Plus: more powertrains on offer for the new A, including that scorching AMG version

Mercedes will launch eight cars off the new-generation A-Class. But the CEO Dieter Zetsche says none of them will be smaller than the A. There will be no Mini rival from Stuttgart.

What are the cars? Well, the new A-Class itself, recently revealed and soon on sale. Then, says Zetsche, “we will further expand the SUVs. We need something more SUV than the GLA.” He’s talking about a boxy vehicle that’s been seen testing in disguise. It has the outline of a mini G-Wagen. It will, sources say, be called GLB and will have three rows of seats.

“The new BMW X2 is basically like the [current] GLA,” Zetsche observes wryly. “And you will see a new GLA. As in other segments we’ll have two interpretations. So the GLA will be more in the SUV direction, and that will expand our scope. It gives us the possibility of doing something between the A-Class and the GLA.” So, three crossovers: GLA Coupe, GLA and GLB.

“There will be a three-box [saloon], mostly for the USA and Asia,” he says. That’s been previewed by the Concept A Sedan at the Shanghai show last year. We understand there will also be a LWB version of that Sedan especially for China.

Don’t confuse the A saloon with the CLA – that one has done well for Mercedes in the US and will be replaced. But a new CLA Shooting Brake isn’t likely. The CLS Shooting Brake has also died, remember.

So: a hatch, three four-doors, three SUVs. And finally, a replacement for the B-Class MPV. That’s your eight.

There will also be more powertrains. These include petrol and diesel – Zetsche makes bold claims for the cleanliness of the new diesels – and of course a scorching AMG version. There’s also going to be a plug-in hybrid, sources say, which is why there’s a compact new torsion-beam suspension for the A-Class, to make space for the battery (at launch it’s fitted to a few low-powered petrol and diesel versions, while higher performance and AWD cars get multi-link).

Since you mention BMW, I ask Zetsche, why not do a smaller car off your FWD platform. Why no rival to the Mini hatch? “That’s not a place for us to go. Not for our image, or for the bottom line. We won’t just chase sales numbers without profit.”

He says the outgoing A-Class has been great for both those things. “It has made the Mercedes brand younger and cooler. And it has sold 25 per cent more than the equivalent BMW and Audi, and made a significant contribution [to profits].”

The original little upright A-Class sold well enough but was mostly bought by older people. “It was a burden on the brand.” With the current one, “average age of buyers went down by ten years. That’s huge. And a high proportion are women.” He adds that most buyers were conquested from other brands, and yet then they have stayed with Mercedes, a high proportion then trading up into other even more profitable Mercedes’ such as a C-Class or GLC.

AMG Speedway opens up not in Stuttgart, but on the outskirts of Gangnam

This is a peek at the world’s first AMG-branded circuit. Called the AMG Speedway, it’s on the outskirts of the Gangnam region of Seoul. Yep, South Korea’s never far from the news, even when we’re talking about German performance cars.

There’s logic, of course; Mercedes says South Korea is a big market for AMG, making somewhere to host driving experiences, dealer events and suchlike makes a lot of sense. Merc’s performance offshoot set a sales record in 2017.

Rather than build a new circuit, though, AMG has adapted an old one. A very old one in South Korean terms: despite opening in 1995, Everland Speedway is described as the country’s longest-serving permanent track, though it had a Hermann Tilke redesign in 2011 and now measures 2.7 miles and has 17 turns.

Quite how quickly the Mercedes-AMG Project One hypercar (pictured, right) will make its way through those 17 turns hasn’t yet been divulged. Oh, and if you’ve made it all the way though without Gangnam Style getting stuck in your head, you’re doing a lot better than us.

Daimler unveils electric eCascadia semi truck to compete with Tesla Semi, launches electric truck group
Daimler, one of the world’s largest truck maker, has been feeling the pressure from Tesla’s electric truck – going as far as saying that they have “passed them by” if the claims Tesla is making about its electric semi truck are true.

Now the German truck manufacturer is answering back with the launch of its own electric truck group along with the unveiling of two more electric trucks, including an electric version of their Cascadia to compete with Tesla Semi.

Daimler had already unveiled the FUSO eCanter program, a small electric truck meant for urban routes with a range of only 100 kilometers (62 miles) and a load capacity up to three and a half tons, and a bigger all-electric eTruck, which has a 26 ton capacity, a massive 212 kWh battery pack, and ~125 miles of range.

Both vehicles weren’t really a competition for Tesla’s electric truck, which is a class 8 with 80,000-lb capacity and a range of up to 500 miles on a single charge.

Now the company is launching a new unit called E-Mobility Group to consolidates its electric truck efforts.

