Mercedes-Benz B200 News

Mercedes-Benz has revealed its third-generation B-Class five-seat multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) at the Paris motor show this week, showcasing a new look and a strong injection of comfort and safety tech

Last year the vehicle market notched up a record with 1,136,227 sales, busting the previous zenith by about 24,000 and confirming that in Australia, one million-plus is the norm.Figures for November, released last week, show sales have already passed the million mark, and when the final tally emerges in early January the industry will congratulate itself on another bumper year.In reality, it has spent most of 2014 in reverse and it would take a freak December to even approach last year's total.If the trend holds, then the overall decline will be about 2 per cent - equivalent to 500 fewer buyers a week. But it's a mixed picture for the 50 or so brands, with the gap between winners and losers larger than ever.With one or two exceptions, the winners by a substantial margin are luxury brands. Their share of the market now approaches 9 per cent, up from 7.7 per cent last year, and it's reflected in some impressive numbers.The German luxury trio dominates but Australia bucks the trend by favouring Mercedes-Benz ahead of BMW and Audi.With its small car range - the A, B, CLA and GLA - flying out of showrooms, the three-pointed star is stretching its lead over BMW and rubs it in by selling more of its expensive performance variants as well.Its bestseller, the C-Class, has been available for only a few months but will finish the year as the third most popular mid-size car at any price - behind only the Toyota Camry and Mazda6.Audi's ambition is to overtake its German peers and become No 1 here, replicating its position in Europe and China. After slowing in 2012, its growth spurt has resumed and it's catching BMW on the strength of its award-winning A3 small car.Some of the second-tier luxury brands are powering ahead even faster. Thanks to its new-generation Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, demand for the British SUV specialist is up 22 per cent. It will finish as the fourth most popular luxury marque.Ironically, SUV demand is also powering Porsche. It cannot get enough of its second SUV, the Macan, and waiting times are stretching the patience of buyers. Without the Macan, Porsche was on track for a record. With it, sales are up almost 50 per cent. When Maserati adds an SUV, the Levante, in 2016 it can expect to get a comparable boost.Super-large, super-expensive SUVs are what the elite badges lack but they are all working on one. Even so, Maserati's push for volume is yielding results. The new-generation large sedans Ghibli and Quattroporte have almost tripled sales this year.Even among the luxury brands there are losers. Volvo lacks the deep pockets of the Germans and is struggling to keep its product pipeline full. Its dealers will doubtless breathe easier when the overdue replacement for its XC90 SUV arrives in the second quarter next year, with sales down 7 per cent in 2014.Lexus is another that has waited too long for fresh product and its NX mid-size SUV arrives too late to prevent it treading water.Among mainstream brands, losers are much easier to find than winners. Over-optimism and the pressure to grow meant many ended 2013 carrying too much stock, with Nissan the standout - but far from sole - example.The traditional solution to this problem, and one by no means limited to mainstream brands, is for the distributor and/or dealers to register cars themselves.It's a way of meeting sales targets but it simply saves up trouble, not the least of which is an excess of ageing 'demonstrator' models that sooner or later have to actually be sold. When they are, the sales have already been counted.Combine that with an assault on their traditional territory by the luxury brands and everyone from Toyota to Honda, Holden to Ford, has seen their numbers go south.But the biggest losers in 2014? Cheap Chinese brands, with Chery sales down 35 per cent and Great Wall almost 60 per cent.

