logo
The 2025 Mercedes-Benz S 580e Is Smooth and Silent, Stylish and Speedy

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz S 580e Is Smooth and Silent, Stylish and Speedy

Edmunds22-06-2025

Not that the S 580e is a slouch, of course. Powered by a combination of a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six gas engine and an electric motor fed by a 28.6-kWh battery pack, the plug-in hybrid S-Class delivers 510 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, enough to scoot this land yacht to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds. On its own, the electric motor makes 148 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque, which is enough to get the S 580e up and moving at city speeds without needing to fire the engine, and this is truly where the electrified S-Class feels best. It makes me wish Mercedes made a proper fully electric S-Class, rather than the meh-tastic EQS sedan that looks like a used bar of soap, Apple Magic Mouse or medicinal suppository (take your pick).
Riding on 20-inch wheels and a cushy adaptive air suspension, the S 580e soaks up potholes and smooths out even the most obtrusive speed bumps. It does so without being wallowy or feeling disconnected, too. Switch over to Sport mode and the S-Class hunkers down and corners with confidence, the electric motor providing ample assist for shooting out of a corner on a winding lakeside road.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Exclusive-Nissan seeks to delay supplier payments to free up cash, company emails show
Exclusive-Nissan seeks to delay supplier payments to free up cash, company emails show

Yahoo

time26 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Exclusive-Nissan seeks to delay supplier payments to free up cash, company emails show

By Daniel Leussink TOKYO (Reuters) -Nissan Motor has asked some suppliers to allow it to delay payments to free up short-term funds, according to several emails and a company document reviewed by Reuters, as the troubled Japanese automaker scrambles to boost cash. New CEO Ivan Espinosa, who took over in April, has unveiled plans to shed around 15% of Nissan's global workforce and close seven plants as he targets 500 billion yen ($3.4 billion) in cost cuts over the next two years. Battered by slumping sales and weighed down by an ageing vehicle lineup, the car maker reported a $4.5 billion net annual loss in the financial year that ended in March and has declined to give a forecast this year. Now, Nissan has asked some suppliers in Britain and the European Union to accept delays in payment, according to the correspondence reviewed by Reuters and a person with knowledge of the matter. The move would allow it to have more cash on hand at the close of the April-June first quarter and follows similar requests before the end of the last financial year in March, the emails showed. It is not uncommon for companies to request payment extensions from suppliers to help free up cash. In a statement to Reuters, Nissan said it had incentivised some of its suppliers to collaborate under more flexible payment terms, at no cost to them, to support its free cash flow. "They could choose to be paid immediately or opt for a later payment with interest," Nissan said. The correspondence, which has not been previously reported, gives a detailed look at Nissan's effort to conserve cash in the short term, even if that means paying suppliers more down the line. The emails were exchanged among Nissan employees in Britain and the EU, including staff in its purchasing and treasury departments, according to their profiles on LinkedIn. One employee told co-workers in emails this month that suppliers were "again" being asked for an extension of payment terms. It was in line with the aim to bolster free cash flow "requested from CEO top down", the employee told colleagues. Nissan told Reuters its CEO did not mandate functional tasks in regions. June payments would be delayed to August 15, the employee wrote, later adding some would be pushed to September. Suppliers would not be forced to accept delayed payment, the employee wrote. The requests went out earlier this month, according to the person with knowledge of the matter. "It shows the difficult situation Nissan is facing in terms of financing," said Seiji Sugiura, senior analyst at Tokai Tokyo Intelligence Laboratory. "It appears they want to postpone their current expenses as much as possible." Nissan said in its statement that it was taking immediate actions to recover its performance and rebuild to a leaner, more resilient structure. "While we are taking these actions we aim for sufficient liquidity to weather the costs of the turnaround actions and redeem bond maturities," it said. It expects to record negative free cash flow of 550 billion yen, or about $3.8 billion, for its automotive business this quarter, worse than the 303 billion yen in the same period last year. Following typical seasonal patterns, the first quarter is expected to be Nissan's most challenging, Chief Financial Officer Jeremie Papin said in May. It is targeting positive free cash flow by its 2026 financial year. Reuters was not able to determine whether Nissan made similar requests to suppliers in other regions, how many suppliers it contacted, or the term of extensions sought. In Japan, it has already faced scrutiny over supplier payments, after regulators found it had unlawfully underpaid dozens of them. BIG TASK In other internal emails, a director in the treasury department appeared to refer to a target of freeing up 150 million euros ($175 million), stating in an email last month the need to deliver on a "purchasing task of 150M EUR". Delaying supplier payments until July - the start of Nissan's second quarter - was an option to help achieve the "purchasing task" of 150 million euros, the director wrote in another email. Nissan said in its statement it would not comment on internal discussions or specific targets. The emails showed Nissan discussed giving suppliers two options: one was to accept delayed payment in consideration for a higher payment. The other was to be paid on time as usual, in which case HSBC would make the payment and Nissan would later repay the bank with interest. HSBC, listed as one of Nissan's banks in a March filing, declined to comment on client matters. The automaker estimated it could boost free cash flow by up to 59 million euros by extending payment terms with more than a dozen companies in Britain and the EU, including UK-based units of temp-staffing firm ManpowerGroup and shipper Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, a company document from October 2024 showed. Both ManpowerGroup and Mitsui O.S.K. declined to comment. In February, the treasury department director wrote about delivering free cash flow for the close of the financial year in March, raising concern about meeting targets and saying more suppliers, including in India, needed to be contacted. "Only a few weeks remaining," the director wrote. "Urgent support needed." Nissan had 2.2 trillion yen ($15.1 billion) in cash and cash equivalents on hand at the end of March. It faces some 700 billion yen in debt coming due this financial year. Its debt has been cut to "junk" by all three major ratings agencies. Any further ratings downgrades could complicate future fundraising plans, Nissan said in a filing this month. ($1 = 144.4500 yen)

