With almost everyone today using Facebook, Twitter and Youtube you need the safety of Area 51 to keep something secretive for very long. Case in point is the new Mercedes A-Class caught completely undisguised on the public roads of Canary Islands.
When the unsuspecting Mercedes crew are filming for the promos far away from the prying eyes of the bhp paparazzi, a cyclist with a video camera decided to advance the unveiling ceremony through a Youtube upload.
Mercedes Benz must be pissed.
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Following its global debut in 2011, Mercedes Benz India has introduced the GL-Class Grand Edition in the Indian market in two levels. The GL Grand Edition Executive is priced at 60.99 lakhs and GL Grand Edition Luxury is priced at 65.5 lakhs (ex-showroom).
Features exclusively reserved for the Grand edition include unique alloy wheels with 20-inch tyres finished in grey metallic, two-tone leather seats with two sets of color combinations, dark-tinted headlights, radiator grille with black and high sheen louvres, LED lights on the bumper, heat-eliminating glass, velour floor mats and ‘Grand Edition’ badges.
It almost seems like the new C-Class with its new aggressive front fascia was launched yesterday in India and news comes in that the Mercedes has already started work on the 2014 C-Class. Our good pals at MotorAuthority have spotted a test mule of the 2014 Mercedes C-Class (codename – W205) testing somewhere in northern Europe.
It is very early to predict engine options but MotorAuthority tells us that a turbocharged 1.8-liter petrol engine, a V6 petrol and a range of diesel engines will be mated to an eight- or possibly even a nine-speed automatic. A V8 with 450+hp with an AMG badge on it will also be in the making and so will a hybrid version mated to an electric motor that develops around 27 PS (20 kW / 27 hp).
BMW is the king of the hill when it comes to the luxury market not only in India but also globally. But arch rival Mercedes is planning to change all of that by 2020. Mercedes Benz has pledged that it will become the world’s largest premium carmaker in 2020 by selling a jaw-dropping 2.7 million units worldwide.
The company popularly known at the Stuttgart star sold 1.26 million Mercedes-branded cars in 2011, about 120,000 short of the BMW brand. This means that the company is planning to more than double its output comes 2020. In order to achieve this production target the German czar has set a new North American plant would begin manufacturing the next generation A-Class by 2017.
By Gaurav Malik
Mercedes India invited IAB to the launch of the JPSI-AMG Performance Driving Academy and our racer Gaurav Malik was more than happy to oblige. Here is what he had to say -
Have you ever been to one of those religious programs which are meant to enrich and soothe souls? That’s exactly the kind of treatment I got at the Buddh international circuit where Mercedes Benz India kicked off their Performance Driving academy.
The sound of roaring cars, the smell of burning rubber and the name – Buddh International Circuit, sounds like we’re about to reflect on last year’s F1 race, right?
Well not exactly.
If you visited the 2012 New Delhi Auto Expo, you would have noticed that every manufacturer displayed a concept car along with their regular range of products. Concepts like the Audi A3 e-tron, Skoda RS2000 roadster, Mercedes Concept A-Class are called as Halo cars which attract people towards the stall.
Mercedes plans to create one such Halo car of its own which would be a massive stretch of their engineering capabilities. Mercedes plans to make a E Class Superlight which will be a mind bogglingly 350 kg lighter than the standard model as their halo car. They are picking a nameplate that has served as a business saloon to assume the role currently played by the SLS AMG. If it gets people to talk, it will drive up the equity of the E-Class.
The chassis of the E Superlight will be made entirely from carbon fiber and will not feature any B-pillars. Instead the rear doors will swing out and then move rearwards, making entry and exit very easy. Power will come from a 150 bhp hydrogen fuel cell, backed up by a 50 electric motor. With total weight of 1400kg, the power-to-weight ratio will be equal to the E350 V6 petrol variant.
However, don’t mistake this for a concept car. Mercedes plans to manufacture 20,000 Superlights per year. Prices will be as high as the S Class.
As expected Mercedes showcased three new products, two of which will make it to the Indian market and third one being a concept. The new M-Class was showcased which looks promising as ever. With refreshed looks and many new features in its kitty, its sure going to give a tough time to other SUVs of that segment. As we also informed you earlier Mercedes is planning to localize the M-Class, thus making it more affordable and competitive.
Also showcased was the convertible version of the uber-sexy SLS AMG which, with its roof off, looks even more appealing. The car was revealed by Mr. Bernd Maylander the Formula one safety car driver since 2000, along with MB India’s Mr. Debashis Mitra.
The Concept A-Class was also revealed but the production version wont be entering the Indian market anytime soon. Also present at the conference were four celebrities namely Ms. Gupta, a renowned fashion artist, Mr. Chetan Bhagat, the famous Indian writer, Mr. Irfan Pathan, a former member of the Indian Cricket team and Mr. Farhan Akhtar, the jack-of-all-trades of the Bollywood.
All of these products were merely showcased and not launched so no prices announced as of now. Scroll through the pictures below to get an idea about the Mercedes experience.
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The German from Stuttgart plans to challenge the supremacy of BMW starting 2012. Mercedes Benz plans to rejig its ‘Old money’ image by showcasing the brand’s dynamic and sporty capabilities. The major attraction at the Mercedes Stall will be the concept A-Class much revered for its expressive design and cool technological features.
Giving company to the Concept A Class will be SLS AMG GT3 super car and also its DTM C-Class car so that petrolheads could get some bang for their buck. AMG lovers will definitely see the entire AMG portfolio as well as the some more details about the soon-to-be-launched Mercedes-Benz-JPSI Performance Driving Academy.
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