Spy Shots: 2008 Mercedes C-Class

[Kar Krazie]

Is that the C-class that Mercedes is giving to the troops in Iraq? Because with all that stuff on it you could drive it into a rock and it would not be damaged!

[jokuvaan]

Mercedes Benz have also delcared that they want to stay as automobile pioneers despite reliability loss and at the same time they are trying to improve reliability.

Ok good luck on that equation...

[SUPERBADD75]

wow.... valvetrains are really the biggest problem with making high RPM engines, and MB is about to fix that issue. i like the elimination of cams, so long as it stays reliable and works right. this technology could make it possible to see 12,000 RPM street engines. i love it.


as far as the body, who can tell anything by all that camo? i'm sure it will look great.

[ViperDVMan]

I can't exactly comment on the car itself since it has 20 tons of reactive armor plating on it. But it looks like they're trying keep competitive in this highly competitive segment. Caddy had better keep it together and bring out a kick ass CTS redesign if they want to stay ahead.

As for the technology...I too am skeptical about everything, including the engine mechanicals themselves, being operated by electricals. I also agree it could cause some engine damages and massive repair bills if one of those valves (or the whole system) goes out. We'll have to see if Mercedes follows through on this technology.

[[Corporal Dan]]

Originally Posted by awalbert88

The amount of power (and thus the amount of wire) required by some of these new technologies is really adding a whole lot of unnecessary weight to the vehicle. Heck, if you removed all the wiring from a modern luxury car, you'd save 2-300lbs if not more.

Please tell me you're kidding.

Please for the love of God tell me you're kidding.

[GM_Guy81]

two things:

1) that is some serious camo!!! They are not playing around at all with that thing.

2) If there is a camless engine, how are people going to say "OMG DOHC IS TEH L337 ENGINE!!!!"

[goblue]

People are bashing them for going after a camless drivetrain, and I guess I don't get it. Sure maybe with their reliability record they aren't the best ones to do it, but I applaud them for going after this and am dissapointed to hear nothing out of GM about it. What better way to put the OHV vs OHC crap to an end. Lets see, complete control over the valves, huge potential cost savings, much less moving intertia, better fuel econ and emissions, DOD becomes a total joke to do, smaller engines and packaging requirements. I think this will be as significant as hybrid technology. Take this, plus alt fuels or especially diesel and set it up as a serial hybrid and the Prius becomes a guzzler. I would much rather see GM do this over the hydrogen pipedream for the next few years.

[spudglo08]

I heard well reada rumer somewhere about an engine being designed by someone that doesnt have valve springs i think it was either GM or Ford maby BMW i cant remember.It has air bags instead that can move faster or some crap like that.Wow that camless engine stuff will end OHC vs OHV.And the air bag thing could end VVT vs push rod.Combine them togater and well it wont ever get a negative review on the engine.Give it a Manumatic 7 speed tranny and you wont get a bad review on the whole powertrain.

[awalbert88]

Originally Posted by [Corporal Dan]

Please tell me you're kidding.

Please for the love of God tell me you're kidding.

Uhm, no. All that wire really adds significant weight. Switch to a 42V system and you can use much smaller guage wire for everything, thus reducing the bulk of wire needed by a substantial margin. Not only would it save weight, but it would allow for a lot of additional components to be running with minimal drain on the system.

[hudson32]

Hmmm.. Mercedes always have good performing cars with nifty gadgets on it. No one denies that they drive and perform well. I sure hope that the Cadillac keeps the ball rolling and that the new 2008 CTS will be a stunner like the 2003 design was.

[ibechip]

Originally Posted by awalbert88

Uhm, no. All that wire really adds significant weight. Switch to a 42V system and you can use much smaller guage wire for everything, thus reducing the bulk of wire needed by a substantial margin. Not only would it save weight, but it would allow for a lot of additional components to be running with minimal drain on the system.

Until some kid buys a used one and fries himself trying to wire in a sub.

[ibechip]

Originally Posted by hudson32

Hmmm.. Mercedes always have good performing cars with nifty gadgets on it. No one denies that they drive and perform well. I sure hope that the Cadillac keeps the ball rolling and that the new 2008 CTS will be a stunner like the 2003 design was.

That will be the key for the whole Caddy lineup. They have to be able to evolve the A&S styling. Hopefully we'll start seeing the Northstar engine lineup evolve as well.

[[Corporal Dan]]

Originally Posted by awalbert88

Uhm, no. All that wire really adds significant weight.

Not only would it save weight, but it would allow for a lot of additional components to be running with minimal drain on the system.

1) No it doesn't.

2) No. Savings in current draw would be lost elsewhere... mainly in higher internal resistance. So yes some weight saving (negligible) but power draw will not diminish. That idea violates the second law of thermodynamics.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by ibechip

Until some kid buys a used one and fries himself trying to wire in a sub.

Actually, 42v would be safer than 12v. It's the amperage (current) that kills you, not voltage. P=VI power = voltage x current

So, if you increase the voltage, you need less current (amps) to get the same power (wattage).

Voltage is, in a really simplistic way, a measure of how fast the current is travelling. It takes 10,000 volts to arc 1" if I remember correctly, so the increase from 12v to 42v would be negligible from a shock-likelihood standpoint.

I remember in physics class playing with a Van de Graaff generator that created static electricity. We played with it administering 200,000 volt shocks to ourselves. It hurt like hell, but the very small levels of current involved made it safe.

[AndrewGS]

Good to know they're going to offer a factroy-armoured version.