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Nissan Z Proto, next-gen Hyundai Tucson and a hi-po mystery Bronco | Autoblog Podcast #645

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and News Editor Joel Stocksdale. In the news this week, Ford has teased some sort of high-performance Bronco, Nissan unveiled the Z Proto, Hyundai revealed the next-gen Tucson and GMC teased the Hummer EV's "Crab Mode." Our editors break that all down for you, and share some insights and opinions before they turn to the cars in their own driveways. This week, they've been spending time with the 2020 Mercedes-AMG G 63, as well as the 2020 BMW Alpina B7. Autoblog Podcast #645 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Ford's beefed-up Bronco prototype stars in new teaser photo Nissan Z Proto previews the retro, rear-drive, turbo, manual future of the Z All the Nissan Z cars that got us to the Z Proto 2022 Hyundai Tucson debuts with striking styling inside and out GMC Hummer teases crab mode, reveal set for Oct. 20 Cars we're driving: 2020 Mercedes-AMG G 63 2020 BMW Alpina B7 Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

Daimler chairman agrees with German Greens on reducing emissions

Daimler Chairman Dieter Zetsche spoke at a Green Party congress in Germany earlier this week and said he agreed with the party's urge to dramatically cut transportation-based greenhouse-gas emissions by expanding plug-in vehicle sales, Reuters says. Zetsche stopped short of backing the Greens' suggestion to ban gas- and diesel-powered vehicles by 2030, though. The man must keep his job, after all. Zetsche did say that reducing greenhouse-gas emissions from the transportation sector was "necessary," and his company has made plans to do just that. Daimler representatives said at the Paris Motor Show earlier this year that Smart and Mercedes-Benz both planned to debut more than 10 electric vehicles within the next decade, and that plug-ins may account for as much as 25 percent of Mercedes-Benz's sales by then. Moreover, Dr. Thomas Weber, Head of Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, said in June that Mercedes could be selling as many as 100,000 EVs a year by the end of the decade. Last month, Mercedes-Benz announced that its EQ electric-SUV concept would go on sale by 2020, and that the Bremen factory that's producing the model will broaden its plug-in vehicle production further. Zetsche's cautious support notwithstanding, the German government appears to be doing its own part to reduce emissions from the country's light-duty vehicles. Earlier this year, Germany enacted a plan that provides as much as 4,000 euros ($4,270) in perks for people who buy new electric vehicles, with German automakers agreeing to foot about half of the estimated $1.4 billion bill. German lawmakers had also floated the idea of a 10-year moratorium on electric-vehicle taxes for cars purchased before 2020. Related Video: News Source: Reuters via Automotive News Europe-sub.req.Image Credit: Ralph Orlowski / Reuters Government/Legal Green Mercedes-Benz smart Electric

Mercedes-Benz killing Maybach in 2013, replacing with S600 Pullman

According to an unnamed Mercedes-Benz source speaking with AutoWeek, the German automaker is killing off its Maybach line in 2013.
The unsurprising news comes after the brand was resurrected in 2002, but failed to meet sales expectations with its two core models, the Maybach 57 and 62. Further solidifying its fate, a deal with Aston Martin to aid in the development of future Maybachs fell through earlier this year.
According to the AutoWeek insider, the plan is to continue to sell both Maybach models through the end of 2013, after which the fifth-generation S-Class will go on sale. When that happens, three new variants of the S-Class will be available, including an all-new, range-topping S600 that brings back the Pullman moniker and may be better suited to competing with the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce.