staggering 517 BHP. If rumors are to be believed, then by the next generation of the S-Class lineup, this engine will be phased out in favor of new V6 and V8 powerplants, which feature twin-turbocharging, direct injection and other clever technological solutions to improve efficiency and also boost performance figures”

Mercedes Benz presents the S400, the cheapest of the S Class vehicles, and a hybrid that runs on petrol and electric power.  The car comes complete with adaptive cruise control, night vision, an excellent Harman Kardon audio system, as well as luxury seats.  Check out this awesome article we found on itechtalk, to get more details about this awesome new Mercedes Benz S Class hybrid car.

Today, we found this article on Benz Insider about the next generation S Class.  According to the post, the current S Class has been around for close FOUR years! The new version of the Mercedes Benz S Class is set to hit Mercedes Benz dealerships in 2012 or 2013.  We won’t quite know what the next generation Mercedes Benz S Class will look like until up to a year before its launch, but speculation is circulating that the new model with rely on turbocharging and direct injection for power and efficiency.  Read more about the next generation S Class here, and post your thoughts below!

We’re all about green technology on the blog today! Check out this awesome article below about the new S-class plug-in hybrid that Mercedes-Benz is researching and developing.

The next generation of Mercedes-Benz S-class models will include plug-in hybrid, and the automaker intends to extend the fuel-saving technology across the rest of its range, the company’s head of research and development said today.

“It makes a lot of sense to bundle the high-price tech option to the sort of customers willing to pay for this sort of thing,” Thomas Weber said.

The announcement comes four months after Mercedes-Benz unveiled a Vision S500 plug-in hybrid concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show and three months after Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche told reporters that hybrids and battery-electric cars will be long-term interim technologies until hydrogen fuel cell cars and hydrogen fueling technology are ready for market.

The company hasn’t publicly disclosed performance information pertaining to the plug-in hybrid, but sources have told us that it will feature a 60-horsepower  electric motor mated to a gasoline-fed V6 engine. The twin power sources can reportedly propel the large Benz to 60 miles per hour in less than 5.5 seconds.

The motor will reportedly receive its electricity from a state-of-the-art  lithium-ion battery that has a storage capacity of more than 10 kilowatt hours — enough to enable the car to go about 19 miles on electrons only before an onboard gas-powered engine-generator kicks in to feed juice to the battery.

Weber ruled out a purely electric S-class model, citing concerns over the vehicle’s range between charges.

As previously reported, other versions of the next S-class will be fitted with next-gen six- and eight-cylinder gasoline engines featuring fuel-efficient  direct injection, stop-start technology, and turbochargers or electric motors.

Source: (Edmunds)

The following post comes courtesy of Automobile Magazine.

Snow. Ice. Frigid temperatures. January in Detroit can hardly be described as a climate conducive to convertibles. Still, in order to help underline the year-round usability of the car, Mercedes-Benz will unveil its new 2011 E-class Cabriolet at the 2010 North American International Auto Show.

As the fourth body style in the revised E-class range, the Cabriolet — along with the 2010 E-class Coupe — effectively replaces the CLK. Styling up front is carried over from its other E-class siblings, but sheetmetal aft of the A-pillars is largely cribbed from the two-door model. Indeed, when the top is up, the E-class Cabriolet does a good job of emulating the Coupe’s racy roofline.

Unlike the convertible tops used on the SL and SLK roadsters, the E-class Cabriolet – like the CLK before it — makes use of a traditional soft top instead. Mercedes-Benz claims the top, at 0.9 inches thick, is extensively insulated to help keep the cabin warm in wintry months, and to prevent noise. We’re told it’s entirely possible to have a hands-free cell phone conversation with the top up at speeds “in excess” of 125 mph — but we wouldn’t recommend such a task.

A pair of technologies also helps keep passengers warm and comfortable during open-air driving. Airscarf, already offered on the SL and SLK roadsters, directs warm air towards passengers’ neck and shoulders. AirCap – a diffuser deployed above the windshield to direct airflow out of the faces of rear seat passengers – is a new innovation and, for the time being, is exclusive to the E-class.

Like the Coupe, the E-class Cabriolet is available in E350 and E550 forms, with a 268-hp 3.5-liter V-6 or a 382-hp, 5.5-liter V-8, respectively. Look for both models to arrive at dealers stateside in the spring of 2011.

Source: www.inautonews.com

Mercedes-Benz will be presenting the first “three-litre car” in the premium class — the Vision S 500 Plug-in HYBRID — at the 63rd IAA in Frankfurt, Germany.

