Rowrbazzle

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/25/s...save-amg-vari/

I don't follow the S-Class carefully, but Autoblog claims it's an exclusive so I assume this is a new development.

Red Marko

Why would they do that???
Hybryd is a HYPE developed for wanna-feel-good-and-make-social-statement hypocrites! Why nobody mentions the cost/energy/waste/disposal of producing the batteries ???

I recycle twice a month, isn't this enough?

I call this news - pure BS (not killing the messenger in the process)


...and for potential "tree-huggers" response:
Hybrids are much more damaging to the Environment than conventional cars do to their toxic batteries!

emilner

Considering I am averaging 18mpg on LI local roads and mid twenties on the highway why would you ever subject yourself to the hybrid? It is MASSIVELY slower and gets marginally better fuel economy. Bring on a diesel and now we are talking. I had an ML320 bluetec loaner recently- that truck averaged 24mpg on local LI roads and 29mpg on the highway. Why are we even still talking about hybrids, it is time diesel takes on a prominent role in the US....

nyca

That will be the end of their sales then. Very few people want a hybrid S class, once you get past the initial surge of hollywood stars and wealthy environmentalists who buy the first batch produced, then go away.

Go ahead MBUSA, give in to your "green side" and watch what happens to sales of your $100K cash cow sedan.

nyca

sales/prices of pre-owned gasoline S550s are going to skyrocket if this come to pass.

If MBUSA can't get their fleet MPG up high enough to meet the 2016 regulations, they had best bring some smaller cars into the US market. Hell, MB doesn't even have DFI engines running in the US yet, that adds 10-15% MPG increase alone.

Fraser

In the UK the S320 CDI was the best selling W220.

irieblue

The only reason the CDI is a best seller in the UK, is because of how expensive "petrol" is in the UK, plus the better MPG of the Diesel, remember when the US had $4/gallon gas, the UK had 5 pounds per gallon (more than twice as expensive), and gas in general in the UK is ridiculously taxed.

I totally agree mercedes is doing this switch to hybrids to increase the average MPG for their entire fleet.

Are you aware of the 30 million fine they paid in 2008 for violating US fuel economy standards?

http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/02/auto...cord/index.htm.

Fraser

I'm well aware of that

Maybe MB are future proofing the W222 because who knows what price oil, or the taxes on petrol will be in 2019/2020, when the life cycle of the W222 comes to an end.

WSH

Absurd rumor

S400h barely sells except via fleet sales

In SiliconValley, where have most of world's wealthiest eco-commies (transgenders who drive a Prius yet fly via private, gas-guzzling G550) major local dealers struggle to sell more than a handful of S400h since launch....but new 65/63 are easy, algorithmic, recession-immune sales to repeat customers in same market

Those who can't afford $10/gall fuel prob can't afford to commute daily via new $100K+ cars either

Standard of living is a hell of a lot lower outside US (though NYC is closest version of Euro/Asia's low SOL): that's why MB sells all those S with puny motors in RoW (incl Germany)...and 550s/hybrids to fleets in NYC

Red Marko

^^I concur with your observation.
Lets not forget that MB as a Company was founded on premise of being far superior to others (WV, BMW, Audi and such).
Prius, Focus and some other Honda/Kia/Jetta crap should be targeted for the mases, yes?
I'm not apologizing to sound bit pompous,
after all, we are not paying pompous prices, right?

vraa

Unless the newer hybrids are used for performance reasons, similar to the Lexus pitch

QuadBenz

Or also the 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Series with 465 HP.

Txhurdle

Don't believe everything you read. Article mentions no diesel S for the US. But, S350 (Standard Wheelbase) Bluetech will be here next year as a low production niche car. More power & better gas mileage is coming across all lines over the next 18 months (with some unique new models too).

cjf_moraga

As another Bay Area resident I agree with WSH's observation. My own dealer told me just very recently that they barely sell any S400's. None of the typical S-Class customers wants them. And my area is Prius central.

I find the notion that MB will "force" purchasers of its larger engined cars into hybrids in its largest national market for these engines bizarre. I don't believe it for a minute. Sounds like someone was posturing to score politically correct points.

Chris

nyca

Well, the need for higher MPG is more then just "PC" - its the law, and a draconian law at that.

That said, MB has other options. Where are their DFI engines? On a $100K car, there are plenty of options for use of composite materials to reduce weight.

MB can't "force" their buyers to do anything, their buyers will just go elsewhere.

nyca

That 70MPG S class is some prototype car, not something that could go into production anytime in the next 10 years.

Of course they have a choice, the 2016 MPG requirements are a fleet average. How many S classes do they sell in the US each year? They average into their fleet. Every car in the lineup has to improve, and will. Ford can make a 365HP turbo V6, MB can't make a similar engine for the S550 (which has 382 HP now) - trim some weight off the cars, get DFI engines into production, import the B class, they can make the targets easily.

irieblue

Well in Canada you can only get the S550 and the CL550 in a 4-matic, so Mercedes does have a precedent of forcing people to certain configurations in certain regions.

AustinGuy

Damn!

I hope this is all hype and the "board of directors" at Diamler throw the deal out.

I'd like to see some hard numbers on S400 sales. So far I have not seen a single one around town yet have seen quite a few 2010 S550's..

chilledbenz

http://www.thecarconnection.com/mart...-to-be-hybrids

Yet another site reporting much of the same. Although its being said to be under "strong consideration" they really don't have much of a choice when the new regulations kick in. Keep in mind there are cars such as the Tesla, both roadster and new sedan form and the Lexus mentioned above, that are hybrids and out perform regular gasoline engined cars. The S400 should not be used for a comparison with the new models that will debut. The S400 is more like a science experiment along with the lease only ML450, they are in show rooms to drum up hybrid hype and gauge where the public stands.

The plug in all electric engine sounds nice with 70mpg and 0-62mph in 5.5 seconds. If they can get those numbers out of an electric, I'm sure the hybrids can't be far off.

Rowrbazzle

The news just keeps getting (potentially) worse.

~Automotive News

skrontz

We should see what happens in the few coming weeks as the 2011MY S-Class is announced. Those engines should be a test lab for what W222 will come with in 2012/2013; and yes, the buyers will be the guinea pigs ;-)

irieblue

Don't knock the efficiency of the electric Motor, I am sure no one here would turn down the Porsche 918 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_49n...layer_embedded . Electric Motors deliver Max Torque a 0 RPM end of story.

It wasn't an April 1st Joke... http://www.nhtsa.gov/portal/site/nht...earSelect=2010 By 2016 the EPA requirements are for fleet mileage of 35.5 MPG .

Unless mercedes likes paying 16 million dollar fines for not meeting EPA requirements, there is no better time than the next model revision to start working out the kinks for new power trains.

nyca

There are alot of other things they can do. Going hybrid only for the "entry level" S will kill sales - no one wants them.

I am sure MB could produce a biturbo V6 DFI engine that gets 400HP, which is plenty for the S550 variant, and would get much better mileage then the current 380HP V8. AN engine like that, plus taking a couple hundred pounds out of the current car, can make a significant mileage improvement over the current car.

nyca

No, the buyers will be 7 series owners.

skrontz

People don't buy the 7 Series just because it has a little more horsepower. It's silly to assume that throwing a new (and largely untested by regular drivers) engine into an S550 would suddenly make all the 7 Series owners trade in their rides. These are two different cars for two different categories of people.