Ford's CEO says China's EV progress is 'the most humbling thing' he's ever seen
Ford's CEO says China's EV progress is 'the most humbling thing' he's ever seen

Yahoo

time27 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Ford's CEO says China's EV progress is 'the most humbling thing' he's ever seen

The CEO of Ford said China's EVs are "far superior" to what the West has to offer. "It's the most humbling thing I have ever seen," Jim Farley said at the Aspen Ideas Festival. Farley praised Xiaomi's maiden electric vehicle, the SU7 last year after testing it. Jim Farley, the CEO of Ford, said on Friday that the Chinese EV industry poses a serious threat to the American automaker. Farley was speaking to author Walter Isaacson during a panel at the Aspen Ideas Festival when he was asked about China's EV market. Farley said he had made about six to seven trips to China in the past year. "It's the most humbling thing I have ever seen. 70% of all EVs in the world, electric vehicles, are made in China," Farley said. "They have far superior in-vehicle technology. Huawei and Xiaomi are in every car," Farley added. "You get in, you don't have to pair your phone. Automatically, your whole digital life is mirrored in the car." Farley told Isaacson that part of the reason Ford could not offer something similar was because tech giants like Google and Apple "decided not to go in the car business." "Beyond that, their cost, their quality of their vehicles is far superior to what I see in the West," Farley said. "We are in a global competition with China, and it's not just EVs. And if we lose this, we do not have a future Ford," he added. This isn't the first time Farley has praised his Chinese competition. Last year, Farley said the Chinese tech giant Xiaomi was an "industry juggernaut and a consumer brand that is much stronger than car companies." Farley had praised the tech company during an appearance on "The Fully Charged Podcast" that aired in October. "I don't like talking about the competition so much, but I drive the Xiaomi," Farley said of the Xiaomi Speed Ultra 7. The SU7 is Xiaomi's maiden electric vehicle. "We flew one from Shanghai to Chicago, and I've been driving it for six months now, and I don't want to give it up," he added. Last month, Xiaomi unveiled its second EV, the YU7. The company called the YU7 a "luxury high-performance SUV" and pitched it as a cheaper alternative to Tesla's Model Y. Xiaomi said last week that it had received over 200,000 orders for the YU7, which is priced at $35,000 compared to the Model Y's $36,760. In August, Ford's chief financial officer, John Lawler, said the company was changing its EV strategy. Lawler said Ford would replace its planned electric SUVs with hybrid models instead. The switch will cost Ford nearly $2 billion. Ford shares are up by over 9% year to date. Ford did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Read the original article on Business Insider

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store