If Mercedes Benz pursues its plan to incorporate diesel-electric hybrid technology into its E-Class lineup, it’s possible for the said manufacturer to be the first to have such technology into its vehicles. The said plan has already been confirmed, and the diesel-hybrid E-Class will be named as the E300 Hybrid and it will be on sale in the late part of next year.

The said model will have the following features:

• Equipped with a 2.2-liter, 4-cylinder engine
• Incorporated with an electric motor powered by lithium-ion batteries
• Capable of achieving more than 50mpg (with the motor supporting the engine—it will not be able to run in all-electric mode)

After the introduction of the said technology in the E-Class, Mercedes Benz is planning to incorporate the said technology into its ML, GL, and GLK line-ups.

[Source: AutoCar]

With the Frankfurt Auto Show just a few days from now, every car maker and auto enthusiast is already hyped up and the automotive world is now seeing a lot of activities—images of car models leaking and press releases here and there. Aside from automakers releasing the updated versions of their models and launching new hybrids on the show, tuners will also be there to display their works of art.

One such tuner is Brabus, which will be featuring its Black Baron E V12 sedan, a sedan based on the Mercedes Benz E-Class. The Black Baron is packed with power amounting to as much as 800 horses and torque of 1,100 Nm. All this power is coming from the car’s 6.3-liter bi-turbo V12 engine.

• The car can jump from 0 to 62 mph in a matter of 3.7 seconds, and to 124 mph in about 9.9 seconds
• Its top speed is 217 mph
• Its fuel economy is rated at 15 mpg
• CO2 emissions is at 372 g/km

Aside from power, there are still many other things to like about the Brabus E V12. Among these are its 19-inch alloy wheels that come in different designs, adjustable sports suspension, and its advanced braking system. The interior is also packed with luxurious features like carbon fiber trim and leather upholstery in black.

Only ten units of the car will be produced. And of course, huge price is already a given—it will be offered starting at $875,000.

This year is halfway over, and many automakers are now looking forward to the coming year, preparing their new models for 2010. In anticipation of the new releases for next year, Time Magazine has created a list of The Most Exciting Cars of 2010. Time enumerated 10 vehicles in the list, ranging from sedans to wagons.

The complete list is as follows:

1. Kia Soul
2. Hyundai Genesis Coupe
3. Ford Taurus SHO
4. Cadillac CTS Wagon
5. Jeep Grand Cherokee
6. Toyota Venza
7. Nissan 370Z
8. Suzuki Kizashi
9. Volkswagen Golf
10. Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The list has seen different reactions from auto enthusiasts and car buyers. While many regular automotive folks question the inclusion of such models as the Venza and the CTS Wagon, others have defended Times’ list being from a point of view different from that of the regular auto enthusiasts. What do you think?

Click here for the complete post.

[Photo: Motor Authority]

There are a lot of things going on for the Mercedes Benz E-class right now. More than 40,000 units have already been sold. And with the E-Class sedan being the global market leader in May, the brand is seeing a bright future ahead. It’s also expecting more sales to come with the many plans already being worked out.

First, the said vehicle will be launched in other key markets in the coming months, markets like Canada and U.S.

Second, the Mercedes Benz E-Class Estate is on the way for its launching this coming fall. The said wagon will have a public debut at the IAA this coming September.

Other than these two major events to come, Mercedes Benz is also expecting more sales with the addition of new models to its E-class sedan line-up. The new sedan models include:

• E 200 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY – features 184 horsepower
• E 200 CDI – features 136 horsepower

For the coupe model, there are also two new additions, including the E 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY.

Click here for the press release at The Auto Channel.

[Photo: Car and Driver]

Many vehicle buyers will surely be happy about the latest E-Class from Mercedes Benz because of two things.

