Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe

Following the launch of the re-styled E-Class sedan a few months ago, Mercedes-Benz will showcase its coupe sibling, which replaces the CLK.

Stuttgart is championing the new E-Class coupe’s aerodynamics and fuel efficiency, as it claims this new two-door to be the most aerodynamic coupe with the lowest drag coefficient of 0.24.

On the efficiency front, four of the five models in the new E-Class coupe range will be fuel-sipping beasts, powered by Mercedes’ much lauded BlueEFFICIENCY engines, with fuel economies from 44.4 mpg in the E250 diesel to 27.7 mpg in the E350 gasoline.

The only model not singing the green tune is the range-topping E500, which hides an AMG-tuned V8, spewing 388hp.

Mercedes-Benz has done away with the B-pillar for its new E-Class coupe, offering fully retractable side windows, while retaining the same rhomboid headlamps of the new E-Class sedan and a sports radiator grille with large central star first showcased in its ConceptFASCINATION design study in Paris last October.

In typical E-Class fashion, Mercedes-Benz has loaded this new coupe with a dizzying array of gadgetry.

This includes safety features like Attention Assist for drivers nodding off behind the wheel, the award-winning Pre-Safe system to offer maximum protection, and if necessary, take over the braking for accident-prone drivers, and Active Bonnet to cushion pedestrians in the event of a rear impact.

The new E-Class coupe also comes with Adaptive Main Beam Assist to rein in high beam-friendly drivers, and Agility Control which jigs the suspension to adapt to different driving behavior. Prices begin at 44,684 Euros (or US$56 000) for the base model. 

BMW Previews 5-Series GT Concept

Ahead of its public debut at the Geneva Auto Show next month, Bavarian automakers BMW have released the first photos of their concept 5-Series Gran Turismo.

Its unique body style is referred to by the company as a Progressive Activity Sedan, designed to pack the higher ride height and seating position, as well as the more spacious interiors of a modern Sports Activity Vehicle into an elegant, sleek sedan.

This modern take on the classic Gran Turismo is packaged in a sporty coupé-like silhouette, with four doors, frameless windows and four seats.

Inside, the car’s novel design is a winning combination of space and luxury. Passengers will get to enjoy the comfort of the car’s generous rear legroom, the convenience of plenty of boot space, and even the option of a panoramic sun roof.

The roomy interior also gives the option to adjust and redistribute the space behind the front seats to best suit one’s needs, with rear seats that slide back and forth by 100mm, and fold down at the touch of a button.

The car also features a unique double-jointed tailgate to allow trunk access akin to that of a sedan for normal loading, or a hatch when bulky luggage is involved.

Audi A4 allroad quattro

Audi will unveil a shrunken version of its A6 Allroad quattro, this time in A4 guise, at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

With looks that recall the A4 Avant, the engineers from Ingolstadt have added enough steel reinforcements to this four-wheel-drive to survive the great outdoors.

Stainless steel plates beef up the front and rear end, while ground clearance has been increased to 180mm. The A4 allroad quattro also features an Offroad Detection (ORD) system that reins in the vehicle on tricky road surfaces by adjusting the parameters of its Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP).

And if the need arises, for example, on slippery roads, Audi’s quattro permanent all-wheel drive can deliver up to 65% power to the front and 85% to the rear.

There’s a choice of three engines: one petrol and two diesel. A turbocharged 2.0 liter TFSI sheds 211bhp while the diesel plants rate at 170bhp and 240bhp respectively. The latter, a 3.0-liter V6 comes paired with a seven-speed S tronic transmission.

Prices start at 37,100 Euros (or US$47 850), with a gamut of add-ons from adaptive cruise control, high-beam assist, two-part panoramic glass roof, electric tailgate, xenon headlamps with LED running lights and reverse lights to lane assist and side assist and a 14-speaker 505-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system to significantly bump up the total bill.

BMW Art Cars Start US Tour

BMW pioneered the automobile-as-art concept, commissioning artists to translate their inspirations and expressions onto their cars, and since its inception in 1975, 16 BMW cars have gone under the paintbrush.

These BMW Art Cars have traveled the world, gracing famous museums and galleries such as the Louvre in Paris, the Palazzo Grassi in Venice, and the Guggenheim Museums in New York and Bilbao. After an extensive tour of Asia in 2006, four of these cars will make their next pit-stop at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

Featuring the works of Andy Warhol, Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, and Robert Rauschenberg, the four Beemers will be on display in the admission-free BP Grand Entrance of LACMA from February 12-24, along with behind-the-scenes video footages.

The exhibition will then head for the Grand Central Terminal in New York City in March followed by stopovers at three cities in Mexico.

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