Autonomous braking systems could save 250 lives and around $5 billion a year, according to Australia’s vehicle crash-testing body.Australian New Car Assessment Program chief executive Nicholas Clarke said automated emergency braking systems are the “next big thing” for vehicle safety.“AEB can probably be considered the next seat belt or electronic stability control equivalent in terms of saving lives,” Clarke said. “Advanced safety assist technology can help remove the weakest link when it comes to car crashes; the driver. “If every car on the road was equipped with AEB, the toll would fall by around 25 per cent.”Many carmakers already offer models with automated braking systems. The cheapest is the Volvo V50 wagon, which is priced from $42,990. Ford’s $33,840 Focus Titanium and the $38,950 Mercedes-Benz B-Class can both be optioned with the technology, costing $2300 and $2500 respectively.AEB systems use video cameras, radars or lasers to scan the road and determine the distance to the vehicle ahead and its relative speed. When the AEB-equipped vehicle gets too close, the software sounds a warning and then actively engages the brakes if the driver fails to respond.Australia was the first country to legislate compulsory seat belt use in 1970-’72. Global motoring body, the FIA, says wearing seat belts has reduced fatalities by 20 per cent in Australia since that date. Federal Department of Infrastructure and Transport figures state the economic impact of the 1288 deaths last year was around $27 billion.ANCAP’s “road map” of technologies required in future cars lists AEB as an optional system for five-star certification by 2017. Clarke expects to have that date revised down _ and predicts it will be mandatory, rather than optional. “We’re already talking to carmakers and lobbying the federal government to introduce these systems as soon as possible,” he said.Pedestrian Council of Australia head Harold Scruby is an enthusiastic supporter of the safety technology but doesn’t expect to see any quick action from the government. “I’ve actually been to see Catherine King pleading with her to mandate rear-vision cameras, which would cost about $100 a vehicle,” he said.“Unfortunately, this seemed to fall on deaf ears. If we can’t get reversing cameras mandated, what hope have we got getting this technology into the Australian Design Rules?” Drivers who buy cars with the technology should also benefit from lower insurance premiums, with some companies offering up to 20 per cent off the regular premium for AEB-equipped models.AEB EXPLAINEDAutonomous emergency braking systems use video cameras, radar or lasers to scan the road ahead and assess the vehicle’s speed as well as the speed of the car in front. Most warn the driver in the approach speed is too high and then automatically apply the brakes if an impending nose-to-tail crash is detected.Depending on the situation, the systems can either prevent an accident outright or dramatically cut the severity of the impact - and therefore the damage to the vehicles and occupants. There is no industry standard for the software. As a result, three differing versions are now sold. The first works at typical city speeds of below 30km/h; others operate at highway speeds. Finally, some systems also detect and react to pedestrians walking out into the vehicle’s path. 

The smallest Mercedes-Benz vehicle on the Australian new car market has scored the best-ever mark yet from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) program. The crash-testing program has revealed the new B-Class and the brand's Valente people-mover have been awarded five-star safety ratings. The B-Class, which sells for under $40,000 for the base model, scored 36.78 out of 37 and ANCAP chair Lauchlan McIntosh said that as far back as the 1950s Mercedes was forging ahead in vehicle safety. "With the addition of modern-day Safety Assist Technologies (SATs), this is a winning combination for consumers,'' he said.  Mr McIntosh said the ANCAP Rating Road Map progressively introduces minimum mandatory over the coming years. "Ahead of its time however, the B-Class has scored beyond the current requirements to achieve this 5 star result,'' he said.  Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler spends AU$8.9 million a day globally on research and development and its safety programs are a key part of that global budget.  The company that invented stability control, the airbag and anti-lock brakes and the "trickle-down'' effect of safety technology from its flagship models S-Class model has accelerated. "Most of the features that we see in the S-Class now appear in the B-Class - this is now happening a lot quicker than it did in the past,'' said Mercedes-Benz corporate communications manager Jerry Stamoulis. "Both the new B-Class and Valente offer the safety credentials expected from a Mercedes-Benz vehicle and in the case of the B-Class, the vehicle holds the highest score published by ANCAP,'' he said. Mr Stamoulis said the new S-Class - due late next year - will also bring new safety advances not ever seen before. Mercedes-Benz also followed up the first five-star Australian-rated Viano commercial van with a similar score for the Valente.  The eight-seater - based on the Vito van - sells for about $55,000 and comes standard with anti-lock brakes, stability control, dual front, side and head-protecting side airbags for the front seats.  

