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Daimler exec hypothetically discusses 3-cylinder engines for small hybrids

Is three the magic number of cylinders for Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler and its efforts to build smaller powertrains for its compact hybrids? Potentially, yes, the German automaker could see the need for three-cylinder mills, Automotive News reports. The company doesn't have any plans for them as of yet, though. Daimler executive Bernhard Heil talked with Automotive News about the challenges of using four-cylinder engines in a front-wheel-drive setup and said that three-cylinder engines could work in transverse-mounted powertrains for hybrid cars. For now, though, the company doesn't actually have any plans to go in that direction, Mercedes-Benz spokesman Christoph Horn said in an e-mail to AutoblogGreen. Horn wrote that Heil "actually said that if ever MB would use a three-cylinder engine than [it would be] in a configuration where space is restricted, such as when using a hybrid power train in a compact car." Of course, the only compact "hybrid" that Mercedes-Benz has is the 2015 C-Class, but that refers to the "hybrid" body is made of 48-percent aluminum, up from the current nine percent, as well as steel. It has nothing to do with the powertrain. Beyond that, there's always the Mercedes-Benz S500 Plug-in Hybrid that the company unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show last fall, but that model, which will debut in Europe later this year and arrive stateside next year, has a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 and an 80-kilowatt electric motor that propels the plug-in from 0 to 62 miles per hour in 5.5 seconds. Not exactly three-cylinder territory, that.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class scores well in TUV lifecycle analysis

Mercedes-Benz drivers and treehuggers don't always go hand in hand, but, like a lot of other companies, the German automaker is looking to boost its green cred. This time, it's all about the car's lifecycle carbon footprint. The Daimler AG unit is using its new C-Class sedan as an example of how it's making progress in that department. Mercedes-Benz, citing the inspection authority TUV Sud, says the 2015 C-Class has a 10-percent lower lifecycle carbon footprint than its 2014 predecessor, based on driving about 125,000 miles over the life of the car. About 95 percent of the car (by weight) is recyclable, slightly higher than the average for most vehicles, and the model has upped its amount of recyclable materials up by 23 percent and increased its use of "natural materials" by 55 percent. Better aerodynamics also helps things out on the fuel-economy front, Benz says. Taking a longer view, the 2015 C-Class's carbon footprint is 28 percent better than the 2007 version that launched the vehicle line. The 2015 C-Class hasn't received a fuel-economy rating from the US Environmental Protection Agency, which tagged the 2014 C350 with a combined fuel-efficiency rating of 24 miles per gallon from its 3.5-liter 6-cylinder engine. Check out Mercedes-Benz's press release below and find the Autoblog First Drive impressions here. TUV Environmental Certificate: The new C-Class makes its mark with an exemplary life cycle assessment Stuttgart, Mar 28, 2014 The C-Class sets efficiency benchmarks for its class, helped by an intelligent lightweight concept, excellent aerodynamics and new, frugal engines. The neutral inspectors from the TUV Sud technical inspection authority have confirmed the high level of environmental compatibility of the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Besides a sensuous, clean-cut design, a top-class interior and a host of technical innovations, the premium saloon also boasts an exemplary life cycle assessment, which is why it has been awarded the Environmental Certificate in accordance with the ISO 14062 standard. Professor Dr. Herbert Kohler, Chief Environmental Officer at Daimler AG: "Our engineers have pulled out all the stops in an effort to lower fuel consumption while at the same time further accentuating the car's sporty character. By employing an intelligent lightweight design with a high proportion of aluminium, for example, it has been possible to make the new C-Class up to 100 kilograms lighter than its predecessor.

Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet is last year's concept with a soft top

Last year, Mercedes brought an absurd, excessive two-seat coupe to Pebble Beach called the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6. We say absurd and excessive because it was a roughly 19-foot long coupe for just two people. It also packed a 750-horsepower electric powertrain. This year, Mercedes brought pretty much the same car, but now with a soft top and the suffix "Cabriolet." Because the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet is basically the same car as the coupe, it's also dripping with unashamed excess. It's still 19 feet long, it still carries only two people, and it still has 750 horsepower from electric motors. Mercedes claims that power will propel the car to 60 mph in under 4 seconds. Also like the coupe, it has a range of 200 miles on a charge, and with the right charger, can supposedly regain about 60 miles in 5 minutes. There are changes to the car, though. For one, it's painted a different color. Instead of the vibrant red of the coupe, the roadster is a navy blue that Mercedes says helps evoke the feeling of a yacht — more so than the size already did. It also has new wheels with a more conventional multi-spoke look. They're also have rose gold-painted accents. The change to a convertible body style alters the appearance of the Mercedes-Maybach 6 more than you'd expect, too. Now that a significant portion of the vehicle is finished in a contrasting color, the car looks a bit shorter, in a good way. It doesn't look cumbersome. The lack of a fastback also helps keep the tail from looking like it's sagging, as it does on the coupe. The interior of the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet is mostly the same as the coupe, too. It features the same white leather seats that blend into the doors and dashboard. It also has the wild wraparound display and clear center tunnel with light tubes that show the flow of electricity to the motors. Metal highlights are finished in rose gold hue, as is the stitching. The differences include more prominent shapes that imply air vents, as well as a wood floor with aluminum strips to complete the yacht feeling. Also, the buttons that dot the seats have Mercedes logos on them, and they're backlit. We also get a peak under the hood of the Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet. It opens up like pre-war cars with two panels connected by a center hinge. Because it uses compact electric motors and underfloor batteries, there's storage space under the hood.