dumpsterfuel
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2003
- Location
- Eau Claire, WI
- TDI
- None - formerly 86 jetta diesel, 01 golf TDI, 09 Jetta TDI
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/cgi-bin/s...es&id=62578
Title : Mercedes-Benz hops on crossover bandwagon
By :
Date : 18 Dec 2003 1304 hrs (GMT)
DETROIT, United States : Mercedes Benz said it would launch a hybrid sport wagon in the United States in 2005, fielding a vehicle in one of the latest hot segments of the booming US auto market.
The German automaker plans to show a concept or prototype of the Grand Sport Tourer at next month's Detroit auto show, the premier showcase for new vehicles in North America.
The vehicle is loaded with many of the features associated with luxury automobiles: a retractable roof, flat-screen television screens integrated into seat backs, and massive 21-inch wheels.
But the powertrain will be extremely unconventional: a fuel-efficient diesel-electric hybrid engine mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission.
The 4.0-liter diesel engine is borrowed from Mercedes -Benz S-Class sedan and a 50-kilowatt electric motor is installed to assist propulsion.
The combination allows the powertrain to turn out 313 horsepower and 621 foot-pounds of torque and improve fuel economy by as much as 20 percent, according to the automaker.
The vehicle is designed to be "a touring car, station wagon, large-capacity vehicle and sport utility vehicle rolled into one," said Jùrgen Hubbert, head of the Mercedes Car Group, based in Stuttgart, Germany.
Like the Chrysler Group's Pacifica sport wagon, also built by Mercedes -Benz parent DaimlerChrysler Corp., the vehicle will be marketed as a so-called segment buster once it hits the market place.
The luxury automaker is hoping the vehicle will spawn a whole new line, expected to be called the R-Class.
"We believe that the concept offers enormous potential for the launch of a new Mercedes model family", said Hubbert.
The Tourer will be built at at Mercedes ' Tuscaloosa, Alabama, assembly plant alongside its M-Class sport-utility vehicles.
The Alabama plant is undergoing a 600-million-dollar expansion in order to build the vehicle and potential derivatives.
Separately, Mitsubishi, an affiliate of Mercedes -Benz parent company, DaimlerChrysler AG, said it will show concept versions of a mid-sized pickup and its Eclipse Concept-E car, at next month's auto show.
- AFP
Title : Mercedes-Benz hops on crossover bandwagon
By :
Date : 18 Dec 2003 1304 hrs (GMT)
DETROIT, United States : Mercedes Benz said it would launch a hybrid sport wagon in the United States in 2005, fielding a vehicle in one of the latest hot segments of the booming US auto market.
The German automaker plans to show a concept or prototype of the Grand Sport Tourer at next month's Detroit auto show, the premier showcase for new vehicles in North America.
The vehicle is loaded with many of the features associated with luxury automobiles: a retractable roof, flat-screen television screens integrated into seat backs, and massive 21-inch wheels.
But the powertrain will be extremely unconventional: a fuel-efficient diesel-electric hybrid engine mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission.
The 4.0-liter diesel engine is borrowed from Mercedes -Benz S-Class sedan and a 50-kilowatt electric motor is installed to assist propulsion.
The combination allows the powertrain to turn out 313 horsepower and 621 foot-pounds of torque and improve fuel economy by as much as 20 percent, according to the automaker.
The vehicle is designed to be "a touring car, station wagon, large-capacity vehicle and sport utility vehicle rolled into one," said Jùrgen Hubbert, head of the Mercedes Car Group, based in Stuttgart, Germany.
Like the Chrysler Group's Pacifica sport wagon, also built by Mercedes -Benz parent DaimlerChrysler Corp., the vehicle will be marketed as a so-called segment buster once it hits the market place.
The luxury automaker is hoping the vehicle will spawn a whole new line, expected to be called the R-Class.
"We believe that the concept offers enormous potential for the launch of a new Mercedes model family", said Hubbert.
The Tourer will be built at at Mercedes ' Tuscaloosa, Alabama, assembly plant alongside its M-Class sport-utility vehicles.
The Alabama plant is undergoing a 600-million-dollar expansion in order to build the vehicle and potential derivatives.
Separately, Mitsubishi, an affiliate of Mercedes -Benz parent company, DaimlerChrysler AG, said it will show concept versions of a mid-sized pickup and its Eclipse Concept-E car, at next month's auto show.
- AFP
