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Mercedes-Benz cut fleetwide emissions by 4.3 percent last year

Mercedes-Benz says it reduced its fleetwide vehicle emissions by 4.3 percent last year. Of course, the German automaker has another 29 percent to go to meet the European Commission's 2020 mandate. But who's counting? Mercedes' luxury and sports car bent has made it a relative laggard when it comes to increasing fleetwide fuel-efficiency, but the company did reduce emissions from 140 grams of CO2 per kilometer to 134 last year. The company's fleetwide fuel efficiency (calculated using the lenient European standard) was 5.4 liters per 100 kilometers, which equals about 44 miles per gallon and represents a 25-percent jump since 2007. Benz has come a long way from its gas-swilling V8 tanks of the 1970s. In fact, the company said its top performer, in the fuel-efficiency sense, was the diesel-powered B180 CDI BlueEfficiency Edition, which consumes 3.8 liters per 100 kilometers. That equals about 62 mpg (again, on the lenient scale). The company got some additional good press by revealing that Winfried Kretschmann, Minister-President of the German State of Baden-Wurttemberg, drives a Mercedes-Benz S300 BlueTEC Hybrid. Not exactly a Nissan Leaf, mind you, but it's a start, as is the company's efforts to bring its fleetwide emissions ever closer to the 95g CO2/km level that the EC is mandating by 2020. Take a look at Mercedes-Benz's press release below. Minister-President of the German State of Baden-Wurttemberg, Winfried Kretschmann (left), with Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber (right) and a Mercedes-Benz S-Class S 300 BlueTEC HYBRID Fleet fuel consumption for Mercedes-Benz Cars falls to 134 g CO2/km: Top efficiency figures in all vehicle classes Stuttgart, Apr 08, 2014 Benefit for the environment and customers: In almost all vehicle classes, Mercedes-Benz offers the most efficient vehicle in the competitive lineup. Moreover, in 2013 the company was able to reduce the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions[1] of the Mercedes-Benz Cars EU new vehicle fleet by a further six grams, to 134 g CO2/km. This means that in 2013, the average fleet consumption was 5.4 litres/100 km – a reduction by 24.7 percent since 2007. At present the company offers more than 50 models emitting less than 120 g CO2/km and 71 models emitting less than 130 g CO2/km. Customers can find vehicles in the Mercedes-Benz model range that consume considerably less fuel than competing models. "With our model initiative we want to be the leading premium manufacturer by 2020 again, says Prof.

Race recap: 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is Germany rising as sun sets

Mercedes-AMG Petronas driver Nico Rosberg Rosberg doesn't attribute anything mystical to the form that got him ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton. He said simply, "Before it was close in the other direction, now it's close in this direction." Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda went further, saying Rosberg's "brain has switched." Under the desert spotlights it switched so far ahead that Lewis Hamilton qualified nearly four tenths behind the German. Kimi Raikkonen flew the scarlet for Ferrari in third position. Being three spots ahead of Valtteri Bottas gave Raikkonen a huge advantage in locking up fourth position in the driver's championship. Even if he doesn't care about it, as he's publicly stated, Ferrari probably does. Teammate Sebastian Vettel was classified 16th after the German slowed down after making a mistake on his final hot lap, and neither he nor his engineer realized how quickly times were falling on a cooling track. He'd be promoted to 15th when Lotus driver Romain Grosjean was penalized for a gearbox change. Sergio Perez knocked it out of the park for Sahara Force India, claiming fourth ahead of Daniel Ricciardo in fifth for Infiniti Red Bull Racing. Williams driver Bottas was in sixth, in front of the second Force India of Nico Hulkenberg and the second Williams of Felipe Massa in eighth. Daniil Kvyat ensured both Red Bulls were in the top 10 with his ninth position, and Carlos Sainz got the upper hand in qualifying over his Toro Rosso teammate Max Verstappen for the final time this year, rounding out the top 10. Beyond Nico Rosberg's mind, one of his weaknesses was his slow starts. Those are stronger, too, the German tearing off away from the field when the lights went out. Hamilton bogged enough to have to defend from Perez behind, the Mexican trying to slide between Hamilton and Raikkonen on the run to the first corner. Rosberg held the lead into Turn 1 and likewise held it through Turn 21 on the last lap of the race, only ceding it during pit stops. Rosberg's 14th victory gets him level with Graham Hill on the wins list – on the anniversary of Hill's death in a plane crash – and marks the first time in his 10-year F1 career that he's won three races in a row. More proof of his strength: the last few races we haven't heard Rosberg ask for regular updates about what Hamilton's doing, he just drives. Hamilton gave it his best but that wasn't enough.

Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG formalize technical partnership

The development of a partnership between Mercedes-Benz and Aston Martin has been a long time coming. The news dates back to 2008, and over the five years since was supposed to lead to a rejuvenation of both the Maybach and Lagonda brands. That program ultimately fell apart, but the tie-in was forged afresh in July when the two automakers signed a letter of intent over a renewed partnership. And now that partnership has been formalized.
In a deal just announced, Mercedes-AMG will build a new V8 engine for Aston Martin that will power a new generation of luxury GTs for the British marque, presumably to replace the 4.7-liter V8 in the Vantage. The relationship appears to be similar to the one already in place between AMG and Pagani, only in this case, will involve Daimler taking as much as a five-percent stake in Aston Martin and an observer seat on Aston's board.
The technical partnership is also set to lead to the supply of electric and electronic systems, and could incorporate "additional areas of cooperation in the future." Whether that will include a fresh attempt at reviving Lagonda remains to be seen, as does the future of Aston's long-serving, Ford-based 6.0-liter V12 engine. But for now you can read the full announcement below.