At the ongoing Paris Motor Show 2018, Mercedes-Benz revealed the 2019 B-Class, new GLE, updated A-Class and also showcased the EQC and Silver Arrow among others.
The new B-Class, with a wheelbase of 2,729mm, shorter overhangs and lowered roofline has a sporty appeal. It also gets a new 2-litre diesel engine, codenamed OM 654q, apart from four other engine options. The engine develops 187.4bhp and 400Nm and it is paired to an 8-speed dual clutch transmission. The engine features aluminium block, steel pistons and the cylinder liners are coated using Nanoslide process to reduce friction. The OM 654q meets Euro VI standards. The 2019 B-Class has a Cd of 0.24 as compared to its predecessor which has a Cd of 0.25. The 2019 B-Class also gets LED headlights, LED DRLs and optional Multibeam LED headlamps.
In the new B-Class, the driver sits 90mm higher than in the A-Class, says the company. On the inside, you get ambient lighting with 64 different colours, centre console with touch-based control and input system similar to the E-Class. You also get a big wide screen display in three different screen size options – two 7-inch displays, one 7-inch and one 10.25-inch display and in the widescreen version, with two 10.25-inch displays. HUD is available as option. The seat climate control and seat massage are available as optional extras. The interior of the B-Class is elegant with many luxury elements and tech goodies.
Safety features that make their way into the new B-Class from the S-Class include lane change assist, active distance assist and emergency stop assist as a part of the Driving Assistance Package. For the first time, the new B-Class is semi-autonomous and can anticipate traffic conditions up to 500 metres with the help of radar and camera systems. The driver and front passenger get three-point seat belts with pyrotechnic belt tensioners and belt force limitation. Deliveries of the new B-Class will commence early next year for international markets. For India, the company has not announced anything yet.
The Silver Arrow was first unveiled at the Pebble Beach Automotive Car Week last month and it pays tribute to the record breaking W125 cars from the late 1930s. EQ is the company’s technology wing responsible for making Mercedes-Benz EVs.
The Mercedes-Benz EQC was revealed last month and it is the first of the EQC models that will be launched worldwide in 2019. The design marks a departure from the current family design. The front fascia sports a single perspex headlight and grille treatment which will follow for the upcoming EQ models as well. A full-width LED DRL is also a first. The all-electric SUV is powered by two electric motors – one mounted on each axle. The motors make 402bhp and 764.7Nm of peak torque. The Mercedes-Benz EQC will lock horns against the recently unveiled Audi e-tron, Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model-X. The 2,425kg EV SUV accelerates from naught to 100kmph in 5.1 seconds.
The new GLE now gets a 48V active suspension system which is a first for a Mercedes-Benz. Another first for the SUV is the optional third row seating. The new GLE is built on the company’s MHA (Modular High Architecture) which allows for higher ground clearance. The SUV boasts more interior space than the outgoing model and legroom in the second row has increased by 69mm. On the inside, you get two 12.3-inch digital displays as standard and a large touchpad replaces the rotary dial in the centre console. There are two engine options for the GLE – 6-cylinder petrol and 4-cylinder diesel. Both engines will come paired to a 9-speed automatic transmission. A coupe and an AMG variant are also expected to follow at a later stage. As far as the Indian market is concerned, the GLE will be launched here sometime next year.
Here is the full text of the press release from Mercedes-Benz:
Mercedes-Benz is presenting no fewer than five new vehicles to global audiences at the 2018 Mondial de l’Auto Paris. It started on the eve of the show with the new GLE. The premium SUV is packed with innovations and exudes a luxuriously elegant aesthetic paired with sturdy progressiveness. One particular highlight was the new battery-electric Mercedes-Benz EQC (electricity consumption combined: 22.2 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km, preliminary figures)1, which celebrated its show premiere in Paris following its world premiere in Stockholm at the beginning of September and symbolises the start of a new era of mobility at Daimler.
Also celebrating its world premiere was the new B-Class, which offers a completely new customer experience with functions previously reserved for the luxury class. Offering the perfect entry into the World of Driving Performance are the new Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC (fuel consumption combined 7.4-7.3 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined 169-167 g/ km)2 and the Mercedes-AMG GT 43 4MATIC+ 4-Door Coupé (fuel consumption combined: 9.4-9.1 l/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 215-209 g/ km)2, both of which were unveiled for the first time in Paris. The inventor of the automobile provided an insight into the future of electric mobility with two show cars, the smart forease and Vision EQ Silver Arrow.
The EQC is the first vehicle presented by Mercedes-Benz under the EQ brand. Both outside and in, the EQC embodies the design language of progressive luxury. It is equipped with a completely new drive system which comprises a compact electric driveline (eEDL) at each axle front and rear, giving the EQC all-wheel-drive handling characteristics. Also onboard is the groundbreaking MBUX multimedia system – Mercedes-Benz User Experience – enhanced with a wide range of EQ-specific content such as the display showing range, charge status and energy flow. EQ-optimised navigation, driving programmes, charging current and departure time can also be controlled and set using MBUX. With Mercedes me, EQ offers comprehensive services and makes electric mobility comfortable, convenient and usable on an everyday basis.
