Mercedes-Benz News

Mercedes-Benz has revealed its all-new CLA, the brand’s most technologically advanced EV yet.

The brutally powerful all-electric Mercedes-Benz G-Class has made its Australian debut and it comes with quite the price-tag.Called the Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology, the charged-up beast will set you back a cool $249,900 before on-road costs, while the limited-run Edition One is $299,900.That opening price puts it right up there in Benz’s catalogue, but it’s still not the German brand’s priciest SUV - that title is held by the Mercedes-Maybach EQS680 which is $327,990. The electric Geländewagen sits somewhere between the regular EQS450 SUV ($195,900) and the Maybach version.In terms of rivals, there really are none for the G-Class, but even more so for the electric version. You could look at other high-end electric SUVs like the Lotus Eletre which is $279,990 for the R version. Or something with a combustion engine, like the V8-powered Land Rover Defender Octa ($291,542).But the electric G-Class is more than its price tag. It packs quite the punch from its all-electric powertrain - the first time in the model’s 45-year history it’s been powered by electricity.Maintaining its ladder-frame underpinnings, the G580 features four individually controlled motors located near the wheels, all powered by a 116kWh lithium-ion battery delivering a WLTP range of around 473km.Combined outputs for the big Benz are 432kW of power and 1164Nm of torque.Mercedes says the 0-100km/h acceleration time is 4.7 seconds, before hitting an electronically limited top speed of 180km/h.The 400-volt system allows for a charge from 10 to 80 per cent battery capacity in about 32 minutes on a fast charger. The official energy consumption figure is 30.3kWh/100km.Given the off-road chops of the G-Class, Benz says the G580 can still “confidently traverse 45-degree slopes and drive along 35-degree angles”, and it has virtual diff locks generated via torque vectoring.There are various driving modes from ‘Comfort’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Individual’ for driving on regular roads, to ‘Trail’ and ‘Rock’ for off-road driving adventures.One of the G580’s tricks is the G-Turn function, which is when the wheels on either side of the vehicle spin in opposite directions, and that in turn makes the G580 do a full 360-degree turn on the spot, but Benz says this should only be activated on loose or unpaved surfaces off-road.A G-Steering function helps manoeuvre in tight spots with the wheels turning at different speeds, which causes slight oversteer and ensures a much smaller turning circle.Despite retaining the regular G-Class’s retro cool ‘block-of-flats’ design, Benz has added some touches to aid aerodynamics, like vents in the flares over the rear wheel arches, a small roof spoiler and more.Inside it gets the full MBUX multimedia setup including all-digital displays and a new Offroad Cockpit function. It also gets a ‘transparent bonnet’, which uses cameras to show a few under the front of the car during off-roading.It wouldn’t be a Benz without numerous options and options packs and they include a Night Package, Superior Line Interior Plus Package and a Manufaktur Exterior Package.The Edition One grade is based on the AMG line and gets blue calipers, different paint, and more high end interior materials exclusive to the grade.

Mercedes-Benz has revealed the price and specs for its all-new E 53 AMG Hybrid sedan as order books officially open for the upgraded model.

Mercedes-Benz has announced the return of the entry-level GLC 200 variant for Australia, bringing down the entry cost of its most popular model by $14,400.

