News

Mercedes stops offering cars with manual transmission in Europe

May 28, 2022 M.K.

The news that the manual gearbox will become a thing of the past in Europe will surely sadden some Mercedes car enthusiasts. A spokesman for Mercedes confirmed this information to Automobilwoche, saying that the decision will be implemented gradually, which was hinted at two years ago, all with the aim of reducing costs.

“Given the development of electrification, we have noticed that demand is shifting to components of electric mobility, batteries and (partly) electric propulsion systems,” a Mercedes spokesman said.

Currently, Mercedes in Europe offers the A-Class, B-Class and CLA with manual transmission. The decision to withdraw cars with manual gearboxes from the offer in other parts of the world (such as the USA) was made a few years ago. Of course, all electric EQ cars have an automatic gearbox like most electric cars in the world. Also, more expensive AMG models traditionally come with automatic transmissions.

Mercedes has not said the exact deadline for the cessation of manual transmission offerings, but some (like the Stuttgarter Zeitung) believe this could happen in 2023. This could mean that the new A-Class will only be available with an automatic transmission, as will the new B-Class and CLA models.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

EV, News

Mercedes-Benz EQA more spacious and luxurious

May 28, 2022 M.K.

German company Mercedes-Benz plans to develop a platform for small electric cars by 2025, which would provide a direct replacement for the hatchback A-Class and other electric vehicles in that class, and their currently smallest model Mercedes-Benz EQA crossover is electric a version of the GLA model with which it shares a platform.

It is one of four electric cars alongside the existing EQB, EQC and EQV, which uses a modified version of the existing platform designed for internal combustion engines. In this way, Mercedes will be competitive primarily with the Volkswagen ID.3 model, both in terms of passenger space and range with a single battery charge. The battery will be slightly smaller compared to other models, but it will still provide a range of quite a decent 425 km (264 miles). All thanks to a greater focus on weight reduction as well as improvements in aerodynamics.

Due to the absence of a central ridge and a thin battery, the new EQA will provide passengers with a more spacious and airy, but also more luxurious interior compared to entry-level models. Also, the car will be closer to the ground and thus avoid the crossover feature.

Source: Autocar

News

Aston Martin Bulldog

May 27, 2022 M.K.

The DeLoreana DMC-12 became planetarily popular thanks to the movie “Back to the Future.” But another car was an alternative to the DeLorean and was to appear as a vehicle that Marty McFly and Emmett Brown would use in the film. It’s an Aston Martin Bulldog.

The Aston Martin Bulldog was created 43 years ago and fits perfectly into current concepts. The car has been completely restored and was presented at this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este exhibition where it won the Coppa d’Oro award. The most attention was drawn to the massive gullwing door, while its interior is adorned with brown leather and a new digital cluster.

The 1979 model is powered by a 5.3L twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 600 hp (441 kW) and 500 lb-ft (678 Nm) of torque. At one time it was one of the fastest production cars in the world. Reaches 62 mph in 4.1 seconds with a top speed of 162 mph (261 km / h), although the fastest speed the car was recorded doing 191 mph (307 km / h) during a test run at the Motor Industry Research Association track in late 1979.