Wednesday, May 29, 2013

2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: First drive review

By Marc Lachapelle of MSN Autos

With over 13 million cars produced through more than six decades, the midsize Mercedes-Benz E-Class family is truly the heart and core of the Mercedes-Benz lineup. Five years into the ninth generation of this class-defining series, the dean of automakers is expanding its reach in every direction with stylish bodywork, a frugal new diesel engine and 4Matic all-wheel drive.


Model lineup
The E-Class will again be offered as sedan or wagon for 2014, the former outselling the latter by a ratio of about 7-to-1 worldwide and 10-to-1 stateside. The wagon will be available by special dealer order only, in the highest trim, because of the limited numbers. In North America, both models will also be delivered exclusively with a performance-oriented version of the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system.

The E63's 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 engine gets a power upgrade, and a new S version gets even more horsepower and torque in addition to several upgrades previously included in the optional AMG Performance package. Among these are a limited-slip differential, matte-finish alloy wheels, red brake calipers, an Alcantara-draped steering wheel and a number of trim upgrades. The E63 AMG wagon will be offered only as an S.

Mercedes-Benz is adding the E 250 Bluetec sedan, powered by a frugal new 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that will also be available with the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. The outgoing V6 diesel-powered E 350 Bluetec is rear-drive only. A twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 gasoline engine will power the new E 400 sedans that will come in the fall of 2014 as 2015 models. The current plan is for rear- and all-wheel-drive versions to take over from the V8-powered E 550 4Matic Sport Sedan then.

Although the E-Class sedan and wagon's structure and major components are essentially unchanged
in this midcycle revamp, none of their body panels were left untouched. For the first time, regular E-Class models have two different front fascias to choose from. Luxury versions get the classic Mercedes-Benz grille with thin louvers and the star emblem on the hood. The Sport variant wears its big three-pointed star in the middle of the grille.

The E63 AMG has a new face too, with a horizontally-split grille and deeper, race-inspired air intakes. Rear fascias have changed much less but AMG models get a quartet of trapezoidal exhaust tips rather the twin outlets on other E models.

The 2014 E-Class is at the forefront in active safety with the availability of 11 all-new or enhanced systems that will soon appear on the new S-Class. Most are interlinked and powered by a new stereo camera mounted on the higher portion of the windshield, as well as a more sophisticated array of short- and long-range radar units. Thanks to several of these new systems, the E-Class can basically steer, stop and keep its passengers and surroundings (pedestrians included) out of harm's way. It can also park itself with active parking assist and automatically adjust headlight aim and intensity to avoid blinding other drivers. And it all works well.


Inner space
Changes to the E-Class cabin are slight and subtle. The most notable is a trio of retro-lit gauges in the instrument cluster with crisp white numerals on a black background. The framed control screen is a new design and so are the air vents, with a new analogue clock set in the midst of the center pair.
The AMGs get their own clock as well as more businesslike materials of the highest grade and abundant surfaces of stitched leather. The gorgeous sport steering wheel is draped in Nappa leather. An Alcantara-wrapped wheel and extra stitching on all leather accoutrements, upgrades previously included in the optional AMG Performance package, are standard on the new S versions.

There are substantial differences in overall comfort and support between the standard seats in tamer cars such as the E250 Bluetec and the optional sport seats in the more performance-oriented E400, let alone the fully adjustable front perches in E63 AMG models.


Under the hood
A substantial part of the 2014 E-Class story revolves around engines and powertrain combos. Coming
next fall, the E250 will be graced by a new 2.1-liter 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine that develops 190 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque at only 1600 rpm. Even with the extra weight, the E250 4Matic should get to 60 mph in less than eight seconds and return more than 40 mpg city and highway combined.

At the other end of this spectrum, the maximum output of the AMG iterations' twin-turbocharged, direct-injection 5.5-liter V8 engine rises from 518 to 550 horsepower. And the new S version delivers 577 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 531 lb-ft of torque at 1750 rpm — enough to propel the E63 sedan to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and the wagon in 3.6 seconds, thanks to a "race start" mode programmed into the 7-speed gearbox as well as optimal traction provided by standard 4Matic all-wheel drive.

Solid performance and enthralling sound are also hallmarks of the E550 sedan's twin-turbo 4.6-liter 402-horsepower V8 engine. It remains in the E-Class lineup until the new E400 steps in as a 2015 model, powered by the aforementioned 3.0-liter V6 that generates 328 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque. The 3.5-liter gas-fed V6 is still the base engine for the E 350 sedan and will remain the only unit available in the E 350 4Matic wagon. The E 400 Hybrid sedan also lives on unchanged.


