Mercedes S-class wows 3D cameras with night vision

Paul A. Eisenstein Detroit Bureau 19 may 2013 at 11:22 AM ET
The Detroit Bureau of MercedesThe Mercedes S-class to start in 2014 is packed with blow-your-mind information: LED lights, a perfumer, radar, 3D cameras.

There was a time when luxury cars were by their sheer size and dimensions, their power, performance defined and, of course, exclusive details such as leather seats and wood trim.

These factors distinguish the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-class, but there is more to the newly defined German flagship, which correspond to the change in the nature of the automotive industry. Of its LED lamps, the 3D cameras, radar and night vision systems, with which the new sedan practically, is to drive the new S-class a technical tour de force, make up the likely competitors race will have.

The long-awaited remake of the classic full-size luxury sedan was an Airbus plant in Hamburg, Germany – no wonder, because parent Mercedes-Benz holds also a French airline manufacturer on the staged. But the place was decided to clearly underline the technical complexity of the new S-class.

Mercedes officials noted that it waive the first automobile with conventional light bulbs will choose lighting in between instead for more modern LED technology for everything from the head and taillights and the small reading lights and mood indicators. All in all there are 300 LEDs inside only 56 in each headlight and another 25 in each taillight. Oh, and you can choose from seven different colours for the interior lighting with dimmer in five stages and four different lighting zones.

The mammoth, 104-page press release about the details of the new car is overwhelming. The section on sensors runs longer than the most new car announcements.

It is the latest version of Mercedes Distronic technology, with cameras and radar to monitor the vehicle's surroundings. It allows the new S-class with the traffic keep up, come to a halt in a tie-up and then start the rollers again. It releases the brakes if a collision appears likely and turns even the flasher, if it occurs.

The latest lane departure warning systems will even check when a sleepy driver begins to drive in an adjacent alley.

Behind the close to desktop size displays on the Tesla model S will have the new Mercedes S-class--some of the largest video screen always two of them filled in the instrument panel, 12.3 inches. The primary, reconfigurable display handles traditional tasks such as speed and engine of RPMs, monitors while the right panel Mercedes latest Infotainment technology.

As the manufacturer, during a session, that halfway around the world to the annual Google i/o Developer Conference reveals there are more apps. Developed in the middle of the urban action through even a so-called "heat map" system to a motorist Mercedes, the visualization of the areas with high concentrations of nightclubs, restaurants and shopping malls.

Oh, Yes: Even an automatic perfume atomizer option removed the Maybach brand, which abandoned last year.

Among the many firsts, the Mercedes for the 2014 S-class is claimed, the large sedan will introduce the magic body control system. Instead of waiting until the sensors detect a bump or a pothole, it use the stereo camera system looking for uneven road surface and automatic adjustment of the standard issue air suspension.

As always, Mercedes plans to offer the car different versions of the new S-class, including diesel and gasoline mechanics and a plug-in hybrid due a year after its launch.

S550, could leave planned for the U.S. market, potential buyers, the is wondering why she would need something else. The Twin-Turbo 4, 5.7 liter V8 will start more than the direct competitors from BMW, Audi or Lexus - and enough, an impressive 455 HP and 516 pound-feet of torque - to the great Germanic sedan from 0 to 60 in just 4.8 seconds to pump out. This is almost a full second faster than the outgoing model.

Mercedes is not EPA mileage reviews but notes still discussing who should do it better than the outgoing S-class. This is partly due to lightweighting and extensive improvements in the areas of aerodynamics - and Mercedes says that wind drag a wee is now slightly better than a Toyota Prius.

Expect a significant share of the S600 Pullman model, a stretch version, after China, which sent world's fastest-growing luxury market, where the rich would rather be chauffeured.

The Pullman model layouts, similar to the old Maybach S63, including a business-jet style two people configuration, which will introduce a new hot-stone-style massage function have two rear-seat.

The new model looks could some controversy, in particular produce much larger grille and the distinctive LED lamps.

Don't expect see final prices until closer to the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-class launch in the autumn of this year, but expect $100,000, a moderate increase over the current $93,000 about-base.

Slipping into the luxury market has found the Stuttgart-based car manufacturer itself in recent years and is now in an unknown third place behind BMW and Audi. The relatively exclusive nature of the S-class Mercedes lead - at least not directly it means - to win back does not help, but when click the new design and features, puts the manufacturer, that it also brings much less affluent buyers for C, E, and other models that could give a needed boost brand.

