Could a baby SLS be in Mercedes-Benz’s future? According to Autocar, the answer is yes.
The British publication claims a senior official at Mercedes-Benz says the company is developing a second sports car, sharing the SLS’ image but on a smaller scale.
“The second model will project a similarly exclusive image,” the source said, “but will be more accessible in terms of its pricing.”
Mercedes-Benz design chief Gordon Wagener told the magazine the new car -- possibly named SSK -- will look much more modern than the current SLS, and will likely come in both coupe and soft-top roadster forms. Sadly, don’t look for the gullwing doors on the hardtop model. To save costs, the car may use conventional hinged doors.
Autocar also claims the SSK could use a new 5.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 that is currently being developed for the next-generation CLS55 AMG. The new engine is rumored to produce close to 500 hp, and will likely be mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle lifted from the SLS.
If the car green is approved for production, expect the SSK to reach dealerships in 2013, slotting in just above the SLK55 AMG. Pricing should be comparable to a Porsche 911, and slightly below that of the Audi R8.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Audi's performance S4 drops its V-8 for 2010
You don't see this very often: a car company dropping a V-8 engine from a performance car and replacing it with a V-6. But German automaker Audi does it in its 2010 S4 compact sedan.
The move not only creates a more fuel-efficient vehicle during these times of concern for the environment and oil supplies. It keeps performance because the 3-liter, double overhead cam V-6 is supercharged, has direct injection and 333 horsepower. This is just seven horses shy of the 340 horses in the V-8-powered predecessor S4.
The change for 2010 also allows a lower S4 retail price — all the way to $46,725, including manufacturer's suggested retail price and destination charge. At that price point, buyers get a base model with six-speed manual transmission, standard all-wheel drive, sport suspension, sunroof, leather seats, three-zone climate control and Xenon headlights.
The price is an attractive midway point for buyers of compact, luxury sedans who want a sporty edge.
A BMW 335i sedan with twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine had a starting retail price of $41,125 for the 2009 model year and produced 300 horsepower. A 2010 BMW M3 with 414-horsepower V-8 starts at $56,975.
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz C350 with 268-horsepower V-6 starts at $40,625, while a 451-horsepower 2010 Mercedes C36 AMG starts at $58,225.
The latest S4 is the performance version of Audi's best-selling sedan, the A4, and it also serves as an entry sporty sedan for the brand. So it's best that it's not too far out of reach, financially, for upwardly mobile buyers.
Company officials have said that the old S4 — offered as a convertible as well as sedan in the past — accounted for just 5 percent to 6 percent of U.S. sales of the A4 line. They're hoping for more like 15 percent for the lower-priced S4, which is available in 2010 as a sedan only.
If the test vehicle, in bright red paint and mostly black interior, was any indication, buyers will get a car that has personality galore. It was spirited, right out of the garage and down the driveway. A little nudge of the accelerator while I was in first gear pushed my head back into the head restraint.
Yes, that's healthy torque that peaks at 325 foot-pounds at 2,900 rpm.
With six-speed manual transmission, I roared past other cars on the highway and moved around double-parked cars in the city without effort. In fact, Audi said its tests show the V-6 S4 goes from standstill to 62 miles an hour in 5.1 seconds, which is 0.1 second faster than the heavier S4 with V-8.
Yet, when I wanted a more leisurely ride, I upshifted and let the S4 move at a sedate pace without fuss.
Fuel economy is up some 25 percent in the new sedan, thanks to an engine with two fewer cylinders than the V-8.
The tester, for example, was rated at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. I was lucky to get 20 mpg in the test drive because it was so easy to tap that low-end power.
The ride was firm, to be sure, and I felt vibrations of road bumps nearly all the time.
But there wasn't harshness, save for the time I went a bit too fast over a speed bump. Then I sort of shook in the seat as I noticed just how tightly the suspension managed the car's mass.