Martin Daum, head of Trucks and Buses at Daimler and the same man who said that ‘Tesla Semi defies laws of physics and is passing us by if true‘, commented on the launch:

The new group will develop electric powertrains for electric trucks and buses made by Daimler’s many truck and bus companies.

With the launch of the group, Freightliner, Daimler’s main truck company, is unveiling the eCascadia (center in picture above), a class 8 truck with a range of up to 250 miles, according to the company:

They plan to deliver the first ~30 units of these two trucks to customers in North America by the end of the year.

​​​​​​If childhood memories are to be trusted, it used to seem that a man’s free time was entirely spent performing “tasks” around the home. Even bookish accountant types were capable of building an extension from scratch on a Saturday morning, before replumbing the bath and then having a bonfire. No wonder they all drove estates, carried a haunted look and demanded possession of their own chair in the living room.

For our generation, of course, weekends are now spent making shakshuka, queueing at the fishmonger’s, doing a HIIT class, catching up on emails, driving to soft play, playing Fifa and deciding whether or not to post a picture of a tree on Instagram. It’s no surprise that we are supposed to have lost the ability to do tasks. There’s hardly any time. The most “handy” we get is watering the herbs, rebooting the Wi-Fi when it freezes and occasionally buying an HDMI cable on Amazon.


There comes a point, though, when the urge to reclaim the skills of your father reaches critical mass. When you tire of being ineffectual and want to draw a clear line in the sand. If indeed you owned the tools to draw such a line. Or knew where to buy a bag of sand. I thought of all this when I took possession of the new Mercedes-Benz X-Class. Here is a car that could carry that sand in bagfuls. Billed as a premium pick-up, it’s a machine that does not like messing about and expects the same commitment from you. In black with a chrome grille and sculpted bonnet, it waited patiently on the street to be put to use. Handsome, robust, purposeful.

I waited too, possibly slightly intimidated and worrying about imposter syndrome. But seeing it parked outside began to elicit strange urges to get all my windows replaced, start a weekend food truck or head off into the wilderness for some al fresco camping.

The X-Class is also the only pick-up around that hits the “luxury” mark. On the face of it, a luxurious take on a car designed to be strong and practical might seem a clash but once you climb into the cabin it makes sense. Leather and chrome frame the well-designed dash, which features all the tech you’d expect from a high-specced SUV. It’s roomy, too, front and back, with an all-round chunkiness you want and expect on a car like this. To the rear is its chief asset, a massive load bay, almost 1.6m long and 1.6m wide. Brilliant for carrying a tonne of stuff (in this case literally true). Not as great for parallel parking outside the Co-op, admittedly.


With the engine surging, my arm out of the window and the satnav programmed for a timber yard, I couldn’t help picturing the opening credits of The Sopranos as I powered through the streets of East Dulwich.

Thanks to a range-topping engine in the new V6 X350d, this beast can move — hitting 62mph in just 7.9 seconds. Given its size, the throttle is immediate and handling surprisingly agile, making for fast and fun progress around town. The permanent four-wheel drive system takes a lot of credit, too; handling most surfaces and weather systems you can throw at it. Comfort, Eco and Sport modes can be selected depending on how much you are enjoying cruising past those annoyances you used to know as “cars”. The obvious question is how much do you need a pick-up? The X-Class is predominantly pitched at the small-business and artisan market, which also benefits from some pretty enticing tax breaks, but the private pick-up market is growing globally, especially at the top end.

Spend a week with one and you start to realise this could actually be the much cooler alternative to a family estate or SUV. Everyone’s got an SUV, after all, and the estate car, despite a low-key renaissance of late, can still carry the mild aroma of a human male who has given in and given up. The X-Class, on the other hand, has the sweet scent of getting shit done. Opening up the load bay in full view of your neighbours is quite a feeling. In just a few days I had been catapulted into the category of “handy” and didn’t even feel like a fraud.

If you’ve ever heard of the “act as if” technique in Neuro-Linguistic Programming you’ll understand the power in pretending you are competent at something you are not. Yes, it is basically lying to yourself but apparently it can work. As I parked my X-Class outside for the last time, my week of acting “as if” I deserved an X-Class was over, now it was up to me. Like an automotive life coach, this pick-up had at least sparked an idea of what I could one day become.

We spoke with AMG head Tobias Moers at the New York Auto Show, and he has us quite excited for the upcoming Mercedes-AMG A 45 and its derivatives. First off, he confirmed that it will produce about 420 horsepower, with the number varying depending on U.S. and European units of power. The number had been rumored earlier, but this is our first official confirmation.