Copyright © 2009-2013, the Detroit Bureau

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Toyota outlines recall fiasco new vision after

TOKYO - Toyota Motor Corp is aimed at an auto industry first of annual sales of 10 million vehicles by 2015 reach, even if he finds that too-rapid growth of the root was recall fiasco.

Toyota President Akio Toyoda gave the figure 10 million Wednesday at the terms of the company "global vision" in his first major strategy announcement since the recall crisis, the a year and a half ago taken.

The Japanese automaker, the worldwide turnover reported 8.42 million vehicles last year - 30,000 of more than General Motors co. 8.39 million. Toyota dethroned as world's no. 1 for 76 years held a position GM car manufacturers of vehicle sales in the year 2008 - GM.

At a Tokyo hotel said Toyoda of the car manufacturer wants to make millions of customers happy, and even, denied that he was to give a numerical sales target. He repeatedly stressed goals such as quality, customer satisfaction and solid profits.

Toyota, which models, hopes power the Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury "as soon as possible" to achieve an annual operating profit of 1 trillion yen ($ 12 billion), even if the yen remains strong and vehicle sales drop by 20 percent, said Toyoda.

The company forecast operating profit of 550 billion yen ($ 6.6 billion) for the financial year to 31 March.

Toyoda said that the vision was based on what its quality problems and the sales of the global financial crisis 2009 hammer learned the car manufacturers.

Analyst Jesse Toprak, Vice President of industry trends and insights in TrueCar.com, said that the vision was too short to specialties such as model plans and marketing strategies, in the light of the recent gains of rival US car manufacturers, as well as South Korea's Hyundai.

"It was a bit too wishy-washy." We need more concrete examples of what needs to be done "he said in a telephone interview." "There was a lot of wishful thinking."

Still, Toprak said 10 million annual sales of vehicles was not impossible for Toyota - as long as it up with exciting came model developed and successfully the quality is beyond doubt.

Since the end of 2009, has included Toyota recall after recall, a wide range of defects including faulty floor mats, sticky gas pedals and errors in brakes software, balloon rides, more than 14 million vehicles worldwide.

The company paid the US Government a record $48.8 million in fines for using three callbacks. Toyota faces dozens of complaints from owners in the United States, including deaths in connection with defects.

In the last month closed U.S. regulators their 10-month investigation to clear Toyota electronic error and find that mechanical problems of the callbacks care covered by the unintended acceleration cases.

The company said created quality problems when it came at a time of rapid growth.

Story: The cars that pack the most for the money

Toyoda said the automakers, the Board of directors be reduced from 27 to 11, but the number of executives from abroad is on 15 of 13, to make faster decision making and to more responsive to regional needs to increase.

In an unusual personal move, Toyoda's predecessor Katsuaki Watanabe - as a key figure in the go-go growth that predated the quality lapses - be withdraw from the Board of directors within the streamlining of the management. The resignation is enabled, after a general meeting for June set. Past Presidents have stayed on longer and Watanabe's predecessor Fujio Cho remains on the Board.

Toyota will also empower their areas, including the North America, around the development and production of the Camry sedan, better just centered on their needs, he said. Appeared on criticism about how Toyota was initially slow in responding to the problems of quality, degradation of the image damage following answer.

The car manufacturers focus more on emerging markets for new growth, 50 percent of sales from those Nations, with the aim to from the current 40 percent.

It said more environmentally friendly vehicles are another pillar for the future planning 10 more hybrid models by 2015.

Toyota announced, hybrid layouts, which are two new, larger versions of his hit Prius on sale in Japan next month. The five-seater version will go on sale in North America this year. The seven, packed with a new lithium ion battery, will go on sale in Europe and in the next year. Prices and performance have not yet announced.

"I want to make good cars that every smile, Toyota," reporters Toyoda.

He said that each region will work harder in the reach sales growth to ensure that quality is not compromised. He said Toyota was not chase figures.

"I was only a question answer", he said when pressed about why he had given the number 10 million vehicles.

Another big change last visions, where the numbers game was great, was that the latest in English, was written, the Toyoda said was international language in the world.

Toyoda often switched to the English during the presentation, with phrases such as "Smiles of customers around the world," and "our commitment to quality and continuous innovation".

"This vision of what kind of society, we are our values and the road, what kind of society we want to be, said Toyoda."

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