On the road
The new E-Class is just as diverse in terms of driving character. The new E250 Bluetec feels every bit like a classic, diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz sedan, solid and steady on its course with cushy suspension and commensurate body roll in corners. Low-end torque is abundant for impeccable drivability. The only vintage element missing, apart from blue smoke, is loud engine clatter at idle.
The upcoming E400 sedan's new engine is certainly not as punchy off the line as the exceptional V8 it will replace, but it sounds great and provides decent thrust. This new E400 is also quite agile and well-balanced on the road, with well-weighted, precise steering and a smooth ride.

Unsurprisingly, the E63 AMG S wagon we drove on the roads of Catalonia, at the European launch, was simply magnificent in terms of handling prowess and feel, raw performance, engine sound and driving ergonomics. The slightly lighter sedan should prove a touch more agile. Both will benefit greatly from the manifold virtues of all-wheel drive in all driving conditions and situations.
Upgrades previously included in the optional AMG Performance package are now part of the new S trim, such as a limited-slip differential, 10-spoke alloy wheels, a glossy-black grille and red brake calipers. For track fanatics, carbon-ceramic brakes with larger — and 40-percent lighter — discs are available on S versions.


Right for you?
The changes and upgrades made to the 2014 E-Class family are both smart and shrewd. Fresh new styling brings the midsize E closer to the young-looking C-Class, and AMG versions are slightly racier and better differentiated. The new diesel-powered E250 Bluetec will have much greater appeal than the outgoing E350.

Spacious wagons, from mild to wild, are a unique proposition from Mercedes-Benz and making 4Matic all-wheel drive standard on the E63 AMG pair is a simply brilliant move. Bring on the competition. The upcoming 2015 E400 sedan with its balanced and lively handling is also promising. But the E550 sport sedan, with its solid, planted feel and glorious V8 will do just fine until then.






(As part of a sponsored press event, the automaker provided MSN with travel and accommodations to facilitate this report.)


A professional auto journalist for more than 25 years and the founding editor of Sympatico / MSN Autos, Marc Lachapelle is a two-time winner of the Canadian Journalist of the Year award from the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, an accomplished photographer and licensed racer.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Replica 1974 Mustang Shelby GT500, 'Eleanor' driven by Nicolas Cage sells for $1 million

By Clifford Atiyeh

The getaway Mustang coupe that Nicolas Cage drove in the blockbuster "Gone in 60 Seconds" sold for $1 million last weekend.

In the 2000 film, Cage steals 50 cars for another thief threatening to kill his brother, and just like the 1974 original, a Mustang nicknamed "Eleanor" proves to be his riskiest heist in the final scenes. It's not too difficult, as Eleanor is actually a brand-new car underneath its replica Shelby GT500 body, replete with a 400-horsepower V8 engine and modern tires, brakes and suspension.

While three Eleanor Mustangs were built, the one sold at Saturday's Mecum Original Spring Classic auction in Indianapolis was used in all the movie's close-ups and promotional materials; the other two were crashed during chase scenes. In 2008, the same car found no buyers after a failed bid on eBay. Other movie cars have done very well at auction, including the original 1966 Batmobile, which sold in January for $4.62 million.

In most cases, "resto mods" like the film's 1967 Mustang fastback – built by the same Hollywood shop responsible for the original "Ghostbusters" Cadillac hearse and the 1970 Charger that Vin Diesel drives in "Fast and the Furious" – don't command high prices among collectors. Ford officially licenses Mustang body reproductions from 1965-1970, and parts are so plentiful that many shops, including Oklahoma-based Classic Restorations, built and sold their own Eleanors for more than $100,000 each.

That's a good thing, because ripping apart an original Shelby and tacking on new parts with no historical significance would essentially blacklist any shop from existence.


Friday, May 17, 2013

Chinese owner smashes his Maserati to protest poor service

By Clifford Atiyeh



In most cultures, destroying your own car to protest a shoddy repair job borders on self-mutilation, sort of like how ridiculous it would seem if a person stabbed himself after getting a lousy haircut.

Not in China. This week, a man parked his Maserati Quattroporte by the steps of the Qingdao Auto Show and proceeded to beat the car with sledgehammers in front of a crowd. The purpose, according to China Car Times, was to show the owner's frustration with a local Maserati distributor that repaired his car, unsuccessfully, with used parts instead of the new ones he ordered.

Luxury cars in China face huge import tariffs, and this particular Maserati cost a whopping $423,000 when new in 2011, or roughly 3.5 times more than a typical Quattroporte in the U.S. That makes the story even crazier.

But this is a trend. In 2011, a Lamborghini Gallardo owner smashed his car with sledgehammers in front of a crowd, also over a poor repair job. In 2012, a Porsche Cayenne owner went a little softer by towing his vehicle on a flatbed and organizing a sit-in outside the offending dealership. No destruction that time.