A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that can be operated like an automatic also is available. But I liked the control and feel of the S4's manual gearshifter. It wasn't too notchy and it was easy to find the gear I was looking for.
Road noise was noticeable, thanks in part to the 18-inch high performance tires. But the same tires had great grip in the curves and during turns. Even at decent speeds, the S4 clung to the pavement and maintained its traction and poise.
Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system helped, too. In normal driving, the system maintains a slightly rear-drive bias by sending 60 percent of the engine power to the rear wheels. Then, as road conditions and driver inputs change, the system can adjust the power between the front and rear wheels to help maintain traction.
The S4 is a tidy package, weighing less than 3,900 pounds with the manual transmission.
As a compact sedan, it doesn't have the roomiest of back seats. I found the back seat legroom of 35.2 inches to be adequate, but not great, and three adults would sit closely.
But the optional black Napa leather on the seats in the test car had an upscale feel and tasteful red accents here and there.
The optional Bang & olufsen audio system was awesome in producing clear tunes. At the end of one work day, I sat in the car in the garage just so I'd hear a song all the way to the end.
Impressively, the S4 earns across-the-board five stars from the federal government in frontal and side crash testing, and there's a long list of standard safety equipment. This includes curtain air bags, traction control, electronic stability control and enhanced brakes to help stop this powerful car.
As for the loss of the V-8, company officials note an eight-cylinder engine is available in the larger Audi S5 for 2010, so V-8 aficionados can move over to that model.
The move not only creates a more fuel-efficient vehicle during these times of concern for the environment and oil supplies. It keeps performance because the 3-liter, double overhead cam V-6 is supercharged, has direct injection and 333 horsepower. This is just seven horses shy of the 340 horses in the V-8-powered predecessor S4.
The change for 2010 also allows a lower S4 retail price — all the way to $46,725, including manufacturer's suggested retail price and destination charge. At that price point, buyers get a base model with six-speed manual transmission, standard all-wheel drive, sport suspension, sunroof, leather seats, three-zone climate control and Xenon headlights.
The price is an attractive midway point for buyers of compact, luxury sedans who want a sporty edge.
A BMW 335i sedan with twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine had a starting retail price of $41,125 for the 2009 model year and produced 300 horsepower. A 2010 BMW M3 with 414-horsepower V-8 starts at $56,975.
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz C350 with 268-horsepower V-6 starts at $40,625, while a 451-horsepower 2010 Mercedes C36 AMG starts at $58,225.
The latest S4 is the performance version of Audi's best-selling sedan, the A4, and it also serves as an entry sporty sedan for the brand. So it's best that it's not too far out of reach, financially, for upwardly mobile buyers.
Company officials have said that the old S4 — offered as a convertible as well as sedan in the past — accounted for just 5 percent to 6 percent of U.S. sales of the A4 line. They're hoping for more like 15 percent for the lower-priced S4, which is available in 2010 as a sedan only.
If the test vehicle, in bright red paint and mostly black interior, was any indication, buyers will get a car that has personality galore. It was spirited, right out of the garage and down the driveway. A little nudge of the accelerator while I was in first gear pushed my head back into the head restraint.
Yes, that's healthy torque that peaks at 325 foot-pounds at 2,900 rpm.
With six-speed manual transmission, I roared past other cars on the highway and moved around double-parked cars in the city without effort. In fact, Audi said its tests show the V-6 S4 goes from standstill to 62 miles an hour in 5.1 seconds, which is 0.1 second faster than the heavier S4 with V-8.
Yet, when I wanted a more leisurely ride, I upshifted and let the S4 move at a sedate pace without fuss.
Fuel economy is up some 25 percent in the new sedan, thanks to an engine with two fewer cylinders than the V-8.
The tester, for example, was rated at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. I was lucky to get 20 mpg in the test drive because it was so easy to tap that low-end power.
The ride was firm, to be sure, and I felt vibrations of road bumps nearly all the time.
