All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

The last produced Mercedes E 500 is the star of the show

In the pantheon of stealth performance sedans, few loom as large as the Mercedes-Benz E500—a car that perfected the art of looking like a company car while moving like something far more sinister. Now, one of the most pristine survivors has resurfaced, taking center stage at Mercedes-Benz’s “Youngtimer” exhibition in Stuttgart. And this one hasn’t just aged gracefully—it’s practically frozen in time, showing a scarcely believable 422 kilometers on the odometer.

This particular example represents the final chapter of one of the most fascinating collaborations in German performance lore: the unlikely but brilliant partnership between Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Long before AMG became the in-house powerhouse we know today, Mercedes needed a rapid response to the second-generation BMW M5 (E34). The solution? Outsource the muscle—and some of the magic—to Stuttgart’s other sports-car icon.

The story reads like an automotive relay race. Standard W124 bodies began life at Mercedes before being shipped across town to Porsche’s Zuffenhausen facility. There, technicians widened the fenders by hand, reinforced the chassis, and reworked the suspension to handle what was coming next. The reason for the detour wasn’t romantic—it was practical. Mercedes’ Sindelfingen plant simply didn’t have the space to perform the modifications on its own assembly lines. So the shells traveled back to Mercedes for paint, then returned yet again to Porsche for final assembly. It was a logistical ballet that took 18 days to complete a single car.

What justified the effort sat under the hood: Mercedes’ 5.0-liter naturally aspirated M119 V8, massaged with Porsche’s input and good for 320 horsepower and 470 Nm of torque. Power flowed through a four-speed automatic to the rear wheels, launching the discreet sedan from 0–100 km/h in 6.1 seconds—serious speed for the early ’90s—and on to an electronically limited 250 km/h. Not bad for something that looked ready to pick up groceries.

The result was the ultimate “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Aside from subtly flared arches and a slightly more purposeful stance, the 500 E—later renamed E500—blended seamlessly into traffic. But those who knew, knew. And those who didn’t were left staring at taillights.

Production ran from 1991 to spring 1995, yielding just 10,479 examples. Today, even well-kept cars command around €60,000, but a virtually untouched final-year example like this? That’s more museum artifact than used car. It’s a reminder of a time when two rival German giants joined forces to build a super sedan the hard way—by hand, across town, and with just enough subtlety to keep things interesting.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

CONCEPT CARS

Tesla TIME Concept: When the Journey Becomes the Destination

While Elon Musk obsesses over production ramps, software stacks, and autonomy milestones, a team of transport-design students from the Istituto Europeo di Design in Turin decided to tackle a different question: What happens to the car when nobody needs to drive anymore? Their answer arrives in the form of the TIME concept—a rolling living space that reframes mobility as downtime, workspace, and lounge all rolled into one.

The exterior doesn’t shout; it barely whispers. Gone are the creases, fake vents, and aggression that dominate today’s concept-car arms race. Instead, the TIME reads as a single, uninterrupted volume—a monolithic capsule where roof, glass, and tail melt into one continuous gesture. Even the wheels appear swallowed by the form, tucked neatly into the silhouette to improve aero efficiency and underline the idea that speed isn’t the headline here. Serenity is.

Lighting follows the same philosophy. Thin geometric strips at the front and rear sit nearly invisible when powered down, refusing the theatrical LED signatures that modern cars use as visual megaphones. It’s design that doesn’t try to prove anything—because in a fully autonomous future, the stopwatch loses relevance.

A Cabin Built for Autonomy

Step inside, and the TIME flips its personality. The restrained exterior gives way to something closer to a modern coworking lounge than a vehicle interior. Warm tones, soft textures, and flexible seating create a space meant for living rather than operating. Passengers can reconfigure the layout to work, relax, read, or simply do nothing at all—arguably the most radical feature in a productivity-obsessed world.

Technology is present but politely steps into the background. There are no oversized, dashboard-dominating displays screaming for attention. Interfaces remain hidden until needed, emerging seamlessly from surfaces. It’s the automotive equivalent of quiet luxury—comfort first, spectacle last.

More Than a Design Exercise

This isn’t just a digital fantasy. A full-scale model of the Tesla TIME concept is currently displayed at Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile (MAUTO), showcasing the entire design journey—from early sketches to the finished prototype. The exhibit highlights how the project evolved not just as styling, but as a broader rethink of mobility itself.

The TIME concept positions the car as infrastructure rather than machine—a space that integrates into daily life instead of interrupting it. In this vision, commuting becomes flexible time, road trips become retreats, and mobility becomes less about getting somewhere and more about what you do along the way.

It’s a bold idea, and maybe an optimistic one. But if autonomy really does arrive in the way Tesla and others promise, the TIME concept suggests that the biggest transformation won’t be under the hood—it’ll be inside the cabin, where the steering wheel disappears and the road finally gives your time back.

Source: Automotive News

News

Geely Builds a European Brain: New Tech Hub Aims to Shrink the China-to-Showroom Gap

Global expansion in the auto industry usually means more factories, more dealers, and more marketing muscle. But Geely is betting that brains—not bricks—are what it needs most right now. The Chinese automaker has merged its engineering operations in Sweden and Germany into a single entity called Geely Technology Europe, and the goal is simple: build cars for the world from day one, not retrofit them later.

This new hub consolidates research and development talent across the continent, effectively turning Europe into a central node in Geely’s global engineering network. The move builds on a foundation laid back in 2013, when the company partnered with Volvo to establish an R&D foothold in Gothenburg. What started as a collaborative engineering outpost has now evolved into a full-blown European brain trust—one designed to accelerate model launches and harmonize development across markets.

Geely Technology Europe won’t operate in isolation. Instead, it will function as a bridge between European expertise and the company’s main development center in China. The idea is to create vehicle platforms that meet global standards right out of the gate, rather than undergoing lengthy—and costly—regional adaptations later. That’s a subtle shift in strategy, but it has major implications for how quickly new models can travel from Chinese unveilings to international showrooms.

According to CEO Giovanni Lanfranchi, Europe isn’t just another market—it’s the benchmark. By creating what he calls a “borderless” R&D structure, Geely aims not only to meet regulatory and technical standards, but to help define them. That’s particularly important for the group’s expanding portfolio of brands, including premium EV players and globally minded sub-brands that need credibility in demanding Western markets.

One of the clearest performance targets underscores the urgency. Historically, Geely vehicles introduced in China could take years to reach overseas customers, slowed by certification requirements and technical tweaks. The new engineering setup is designed to slash that delay to less than six months. If achieved, it would dramatically compress development timelines and allow Geely to compete more directly with established global automakers.

The work ahead focuses on three core pillars: shared global architectures, market-specific product optimization, and AI-driven digital systems. That last category includes smart cockpit technologies and advanced driver-assistance features—areas where software development speed increasingly defines competitiveness. The recent certification of the company’s G-ASD driver assistance system for European use signals that Geely is already pushing forward on this front.

Meanwhile, the company’s broader ambitions extend beyond Europe. A massive new safety testing center in Hangzhou Bay—scheduled to open in late 2025—will feed data and development into the global pipeline. Built with lessons learned from Volvo’s safety heritage, the facility highlights Geely’s intent to compete not just on volume, but on engineering credibility.

Put it all together, and Geely Technology Europe looks less like a regional office and more like a strategic nerve center. If it succeeds, future Geely products may arrive in international markets faster, smarter, and more tailored from the outset. And in an industry where timing is everything, shaving years down to months could be the difference between chasing trends and setting them.

Source: Geely