As announced in September, Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot officially enables autonomous driving at 95 km/h. It is the fastest certified SAE Level 3 autonomous driving system for production vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz cars have become the fastest cars in the world homologated with a level 3 autonomous driving system. “With the help of this system, our customers can use their time more efficiently. Mercedes-Benz is once again setting standards in the industry and is constantly paving the way for autonomous driving.” said Markus Schafer, member of the Board of Management of the Mercedes-Benz Group.
Drive Pilot is available as an option for the S-Class and EQS and costs 5,950 euros including tax. Cars equipped with the system will receive the upgrade for free via Over-the-Air Update or during a service visit. No hardware changes are required.
Mercedes’ autonomous system has a redundant architecture that includes electronics, steering and brakes. All key functions are secured in case of failure. If the driver does not take control for any reason, Drive Pilot will automatically stop the vehicle and activate the warning lights.
Christmas is approaching and Mercedes has decided to deliver the Holy Father a new Popemobile as a Christmas present. It is a unique car based on the G 580 with EQ technology.
The car is painted pearl white and Mercedes has made some modifications such as changing the rear end by removing the left rear door while keeping the right rear door. The door provides access to a raised platform, which contains a centrally placed seat that can be rotated and is height-adjustable, allowing the Pope to change position and address the audience from different angles. Behind the Pope’s seat are two more, as well as steps and a rear platform for bodyguards. There is also a solid roof available to protect the Holy Father during bad weather.
When it comes to the powertrain, the standard model is powered by a quad-motor with 587 hp (431 kW) and 857 lb-ft (1,163 Nm) of torque, which is enough to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 5 seconds with a speed of 180 km/h. It is equipped with a 116 kWh battery that gives the G-Class a range of 385 kilometers on a single charge.
“With the new Popemobile, Pope Francis is the first pope to be traveling in a fully electric Mercedes-Benz when making public appearances. This is a special honor for our company, and I would like to thank His Holiness for his trust. With this Popemobile, we are also sending out a clear call for electromobility and decarbonization. Mercedes-Benz not only stands for the special and individual – but also for consistently creating the conditions for a net-carbon-neutral new car fleet in 2039,” said Ola Källenius, chairman of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz.
For the 1954 F1 season, Mercedes-Benz produced a Formula One car, the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Stromlinienwagen. It won 9 of the 12 races entered and captured the only two world championships in which it competed. It is now for sale with an estimated value of over €50,000,000 EUR.
This car is one of only four known complete examples mounted with the exquisite factory-built enclosed-fender Stromlinienwagen coachwork at the conclusion of the 1955 Formula One season.
How did the story of this car begin? The FIA cancelled the 1952 and 1953 seasons due to a lack of credible competition, and new regulations were introduced for 1954. These regulations specified that normally aspirated engines could not exceed 2.5 liters, while naturally aspirated engines were limited to 750 cubic centimeters. This gave manufacturers the opportunity to produce new cars, which Mercedes-Benz took advantage of and created the best possible car.
They chose a truss-type narrow-diameter tubular space frame similar to the chassis of the W 194 300 SL, and equipped it with a front independent suspension via double wishbones, torsion springs and top-of-the-line hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers, and massive Alfin drum brakes.
When it came to the powertrain, several options were considered and a straight-eight configuration with 2,494 cubic centimeters (M196) was chosen. Since it was designed around a complex Hirth roller-bearing crankshaft, the engine was essentially two four-cylinder motors in unison, with two camshafts for each intake and exhaust. It was also equipped with dual ignition and dry sump lubrication, a revolutionary desmodromic valve gear instead of the standard valve springs, and Bosch high-pressure direct fuel injection that guaranteed a reliable and smooth application of power that initially amounted to 275 hp but was later raised to 290 hp.
Since the new formula specified so few limitations to coachwork, the open body in the shape of a W 196 R torpedo was chosen. Low and wide, its smoothly curved body featured a wide open-mouth grille, cooling vents on the rear shoulders, and character lines across the tops of the front wheel arches. This body, also known as Streamliner or Stromlinienwagen, was made in limited quantity by the racing department out of Elektron magnesium alloy, providing a shell even lighter than aluminum for a total weight of just over 88 pounds.
One of the greatest drivers of all time, Manuel Fangio, was an Alfa Romeo driver in the early 1950s and at the Swiss Grand Prix he achieved victory and the fastest lap. This did not go unnoticed by racing team manager Alfred Neubauer who offered Fangio a contract. However, the car was not finished in time for the start of the season and Fangio drove for the Maserati team. After two races, Fangio signed a contract with Mercedes-Benz.
At the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza circuit, Mercedes-Benz entered two Streamliners and one open-wheel car after testing showed that a body with closed fenders would be faster. Fangio in the Streamliner took first place while Herrmann in the open-wheel car took 4th place. However, a few weeks later at the Berlin Grand Prix, all three Streamliners driven by Kling, Fangio, and Herrmann finished on the podium. It was a demonstration of the power of Mercedes-Benz.
During the season, this car with chassis number 00009/54 was completed. It made its debut at the 1955 Buenos Aires Grand Prix, which was unusual in that it consisted of two separate heats of 30 laps each, with the winner determined by the fastest total aggregate time. This car was driven by Fangio, who finished 2nd in both races but won with an overall time of 2:23:18.9.
In 1955, Mercedes-Benz tested a new medium-wheelbase chassis that was being used in the Streamliner, but the car was found to be twitchy at high speeds, so drivers Fangio and Moss requested that cars be sent with the original long-wheelbase chassis. This car, chassis number 00009/54, was the aforementioned long-wheelbase Streamliner delivered to Moss on request.
At the end of the season, Fangio was champion and Moss finished second. In two seasons, the model won three championships in two different racing series, demonstrating Mercedes-Benz’s dominance in Formula 1 racing.