But there wasn't harshness, save for the time I went a bit too fast over a speed bump. Then I sort of shook in the seat as I noticed just how tightly the suspension managed the car's mass.
A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that can be operated like an automatic also is available. But I liked the control and feel of the S4's manual gearshifter. It wasn't too notchy and it was easy to find the gear I was looking for.
Road noise was noticeable, thanks in part to the 18-inch high performance tires. But the same tires had great grip in the curves and during turns. Even at decent speeds, the S4 clung to the pavement and maintained its traction and poise.
Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system helped, too. In normal driving, the system maintains a slightly rear-drive bias by sending 60 percent of the engine power to the rear wheels. Then, as road conditions and driver inputs change, the system can adjust the power between the front and rear wheels to help maintain traction.
The S4 is a tidy package, weighing less than 3,900 pounds with the manual transmission.
As a compact sedan, it doesn't have the roomiest of back seats. I found the back seat legroom of 35.2 inches to be adequate, but not great, and three adults would sit closely.
But the optional black Napa leather on the seats in the test car had an upscale feel and tasteful red accents here and there.
The optional Bang & olufsen audio system was awesome in producing clear tunes. At the end of one work day, I sat in the car in the garage just so I'd hear a song all the way to the end.
Impressively, the S4 earns across-the-board five stars from the federal government in frontal and side crash testing, and there's a long list of standard safety equipment. This includes curtain air bags, traction control, electronic stability control and enhanced brakes to help stop this powerful car.
As for the loss of the V-8, company officials note an eight-cylinder engine is available in the larger Audi S5 for 2010, so V-8 aficionados can move over to that model.
Audi's performance S4 drops its V-8 for 2010
You don't see this very often: a car company dropping a V-8 engine from a performance car and replacing it with a V-6. But German automaker Audi does it in its 2010 S4 compact sedan.
The move not only creates a more fuel-efficient vehicle during these times of concern for the environment and oil supplies. It keeps performance because the 3-liter, double overhead cam V-6 is supercharged, has direct injection and 333 horsepower. This is just seven horses shy of the 340 horses in the V-8-powered predecessor S4.
The change for 2010 also allows a lower S4 retail price — all the way to $46,725, including manufacturer's suggested retail price and destination charge. At that price point, buyers get a base model with six-speed manual transmission, standard all-wheel drive, sport suspension, sunroof, leather seats, three-zone climate control and Xenon headlights.
The price is an attractive midway point for buyers of compact, luxury sedans who want a sporty edge.
A BMW 335i sedan with twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine had a starting retail price of $41,125 for the 2009 model year and produced 300 horsepower. A 2010 BMW M3 with 414-horsepower V-8 starts at $56,975.
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz C350 with 268-horsepower V-6 starts at $40,625, while a 451-horsepower 2010 Mercedes C36 AMG starts at $58,225.
The latest S4 is the performance version of Audi's best-selling sedan, the A4, and it also serves as an entry sporty sedan for the brand. So it's best that it's not too far out of reach, financially, for upwardly mobile buyers.
Company officials have said that the old S4 — offered as a convertible as well as sedan in the past — accounted for just 5 percent to 6 percent of U.S. sales of the A4 line. They're hoping for more like 15 percent for the lower-priced S4, which is available in 2010 as a sedan only.
If the test vehicle, in bright red paint and mostly black interior, was any indication, buyers will get a car that has personality galore. It was spirited, right out of the garage and down the driveway. A little nudge of the accelerator while I was in first gear pushed my head back into the head restraint.
Yes, that's healthy torque that peaks at 325 foot-pounds at 2,900 rpm.
With six-speed manual transmission, I roared past other cars on the highway and moved around double-parked cars in the city without effort. In fact, Audi said its tests show the V-6 S4 goes from standstill to 62 miles an hour in 5.1 seconds, which is 0.1 second faster than the heavier S4 with V-8.
Yet, when I wanted a more leisurely ride, I upshifted and let the S4 move at a sedate pace without fuss.
