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VW, Fiat, Mercedes could be CNG winners in Europe

Fiat ads in the US try to play up the exotic, sexy side of Italian culture. On the home front in Italy, however, passenger-vehicle sales are marked by something less edgy and quite a bit more practical: the growth of compressed-natural-gas (CNG) powered car sales. In fact, Italy is leading a group of European countries where CNG sales are on the upswing and may be benefiting automakers like VW, Fiat and Mercedes-Benz, according to Automotive News. VW started sales of its Golf TGI natural-gas vehicle this year – the company's fourth in Europe – while Mercedes-Benz added a natural-gas B-class model. Fiat accounts for about 50 percent of CNG vehicles sold on the continent. In all, Europe's CNG sales through September totaled about 67,000, up seven percent from a year earlier, Automotive News Europe says, citing research firm JATO Dynamics. And the number of CNG vehicles on Europe's roads could jump tenfold within the next decade. The draw is a combination of lower refueling prices and a CNG drivetrain that typically emits less CO2 than diesel vehicles. As for Italy, about five percent of new-vehicle sales are CNG. To put that into perspective, hybrids, battery-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids and diesels combined to account for about 4.2 percent of US vehicle sales last year. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Volkswagen Green Fiat Mercedes-Benz Volkswagen Natural Gas Vehicles CNG

Mercedes-Maybach Pullman stretches its way to Geneva

Mercedes-Benz is known the world over for producing luxury automobiles, but even among Benzes there's a hierarchy. The S-Class sits at the top of the Mercedes range, the Maybach at the top of the S-Class, and what you see here sits at the top of the Maybach line. It's the new Pullman limousine, and it arrives on the 50th anniversary of the original. Stretching a massive 21.3 feet, the new Mercedes-Maybach Pullman is even longer than the previous Maybach 62 by a full foot, and a good 3.5 feet longer than the standard-wheelbase Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, or two feet longer than the G63 AMG 6x6. In other terms, it's over a foot longer than the Rolls-Royce Phantom EWB, and the better part of a yard longer than even the Cadillac Escalade ESV. Heck, you could just about fit Benz's other flagship, the Mercedes-AMG GT, inside the new Pullman's 14.5-foot wheelbase. As if that's not enough, it also stands 3.9 inches higher than a standard S-Class to the benefit of its imposing presence and interior space. Should you be so fortunate as to be graced with an invitation to step inside, you'd find an interior entirely clad in leather with four seats: two recliners and two fold-down seats facing backwards. Those principal rear seats can recline between 19 and 43.5 degrees and offer an extensive array of individual adjustments to cater just-so to the occupants' individual preferences. Ingress and egress are enabled by larger rear doors that open in front of – instead of next to – those rear seats to enhance the privacy of the traveling dignitaries, who will be able to monitor the state of affairs through the analog thermometer, speedometer and clock mounted in the roof liner. They'll also enjoy privacy thanks to the electrically operated glass partition wall with an 18.5-inch monitor mounted in front of it and a choice of Burmester sound systems. Long the favorite of heads of state and captains of industry, the new Pullman will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show now just weeks away. We don't doubt that Mercedes will offer its customers a choice of engine options (as long as they're capable of motivating the new Pullman's assuredly substantial heft), but most suitable to the task will of course be the 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 with its 523 horsepower and 612 pound-feet of torque.

Editors' Choice: Top Five 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show Debuts

Consider the 2015-16 auto show season officially kicked off. The Frankfurt Motor Show offered a great look at the newest crop of production cars and conceptual machines, and brought some old favorites back into the spotlight for a closer look. (The Alfa Romeo Giulia, for example, debuted in June, but this was the first time most of us saw it.) Now that the dust has settled and we're all on flights back to the US, our editors cast their votes for their personal favorites from the Frankfurt show. These are the cars we truly loved seeing the most. But unlike other shows, there was no one runaway winner – all of the Top Five received positive praise from our team. We won't spoil the results, though. Scroll down to see what we liked most from this year's Frankfurt expo. 5th Place – MERCEDES-BENZ IAA CONCEPT View 12 Photos MIKE AUSTIN: The clean lines on this concept have me excited for a more elegant beauty to future Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Next to the Concept IAA, the lovely S-Class Coupe looks like an overstyled barge. DAVID GLUCKMAN: Yeah, the extendable rear is neat and all, but I'm more interested in the front-end styling of this one. It looks like the Tron version of a 300SL, in a good way. I'm hopeful it portends the future of Mercedes design. STEVEN EWING: I was super impressed when Mercedes said that, with the rear end extended, this concept has a drag coefficient of just 0.19. That's crazy aerodynamic. I'm not head-over-heels about the styling, but I think the lessons learned from this concept are really important, and will play a huge role in the future of Mercedes' products. 4th Place – ALFA ROMEO GIULIA View 15 Photos SEYTH MIERSMA: I can hardly express how in love with this car I am. The styling feels creative, modern, and evocative, without going over the top. The proposed performance is spectacular. And the Alfa badge speaks to a legacy of romantic motoring. DAVID GLUCKMAN: Pretty Italian car makes big promises and will probably deliver on about three quarters of them. I think that will still be enough for me. JEREMY KORZENIEWSKI: I'm really intrigued by the Giulia. It looks great, sounds awesome, and I'm expecting it to have a load more character than its German rivals. I hope I'm not disappointed. 3rd Place – JAGUAR F-PACE View 15 Photos GREG MIGLIORE: It's the first SUV for Jaguar, and I think they nailed the design, capability, and electronics. It's the right car at the right time.