Daimler
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Last April Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, and Renault-Nissan formerly signed an agreement to purchase shares in each other’s company and cooperate on future products. The deal would guarantee access to Renault’s range of compact gasoline and turbodiesel engines for Mercedes-Benz, while Nissan and its more upmarket Infiniti brand would gain access to Mercedes-Benz’s V-6 and V-8 powerplants. Just this week we reported that Infiniti’s new IPL range of vehicles may eventually feature high-performance AMG engines, and now we can report that...
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Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-Cell Electric Car: Another Daimler Experiment
This morning Daimler released complete details on its 2011 Mercedes-Benz A-Class E-Cell, a limited production electric conversion of its aging A-Class five-door small hatchback, sold mostly in Europe and not available in the United States. The A-Class E-Cell is Daimler's second vehicle to use...
John Voelcker -
Report: Handful Of New Maybach Models Coming
There's slow-selling and then there's Maybach. Moving a paltry 200 cars from its factories last year, the Maybach brand is still failing to achieve the reach and appeal of the established classic ultra-luxury brands Bentley and Rolls-Royce. The truth remains that Maybach’s sales are far below...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
First-Generation Mercedes-Benz CLS Production Ends
The Mercedes-Benz CLS ignited the four-door coupe market when it was first introduced back in 2004, and since then we’ve seen several other luxury rivals attempt to emulate the design with cars like the 2010 Porsche Panamera, and recently revealed 2010 Aston Martin Rapide and Audi A7. Now, after...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes-Benz Promises 16 New Models By 2011
Riding on the back of strong sales since the start of 2010, which just happens to be up 16 percent on the same period last year, Mercedes-Benz is now laying the groundwork for further growth with a new model offensive that will comprise some 16 new or upgraded models during the rest of this year...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes-Benz Improving Safety Testing With Autopilot Technology
Cars that navigate complex terrain or urban environments have already been built for competitions like the DARPA's (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) various challenges. Mercedes-Benz is now further developing the technology with an eye on future generations of safety and assistance...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Renault-Nissan and Daimler today announced a broad strategic cooperation to share everything from engines, platforms and even procurement services, and in the process potentially save billions of dollars for all parties involved. The two groups also announced an equity exchange that will give Renault-Nissan a 3.1 percent stake in Daimler and Daimler a 3.1 percent stake in Renault and a 3.1 percent stake in Nissan. The cooperation will include the co-development of the next-generation Smart Fortwo and Renault Twingo, including electric versions, as well as on expanding the Smart and Twingo...
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Daimler Charged $185 Million Over Bribery Scandal
Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, has been charged $185 million by a U.S. court because of several violations to bribery laws spanning the past decade. Daimler was essentially offering gifts, including luxury cars, to foreign officials in an effort to secure business deals. The $185...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
End Of The Line For Maybach?
Reports of Maybach’s demise have been coming for almost as long as the brand (in its modern iteration) has been around for, which is now just on eight years. But with no new models in the pipeline, paltry sales figures of less than a third of what its closest rival, Rolls-Royce, enjoys, and...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Daimler Seeking Small Car Partner
Daimler’s luxury car brand, Mercedes-Benz, plans to launch four new compact cars to replace the current A- and B-Class models.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Report: Facelifted Maybach Coming Next Year
One of Maybach’s key problems is that it essentially offers a bloated Mercedes-Benz at an exuberant price tag.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Official: Mercedes-Benz Will Build C-Class In U.S.
Mercedes-Benz will start production of the next-generation C-Class in the U.S. by 2014.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The car2go rental pilot program will kick off in Austin, Texas later this year.
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Mercedes-Benz Considering Bringing Small Cars To U.S. By 2012
Mercedes-Benz will replace the A- and B-Class with four new compacts cars.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes-Benz Offers Sharia-Friendly Financing In Middle East
Islamic law, or Sharia, prohibits its followers from charging or collecting interest fees when money is lent or accepted.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Electric Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coming In 2013
Mercedes has confirmed today that the SLS AMG with electric drive will go on sale in 2013.
Nelson Ireson -
Chrysler Sues Daimler Over Supply Contract
The latest lawsuit has been filed in a U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Edition Highstyle Adds Extra Touch Of Class To Smart ForTwo
The 'Edition Highstyle' is the latest special edition ForTwo, and offers upgraded materials and features.
Nelson Ireson -
The financial crisis has made it difficult for automakers to make any profits as demand slumps for cars in major markets, especially in the luxury sector. This is a situation that German giant Daimler AG is feeling the full brunt of at the moment, having just posted a €1.06 billion ($1.51 billion) loss for the second quarter of the year. Covering the period from April to June, the loss is not as large as some analysts were expecting but is still a far cry from the over €1 billion profit that Daimler made for the same period in 2008. The largest change has come in the lack of new...
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Mercedes-Benz to offer 58 BlueEfficiency models by end of 2009
Green isn't always green - sometimes it's blue. Or at least that's what Mercedes-Benz wants us to think when we think of efficient, environment-friendlier motoring. And to help back up Mercedes' claim to being one of the cleanest luxury carmakers, it has announced it will have 58 BlueEfficiency...
Alex Kaufmann -
Report: BMW, Daimler to end hybrid partnership
BMW and Daimler have been working more and more closely together over the past several years, especially since the need to share costs and improve bottom lines has become so sharp in 2009. But despite ongoing partnerships for vehicle safety technology, the hybrid partnership that spawned the...
Ralph Hanson -
Abu Dhabi investment firm buys 4% of Tesla stake from Daimler
Tie-ups between traditionally European brands and Middle Eastern investment firms are becoming increasingly common. Aston Martin's primary shareholder is the Kuwaiti firm Investment Dar, and Porsche is currently hammering out a deal with Qatar, but now Abu Dhabi investment firm Aabar has purchased...
Alex Kaufmann -
Lexus tops J.D. Power Initial Quality study, Porsche and Cadillac close behind
When it comes to luxury-car quality, taste often plays as big a role as fact, but J.D. Power tries to boil the issue down to a simple metric: problems per 100 cars. The resulting ranks are dubbed the Initial Quality Study, and used to guide consumer decisions. As usual, Lexus rates at the very top...
Alex Kaufmann -
Three-cylinder engine planned for next Mercedes C-Class
Expect to see smaller engines and more hybrid options for future Mercedes Benz models, as high fuel prices and greater environmental concerns push buyers – even luxury oriented ones - towards more efficient vehicles. The solution for most automakers, including arch rival BMW, is to downsize...
Ralph Hanson