This powerhouse of an engine will be bolted up to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, rather than the seven-speed unit used in the A 35 and CLA 35. Additionally, Moers said the all-wheel-drive system is different to the 35 series of cars, though he didn't say specifically how. He also said the all-wheel-drive system "doesn't know what understeer means," obviously highlighting that it won't feel like a front-drive or front-drive-based car. That's been partly hinted at in the teaser videos of the car's drift mode.

Fortunately, we don't have long to wait for the ultimate Mercedes compact, as Moers said the car will launch this year. He confirmed that there will be A 45 hatchback, CLA 45 sedan and GLA 45crossover variants. He wouldn't confirm whether there would be an A 45 sedan version, though. Regardless of body style, we're excited for this mad Merc.

He confirmed that there will be A 45 hatchback, CLA 45 sedan and GLA 45
crossover variants. He wouldn't confirm whether there would be an A 45 sedan version, though.

Even the AMG GT will move to an AWD layout.

It was last week when Mercedes-AMG boss Tobias Moers confirmed every new model of the company from 2021 will be electrified. In addition, all next-generation AMGs will feature an all-wheel-drive layout because that’s what customers are asking for.In a recent interview to Autocar, Moers confirmed pure RWD cars are no longer the primary choice for clients and it makes no sense to invest money in developing such vehicles. “Customers have given us the answer, and most want four-wheel drive,” he told the British publication. “Back in the days when we had an AMG E-Class as rear-wheel drive and with four-wheel drive as an option, over 90 percent chose 4WD. In the new E63 with drift mode, you have a real rear-wheel-drive car but with four-wheel drive also.”
And, yes – if you are going to ask about the AMG GT flagship supercar of the division, it’s also taking the same path for the next-generation model. That’s because customers in this niche segment also ask about all-wheel drive.

“When I ask customers about the GT, they ask me about all-wheel drive,” Moers explained. “Regarding our competition, this is the downside of the AMG in terms of usability. People in Munich, for example, always, always ask for four-wheel drive – I think it’s for safety and stability.”

Moers also reaffirmed the V12 engines will very soon be a thing of the past for Mercedes-AMG. The last 12-cylinder model from the brand is the S65 Final Edition and Moers said that even the V8 is in trouble for some of the smaller AMG-branded cars, like the C63.

“We’re still responsible for V12s – maybe Maybach is going to use them in the next-generation S-Class, but not AMG. Having a high-powered competitive V12 would be a new engine, and in the new times there is no room to do that.”

AMG has announced the world's most powerful four-cylinder engine in a series production model. The engine is the M 139 Mercedes-AMG 2.0L, and it will come in two output versions. One will be fitted into the Mercedes-AMGcars and is the S version making 416 horsepower and 369 pound-foot of torque. That gives it a specific output of 208.9 hp per liter.

Mercedes-AMG will use the engine in a wide range of models, and they will all make their way to the United States meaning we will get to partake in this powerful four-banger. The engine will also be used in a lesser trim models where it will produce 382 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque. The new engine will be used in the A45, CLA45, GLA45, and the GLB45.

The engine is assembled by hand by a single technician using Industry 4.0 methods. AMG says that the process it uses gives maximum flexibility, is transparent, and highly efficient. AMG says that it created "ideal working conditions" in a bright, precisely organized, and clean environment for its employees.

The engine is designed so that the turbocharger and exhaust manifold are positioned at the rear on the side of the firewall when viewed from behind. That places the intake at the front allowing for the flattest and most aerodynamic front section design. Mercedes-AMG says that the new arrangement allows for improved air ducting with shorter distances and fewer divisions on the intake and exhaust side.

The turbo used is a twinscroll unit with responsiveness at low engine speeds with high power in the upper rpm range. The engine is designed to allow for higher torque at lower engine speeds. The shafts of the compressor and turbine have roller bearings for the first time that reduce mechanical friction. The turbo has a maximum speed of 169,000 rpm; the boost pressure is 2.1 bar or about 31.5 psi, the base version uses 1.9 bar of boost.

We're definitely eager to see this new engine -- especially its high-performance variant -- in action on the race track. With over 400 horsepower on tap, the engine is more powerful than many twin-turbocharged V6 engine currently on the market.

Mercedes product development isn't limited to internal combustion engines; the company recently started EQC production. This vehicle is an electric crossover with 400hp that has been designed to fight the Tesla Model X.

Those who believe a true Mercedes-AMG machine should exclusively be rear-wheel-drive, look away now. According to anonymous sources speaking to Top Gear, the next-generation C63 will get Drift Mode-enabled all-wheel-drive, just like its E63 big brother. It'll very likely mark the end of AMG's rear-wheel-drive, tire-shredding super sedans.