Everything that could have possibly gone wrong for the German car industry has.Skyrocketing energy prices as a consequence of the Russia-Ukraine war, rising competition from China, the end of the German government's EV subsidies and dwindling global EV demand have strained the sector unlike ever before.And now, to add insult to injury, US President Donald Trump is vowing to slap 25 per cent tariffs on all cars imported from the European Union to the United States, a critical market for German brands.On our own shores, the impact of these external pressures is clear. In 2024, Volkswagen’s Australian sales fell nearly 17 per cent compared to the previous year, Mercedes-Benz's fell by nearly 18 per cent and Audi's by nearly 20 per cent.BMW is the outlier, with sales remaining steady at a slight 0.6 per cent increase on 2023's numbers, helping the brand maintain its lead as Australia's most popular premium brand by a comfortable margin.So, in a market where the odds appear so heavily stacked against them, how can struggling German car brands reverse their fortunes?Increasingly, it appears, by looking to BMW.Its success over the last 12 months and beyond has proven that the electric car transition can be leveraged to a brand’s advantage.BMW’s early investments in flexible architecture, which allows the same models to be built with internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid and EV platforms, has seen their EV sales start to command their global growth.Its EV sales grew 13.5 per cent in 2024 as the brand registered 2.45 million global sales and its M performance wing tallied an all-time record of 206,582 sales.Notably, the i4 M50 sedan, an electric version of the mild-hybrid 4 Series, claimed the title of M’s top-selling model for the third year in a row, showcasing the growing appeal for electric performance cars.Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz have largely focused on expensive EV-only platforms underscored by new model ranges, a strategy that has struggled to attract traditional ICE vehicle buyers.That said, signs of a strategic transition amongst these brands are beginning to emerge.Mercedes-Benz will launch its all new CLA later this year under both hybrid and electric guises, the latter of which is promising big advancements in range. Recent road testing of its own solid-state batteries could also see it register a major milestone in EV advancement before its rivals.Porsche and Audi have pledged to invest further in their hybrid and petrol technologies, as Porsche mulls a possible return of the petrol Macan under a new-generation model.Both brands’ parent company, Volkswagen, has said more plug-in hybrids are on the way, including for Australia, as the brand readies its ID.1 budget EV hatch for a proposed sub $33,000 price tag in early 2027.BMW, meanwhile, will debut its sixth-generation Neue Klasse EV batteries later this year, which are aiming to improve energy efficiency by at least 20 per cent compared to its current EVs, while offering up to 30 per cent more range.They’re industry-wide strategic shifts that indicate a turning point for the German automotive sector could be on the horizon. That said, any future prosperity will depend on how well its struggling brands can uphold their defining principles of sustained innovation and engineering excellence under increasing pressure.

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed pricing for its new CLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupe, which has officially arrived in Australian showrooms.

Word has come from the top brass at Mercedes-Benz — eights are back.During the financial reporting wrap up from the executives at Mercedes-Benz, a few hints at future plans were sprinkled in, including mention of a new, next-gen V8 under development.Under one of the core approaches Mercedes is planning to follow, “building the most desirable cars”. Merc said it aims for its AMG performance sub-brand to “outgrow the performance market”.This is apparently coming thanks to “a heavily refreshed model lineup from 2026 onwards and a strategic evolution of its portfolio,” but the biggest news is that moving forward means moving back in a sense.The plans include what AMG said is “a next-generation, high-tech electrified V8” as well as “dedicated “ performance EVs based on the AMG.EA electric car platform.The timing of the announcement comes following a gradual slowing in the increase of EV uptake almost worldwide, but particularly in Europe.In addition to this, poor reception to the shift from V8-power to a hybridised four-cylinder engine in the brand’s iconic AMG C63 sedan provides more ammunition for the brand to refocus its resources and efforts into the V8 space.It was reported in 2023 via a correspondent for US outlet Car and Driver that senior engineers at AMG believed only minor bodywork changes to the new C-Class (and E-Class) would be required to accommodate a V8 engine.At the time, it was also stated the hybrid four-cylinder powered C63 would remain an option.Whether the V8 now being developed was born from the existing one isn’t clear, as AMG still retains V8 power for models such as the AMG GT or even as a plug-in hybrid in the GT S E four-door where it produces 620kW and 1400Nm.Even without electrification, the 4.0-litre twin-turbo unit makes 430kW and 800Nm in the GT 63 sports coupe - nothing to turn your nose up at. Given AMG has already confirmed the next-gen V8 will be electrified, the ceiling for performance will surely be even higher than before.

