In the wake of the leaks of a bunch of grainy images first and then a full official gallery right after that, Mercedes-Benz made official the last missing details of the new, fully redeveloped SL (code-named R231), which comes out exactly 50 years after the original SL was released. We have already been through some of its most significant innovations such as its brand new aluminum body-shell (first time ever that this solution is adopted by a production Merc), FrontBass system and Magic Vision Control in a previous post, so let’s focus on what we did not know.

First off, the rumors circulating these last few days about the engine range were right: the SL350 will come with a 3.5-litre V6 producing 306 hp and 370 Nm of torque, while the SL500 will use a 4.663 cc V8 unit delivering 435 hp with no less than 700 Nm of maximum torque. The former accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds (three tenths of a second faster than its predecessor), while the latter needs just 4.6 seconds to do that (eight tenths less than the previous SL 500). Besides, as predicted, both engines will come with a 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission, which has been optimized in terms of low fuel consumption and will feature the obvious start/stop function.

Thanks in most part to the new aluminum structure, the new SL350 weighs in at 1,685 kg and the new SL500 at 1,785 kg, making them 140 kg and 125 kg lighter than the models they are about to replace, respectively. Still in comparison with the previous range, the new generation of the SL is quite bigger, measuring in length 4,612 mm (+50 mm) and 1,877 mm in width(+57 mm), providing more room for more comfort in the interior, too. Shoulder room (+37 mm) and elbow room (+28 mm) have been increased, exceeding the dimensions normally found in this vehicle class.

View the full 2013 Mercedes Benz SL Roadster photo gallery

Continue reading: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL last details officially confirmed

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The battle amongst the premium German car brands doesn’t just happen on the luxury front, it appears. You can have all the Bose sound systems and “air scarf” technology you want, but at the end of the quarter, it’s the sales figures that really talk. After trailing BMW and Audi, the latter who robbed Mercedes of the second spot for luxury cars in the US market, Mercedes-Benz has announced it plans to increase volume to compete with its rivals.

Deliveries for the first half of the year are positive, but Mercedes trails the other big two - BMW and Audi. Mercedes registered a 9.7 percent sales increase to 611,000 vehicles, behind BMW’s 18 percent rise to 690,000 and Audi’s 18 percent rise to 653,000.

Releasing its new range of compact cars, of which the Mercedes B-Class will be one, the company plans to build a new production plant in Hungary and expand operations in both China and the US. For the second half of this year, Mercedes has raised sales targets by just 50,000 vehicles, compared to BMW’s 100,000, and more capacity would have contributed to increased sales. CEO Dieter Zetsche says:

We are striving for the highest profitability of the three and we have reason to believe we will get there. We clearly take on the race for volume. Mid-term, long-term, we are sure that we will be in the hunt for the No. 1 position.

Source | Bloomberg

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According to Italian media reports, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has denied any rumours that Fiat Industrial would be interested in a deal with Daimler AG for its industrial vehicles. Marchionne has said simply that no negotiations are taking place.

“Let’s stop with the rumours. We’re not interested and we’ve already said so,” said the Italian manager in a statement which echoes the same words of Daimler head Dieter Zetsche, a month ago. Marchionne also commented on questions about the disappointing performance of Fiat Group on the European market, saying: “We have to wait for April, and I say that every month.”

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According to reports, Daimler head Dieter Zetsche has been advising Sergio Marchionne on what to do with the Chrysler brand and how to handle the Fiat-Chrysler merger. Known also as having destroyed the Chrysler brand, at least to Americans, the guys at Autoblog.com are telling Marchionne to do exactly the opposite of whatever Zetsche is telling him.

We think Marchionne is probably safe, as we don’t see him as the kind of guy up for advice from someone who was the head of a company that went disastrously bankrupt. We’ve reported on some of the reservations regarding the new Fiat-Chrysler relationship, but frankly, things are looking better than what they did when it was Daimler-Chrysler “merger of equals” time.

Zetsche has apparently happened upon the fact that the US market likes big cars, and that Fiat has only promised smaller cars and fuel efficient technology. We had thought of this too, along with many others in the business (it doesn’t take a former CEO to figure that out, after all) but we’re feeling quite positive about future Lancia-Chrysler sedan designs, as the Lancia Thesis renderings indicate.

Continue reading: Dieter Zetsche gives advice to Sergio Marchionne

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Talks with Fiat management have not been concluded on the part of Mercedes, and while no specific projects are underway, programs for the next Mercedes Class A and B have not terminated either. Daimler president Dieter Zetsche, in occasion of the Glk debut event, has reinforced ties with the Italian company, given as finished some months ago.

“I have a lot of respect for Sergio Marchionne”, said Zetsche, “We often catch up. We have discussed a possible base for a Fiat and Mitsubishi-Fuso partnership.” Zetsche also discussed the importance of the Chinese market for their own brand (”a place where we need to be present”), and praised Mercedes growth at 30,700 units, up 44% on 2007, in a market capable of exceeding 10 million units for the first time.

With thanks to Fulvio.

Via | Il Sole 24 Ore

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