Mercedes SLS AMG, ML450 Hybrid to Debut in Los Angeles

2010 Mercedes SLS AMG Gullwing

Diesel E-Class will go on sale in spring 2010

By Michael Gauthier
November 19, 2009 10:00 am
Filed Under: Hybrid, Los Angeles Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz, Supercars

Mercedes has announced plans to bring the SLS AMG, the ML450 Hybrid, and the F-Cell to the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The recently released ML450 Hybrid (available exclusively through a monthly leasing program which costs $659 per month for 36 months or $549 per month for 60 months) features a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine and two electric motors. Thanks to a 288-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery, which is located underneath the cargo floor, the crossover can travel solely on electric power at speeds up to 34 mph. This allows the 335 horsepower (combined output) M-Class to return 21 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

The B-Class based F-Cell is an electric vehicle that is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. With 136 hp (100 kW) and 290 Nm of torque, the F-Cell has a top speed of 170 km/h (105.6 mph) and a range of approximately 240 miles (it has a combined mpg equivalent of 86.6 mpg). While it sounds like a concept, 200 F-Cells "will be delivered to customers in the U.S. and Europe as part of a special lease program."

If green isn't your thing, Mercedes will be happy to introduce you to the stunning SLS AMG. Packing a 6.3-liter (6208cc) V8 engine, with 563 hp and 650 Nm of torque, the SLS accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds before hitting a top speed of 317 km/h (197 mph).

Finally, the company will also show the 210 hp E350 BlueTEC (which will be launched in the spring of 2010) and an S-Class equipped with splitview technology. As you may recall, splitview allows the driver and front passenger to watch different programs on the same display screen.

Source: Mercedes

Press Release (Click to expand)

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, ML450 HYBRID and Fuel Cell to Debut at L.A. Auto Show

All-New SLS AMG Supercar, Fuel-Cell-Powered F-Cell, and New Hybrids Share the Spotlight

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18 -- The 563-horsepower Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG supercar, the fuel-sipping E350 BlueTEC and the fuel-cell-powered F-Cell will be making their North American debuts at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show, open to the public December 4-13 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Mercedes-Benz will also launch its first hybrid SUV -- the ML450 HYBRID -- as well as the impressive SPLITVIEW dual-content viewing technology.

All-New SLS AMG Supercar

The first-ever car designed and developed from the ground up by Mercedes-AMG, the new SLS AMG supercar features a lightweight aluminum space-frame body with gullwing doors and a 563-horsepower dry-sump V8 engine. With its front-mid engine and dual-clutch seven-speed, the compelling SLS AMG boasts ideal weight distribution and race-car-like handling.

F-Cell for Fuel Cell Electric Power

Essentially an electric car that makes its own power on board, the new Mercedes-Benz F-Cell will make its North American debut at the L.A. Show. The F-Cell car has a range of about 240 miles and, running on compressed hydrogen, boasts an equivalent fuel mileage of 86.6 city-highway combined miles per gallon. In 2010, 200 production F-Cell cars will be delivered to customers in the U.S. and Europe as part of a special lease program.

BlueTEC - The World's Cleanest Diesels

Sharing center stage with the F-Cell and the SLS AMG, the fuel-sipping E350 BlueTEC is powered by a 3.0-liter V6 diesel with 210 horsepower, an impressive 400 lb.-ft. of torque and approximately 30 percent better fuel economy than a comparable gasoline engine. Now with revolutionary AdBlue injection that makes diesel exhaust super-clean, the E350 BlueTEC will be available in all 50 states in Spring 2010.

S-Class Debuts SPLITVIEW Technology

Also at the L.A. Show is an S-Class equipped with SPLITVIEW -- a single display screen that allows the driver and front passenger to view two different programs at the same time. For example, the driver can view the navigation system, while on the very same display screen, the front passenger can watch a movie.

ML450 HYBRID Boasts 46 Percent Better Fuel Economy

Making its West Coast debut at the L.A. Auto Show, the Mercedes-Benz ML450 HYBRID uses a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine, two electric motors and sophisticated electronics to produce more than 46 percent better fuel economy than a comparable V8-powered ML550 model. Integrated within the modified automatic transmission, each magneto-electric motor is dedicated to a specific purpose -- one for pulling away under electric power, the other specifically for acceleration. With both electric motors, the ML450 HYBRID has a total system performance of 335 horsepower and 381 pound-feet of torque.

During parking and low-speed operation, the ML450 HYBRID runs on the electric drive only. The ML450 HYBRID can drive solely on electric power up to a maximum speed of 34 mph.

The electric motors are powered by a liquid-cooled, 288-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery that's enclosed under the rear cargo floor.