“98.3 percent of customers in the European Union decided against buying an all-electric vehicle in the second quarter of this year,” says Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. “With the EQC we now have an all-new electric Mercedes that is a true alternative to a combustion-engine powered Mercedes. So, our customers get a fair choice when deciding which option best suits their everyday mobility needs.”
The new B-Class – the perfect vehicle for the whole family
The new Mercedes-Benz B-Class empahsises the sport in the sports tourer. It has a more dynamic look than its predecessor, is more agile and offers greater comfort at the same time. Its avant-garde interior delivers an unparalleled level of spaciousness and features a dashboard with its own unique, distinctive design. One special aspect is a basic volume that drops towards the occupants and is cut out around the driver and front-seat passenger. The MBUX is capable of learning and has a groundbreaking and intuitive user interface. Thanks to modern driver assistance systems, the B-Class offers one of the highest levels of active safety in the segment complete with S-Class functionality. Plus, the interior is now more spacious and the engines cleaner and more efficient. The eight-speed dual-clutch transmission celebrates its world premiere.
Also new is the ENERGIZING COACH included in the ENERGIZING packages. This function, based on an intelligent algorithm, recommends one of the programmes depending on the situation and the individual. If a compatible wearable is worn, personal values such as stress level or quality of sleep optimise the accuracy of the recommendation. The aim is for the driver and passengers to feel well and relaxed even during demanding or monotonous journeys.
“The new B-Class features better all-around vision, more elbow and head room and optimized boot usability, among many other things,” says Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales. “Its fresh and sporty design also ensures the best aerodynamics in its segment and the active safety systems are at S-Class level.”
Modern luxury on and off the road – the new GLE
The newest member of the Mercedes-Benz SUV family celebrated its world premiere on the eve of the show. With a cd of 0.29, the new GLE is not only best-in-class, it also boasts innovations such as the E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL. The fully networked, 48-volt, hydro-pneumatic, active suspension is available for the first time in combination with the new air suspension. Another highlight of the premium SUV is the further-developed driver assistance systems. With Active Tailback Assist, the GLE can identify traffic jams ahead of time, provide the driver with active support in stop-and-go traffic up to around 60 km/h and even help make way for emergency vehicles. Should oncoming traffic present a risk of collision when turning across the road, Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function slows the vehicle down at typical turning speeds.
The GLE is now also even better than ever for off-road driving. Fully variable all-wheel drive (Torque on Demand TonD) is available for the first time for vehicles with six- and eight-cylinder engines as well as the plug-in hybrid. It adjusts the torque distribution between the front and rear axles from zero to 100 percent based on the selected driving program. The significantly greater wheelbase (up 80 mm) delivers even more interior space, while the optional electrically adjustable second seating row offers exceptional comfort and convenience. A third row of seats is also available.
“If you’re looking for a perfect match in the form of an SUV, the GLE is the one: it’s smart, it’s perceptive – and of course, it’ s a beauty,” says Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. “Our line-up here in Paris underlines that we want to offer a perfect match for every customer: with the Mercedes of electric vehicles, our EQC, with our expanded and exciting compact range and with the best SUV we have ever built.”
Emotional, agile and digital – the new Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC
Also celebrating its world premiere was the all-new entry model into the World of Driving Performance. The Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC is based on the new Mercedes front-wheel-drive platform and is powered by a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine with 225 kW (306 hp). Body-in-white, chassis, all-wheel drive, transmission, driving programmes, fine tuning – every single detail has been configured for maximum performance with absolutely no detriment to everyday comfort.
“It’s fast, it’s agile and it always delivers top performance – the A 35 is our very own striker and the new entry into the world of Mercedes-AMG,” says Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales.
smart celebrates milestone birthday with a new show car
To mark smart’s 20th birthday, the brand’s new boss, Katrin Adt, who took over at the start of October, unveiled the new smart forease show car to the public. The smart forease is extroverted and presents a straightforward solution for urban mobility. Its driver sits in the open air, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the city, its all-electric drive enabling full participation in urban life. The openness and minimalist style of the smart forease pay homage to the groundbreaking smart studies “ crossblade” (2001) and “forspeed” (2011).
“Even after two decades of growing up, it still pays to stick to some crazyness and unconventional ways of thinking,” says Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
More new products at the 2018 Mondial de l’Auto Paris
Also celebrating its world premiere in Paris was the Mercedes-AMG GT 43 4MATIC+ 4-Door Coupé. The performance brand from Affalterbach is thus broadening its sports car line-up with an entry model that is an extremely attractive value proposition. Two further vehicles also enjoyed their show premieres – the new A-Class saloon with a wheelbase of 2,729 millimetres adds a further dimension to the Mercedes-Benz compact family, while the Vision EQ Silver Arrow show car pays homage to the successful W 125 from 1937. The alubeam silver finish is evocative of the historic Silver Arrows, which, for reasons of weight saving, were not painted in their usual white livery.
1 Figures on electricity consumption and CO2 emissions are preliminary and calculated by Technical Service. Figures on range are likewise preliminary. EC type approval and conformity certification with official figures are not yet available. The official figures may vary from those stated.
2 The figures stated were calculated in accordance with the statutory measurement process. They are the NEDC CO2 values in line with Art. 2 No. 1 Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1153. The fuel consumption figures were calculated on this basis.