(Mercedes aficionados will point out, however, that the S65, which is still very much a Mercedes sedan and undeniably super, is still offered with RWD. But that's a $230,000 limousine that's likely on its way out and not really a sports sedan in the same sense the C63 and its competitors are.)

Given where the German super sedan genre has been headed in recent years, we can't say this news is all that surprising. Along with the aforementioned E63, even the BMW M5 has gone part-time RWD with AWD being the default. According to a previous rumor, the next M3 will apparently also be available in an xDrive AWD model with a pure RWD version being offered alongside it. Audi, meanwhile, has specialized in Quattro AWD for decades and is probably twiddling its thumbs smugly right now, watching everybody else play catch-up

The report goes on to say the next C63 will be out in 2021 and keep the current car's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8. Power will likely increase with the S model predicted to put out 542 horsepower, up from the 503 present in today's model. In AWD mode, zero to 62 miles per hour will probably take around three seconds.

We've reached out to Mercedes for comment and will update this story when we hear back.

Sometime soon, whether you slip into your new Mercedes-AMG or spot one cruising past, it may sound a bit different – at least from the outside. Thanks to new European regulations, exhaust notes are getting quieter, and not even AMG’s burly performance cars, nor its competitors, can avoid them. And that involves AMG cars outside Europe, too.

In an interview with Motoring, Bastian Bogenschutz, Mercedes-AMG’s head of product planning for compact cars, told the publication all markets are affected by Europe’s legislative changes. It’s too expensive to design specific exhausts for each individual market. That includes the U.S., which means AMG’s other means of auditory delivery will have to suffice. The regulations are also getting more stringent about every two years, which further complicates the problem.

Two of the first vehicles these new regulations are quieting is the 2020 Mercedes-AMG A 45 S and 2020 Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 S, which also happen to pack what Mercedes calls the world’s most powerful four-cylinder engine. European regulators don’t want you to hear it. However, thanks to technology, and the dissatisfaction of some, AMG is countering the new regulations by enhancing the in-cabin exhaust note. The company added the AMG pure performance sound, which takes the real exhaust sound and moves it inside.

In-car audio systems mimicking exhaust and engine noises aren’t new, as are other creative ways to enhance the driving experience. And it’s not an ideal solution either, but it’s better than nothing. While European regulations will quiet future AMG vehicles, the robust aftermarket scene should provide plenty of solutions to rectify the quietness. Sound is a visceral part of the driving experience, and nothing beats a series of loud pops, burbles, and wails from the a stellar exhaust system. But times are changing, which means there are new regulations automakers have to follow.

Mercedes-Benz apparently has more plans for the AMG A45's powerful four-cylinder turbocharged M139 engine.

The 2.0-liter unit is billed as the most powerful production four-cylinder ever, delivering 421 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque in the CLA 45 S.


Speaking toPaultan.org, AMG head Tobias Moers said the company designed the engine to deliver enough power for a wide range of configurations, "not necessarily east-west applications," seemingly confirming plans to use it in a longitudinal format for rear-wheel-drive models.


The AMG division earlier this year announced that all models will eventually be available with plug-in hybrid powertrains. The 2.0-liter engine could help offset the weight penalty associated with electric motors and batteries.


The company could also use the downsized powerplant with its 48-volt mild hybrid technology. A 48V starter/generator contributes 21 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque in the new GLE 53 crossover. A similar EQ Boost setup with the M139 could theoretically deliver a combined output of more than 440 horses and 550 pound-feet of torque.


Moers did not hint at which particular rear-wheel-drive models might receive the M139 engine, though the company will presumably debut new hybrids at a steady pace in the coming years.

Spy photos of the Mercedes-Benz EQS flagship EV were captured this week. The images are a reminder that Daimler is moving step by step toward an entire electric lineup — while the EV world fixates on the glittering Cybertruck. The Mercedes EQS large sedan (and EQC crossover before it) are paving the way to models that roughly line up against the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

The all-electric Mercedes EQS slots in size between an E-Class and S-Class. So the EQS theoretically competes against the Tesla Model S, which is dwindling in importance. But the Tesla model that’s eating everybody’s lunch in the US luxury car market is the Model 3.

