2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, ML450 HYBRID to debut at 2009 LA Auto Show
At the 2009 LA Auto Show early next month, the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG will make its U.S. debut alongside the fuel-sipping ML450 HYBRID SUV, the first hybrid SUV from Mercedes-Benz.
We’re hoping Mercedes-Benz will offer some pricing details on the US-spec Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. Earlier this week, it was announced that 563-hp SLS AMG will carry a price tag of 177,310 euros ($265,513 USD) in Europe.
The Mercedes-Benz ML450 HYBRID will make its U.S. debut with a 3.5L V6 engine mated to two-electric motors producing a total of 335-hp and a peak torque of 381 lb-ft. Mercedes-Benz says that fuel-economy is improved by 46 percent. The ML450 HYBRID SUV can also drive solely on electric power up to a maximum speed of 34 mph.
2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG:
– By: Omar Rana
Press Release:
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.
– By: Omar Rana