The old one was a bit average. But there's no missing the big effort that Mercedes-Benz has put into its new B-Class runaround.Who knows maybe Benz may finally acknowledge the car as a real part of the range instead of pretending it doesn't exist?There's also going to be an off road SUV version that will reside on the same mechanical platform.The new B-Class is going to be offered for a red hot entry price when it hits the showrooms in April - $38,950 - less than the old one. We had a quick look at the new B-Class this week.Apart from the agressive new styling, huge strides have been made with the interior which looks more like the luxury vehicle that it is supposted to be. A big effort has been made to make the car look more sporty, which is reflected in the reduced height.At 1557mm it sits almost five centimetres lower on the road than its predecessor. The seat height in relation to the road has also been reduced in order to facilitate ease of entry.In response to requests the sitting position is also more upright. The dash is dominated by chunky aircraft style air vents, a la the halo SLS sportscar.The range kicks off with the B 180 Blue Efficiency with a 90kW petrol engine, followed by the B200 Blue Efficiency with 115kW petrol engine then the range topping B 200 CDI Blue Effiency with a 100kW turbodiesel engine.The two 1.6-litre direct injection turbocharged petrol engines are good for 6.1 litres/100km while the diesel is rated at 4.7 litres/100km. New to the range is Benz's Pre-Safe system which locks the vehicle down if a collision is imminent as well as Collision prevention assist.The latter is a radar-based collision warning system with adaptive Brake Assist which lowers the risk of rear-end collisions. There's also a 7 speed dual clutch DCT transmission, Eco start/stop which shuts down the engine at traffic lights and an electric parking brake.The car will also be available with a multimedia system that offers internet access. Customers can surf the web while the car is stationary or call up an app whose particularly fast page loading and simple operation make it suitable for use while driving.Integrated apps include Google Local Search and Weather, and the facility for downloading a route which has previously been configured on a PC using Google Maps and transmitted to the car.The current B-Class is a hugely practical little car, offering surprising comfort for four adults and the new one is sure to build on this base.

The new Mercedes-Benz B Class is coming out at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month and final tests are under way with production-ready cars wearing minimal disguise over the more stylish new B’s body.

Mercedes-Benz swamped the Frankfurt Motor Show with a range of eco-friendly cars, including seven hybrid cars, eight ultra-clean diesel Bluetec models and several new engines that meet Euro 5 emissions targets due in 2009.However, show goers were stunned by the striking F700 concept sedan, which uses an innovative DiesOtto and hybrid drive system that uses just 5.3 litres per 100km and delivers 127g/km CO2 emissions.The DiesOtto engine, housed in a sleek luxury body called the F700 research vehicle, is claimed to provide the best elements of both diesel and petrol engines. The engine is mated to a new hybrid starter/generator and seven-speed automatic transmission. It is a four-cylinder, 1.8-litre two-stage charging petrol engine that Mercedes says combines the frugal virtues of a diesel with the low emissions of a petrol engine.It can deliver 175kW with the electric motor producing an extra 15kW while torque is 400Nm.Mercedes executives say the car will accelerate to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds and has a top speed of 200km/h. Apart from the engine and powertrain, the F700 has a sophisticated suspension that uses two laser scanners to view the road ahead and adjust the suspension.The luxury Mercedes also uses a new “human machine interface” with a virtual operating assistant called the avatar which can assist the driver with specific functions, such as adjusting the airconditioning or dialling a phone number.Visually, the F700 is based on the S-Class sedan but has an extra 285mm built into the wheelbase. The rear doors are rear hinged to allow for easy access to the roomy cabin.The big Merc is one of the varied ways carmakers at the show are attempting to create greener machines. Car industry green expert Ted Grozier says the show illustrates how the industry is faring in its efforts to reduce its reliance on gas-guzzling larger vehicles.“The conventional wisdom is that the US will go hybrid and in Europe the diesel is being challenged,” says Grozier, of Green Order, a New York-based advisory group that counts General Motors, among others, as clients for its advice on how to make cars cleaner. “This may be a pivotal year for the industry in the battle for greener cars and the gloves have come off.”Indeed, BMW, Porsche, Volkswagen and DaimlerChrysler are among those showing cars with low-emission diesel engines and hybrids, featuring electricity to augment traditional fuel motors, as well as hydrogen fuel cell concepts that BMW is researching. It is all part of the effort to make high-mileage, cleaner cars that also meet drivers' expectations for performance.Nissan showed its Mixim concept car, an electric car powered by lithium ion batteries, with the driver's seat in the middle and steering controls inspired by video-game controllers.Unsurprisingly, it is geared toward younger drivers who spend a lot of time behind a computer keyboard. Ford showed off the current models under its ECOnetic label that produces a lower level of emissions.France's PSA Peugeot-Citroen has its 308 BioFlex compact at the show. The car uses biofuels, or fuel obtained from crops. GM goes a step further with a car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The show is also a chance for carmakers to explore new concepts and designs that may or may not take shape on the assembly line. Ford is eager to pique consumer interest in its new subcompact concept car, the Verve.If successful, it could be the basis of a new small car for global sales. It would come to Australia as the next generation Fiesta.Designed in Europe, the Verve concept has a rounded design and is demonstrably smaller than most cars on US roads.The president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry Matthias Wissmann says 1081 companies are at the Frankfurt Motor Show.In total, 88 new models are debuting at the biennial event which runs until September 23.