Fuel economy is up some 25 percent in the new sedan, thanks to an engine with two fewer cylinders than the V-8.
The tester, for example, was rated at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. I was lucky to get 20 mpg in the test drive because it was so easy to tap that low-end power.
The ride was firm, to be sure, and I felt vibrations of road bumps nearly all the time.
But there wasn't harshness, save for the time I went a bit too fast over a speed bump. Then I sort of shook in the seat as I noticed just how tightly the suspension managed the car's mass.
A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that can be operated like an automatic also is available. But I liked the control and feel of the S4's manual gearshifter. It wasn't too notchy and it was easy to find the gear I was looking for.
Road noise was noticeable, thanks in part to the 18-inch high performance tires. But the same tires had great grip in the curves and during turns. Even at decent speeds, the S4 clung to the pavement and maintained its traction and poise.
Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system helped, too. In normal driving, the system maintains a slightly rear-drive bias by sending 60 percent of the engine power to the rear wheels. Then, as road conditions and driver inputs change, the system can adjust the power between the front and rear wheels to help maintain traction.
The S4 is a tidy package, weighing less than 3,900 pounds with the manual transmission.
As a compact sedan, it doesn't have the roomiest of back seats. I found the back seat legroom of 35.2 inches to be adequate, but not great, and three adults would sit closely.
But the optional black Napa leather on the seats in the test car had an upscale feel and tasteful red accents here and there.
The optional Bang & olufsen audio system was awesome in producing clear tunes. At the end of one work day, I sat in the car in the garage just so I'd hear a song all the way to the end.
Impressively, the S4 earns across-the-board five stars from the federal government in frontal and side crash testing, and there's a long list of standard safety equipment. This includes curtain air bags, traction control, electronic stability control and enhanced brakes to help stop this powerful car.
As for the loss of the V-8, company officials note an eight-cylinder engine is available in the larger Audi S5 for 2010, so V-8 aficionados can move over to that model.
The move not only creates a more fuel-efficient vehicle during these times of concern for the environment and oil supplies. It keeps performance because the 3-liter, double overhead cam V-6 is supercharged, has direct injection and 333 horsepower. This is just seven horses shy of the 340 horses in the V-8-powered predecessor S4.
The change for 2010 also allows a lower S4 retail price — all the way to $46,725, including manufacturer's suggested retail price and destination charge. At that price point, buyers get a base model with six-speed manual transmission, standard all-wheel drive, sport suspension, sunroof, leather seats, three-zone climate control and Xenon headlights.
The price is an attractive midway point for buyers of compact, luxury sedans who want a sporty edge.
A BMW 335i sedan with twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine had a starting retail price of $41,125 for the 2009 model year and produced 300 horsepower. A 2010 BMW M3 with 414-horsepower V-8 starts at $56,975.
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz C350 with 268-horsepower V-6 starts at $40,625, while a 451-horsepower 2010 Mercedes C36 AMG starts at $58,225.
The latest S4 is the performance version of Audi's best-selling sedan, the A4, and it also serves as an entry sporty sedan for the brand. So it's best that it's not too far out of reach, financially, for upwardly mobile buyers.
Company officials have said that the old S4 — offered as a convertible as well as sedan in the past — accounted for just 5 percent to 6 percent of U.S. sales of the A4 line. They're hoping for more like 15 percent for the lower-priced S4, which is available in 2010 as a sedan only.
If the test vehicle, in bright red paint and mostly black interior, was any indication, buyers will get a car that has personality galore. It was spirited, right out of the garage and down the driveway. A little nudge of the accelerator while I was in first gear pushed my head back into the head restraint.
Yes, that's healthy torque that peaks at 325 foot-pounds at 2,900 rpm.
With six-speed manual transmission, I roared past other cars on the highway and moved around double-parked cars in the city without effort. In fact, Audi said its tests show the V-6 S4 goes from standstill to 62 miles an hour in 5.1 seconds, which is 0.1 second faster than the heavier S4 with V-8.