Click the arrow below to view video.

The technology vehicle will display the future of Mercedes-Benz’ modular set of hybrid systems. The Vision S 500 Plug-in HYBRID can drive for up to 30 kilometres solely on electricity and therefore without producing any local emissions. The efficient drive system combined with the CO2 bonus for the battery-electric driving mode enables the vehicle to achieve a certified consumption of only 3.2 litres of petrol per 100 kilometers.

With CO2 emissions of only 74 grams per kilometre in the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle), the experimental vehicle developed in Sindelfingen demonstrates the long-term viability of future S Class generations. The outstanding values are made possible by the combination of a plug-in hybrid with the efficiency-boosting BlueEFFICIENCY measures. At the same time, the Vision S 500 Plug-in HYBRID has all of the strengths that are typical of the S Class: top comfort, outstanding safety and masterful performance. The drive system in the concept car consists of three main components: a powerful V6 petrol engine with a next-generation direct injection system, a 44 kW/60 hp hybrid module and a lithium-ion battery with more than 10 kWh of storage capacity that can be recharged at charging stations. The Vision S 500 Plug-in HYBRID accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds.

“The Vision 500 Plug-in HYBRID is a new milestone on our path toward zero-emission mobility,” says Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. “It is a luxurious and safe S Class that offers superior driving performance while at the same time consuming less fuel than current compacts. All of this shows that our top models will also be able to combine automotive fascination with responsibility for the environment.”

Click here to view the  full article.

BEIJING, Aug. 31 — German car maker Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd officially began the domestic sales of its new generation of S-Class luxury sedans in Beijing on Friday.

The company is counting on the iconic model to keep its leading position in the luxury car segment and continue its success in China.  The full array of the new S-Class luxury sedans, the ninth generation, includes nine models with engine capacities ranging from 3.0 liters to 6.0 liters and will sell for between 930,000 yuan ($136,144 U.S. dollars) and 2.59 million yuan in China.

In order to meet the growing demand for energy-saving and eco-friendly vehicles, the new S-Class family has also added the S400 Hybrid, the world’s first series-production vehicle to feature a hybrid drive with a lithium-ion battery. 

“Currently, China has become the largest S-Class market in the world, and the flagship model continued to reign in the top luxury segment with 7,300 units delivered to Chinese customers in the past seven months,” said Klaus Maier, president and chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd.

 ”With such success, we are confident that the new generation models will extend the S-Class leadership position, and attract even more of China’s top-echelon customers.” As the flagship model of Mercedes-Benz, the S-Class is designed to set the benchmark in the luxury saloon segment. Worldwide sales of the legendary models reached 3.3 million units for the previous generations.

The product line-up made a great contribution to Mercedes-Benz’s overall sales in China and became strategically important for the German car maker to reinforce a leading position in the world’s fastest-growing market.

Maier said the S-Class’s market share in the top luxury car market came to 44 percent for the first seven months, leading against rivals the BMW 7 Series and the Audi A8.

 ”The S-Class is so popular because the Mercedes-Benz brand is the most recognized nameplate in China’s top luxury vehicle segment, whose customers are most brand-sensitive,” said Lang Xuehong, director of the automotive division from auto consulting research and consulting firm Sinotrust.

 Mercedes-Benz said its vehicle sales on China’s mainland posted a 49 percent increase for the first seven months of this year, totaling 31,711 cars.

 Sales growth in July reached 45 percent.

Industry analysts said the remarkable sales increase was a result of its low comparable bases a year earlier. But the diverse product strategy also works effectively to catch with the current market leader in China, Audi. 

 Despite the global financial crisis depressing demand in other markets, Mercedes-Benz expected the growing momentum in China would continue in the second half of this year given the positive economic growth and low market penetration of the premier cars, said Bjoern Hauber, general manager of sales and marketing of Mercedes-Benz (China).

Mercedes-Benz has introduced about 10 new models, such as the B-Class, the new E-Class and the Smart, in China so far this year. Some entry-level models expand its customer base with appeals to younger consumers.

In the upcoming months, Mercedes-Benz also plans to launch more than 10 new models as it remained upbeat about China’s luxury car market, Maier told Shanghai Daily.

(Source: Shanghai Daily)

Mercedes-Benz is planning to release it’s first hybrid vehicle in the US this fall. The S400 BlueHYBRID will be a 2010 model and is identical to the S550 with the only difference being that it will average about 30 miles to each gallon. The S400 is labeled as a ‘mild hybrid’ that restarts the engine after it’s switched off when stopped, as well as adding some degree of electric boost.

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