It's not clear if any of the automakers made these wealthy owners whole after witnessing these sensational displays. Whatever happened, we at least have to hand it to the car owners for taking it to the streets instead of posting an anonymous negative review on Yelp. But please, take it easy with those hammers.



Source: China Car Times; Photo from People.com.cn/China Car Times

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

US Cars Rank High in Total Quality

By Perry Stern of MSN Autos

Consumers strive to purchase the highest quality new cars for their money, but it's not always easy to know which vehicles will deliver. Strategic Vision, a consumer-focused research and consulting company in business for more than 30 years, recently announced the results of its 18th annual Total Quality Index study. Strategic Vision measures vehicles via a multifaceted examination of 155 specific aspects of total quality, and also employs a 1-5 quantitative scale to measure experiences that new cars are generating with consumers. This year more U.S. car companies have winners in their respective segments than import brands.

Small car

Winner: Dodge Dart


Runners-up: Fiat 500, Hyundai Elantra

Small multifunction

Winner: Kia Soul


Runner-up: Volkswagen Golf

Midsize car

Winners: Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Volt


Runners-up: Kia Optima, Subaru Legacy

Midsize multifunction

Winner: Honda Accord Crosstour


Runners-up: Volkswagen Jetta Wagon, Subaru Impreza Wagon

Large car

Winner: Volkswagen CC


Runners-up: Dodge Charger, Nissan Maxima

Near-luxury car

Winners: Hyundai Genesis sedan, Audi A4


Runners-up: Lexus ES 350, Toyota Avalon

Luxury car

Winner: Lexus LS 460


Runners-up: Hyundai Equus, Audi A6

Specialty coupe

Winner: MINI Cooper


Runners-up: Volkswagen Beetle, Dodge Challenger

Premium coupe

Winner: Chevrolet Corvette


Runner up: Audi A5

Convertible

Winner: Chrysler 200


Premium convertible

Winner: Chevrolet Corvette convertible


Runner-up: Porsche Boxster

Minivan

Winner: Chrysler Town & Country


Runners-up: Honda Odyssey, Kia Sedona

Entry utility

Winners: Volkswagen Tiguan, Toyota FJ Cruiser


Runners-up: Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, Subaru XV Crosstrek

Midsize crossover utility

Winner: Chevrolet Traverse


Runners-up: Ford Explorer, Mazda CX-9

Midsize traditional utility

Winner: Dodge Durango


Runners-up: Toyota 4Runner, Jeep Grand Cherokee

Large utility

Winner: GMC Yukon


Runners-up: Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon XL

Near-luxury utility

Winner: Buick Enclave


Runners-up: Lexus RX 350, Cadillac SRX

Luxury utility

Winner: Porsche Cayenne


Runners-up: BMW X5, Land Rover Range Rover

Standard pickup

Winner: Toyota Tacoma


Compare: Midsize 4X4 pickup trucks

Full-size pickup

Winner:Chevrolet Avalanche


Runners-up: Ford F-150, Ram 1500

Heavy-duty pickup

Winner: Ford F-250/F-350


 

Monday, May 13, 2013

Lamborghini gets selfish with Apache-inspired Egoista

The one-seat, one-off fighter concept celebrates Lamborghini's 50th anniversary -- and its considerable ego.

 


When Volkswagen lets its chief designer off the chain, we find out that the man has an uncontrollable fetish for attack helicopters.

That's the philosophy behind the one-off Lamborghini Egoista, a daredevil single-seater concept designed to echo the razor-sharp edges of an Apache helicopter.

Walter de Silva, better known for crafting production cars like the Golf and Audi A5, was tasked with creating an outrageous display for Lamborghini's 50th anniversary party last night. 

After the Italian supercar maker unveiled the Veneno in March (three will be built) and the track-only Sesto Elemento in 2010 (slated for a 20-car run this year), there was nothing left to do but build a ground missile like the Egoista. And Lamborghini is quite frank about the Egoista's purpose.

"It is a car for itself, a gift from Lamborghini to Lamborghini, resplendent in its solitude. The Egoista is pure emotion, Never Never Land, which no one can ever possess, and which will always remain a dream, for everyone."

The only production-ready feature is a 600-horsepower engine based on the Gallardo's 5.2-liter V10. Everything else is fantasy. The jagged lines, which Yahoo rightfully said "could julienne a pedestrian," are designed to deflect radar. The driver can eject himself from the orange-tinted, antiglare cockpit. There are "No Step" labels on various carbon fiber and aluminum body parts. The LED lights, including a red flasher on the tail, are designed as flight-marker lights would be on a helicopter.

Lamborghini's other production cars, such as the the Reventon, have been designed to echo aircraft. The Egoista, on the other hand, is an explicit representation of an actual war machine that makes the Aventador's flip-up red ignition button look like a Toys R Us keychain.