The baby Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen is a real thing.The German brand will build the little butch four-wheel drive after announcing its plans in an investor relations presentation, according to US publication Car and Driver.Mercedes-Benz boss Ola Kallenius said previously the company was considering a baby G-Wagen this decade, but now the company appears to have confirmed it will be here sooner rather than later.No further details were given on the little rough and tumble off-roader, but there is a strong chance the baby G-Wagen will be fully electric.Its larger sibling debuted a fully electric version last year, which uses four electric motors to deliver 432kW and an astonishing 1164Nm. A 116kWh battery delivers a driving range of up to 473km.A smaller — and cheaper — baby G-Wagen would most likely use two electric motors. The ability to have two electric motors delivering both four-wheel drive and brutish performance leans into the G-Wagen’s image.Going fully electric isn’t a certainty, as Mercedes-Benz has walked back its electrification plans and is extending the lifespan of hybrid and petrol vehicles as demand for fully electric vehicles has slowed.It is expected to be about the same size as the company’s GLB SUV, which would put it at about 4600mm long or roughly the same size as a Toyota RAV4.This means it will be bigger than the heavily rumoured, but not confirmed, mini Toyota LandCruiser FJ. That vehicle is believed to be about 4500mm or a similar size to compact SUVs such as the Toyota Corolla Cross and Hyundai Kona.Small — and more affordable — 4WD options are the current flavour of the month.The popularity of the Suzuki Jimny has shown there is a hungry market for a vehicle with the same capabilities as full size off-roaders without all the trimmings that go with it.The mini LandCruiser FJ, is believed to be based on the less sophisticated 'IMV' platform that forms the basis of many vehicles in emerging markets. This is rather than the newer 'TNGA-F' platform that sits underneath the new Toyota Prado and LandCruiser 300.The IMV is a ladder frame chassis that means it's still highly capable off-road but won’t be as polished as the brand's bigger and more expensive 4WDs.

Mercedes-Benz has slashed the price of its popular C200 after feedback from customers.

Mercedes-Benz has announced it will deliver price parity between its upcoming CLA sedan, which will be offered with the option of an electric or hybrid powertrain.Speaking to Autocar UK, Mercedes’ CEO, Ola Källenius, said 30 per cent cost savings in battery production meant a 15 per cent reduction in the electric version’s pricing, meaning it will have “roughly similar pricing” to the petrol-hybrid version.In Australia, Mercedes doesn’t currently offer a hybrid and electric car in the same vehicle class, making it difficult to speculate on any potential cost savings.The brand will reveal its new entry-level electric sedan, which is built on its new Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) platform, in Europe by the middle of this year, with the hybrid version to follow later in the year.Four new models will be built on the MMA platform, including a saloon and shooting brake version of the CLA in both electric and hybrid powertrains, as well as expected replacements for the GLA/EQA and GLB/EQB.The German automotive icon is betting big on the MMA platform, which it hopes will account for a quarter of its sales once all its models have been launched, which is equivalent to roughly 600,000 units worldwide when factoring in last year’s global sales of roughly 2.4 million cars.It first previewed the MMA platform on the CLA concept car it unveiled at the Munich motor show in 2023, which is based on the 2022 Vision EQXX concept car that Mercedes drove from Sindelfingen to Cassis – a 1000km journey – on a single charge.Mercedes has already revealed the CLA will feature two battery pack options, a 58kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) unit, good for approximately 600km of range, while top-spec variants will get a more energy dense 85kWh silicon-oxide-anode unit that pushes 700km.800-volt charging architecture is expected, which Mercedes claims can add 400km of range in just 15 minutes on the concept version. It is unclear, however, whether variants with smaller LFP batteries will also benefit from the more advanced charging architecture.A compact Electric Drive Unit (EDU 2.0) will be the heart of the electric CLA, which is a derivative of the unit that powered the Vision EQXX concept.The EDU 2.0 will convert power from the battery to a 200kW electric motor mounted on the front axle via a two-speed transmission (similar to what is offered on a Porsche Taycan). A second 80kW motor will be fitted to the front axle on all-wheel drive versions.Mercedes is targeting an efficiency rating of 12kWh/100km, which would comfortably exceed the claimed peak ratings of a Tesla Model 3 (13.2kWh/100km) a BMW i4 (16.1kWh/100km), a Hyundai Ioniq 6 (14.3kWh/100km) and a BYD Seal (16.6kWh/100km).Powering the hybrid, on the other hand, will be a newly-developed 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, paired with a 1.3kWh battery unit, an electric motor, a 48-volt electrical system and an eight-speed electric dual-clutch transmission.Three power outputs are expected to be provided from the petrol engine, 100kW, 120kW and 140kW, not including the power from the electric motor.More information is expected following the next-generation CLA’s reveal later this year. It is poised to launch in Australia some time in the first half of next year.