Future Cars: Next Mercedes C-Class Sedan Refines the Breed

Mercedes-Benz's C-Class has been rather successful for the Stuttgart manufacturer. Starting out in 1993 as the smallest car in the German-based carmaker's portfolio, it exhibited handsome styling and competent dynamics that made for a true gentlemen's express in comparison to the more handling-focused BMW 3-Series of the same era. These days, models like the A and B-Class sit at the smallest end of the scale, leaving the current W204 C-Class as a true well-rounded luxury mid-sizer.

The current W204 is arguably my most favorite C-Class to date - especially the autobahn-storming AMG C63 and C63 'Black' coupe. As with most products these days, there is a consumer-driven need to update, replace and chuck out of the old; however, not to worry - an all new C-Class is waiting in the wings. 

Illustrated to be as close as possible to the real thing, we've decided to beat the official reveal and offer glimpse of Mercedes-Benz's mid-size future contender. First things first: no, it's not the latest S-Class, although it does vaguely resemble one after going through the dryer. This trend of subtle automotive massaging is nothing new - Porsche have been doing it for years, as have Audi and BMW in recent times. Nevertheless, this upcoming sedan is one rather handsomely proportioned vehicle.

Starting with the rounded E-Class-inspired radiator sports grille and moving to the creases leading down from the outer-edges of the LED headlights; it's all very tense but fluid at the same time. This surface tension flows from the long, purposeful hood to a side character line that starts at the front, sweeping down over the rear quarters. Standstill dynamism is accentuated with the convex-concave side panel pressings that add elegance, yet complement its staunch athletic character.

Above the sculptured C-Channel, the roofline looks very similar to that of the current car, yet has been rounded 'here and there' to gel with the all-new bodywork. Out back, the taillights now move slightly outwards, separating them from the trunk shut-line in a similar fashion to that of the latest S-Class.

Under the svelte attire is an all-new interior that looks to be a substantial change from its predecessor. Borrowing heavily from the new Mercedes A-Class hatch and GLA crossover, it employs a dashboard that is much more rounded and visually interesting. Protruding air-vents are now round in profile, whilst a large infotainment screen dominates at eye-level. Expect a plethora of gadgets and driving assist programs to filter down from the S-Class, making for a much-improved driving affair - while passengers will appreciate the additional rear legroom.

Helping gain this extra back-seat real estate is the MRA (Mercedes Rear Wheel Architecture) flexible platform, which is expected to assits the C-Class grow to up to 100mm in length. As with the latest crop of modular platforms, the aim is not only for reducing costs, but for also reducing weight - which is said to be up to 150 lbs in the upcoming model.    

Driving the new architecture is an expected inventory of engines ranging from 1.6 and 2.0-litre fours, 2.2-litre CDI four-cylinder diesel and a range-topping 3.0-litre V6 (until the brutish AMG versions land). Petrol and Diesel Hybrid variants are also said to be in the works. Making the most out of the frugal new power-plants will be either be the current 7G-tronic or an upcoming nine-speed automatic transmission, feeding power to the correct end of the car - that being the rear (although AWD is will be offered too).

Expect Mercedes-Benz to officially reveal the car early next year at the 2014 Detroit International Motor Show. Other variants will include a Wagon, Coupe and Convertible; to go all-out against firm opposition from Audi, BMW, Lexus and something new that Jaguar will to bring on the table.

Certainly exciting times ahead for all of us with petrol running through our veins - let the mid-size luxury battle ensue! What are your thoughts: has Mercedes-Benz played it too safe, or have they hit the nail on the proverbial head? Tell us what your reactions are below the jump.

By Josh Byrnes

Photo Renderings Copyright: Carscoops / Josh Byrnes

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Jay Leno Gets Some Wheel Time in the New Porsche 918 Spyder

Jay Leno seems to love and be into everything automotive-related – he always judges each vehicle he tries out realistically and has pertinent yet balanced questions to ask. That’s important as a general rule of conduit, but it’s an especially good tactic when talking about a very complicated modern hybrid supercar, like the Porsche 918 Spyder, with the head of the project, Frank Walliser.

The 918 is a car that demands many questions to know and understand what it is that you are driving. It’s not a simple vehicle, but those behind it say it has been created to offer as seamless and organic an experience as possible, which is something technically-feasible, but just requires a lot of fine tuning and fiddling.

BMW seems to be on the right path with i8, according to initial reviews like the one from to EVO's Harry Metcalfe who recently drove a pre-production variant, so we expect Porsche to deliver too, albeit at a different level of performance.

Aside from merely working well as a car, the 918 also needs to perform adequately, and a comparison test with either the LaFerrari or McLaren P1 will be a piece well worth waiting for.

