2004 Mercedes-Benz Vision Grand Sports Tourer

On the road to series production: Mercedes-Benz presents a new interpretation of the Vision Grand Sports Tourer

With its Vision Grand Sports Tourer concept vehicle, Mercedes-Benz is laying the foundation for a new class of car. The innovative new vehicle, which is being showcased at the North American International Auto Show, represents a new variant of a future family sedan. (concept carz) And series development of this Mercedes model is making fast progress. 'With the new Vision Grand Sports Tourer, Mercedes-Benz is showing the attractiveness and versatility of a new concept for a roomy, comfortable and high-performance family car,' says Professor Jürgen Hubbert, Member of the DaimlerChrysler Board of Management and Head of the Mercedes Car Group. 'By building this vehicle, we are underlining our reputation as a trendsetter and will establish our presence in a young and interesting market segment starting at the beginning of 2005. This concept definitely has the potential for a new Mercedes model family.'
Thanks to its clever use of space, the concept Mercedes enables up to six passengers to enjoy first-class travel comfort. The luxurious interior is equipped with comfortable individual seats and high-quality features that guarantee long-distance driving pleasure. The Vision Grand Sports Tourer also points the way to the future with its power plant, a newly developed 234 kW diesel hybrid engine.

The new high-performance SLR McLaren sports car will celebrate its Ú.S. premiere at the auto show in Detroit. Mercedes-Benz also will introduce a diesel model in the Únited States and use the powerful E 320 CDI, which offers unparalleled performance and fuel efficiency, to create a new and very promising passenger-car segment on the American market.

Grand Sports Tourer: A sedan, van, station wagon and SÚV all in one

The idea behind the Grand Sports Tourer, which Mercedes-Benz introduced in 2002, combines the advantages of existing vehicle types like the family sedan, the van, the station wagon and the sports utility vehicle (SÚV) into a new individual profile. The Mercedes study is big, roomy and functional, satisfies high expectations for performance and dynamic handling, and offers unparalleled comfort for long-distance journeys. In other words, it is a new interpretation of the 'touring car.'

Mercedes-Benz has transformed the dreams of today's drivers into reality by creating a versatile car suitable for family use, leisure time, travel and work - all with a strikingly elegant design and functions made possible by cutting-edge technology. The Grand Sports Tourer concept is the result of an intensive dialogue that Mercedes has conducted with customers all over the world. These discussions form the basis for new fascinating vehicle concepts like the Vision Grand Sports Tourer and the recently introduced Vision CLS.

Design: The perfect trio of elegance, dynamics and commanding presence


Other characteristic features of the Grand Sports Tourer, including its commanding presence and high performance, are symbolized by such features as the design of the radiator grille with aluminum louvers, the contoured hood and the striking bumpers - a design element further accentuated by the arrow-shaped outline of the vehicle's front.

Interior: Relaxed traveling for six passengers


A large panorama glass roof that extends over nearly the entire top of the car creates a light-flooded interior in which up to six people can enjoy a relaxed journey. Each traveler has his or her own individual seat, and the first and second rows of seats are separated by 920 millimeters, giving the dimensions of first-class seating. Center consoles between the individual seats in the back rows offer extra storage space and come equipped with large, secure holders for drinking cups and bottles.

Úsing the separate DVD/CD players for the second and third rows of seats and earphones, the rear passengers can select their own individual entertainment programs, and color screens are integrated into the backs of the front headrests and into the rear center console.

In typical Mercedes style, the new concept vehicle satisfies sports- and leisure-oriented families who demand a versatile car that can quickly and easily be modified for different transport jobs. The four rear seats fold down individually, allowing the loading space to be increased to a maximum of 2,030 liters (based on the VDA measuring system) - considerably more space than in conventional station wagons. The level floor and large hatch door make the vehicle easy to load and unload.

Thanks to its contemporary design and elaborate features, the dashboard leaves a lasting impression thanks to its modern design and elaborate features. Aluminum and exotic woods are key materials contributing to the interior's rich appearance. With vertical aluminum profiles, COMAND display and air-conditioning control device, the center console is another eye-catcher in the Vision Grand Sports Tourer interior.

Úsing state-of-the-art transmission electronics, Mercedes engineers were able to eliminate the traditional center-console selection lever for the automatic transmission, which has been replaced by a lever on the steering column and control buttons in the steering wheel. Like a Formula 1 driver, the motorist can manually change the gears of the automatic transmission, optimally using the engine's formidable performance potential in every type of driving situation.

This state-of-the-art 'shift-by-wire' technology offers one other advantage: The driver's hands are always where they should be - on the steering wheel.

