.

.September 10, 2003
.
This Week:

• World premieres at the Frankfurt Motor Show: Exciting Mercedes study Vision CLS and SLR McLaren high-performance sports car

• Saab Hatches New 9-3 Concept

• With The Success Of Mégane, Renault Consolidates Its Position As European Market Leader

• BMW World Debuts A The 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show

• Action, Adventure And Innovation: Land Rover Presents The New 2004 Freelander in Frankfurt 

• World premiere at the IAA 2003 for the Golf GTI concept

• The 100,000th Porsche Boxster Produced In Uusikaupunki

• GM Releases Names Of New Crossover Sport Vans

• Tenneco Automotive Launches Manufacturing Operations in Russia

• Dana Corporation Announces Expansion of Heavy Vehicle Technology Center

© 1998 - 2003 Copyright & 
Disclaimer
Automotive Intelligence,
www.autointell.com
All Rights Reserved .
For questions please contact
editor@autointell.com  

.
World premieres at the Frankfurt Motor Show: Exciting Mercedes study Vision CLS and SLR McLaren high-performance sports car

 SLR McLaren

Photo: Automotive Intelligence
 

Frankfurt/Main - The Mercedes presentation at the 60th Frankfurt Motor Show is a fitting occasion for two new cars that set standards in both design and technology, thereby emphasising the role of Mercedes-Benz as the pacemaker and innovative leader among car brands: the Vision CLS and the SLR McLaren high-performance sports car.

Vision CLS

Photo: DC

The Vision CLS continues a series of extraordinary, pioneering car concepts with which Mercedes-Benz has repeatedly set trends in previous years. Never before have two different characters been combined as specifically and beautifully as in this design study, where the stylistic excitement of a coupé harmonises with the comfort and functionality of a saloon. "We are one coupé generation ahead with the Vision CLS", says Professor Jürgen Hubbert, the member of the Daimler-Chrysler AG Board of Management responsible for the Mercedes Car Group. "The idea of a four-door coupé opens up interesting possibilities, and is especially intended to appeal to people for whom cars and driving are a passion."

Excitement and good sense are also the hallmarks of the powerful diesel engine in the new Mercedes study, whose 195 kW/265 hp provide excellent conditions for a dynamic driving experience. It accelerates the Vision CLS from zero to 100 km/h in only 6.4 seconds, the maximum speed being electronically limited to 250 km/h. Despite this impressive performance the six-cylinder engine is happy with just 7.5 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres (NEDC overall consumption) and meets the stringent EU 4 exhaust emission limits.

"The combination of outstanding performance, a low fuel consumption, EU 4 compliance and a diesel particulate filter illustrates the great potential still remaining in this ultra-modern six-cylinder biturbo diesel, and in diesel engines in general", Professor Jürgen Hubbert explains.

As in the case of other studies and show cars with which Mercedes-Benz has repeatedly presented new and interesting vehicle concepts for open discussion - and which have usually entered series production - the project planners are once again using the Frankfurt Motor Show to gauge the opinions of visitors to the show, and will reach their decision for this unique vehicle concept according to the public response.

The new SLR McLaren high-performance sports car is being presented to the public for the first time in Frankfurt as a fascinating synthesis of legend and innovation. This modern "gullwing", which continues the legend of the SLR racing sports cars from the fifties, is equipped with a 460-kW/626-hp supercharged V8 engine which catapults the two-seater from standstill to 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds. Like the Formula 1 racing cars the SLR has a carbon fibre (CFR) body which combines low weight with exemplary energy absorption for the greatest possible occupant safety. Adaptive airbags and newly developed knee and sidebags, as well as belt tensioners, round off the safety features.

Mercedes-Benz also employs a new materials technology when manufacturing the brake discs. These are of fibre-reinforced ceramics and not only have a high fade resistance and very long operating life, but also produce outstanding deceleration values in conjunction with the electrohydraulic braking system Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC™), impressively underlining the racing car nature of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

The standard five-speed automatic transmission is configured for the outstanding performance. It offers the driver a choice of three drive programmes with different gearshifting characteristics. In "Manual" mode the five speeds can be selected either via paddles on the steering wheel or by the touch-shift feature on the automatic shift lever. In this programme the driver is also able to choose between three shift stages - "Sport", "Supersport" and "Race" - for even faster gear-changes during sporty driving.

(Sep 09, 2003)