Yet, when I wanted a more leisurely ride, I upshifted and let the S4 move at a sedate pace without fuss.
Fuel economy is up some 25 percent in the new sedan, thanks to an engine with two fewer cylinders than the V-8.
The tester, for example, was rated at 18 miles per gallon in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. I was lucky to get 20 mpg in the test drive because it was so easy to tap that low-end power.
The ride was firm, to be sure, and I felt vibrations of road bumps nearly all the time.
But there wasn't harshness, save for the time I went a bit too fast over a speed bump. Then I sort of shook in the seat as I noticed just how tightly the suspension managed the car's mass.
A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that can be operated like an automatic also is available. But I liked the control and feel of the S4's manual gearshifter. It wasn't too notchy and it was easy to find the gear I was looking for.
Road noise was noticeable, thanks in part to the 18-inch high performance tires. But the same tires had great grip in the curves and during turns. Even at decent speeds, the S4 clung to the pavement and maintained its traction and poise.
Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system helped, too. In normal driving, the system maintains a slightly rear-drive bias by sending 60 percent of the engine power to the rear wheels. Then, as road conditions and driver inputs change, the system can adjust the power between the front and rear wheels to help maintain traction.
The S4 is a tidy package, weighing less than 3,900 pounds with the manual transmission.
As a compact sedan, it doesn't have the roomiest of back seats. I found the back seat legroom of 35.2 inches to be adequate, but not great, and three adults would sit closely.
But the optional black Napa leather on the seats in the test car had an upscale feel and tasteful red accents here and there.
The optional Bang & olufsen audio system was awesome in producing clear tunes. At the end of one work day, I sat in the car in the garage just so I'd hear a song all the way to the end.
Impressively, the S4 earns across-the-board five stars from the federal government in frontal and side crash testing, and there's a long list of standard safety equipment. This includes curtain air bags, traction control, electronic stability control and enhanced brakes to help stop this powerful car.
As for the loss of the V-8, company officials note an eight-cylinder engine is available in the larger Audi S5 for 2010, so V-8 aficionados can move over to that model.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
McLaren Mercedes ‘722 Edition’ SLR Revealed
The new Mercedes-Benz SLR “722 Edition” has all the attributes of a thoroughbred racing car. Refined in numerous respects, this super sports car has more output, a tailor-made suspension configuration and a decidedly sporty interior.
A continuing tradition: the new model variant SLR “722 Edition” is a homage by Mercedes-Benz to the unforgettable victory won by the British racing legend Stirling Moss and his co-driver Denis Jenkinson in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR with the starting number 722 (indicating a start time of 7.22 a.m.) at the Mille Miglia in 1955. With an output of 478 kW/650 hp and a corresponding performance, the new super sports car, which goes on sale on July 11, will not only make the hearts of car enthusiasts beat faster.
The supercharged 5.5-litre V8 engine in the “722 Edition”, which is hand-built in the AMG engine shop in Affalterbach, generates 478 kW/650 hp. The particular strengths of this high-performance engine are immediate response to movements of the accelerator, highly emphatic torque build-up and an unmistakable V8 sound. The performance figures are outstanding even for a high-end sports car: the “722 Edition” accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h in only 3.6 seconds, and 200 km/h is reached in just 10.2 seconds. The maximum speed (337 km/h) is above the 334 km/h previously achieved by the SLR.
Handling characteristics worthy of the racetrack are also provided by the sophisticated suspension, with 19-inch light-alloy wheels, a stiffer damper configuration and a ten-millimetre-lower body. Larger brake discs with a diameter of 390 mm ensure excellent braking performance.
Discreet visual modifications mark the SLR “722 Edition” out as special, in line with the wishes of the enthusiastic gentleman drivers and wealthy sports car collectors who make up the core target group.