By Andrei Nedelea

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Cadillac Plans Slew of New Models, Including Three SUVs by 2016

Cadillac, like any other self-respecting manufacturer of premium automobiles knows that crossovers and SUVs are the key nowadays, and according to a Reuters report, the Detroit luxury brand is looking to add three of them to their range, by 2017.

One will be a replacement for the current SRX, which will come one year earlier, in 2016, and will then be followed by the two other models, a bigger and a smaller one.

GM’s luxury division will try to claw back home market share from the Germans, with an approach similar to theirs, according to unnamed sources, though no specifics were given. That means an emphasis on having more desirable crossovers, but also correlating their arrival with a much-improved range of sedans, which will be crowned by a new model, called the LTS, due in 2015 (though we had information suggesting it may not happen, in fact).

The latter will get a rear-wheel drive platform, probably from the soon to be launched all-new CTS, but will be bigger and more luxurious, to compete with the BMW 7-Series and the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class – a tall order.

The Cadillac lineup will be rounded off with a coupe version of the ATS (due in 2015), the range-extender ELR coupe (scheduled for later this year) and a redesigned Escalade which arrives next spring.

By Andrei Nedelea

Renderings Copyright: Carscoops

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Mercedes-Benz Showcases Sprinter Caravan Concept in Düsseldorf

Mercedes-Benz will be presenting a concept for a Sprinter-based camper van at Europe’s leading trade show for recreational vehicles, the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf Germany (August 31-September 8).

Shown alongside production camper vans of all sizes, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Caravan Concept is a fully functional cut-away model of a new high-roof Sprinter, fully converted into a camper van.

The right-hand side of the vehicle is completely open from the middle of the front passenger door to the rear axle, in order to allow visitors to see the living area. This includes the front seats that are turned around, a side-facing bench seat (which can be pulled out to form a double bed), a kitchen to the left of the opening and a bathroom with integrated wardrobe fitted in transverse position in the rear.

The study includes furniture featuring a hard-wearing HPL coating in high-gloss white, grey laminate flooring and seats featuring white genuine automobile leather from Mercedes-Benz. The side walls and ceiling are covered in Alcantara and feature LED lighting.

The Sprinter camper van concept features a new tenorite grey metallic paint finish. Mercedes-Benz did not say if the Sprinter Caravan concept previews a production model, but judging from the study’s looks one could say a production version is not that far away.

By Dan Mihalascu

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Chris Harris Finds the BMW Alpina B3 Biturbo the Perfect Everyday M3 Alternative

Many consider the understated BMW Alpina B3 Biturbo the discreet man’s M3, and the comparison certainly makes sense when numbers are taken into account. Its twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six engine develops 404hp (410PS) and 600 Nm (442 lb-ft) of torque, allowing for a top speed of 190 mph (306 km/h) and a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint of 4.2 seconds.

As BMW Alpinas are very fast cars built for the road, how they ride an important factor. Chris Harris found the car’s suspension well sorted for UK’s bumpy roads, but couldn’t help noticing that an additional setting between Comfort and Sport would have made the car ride even better (that or dropping the adjustable dampers altogether).

However, it’s on the motorway where the B3 shows its full potential – which is normal since it’s a car made for the unrestricted Autobahn. Harris, who loved the engine’s response and sound, as well as the optional rear-locking differential that he put to the test on the track, rates the powertrain as superb.

The diff helps making the Alpina B3 very easy to drift, while the well-balanced chassis makes drifts very controllable. You didn’t think Harris would review a high-performance RWD BMW without some drifting, did you?

By Dan Mihalascu

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German Sports Car Manufacturer Gumpert is Insolvent…Again

According to German news sources, including T-online and Otz, local sports car manufacturer Gumpert, makers of the Apollo, has gone under. The information comes not very long (at all) after another fairly-renowned maker of sporty cars from the country, albeit with a different flavor, Wiesmann, also announced its insolvency. Artega is another name that closed its doors last year.

This is not the first time Gumpert, a company started back in 2004 by an ex-Audi manager, has faced financial turmoil, as just last year, they declared insolvency, but quickly found a willing investor who promised to buy the company. However, that very investor bailed on them, and now they’re back in the same difficult position they were in before.

I think Gumpert’s problem was the very Apollo it tried to sell in so many different power and trim variants. It was a purposeful looking car, designed pretty much exclusively for track use, yet it was never pretty nor was its interior as good as some of that you see in other similar exotics. The fact is that there are more people willing to buy a flashier and less potent model than a full-bore racing car for the road, which the Apollo seems to me like it really tried to be.

