RE: Mercedes E-Class To Go On Radical Diet
Tuesday 1st November 2011
Mercedes is working on an ultra-lightweight hi-tech version of the E-class coupe that weighs just 1300kg, if German mag Auto Bild is to be believed.
Mercedes E-Class To Go On Radical Diet
1300kg E-class 'superlight' in the works
Auto Bild reckons that Merc is working on an eco-friendly version of the E-class coupe that could shed up to 350kg over the regular car thanks to extensive use of carbon fibre - and that the new car could go on sale (alongside more conventional versions of the E-class coupe) as soon as 2015.
As for motive power, the options seem to be either a petrol-electric hybrid or possibly even fuel-cell power.
Of course there is no official word as yet on the supermini-weight E-class, but it's certainly an intriguing prospect...
Discussion
Less weight, more power, longer gears (well in a merc autobox itll be more gears) and firmer tyres and lower springs for being "green".
Sounds like good things for driving fun to be honest, the E90 BMW 320ed is as good if not better to drive than a normal 320d so if thats the way of the future then its a good thing. Fun to drive, comfortable, feature packed, easier on fuel, less emissions.
If only we could have proper steering feel in modern cars, most power assisted systems these days dull too much of the feel.
Sounds like good things for driving fun to be honest, the E90 BMW 320ed is as good if not better to drive than a normal 320d so if thats the way of the future then its a good thing. Fun to drive, comfortable, feature packed, easier on fuel, less emissions.
If only we could have proper steering feel in modern cars, most power assisted systems these days dull too much of the feel.
Me too, but what we get instead is overweight, over-electronic-guarded, underengined $h*te that does well in the standardised NEDC test but drinks like a fish (comparatively) in the real world. 
This sounds more like it, although calling 1,300 kg 'supermini' weight is taking it a bit far even today....
This sounds more like it, although calling 1,300 kg 'supermini' weight is taking it a bit far even today....
I long for a return to lighter cars that make small engines feel powerful - look at the 0-60 times of some of the many GTI of the 80's and they are about the same as cars with near double the power today. But we must not forget what drove the weight - our love of technology (air con etc) and safety - wouldn't fancy a prang in a Citroen Visa!! Weight reduction costs a fortune, barely used false techno like stop start is cheap and gives the CO2 returns required. Just hope this starts a trend across the industry!!
thinfourth2 said:
I always hoped that the green revolution would be good for those that like simple light cars
Problem is, people don't like simple and light anymore; time has proven that we now expect what was once considered luxury as a matter of course. We seem to forget that the cars 80s, although much lighter than today, were not particularly luxurious or especially safe by todays standards. Car makers know it's quite possible to build lighter cars but the cost implications would be ruled out by bean counters and let's face it, they're in it to make money, not to keep a few petrolheads happy...As much as I'm interested in how this Mercedes development turns out I know that
1) they'll certainly charge a handsome premium for it - using carbon fibre will see to that.
2) people (on here in particular) will STILL find something to moan about it were it to become reality!
mrclav said:
Problem is, people don't like simple and light anymore; time has proven that we now expect what was once considered luxury as a matter of course.
I was about to argue this point, using my Elise as an example. Then I realised that it has air con and electric windows. And remote cental locking.Now I feel like a fraud.
Numeric said:
I long for a return to lighter cars that make small engines feel powerful - look at the 0-60 times of some of the many GTI of the 80's and they are about the same as cars with near double the power today. But we must not forget what drove the weight - our love of technology (air con etc) and safety - wouldn't fancy a prang in a Citroen Visa!! Weight reduction costs a fortune, barely used false techno like stop start is cheap and gives the CO2 returns required. Just hope this starts a trend across the industry!!
This is where the Japanese have got it so right in the Kei class tiny engines turbocharged and supercharged in cars that weigh peanuts but dont skimp on the luxurys like AC leather etc. mrclav said:
thinfourth2 said:
I always hoped that the green revolution would be good for those that like simple light cars
Problem is, people don't like simple and light anymore; time has proven that we now expect what was once considered luxury as a matter of course. We seem to forget that the cars 80s, although much lighter than today, were not particularly luxurious or especially safe by todays standards. Car makers know it's quite possible to build lighter cars but the cost implications would be ruled out by bean counters and let's face it, they're in it to make money, not to keep a few petrolheads happy...I'm just thinking about what happened when my parents last went looking for a car. The last car they bought was a Citroen ZX in 1997, which has lasted extremely well. They went to a variety of dealerships but just couldn't find the kind of car they were after - which is something Focus-sized, but without things like aircon, traction control, electronic buttons to open the boot, remote central locking, electric windows, sunroof, umpteen billion airbags and a big plastic cover over the engine telling you to sod off rather than attempt to fix anything.
For the simple reason that they can't fix these things, have never felt the need for them in over 40 years of driving, see them as just something else to go wrong, and bump the price of new cars up unnecessarily.
As a result, they just continue to patch up the ZX, which has 250k on the clock and has still never broken down. In a couple of years, it'll be eligible for classic insurance.
I agree with them. There are some electrics I like in a car (windows, for example), but the majority of things seem to fall into the categories of 'things to go wrong' and 'things that get in the way of smooth progress.'
Twincam16 said:
mrclav said:
thinfourth2 said:
I always hoped that the green revolution would be good for those that like simple light cars
Problem is, people don't like simple and light anymore; time has proven that we now expect what was once considered luxury as a matter of course. We seem to forget that the cars 80s, although much lighter than today, were not particularly luxurious or especially safe by todays standards. Car makers know it's quite possible to build lighter cars but the cost implications would be ruled out by bean counters and let's face it, they're in it to make money, not to keep a few petrolheads happy...I'm just thinking about what happened when my parents last went looking for a car. The last car they bought was a Citroen ZX in 1997, which has lasted extremely well. They went to a variety of dealerships but just couldn't find the kind of car they were after - which is something Focus-sized, but without things like aircon, traction control, electronic buttons to open the boot, remote central locking, electric windows, sunroof, umpteen billion airbags and a big plastic cover over the engine telling you to sod off rather than attempt to fix anything.
For the simple reason that they can't fix these things, have never felt the need for them in over 40 years of driving, see them as just something else to go wrong, and bump the price of new cars up unnecessarily.
As a result, they just continue to patch up the ZX, which has 250k on the clock and has still never broken down. In a couple of years, it'll be eligible for classic insurance.
I agree with them. There are some electrics I like in a car (windows, for example), but the majority of things seem to fall into the categories of 'things to go wrong' and 'things that get in the way of smooth progress.'
There are definately far too many electric gizmos in modern cars for my liking. Electric windows are great, air con is nice for maybe 1 or 2 months of the year.
Electric seats are a complete waste of time and weight IMO. How often do people change their driving position? It's not exactly hard to spend 30 seconds changing the position of your seat manually before leaving the house!
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