Hybrid drive: From zero to 100 km/h in only 6.6 seconds


With its powerful diesel hybrid drivetrain, the Vision Grand Sports Tourer underscores its pioneering nature. For models like the Grand Sports Tourer, this drive technology will soon be an important supplement to the diesel engine and help to further cut fuel consumption and exhaust emissions - without sacrificing any agility, comfort or driving pleasure.

This powerful hybrid consists of a state-of-the-art V8 diesel engine with 184 kW/250 hp from the S-Class and an electric motor (50 kW). As a result, the vehicle has 234 kW of total power and 860 Nm of torque available - top performance levels for this drive technology, which guarantees dynamic driving enjoyment. The Vision Grand Sports Tourer, for example, has the acceleration of a sports car - it can sprint from zero to 100 km/h in just 6.6 seconds. The car's top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h.

The diesel hybrid system's fuel consumption is equally exemplary, delivering 30 mpg (miles per gallon) according to the American measurement method. With future engine generations, the drive concept of the Vision Grand Sports Tourer will offer the potential for even more impressive fuel efficiency, at 33 mpg. In the European driving cycle, the Vision Grand Sports Tourer with a hybrid drive uses about 20 percent less fuel than a comparable diesel model.

The electronically regulated 'job sharing' by the diesel engine and the electric motor takes maximum advantage of both drive concepts. The electric motor takes charge when a car is started, pulled into a parking place or is caught in stop-and-go traffic or other slow-moving traffic conditions requiring little power. The result is zero-emission driving. But when greater engine performance is needed, the eight-cylinder CDI engine kicks in, providing a powerful surge of acceleration. When the car's brakes are applied, the electric motor acts as a generator and produces electricity that is used to recharge the drive system's battery.

In the Vision Grand Sports Tourer, hybrid drive is combined for the first time with permanent four-wheel drive, illustrating once again the vehicle's pioneering potential.

Other technical highlights of the Grand Sports Tourer concept that ensure perfect long-distance comfort and the highest level of driving safety include its twenty-one-inch wheels; large, perforated brake discs; AIRMATIC air-suspension system and sophisticated axle design.

SLR McLaren: The Gran Turismo for the 21st century

The Gran Turismo's 5.5-liter V8 power plant generates 460 kW/626 hp with the help of supercharging and develops a maximum torque of 780 Nm starting at 3,250 rpm. This torque level is maintained over a wide range of engine speeds, extending all the way to 5,000 rpm. That level of performance ranks the SLR eight-cylinder engine among the most powerful sports car engines designed for road use. To jump from zero to 100 km/h, the high-powered sports car needs only 3.8 seconds. It passes the 200-km/h barrier at 10.6 seconds, and the SLR can reach 300 km/h only 28.8 seconds after a standing start. Its top speed is 334 km/h.

The Gran Turismo's 5.5-liter V8 power plant generates 460 kW/626 hp with the help of supercharging and develops a maximum torque of 780 Nm starting at 3,250 rpm. This torque level is maintained over a wide range of engine speeds, extending all the way to 5,000 rpm. That level of performance ranks the SLR eight-cylinder engine among the most powerful sports car engines designed for road use. To jump from zero to 100 km/h, the high-powered sports car needs only 3.8 seconds. It passes the 200-km/h barrier at 10.6 seconds, and the SLR can reach 300 km/h only 28.8 seconds after a standing start. Its top speed is 334 km/h.

The Gran Turismo's 5.5-liter V8 power plant generates 460 kW/626 hp with the help of supercharging and develops a maximum torque of 780 Nm starting at 3,250 rpm. This torque level is maintained over a wide range of engine speeds, extending all the way to 5,000 rpm. That level of performance ranks the SLR eight-cylinder engine among the most powerful sports car engines designed for road use. To jump from zero to 100 km/h, the high-powered sports car needs only 3.8 seconds. It passes the 200-km/h barrier at 10.6 seconds, and the SLR can reach 300 km/h only 28.8 seconds after a standing start. Its top speed is 334 km/h.

To meet the highest demands on high-speed handling, driving stability and the cooling-air needs of a top-performance automobile, Mercedes-Benz and McLaren have jointly developed a car with sophisticated aerodynamics, which ensures ideal contact with the road and guarantees the high level of driving safety typical of a car from Mercedes. Following extensive wind-tunnel tests, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was equipped with an underbody that is almost completely smooth, and it is equipped with a special six-channel diffuser beneath the rear of the vehicle. Both features are proven design principles used in Formula 1. They ensure that the flow of air underneath the vehicle is nearly unobstructed and that downforce is generated at high speeds.