By Andrei Nedelea

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Chris Bangle Says Current Car Design is Stuck, Lacks Innovation

Chris Bangle is perhaps the best-known and most influential car designer of the 21st century and this is no doubt due to the radical transformation of BMW’s design language that took place under his leadership in the 2000s. Although he quit BMW and auto design altogether in 2009 to set up his own independent design studio in Turin, Italy, his voice is still an important one in the industry.

So what is Bangle’s opinion about current automotive design? Well, let’s just say his words are not very flattering for designers and automakers alike. In an interview with Automotive News Europe, the Ohio-born designer says the auto industry’s inability to look at itself objectively is stifling progress.

According to Bangle, car designers are stuck in a phase he describes as “mannerism”, as they rely on much the same approaches and elements that they have in the past.

“There is a real need for a change and that's just not happening,” Bangle said, adding that many designers talk about innovation, but nobody is really doing it. “Even concept cars today simply anticipate the next production model coming down the line. Is this innovation? No. And at the end of the day this is what's preventing car design from moving into a new era,” the designer said.

In the interview, Bangle also reveals he has had offers to head design at some automakers, but has refused every one of them. “Designing cars consumes you; it has a hold on your spirit which is incredibly powerful. It's not something you can do part time, you have do it with all your heart and soul or you're going to get it wrong,” he explained.

As for the time spent at BMW, Bangle says he loved working for the Bavarian automaker, but that “you have to know when to leave the party.”

By Dan Mihalascu

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A British Road-Rage Tale of Two Foul-Mouth Peckers [Positively NSFW]

Welcome to another wild episode of road-rage videos. You've seen plenty here on Carscoops, from hot-headed lawyers and Marine sergeants in the U.S., to the usual crazy stuff from Russia and even from the UK and Australia, but something tells us that you have never seen an incident like the one posted below the jump.

Yes, there's a big surprise involved, but we won't be the ones to spoil it for you. That said, we kindly ask our readers to do the same and avoid spilling the beans in the comments…

Here's the YouTube description about this road-rage incident that involves a motorcyclist and a VW Golf owner:

"Crumble heads out to do a quick walk round of his new Tiger 800 and some dickhead in a VW Golf decides to try and get up in his grill. This video contains a lot of swearing and some violence. If this is going to offend you, please watch something else..."

Please note that this video will also widely expand your cursing vocabulary, so keep that in mind if you decide to watch it…

VIDEO

Land Rover Takes its Prototype Hybrids on 16,000km Silk Trail Expedition

Three Range Rover Hybrid prototypes have embarked on an epic “Silk Trail 2013” expedition that will take them from Solihull, UK, to Mumbai, India. Over the course of 53 days, the vehicles will tackle a marathon 9,950 miles (16,000 km) endurance drive that will see them crossing 12 countries before reaching their final destination.

The expedition is part of Range Rover Hybrid’s final testing phase before the model arrives in Land Rover dealerships. The three prototypes have already covered 1,885 miles (3,034 km) since leaving Solihull on August 22 and are expected to arrive in Mumbai, India, on October 15.

Divided into 10 stages, the Silk Trail expedition is scheduled to visit France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Nepal and India. The Range Rover Hybrids are being driven by teams of Land Rover development engineers and journalists from 10 countries in Europe and other nations along the route.

"A stunning combination of mountain passes, arid desert, high altitude, chaotic city streets, heat, humidity and wilderness will provide the perfect testing ground for our first hybrid," said John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Director.

The Range Rover Hybrid and Range Rover Sport Hybrid go on sale across Europe on September 10, with deliveries beginning in early 2014. Their hybrid powertrain combines the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 engine with a 35kW (47hp) and 170 Nm (125 lb-ft) electric motor, for a total output of 335hp and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque. For distances of up to 1 mile (1.6 km), the electric motor can propel the car on its own at speeds of up to 48 km/h (30 mph).

The Range Rover Hybrid averages 44.1 mpg UK (36.7 mpg US or 6.4 l/100km) and accelerates from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 7 seconds. Top speed is rated at 218 km/h (135 mph). 

By Dan Mihalascu

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BMW Files Patents for New M4 Coupe

The word "concept" often loses its meaning when it comes to the auto industry these days, as many carmakers choose to use the label on upcoming models with few, if any noteworthy changes, over their production counterparts, none more so than BMW…

Earlier this month, the Bavarian carmaker with the blue and white propeller logo presented the Concept M4 Coupe at California's Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as a precursor to the production M4 Coupe.

Well, they could have fooled us because with the possible, but not certain, exception of some carbon fiber elements on the aprons and rear diffuser, it looks exactly like how we expect the production M4 to look like when it arrives in showrooms next year.

Which brings us to these drawings that BMW filed with the European patent office this month. Putting aside the absence of alloy wheels, we can't see any other difference with the concept, and given what we said before, possibly with the production car as well.

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