First, the 2010 E-Class has more advanced features, as follows

· It features a direct injection system that ensures fuel efficiency
· It has adjustable air suspension and stiffer chassis that promote better handling
· It comes with a Lane Keeping Assist that informs driver when the auto is veering out of lane
· It has more comfortable seats
· It comes with Attention Assist that detects driver drowsiness
· It is offered with optional Speed Limit Assist that detects speed limit signs and shows the limit in the speedometer

Second, the features of the latest E-Class are greater in number and more improved compared to those of the one it is replacing. However, it’s interesting that the new model is cheaper by almost $5000. From the $54,075 price of the 2009 E350 base E-Class model, 2010 version is offered $49,475—$4,600 less. Now who wouldn’t be happy with that?

Mercedes Benz combines the luxuriousness of its E-Class with serious safety. Some of its E-Class vehicles—E350, E350 CDIBlueEFFICIENCY, and the E500—can now enjoy an E-Guard armor to protect vehicle occupants from possible attacks on the road. E-Class models with the E-Guard armor will look exactly the same as original Mercedes E-Class vehicles, but they will have more under their body.

They have steel plates and aramid inserted throughout the chassis

They have floor reinforced by steel to withstand impacts from a DM51 hand grenade

They are equipped with polycarbonate glass windows that can endure a. 44 magnum gun

They have an intercom system that allows communication with the outside world

They are fitted with 17-inch run-flat tires

The front windows can still be smoothly rolled despite their weight, while the rear windows can have the same characteristic at a greater price. The armored E-Class autos will no doubt be heavy. And to support all the additional metals in their body, a Level II AIRMATIC air suspension system will be employed.

The E-Guard package is expensive at approximately $58,000. But, this will no doubt be beneficial to those who need guaranteed road safety.

[Credits: Motor Authority]

The most stolen ride based on the data provided by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Highway Loss Data Institute is the Cadillac Escalade while the least stolen is the Mercedes E-Class. Ironic? Well, at first thought yes. But, we shouldn’t probably look at them as mere luxury vehicles but as individual rides if we are to understand the reason behind their appeal, or non-appeal, to thieves.

While many are getting rid of their huge monsters to save on gas, it seems that most of the vehicles which made it to the ten favorites by thieves are huge ones, trucks and SUVs. Various assumptions regarding the reasons behind these have already been posted, and I have collected some of them:

According to Autoblog, thieves prefer “vehicles that easily blend in with traffic, can be sold for parts or are popular in foreign markets where they can be dumped quickly. Big vehicles also tend to spend more time parked in driveways or on the street rather than in garages, so they’re more easily accessible by naydoers.”

Kicking Tires, on the other hand, reported that Escalade’s popularity among thieves could be due to the vehicle’s high profile, as well as the expensive add-ons included in it.

Meanwhile, the Mercedes Benz E-Class is the least stolen vehicle in 2008. Why could that be? For one, the E-Class is also a large luxury sedan. Does it not hold any appeal? Well, whereas the most stolen autos aren’t necessarily the most appealing, the least stolen aren’t also necessarily the least appealing.

Autoblog reports that some just have very good protective devices.

And besides, unlike trucks which may have expensive tools in their tool box, the E-Class won’t possibly hold a lot of tools inside it.

The following is a complete list of the Top Ten Most Stolen and Least Stolen Vehicles in America for the year 2008:

Ten Most Stolen Vehicles

1. Cadillac Escalade ESV
2. Ford F-250 SuperCrew
3. Cadillac Escalade
4. Dodge Charger
5. Ford F-350 SuperCrew
6. Hummer H2 SUT
7. Dodge Magnum
8. Hummer H2
9. Dodge Durango
10. Honda S2000 convertible

Ten Least Stolen Vehicles

1. Mercedes E-Class
2. Buick Rainier
3. Subaru Forester
4. Buick Terraza
5. Volkswagen New Beetle
6. Ford Focus
7. Volvo V70
8. Toyota Prius
9. Saturn Relay
10. Ford Freestyle

INFO CREDIT: Autoblog and Kicking Tires

PHOTO CREDIT: New Cool Cars and Canadian Driver