Whatever else is brewing inside your head, Mr. De Silva, we'd like to see more of it.


 
 
 



Thursday, May 2, 2013

New Datsun to be unveiled this summer

Datsun will return to the automotive world in July, but only a part of it.
Autocar India reports that the first vehicle from the reborn car company will be unveiled in New Delhi on July 15th.
The five-door hatchback is to be powered by a 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine and be designed with a focus on comfort, fuel economy and affordability.
The brand is being revived by Nissan to do battle in the low-priced end of the market.
To that end, the vehicle is expected to be priced as low as $5,500 when it goes on sale next year.
Unfortunately for American fans of the original incarnation of Datsun, which changed its name to Nissan three decades ago, they’ll have to take a trip to the Eastern Hemisphere for a test drive.
The new car will be sold only in India, Russia and Indonesia initially, as it is being targeted primarily at emerging markets.
They can, however, take some solace in the fact that Nissan currently sells the cheapest car in the United States, the Versa, which has a base price of $12,780.
Of course, compared to the new Datsun, that doesn’t seem like nearly as good of a bargain as it used to.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2013/05/02/new-datsun-to-be-unveiled-this-summer/#ixzz2SBYP6C00


Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive

A full-on sexy sports car with zero emissions – what’s not to love?
 
 
Breaking from the current automaker-induced parade of small, economical electric vehicles, Mercedes has built an electric car that is anything but dull. With more than 700 horsepower, the all-new SLS AMG Electric Drive is the most powerful electric car on the road — and it’s the most powerful AMG model of all time.

The SLS ED gets its juice from four electric motors – one at each wheel – making this electric sports car all-wheel-drive. In-wheel electric motors are starting to pop up on concepts and limited-production models like this SLS ED, but the technology remains expensive and challenging to build.
Total power output is 740 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque, enough to move this car to 62 mph in just 3.9 seconds. Due to the excess weight of the 60-kilowatt-hour battery pack, that's roughly the same as the gasoline-powered model and its heavy-breathing 6.2-liter 583-horsepower V8 engine.

But the best part of these four electric motors is the AMG Torque Dynamics system, which allows the driver to completely change the driving characteristics of the car.

On the Circuit Paul Ricard near Marseille, France, we started our drive in comfort mode, or as the engineer called it, "S-Class mode." Acceleration was smooth and steering light, but the car felt a bit heavy. Steering required a lot of input, and going too fast into a corner resulted in understeer. It drove like a soft, front-wheel-drive vehicle.

After a few laps in comfort mode, we bypassed sport mode and went directly to sport-plus. It was like getting into a different vehicle.

Putting my foot down hard resulted in amazing acceleration, pushing me back in the seat. Suddenly, the turn where I had understeered earlier could be taken at much higher speeds with very controllable oversteer, and driving a slalom course felt like I was in a go-kart.

With a range of around 150 miles – which will vary considerably depending on how you drive – the SLS ED is proof that you can have outrageous performance and keep (some) environmentalists happy.


PROS

Incredible performance

Not only does the SLS ED provide the instant acceleration associated with electric motors, there is no wheel spin. The car simply takes off like a shot. The combination of suspension, big ceramic-composite brakes and the ability to adjust power at each wheel gives the SLS excellent handling.

Great styling

If you’re going to build an electric car, why not base it on one of the sexiest cars on the road? The SLS, with its gull-wing doors, is the perfect descendant of the original SL from the 1950s. The incredibly bright paint colors on the Electric Drive show observers this one is something special.

Electric innovation

In order to build a car like the SLS ED, Mercedes used its experience in Formula One racing to create a lightweight and efficient lithium-ion battery pack. Batteries are heated or cooled, depending on the exterior temperature, for optimum efficiency and can be fully charged in just three hours using a 22-kilowatt fast-charge system; otherwise it takes roughly 20 hours on 220 volts. The battery pack is located within a carbon-fiber monocoque that forms an integral part of the chassis and acts as its "spine." The monocoque housing is firmly bolted and bonded to the aluminum spaceframe body.


CONS

Limited availability

Unfortunately, Mercedes has no plans to bring the SLS Electric Drive to the U.S. Roughly 200 will be sold.

Expensive

Innovation doesn’t come cheap. When the SLS ED goes on sale in Germany later this year, the price will be set at around $540,000.

AMG sound

The quiet performance of an electric car adds to its novelty, so it doesn’t seem right that Mercedes has engineered a soundtrack for the SLS ED. The sound is dynamic – it changes depending on road speed, engine speed and load conditions – but it still seems a bit too gimmicky.


MSN Autos attended a manufacturer-sponsored event to facilitate this report.