The modified front spoiler with an air splitter, as well as the rear diffuser, improve both the aerodynamics and contact pressure at high speeds, and reflect the transfer of cutting-edge technology from motor racing. At the same time, the use of clear-lacquered carbon as an extremely strong yet lightweight material symbolises the practicality of these technical features. Bucket-type sports seats upholstered in leather/Alcantara provide outstanding lateral support, while the grippier racing steering wheel with a hunting-leather lining, gearshift paddles and black carbon highlights lend a thoroughbred racing touch to the interior.
Exclusive “SLR. Club” for SLR owners
Before the sales release date, customers and selected guests will have the advance opportunity to appraise the new SLR “722 Edition”. This is to mark the foundation of the worldwide “SLR Club” at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, southern France. As an ultra-exclusive community of which SLR customers automatically become members, the “SLR Club” provides an attractive platform for outstanding events related to the SLR, as well as numerous other benefits. Another exciting feature is the club’s SLR Safety & Speed Academy, which offers special driver training courses and seminars. David Coulthard, Jochen Mass, Klaus Ludwig, Chris Goodwin and Christina Surer are among the highly skilled and well-known instructors.
We wonder what the competition would have thought, if Stirling Moss had rolled up in one, all those years ago.
A continuing tradition: the new model variant SLR “722 Edition” is a homage by Mercedes-Benz to the unforgettable victory won by the British racing legend Stirling Moss and his co-driver Denis Jenkinson in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR with the starting number 722 (indicating a start time of 7.22 a.m.) at the Mille Miglia in 1955. With an output of 478 kW/650 hp and a corresponding performance, the new super sports car, which goes on sale on July 11, will not only make the hearts of car enthusiasts beat faster.
The supercharged 5.5-litre V8 engine in the “722 Edition”, which is hand-built in the AMG engine shop in Affalterbach, generates 478 kW/650 hp. The particular strengths of this high-performance engine are immediate response to movements of the accelerator, highly emphatic torque build-up and an unmistakable V8 sound. The performance figures are outstanding even for a high-end sports car: the “722 Edition” accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h in only 3.6 seconds, and 200 km/h is reached in just 10.2 seconds. The maximum speed (337 km/h) is above the 334 km/h previously achieved by the SLR.
Handling characteristics worthy of the racetrack are also provided by the sophisticated suspension, with 19-inch light-alloy wheels, a stiffer damper configuration and a ten-millimetre-lower body. Larger brake discs with a diameter of 390 mm ensure excellent braking performance.
Discreet visual modifications mark the SLR “722 Edition” out as special, in line with the wishes of the enthusiastic gentleman drivers and wealthy sports car collectors who make up the core target group.
The modified front spoiler with an air splitter, as well as the rear diffuser, improve both the aerodynamics and contact pressure at high speeds, and reflect the transfer of cutting-edge technology from motor racing. At the same time, the use of clear-lacquered carbon as an extremely strong yet lightweight material symbolises the practicality of these technical features. Bucket-type sports seats upholstered in leather/Alcantara provide outstanding lateral support, while the grippier racing steering wheel with a hunting-leather lining, gearshift paddles and black carbon highlights lend a thoroughbred racing touch to the interior.
Exclusive “SLR. Club” for SLR owners
Before the sales release date, customers and selected guests will have the advance opportunity to appraise the new SLR “722 Edition”. This is to mark the foundation of the worldwide “SLR Club” at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, southern France. As an ultra-exclusive community of which SLR customers automatically become members, the “SLR Club” provides an attractive platform for outstanding events related to the SLR, as well as numerous other benefits. Another exciting feature is the club’s SLR Safety & Speed Academy, which offers special driver training courses and seminars. David Coulthard, Jochen Mass, Klaus Ludwig, Chris Goodwin and Christina Surer are among the highly skilled and well-known instructors.
We wonder what the competition would have thought, if Stirling Moss had rolled up in one, all those years ago.
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