Has Mercedes Perfected Audi's Recipe?

Don't look now but Mercedes has perfected what was once a unique Audi recipe of turbocharging, engine downsizing and all wheel drive. As Mercedes is about to launch its latest C-class on American roads the entry model is powered by a turbocharged four cylinder while the performance model is a turbo V6. Both models are for the time being are only available with all wheel drive, you will have to wait until next year for a rear wheel drive option. The powertrain combination of a small displacement turbo and all wheel drive that dates back to the 1997 A4 is now Benz's preferred method of doing business. At the bottom of its range Mercedes will sell you a front wheel drive turbo dual clutch CLA with an all wheel drive option from AMG much like Audi did with the A3. At AMG likewise all wheel drive is available on most models and is standard on the newest releases. When the current A6 debuted a few years back Audi cut out the V8 for all but the S6. This upcoming year the E-Class drops the V8 and replaces it with a turbo V6.

Has Mercedes perfected Audi's powertrain recipe, is AMG heading towards to an all AWD setup?
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benzforlife - 9/2/2014 1:37:26 PM

-6 Boost

Everything Benz does is usually impressive, but for some odd reason they can't get the design department learn few things from BMW

What the fuck is wrong with new S-class's rear end?? The most important car in the world has the most fucked up tail-lights, they are called tail-lights not side-lights, why is there more light on the side than in the back??

Other than that they are on the right track as the world heads towards a new direction in car ownership.

The line-ups of SUVs, sedans and coupes are all on a good track

If the next GLK won't be as ugly as the current one, then they will have nothing to worry from Toyota/Lexus NX

They also need to fix the next ML, the name change is not gonna help, better design will

chewy - 9/2/2014 2:02:38 PM

+1 Boost

I don't have a problem with the S class tail lights, I think the head lights are a bigger problem. It always looks like something got cut of on all of the new Mercedes lights.

Car4Life - 9/2/2014 4:01:22 PM

+3 Boost

Lol, I currently don't have a problem with the new S Class and apparently the non stop orders/pre orders for the fastest selling Lux sedan don't either furthering the S Class's global dominance

In terms of the actual article, Mercedes is simply doing what the current EPA regulations and environmental groups are calling for in terms of smaller more efficient engines, and countering a potential slide in performance with the latest innovation advantages of AWD systems.

And to be fair the CLA sedan was here first b4 the A3, as was the S and E before the A8 and A6, so it's not a matter of who does what, its more of how rivals compete/answer rivals

chewy - 9/2/2014 5:07:06 PM

0 Boost

The S-Class is pretty awesome looking but of all the things on the car the little missing part of the head light bugs me the most. The A3 (unsucessfully) was the only one in its segment for quite a few years, blazing a path that Mercedes smartly avoided by not even bothering with the A class hatch. Mercedes has certainly responded/embraced the turbo downsizing trend pretty quickly. the E550 went from a 5.5 liter V8 to 4.7 liter V8 TT to now a 3.0 TT V6. A 2.0T E300 for the next generation isn't out of the question for the US once the "base" turbo is around 270 horsepower.

Gennissen - 9/3/2014 3:24:50 AM

+1 Boost

I actually find nothing wrong with the new s-class. they were going for a bentley/RR-esk feel, and if you ask me, they got the balance right with the rear. anymore 'stylish' and it would have had a short-lived appeal.

benzforlife - 9/2/2014 2:56:06 PM

+1 Boost

To Chewy

You're right, and the fronts are too downslopped too

JRobUSC - 9/2/2014 5:23:50 PM

+3 Boost

They've definitely learned Audi's "make all your cars look identical outside" philosophy. They're getting almost indistinguishable.

abqhudson - 9/2/2014 8:11:47 PM

+1 Boost

Call me old fashioned, but, as I like to take road trips in the West - far from tire stores that don't have run flats anyway, I will refuse to buy a car that does not make provision for a spare tire or provide their cars with a decent tire. We left BMW and went to Mercedes when BMW decided to go runflats/no spare and will go to something else now that Mercedes is deciding to go runflats/no spare. Of course we realize that most don't take road trips anymore and most can call AAA to come and deal with the problem, but, for those of us who still like to drive and see the beautiful country we live in, runflats do not work.

bigheadmazda - 9/3/2014 1:57:26 PM

0 Boost

I agree with benzforlife. The rear end of all the new Mercedes sedan models from the CLA, the new C up to the S class and the next generation E class all have that saggy ass look which is only bearable with an AMG package. Bearable, meaning that it's ugly, but with all the other styling changes that come with an AMG trim I can deal with it. Brings back memories of the 1995 Nissan Altima's rear end.

chewy - 9/3/2014 10:48:00 PM

+1 Boost

That Altima was so weird at the back that generation and the second one was no better. Not something you ever want to remind people of.