Additional downforce is provided by an extendable spoiler at the rear of the SLR. When the vehicle reaches a speed of 95 km/h, the spoiler automatically positions itself at a 10-degree angle into the wind, increasing the contact pressure on the rear axle. The spoiler also serves as a supplemental air brake.

Safety: High-tech materials from Formula 1

The SLR McLaren is made almost entirely of carbon-fiber laminates. This light but extremely rigid material was originally developed for aerospace systems, but it has also proven its value in today's Formula 1 race cars. The material is about 50 percent lighter than steel, and carbon fibers can absorb four to five times more impact energy than steel or aluminum. Mercedes-Benz is taking advantage of this quality. In the front-end of the new SLR, it has installed two carbon-fiber side members measuring 620 millimeters each that can absorb all of the energy generated by a frontal collision.

Since the passenger compartment is also made entirely of carbon-fiber laminates, it also offers a great deal of protection during side and rear impacts and remains largely undamaged. Adaptive airbags, newly developed kneebags and sidebags, and seat-belt tensioners round out the car's safety features.

In production of the brake discs, Mercedes-Benz is employing a new materials technology as well. The discs are made from fiber-reinforced ceramics, which makes them extremely stable and gives them a very long service life. The combination of these brake discs with the electrohydraulic Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC™) system allows the vehicle to achieve excellent deceleration results, a fact that once again impressively underscores the motor-sports character of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

E 320 CDI: Diesel premiere in the Ú.S.

Mercedes-Benz is introducing another diesel model in the Únited States - the E 320 CDI sedan with a six-cylinder engine. Mercedes-Benz, the company with the longest history and greatest expertise in manufacturing diesel engines for passenger cars, expects its powerful, yet economical CDI models to be a big hit on the American market - and not only with loyal diesel customers.

The 150 kW/204hp (Ú.S.: 201 hp) direct-injection diesel engine can reach a maximum torque of 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) at 1,800 rpm. It also combines rapid acceleration and a formidable throughput rate with exemplary fuel consumption of only 6.9 litres per 100 kilometers (total NEDC consumption) and achieved in the American test procedure around 35 mpg*. In everyday operation, it is far superior to comparable vehicles with gasoline or hybrid drive systems.

Source - Daimler Chrysler Media

Mercedes-Benz B-Class and R-Class: Sports Tourer: two versions of an innovative vehicle concept

The innovative Sports Tourer concept developed by Mercedes-Benz is becoming more and more versatile. In addition to the new B-Class Compact Sports Tourer, the R-Class Grand Sports Tourer also made its world debut at the end of March 2005. Mercedes-Benz is thereby underlining the potential of this vehicle concept for a new model family.
Dimensions, design, dynamism – these are the common attributes of the Sports Tourers which make them individual and give them an identity of their own. The design lines with their striking front ends emphasise the muscular and active nature of the Sports Tourers. Generous seating space, exemplary comfort and a high level of practicality are other attributes shared by the Mercedes-Benz Sports Tourers, providing first-class conditions for relaxed and enjoyable touring.

The idea of the Sports Tourer, which Mercedes-Benz first presented in 2002, combines the advantages of familiar vehicle concepts such as a sporty saloon, estate, MPV and 'Sport Útility Vehicle' (SÚV) to create a new category in its own right. Accordingly the two new models impress with their size, comfort and practicality while meeting the highest expectations in terms of performance and dynamic handling.

The Sports Tourers are the Mercedes-Benz answer to the wishes of forward-thinking people for an automobile with an exciting design and a striking character which is equally suitable for family, recreational and professional use. Both vehicles provide this versatility.

B-Class Compact Sports Tourer: intelligent concept for space and comfort
Thanks to its intelligent concept, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class is in a class of its own. Arranging the engine and transmission partly in front of and partly beneath the passenger cell - according to the sandwich principle – gives this all-new touring car the interior spaciousness of larger saloons and estates despite its compact external dimensions.

High-torque CDI diesel engines, all with a standard-fitted diesel particulate filter, plus up-to-date petrol units meet the need of the Sports Tourer concept for effortless performance and a high level of driving pleasure.

R-Class Grand Sports Tourer: 4+2-seater with luxury appointments


Thanks to four-wheel drive, air suspension and the powerful V6 and V8 engines, the large Sports Tourer has everything needed for dynamic driving pleasure. All R-Class models come fitted as standard with the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission and DIRECT SELECT.

Source - DaimlerChrysler