The next wave of electric crossovers is unlikely to slow down the Model 3’s domination. Bloomberg reported last month:
In the US, Tesla’s sedan has taken over the luxury class, outselling the category-defining BMW 3 Series and Mercedes Benz C-Class combined. And it’s doing so at a higher price: The average Model 3 goes for around $50,000, which is more than any of the top 10 vehicles that buyers traded in from other brands, according to responses to Bloomberg’s Model 3 owners survey. No other sedan in America is generating more revenue.
Meanwhile, the Tesla Model 3 is beating out less costly EVs available across the globe, as seen by this chart from our friends at CleanTechnica:

The $67,900 Mercedes-Benz EQC SUV will arrive by mid-2020. Then the EQS full-size sedan arrives. Only then will the battle lines be drawn.

At that point, we’ll know better if Tesla will own the luxury EV market for many years to come — or if the likes of Mercedes-Benz will begin to even out the electric-car market between Tesla and legacy automakers.

Carscoops’ new spy shots revealed the EQS in production rather than concept form. Its instrumentation mimics the next-generation S-Class. Combine Mercedes’ top-notch interior appointments and build quality with a driving range around 300 miles. Two variants promise a choice between a base model granting 400 horsepower and an AMG version boosting the powertrain to 600 hp. But the EQS electric sedan is in a low-volume category of expensive limousines.

You can imagine that the EQS was probably first planned in response to the Model S. Since then, the EV market took a giant turn with the Model 3. Keep in mind that the EQS will be followed in the next year or two by the EQA hatch, EQB SUV, EQE sedan, and a full-size EQG 4×4.


Mercedes-Benz QA concept



The low-slung EQA hatch is the closest thing (although obviously not an exact match) to the Model 3 sedan in the Mercedes electric lineup. It will probably offer multiple battery-pack options, the largest of which could have about 250 miles on a charge.

So the importance of any news about the much larger EQS is how it reveals that Mercedes-Benz is getting warmed up with EVs. Daimler needs to move fast, produce in high volumes, and offer headline-grabbing price points. Or it could be too late to catch up to Tesla.

As we noted about the EQC, new lookalike electric crossovers from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes don’t get much love. Not when the Cybertruck dominates the conversation. Tesla masterfully owns the EV zeitgeist, making it similarly difficult for the EQS flagship to make even a small splash.

But let’s keep our eye on Mercedes, especially if it can execute on one vehicle after the next until it has an entire showroom full of luxury EVs.

Electrek’s Take

Car companies are competitive. They don’t let the competition take away sales without putting up a fight. Daimler is investing $11.8 billion in the brand’s electric fleet and $1.2 billion in battery production.

The Model 3 has a massive lead. The Model Y could also be a hit. But Mercedes appears to be clawing its way into the EV market with an electric crossover followed by a powerful, long-range flagship sedan. Then the EQA arrives as a litmus test to see if luxury buyers might see the EQA and EQB as a worthwhile alternative to the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y. It might be tough, considering the advantage represented by the Supercharger network.

Nonetheless, the EQ brand, and to a lesser extent BMW and Audi electrics, are the only thing standing in the way of Tesla’s long-term dominance in the luxury market.

Mercedes-Benz could ditch all leather thanks to Lewis Hamilton.

The vegan Formula One driver has said that he will speak to his Mercedes team about making cars with animal-free interiors. He added that he wants to aim for more sustainability, in general, in Formula One.

“I am trying to push for sustainability with my team,” Hamilton told Options, a Malaysian lifestyle publication. “I am trying to get more involved in Formula 1 and be more conscious."

“Mercedes-Benz is a huge organisation,” Hamilton continued. “I have got a phone call with the CEO later today to discuss how we can work on getting rid of all the leather supplied to the cars. That is something I want to be involved in.”

Formula One has a significant carbon footprint, which contributes to climate change. But Hamilton has pledged to go carbon neutral by the end of the year. He has also committed to flying less.

The athlete is an outspoken vegan advocate and regularly broaches subjects such as animal rights and environmentalism on social media.

In 2018, Hamilton co-produced the vegan documentary “The Game Changers.” The film explores the myth that animal protein is necessary for high-performance athletes; something that Hamilton has spoken about from his own experience.

Hamilton says that making positive changes to Formula One are important. He told Options: “I want to be part of a system that is going to help heal the world and do something positive for the future."

Hamilton isn’t alone in his pursuit of vegan car options. Consumer demand for vegan car interiors is growing and many car companies have already moved toward more sustainable vehicles. Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 electric cars are both set to be fully vegan by 2020, and Volvo’s new electric “Polestar 2” is 100 percent vegan.

Even Teslaratti — Tesla’s own news and reviews site — has praised Volvo’s Polestar 2. The publication adds that when automotive companies support each other’s electric vehicles they can help transform the market.

Earlier this year, Nissan revealed a potential future design for an electric car and featuring a vegan leather interior. Other brands working with vegan materials include Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Porsche, and even Bentley.