Latest news with #GLCSUV
Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Mercedes Boss Hands The Combustion Engine Another Lifeline
Mercedes has been teasing AMG's first in-house all-electric vehicle, a 1,000-horsepower-plus super sedan that will redefine Affalerbach's definition of an Autobahn animal. On the other end of the spectrum, the entry-level CLA has arrived with similarly brilliant all-electric technology, and the automaker had previously announced intentions for all its products to be EVs around the end of the decade. Those plans have continually shifted as demand has, and based on comments Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius recently made to German publication Auto Motor und Sport, they're seemingly shifting again. When asked if the decision to offer the GLC SUV as an EV and also with a hybridized combustion engine was a stopgap measure, Källenius responded, "The electrified, high-tech combustion engines will run longer than we originally expected. We have made this course correction." The CEO added, "I believe the most rational approach in the current situation is for an established manufacturer to do both [EV and gas] and not neglect one technology." If those sorts of comments sound familiar, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse and Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda have expressed similar sentiments, saying that focusing all one's resources on exclusively building cars that are not yet fully supported in terms of worldwide infrastructure and demand is simply implausible for any automaker that wishes to exist long enough to see global EV adoption take hold en masse. To be fair, Källenius hasn't just come to this realization now. Last year, he announced plans to move the EQS and S-Class under one nameplate, and Mercedes, like most of its peers, has always accompanied its all-electric goals with the condition that they are subject to market conditions. And let's face it, the market for new luxury EVs is not exactly booming. "The new CLA is the greeting from the kitchen of an entire family," Källenius said. "Then the core segments will follow with the electric versions of the GLC, C-Class, and E-Class. We still have an incredible amount in the pipeline." As we touched on above, Mercedes is dropping the EQ "sub-brand," which was essentially a gamble based on the supposition that EV buyers wanted association with the Mercedes brand but also a unique identity. It was also a marketing ploy because Mercedes EQ models looked vastly different from traditionally named and powered Benzes, but the combination of a new name and jellybean styling led one dealer to tell Automotive News (subscription required) in 2023, "Our cars need to be 'want' cars. The S-Class has maintained good loylty because it's aspirational. An EQS is not something that most people aspire to own." Källenius' comments indicate that, like BMW (which sells identically styled i7 EV and 7 Series sedans), future EVs will look similar to their combustion-powered counterparts, and those hybridized counterparts will now likely be sold well into the next decade. The shift in styling strategy has already begun. The all-electric G 580 with EQ Technology has a silly name, but it looks like the solid G-Wagen it is. Notably, Porsche is also now working on a new gas Macan after the EV's sales failed to sustain the nameplate, reports Autocar. In America, both the old gas and new electric Macan are sold concurrently, but in Europe, cybersecurity laws meant Porsche had to move on, and with the 718, too. Now, it may be returning to combustion, but have no doubt, more EQs and electric Caymans will still be developed. Related: Genesis Is Going After BMW And Mercedes Where It Will Hurt Most Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Miami Herald
03-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
German Automakers Discussing U.S. Tariff Deal, What You Need to Know
Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW are leading talks with Washington over a tariff deal involving German automakers receiving credits for vehicles they export from America to other countries, which would lower or offset the tariffs on cars they import into the U.S. from Germany. America is the European Union's (EU) fifth-largest vehicle export destination after China, Japan, Britain, and Turkey, according to Reuters, but the U.S. is the largest export destination for German cars. Mercedes-Benz is expanding its U.S. production by manufacturing its GLC SUV at its Alabama plant starting in 2027, BMW is considering adding shifts at its Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, and Volkswagen's Audi mulls over producing some vehicles in the U.S.-a plan predating the Trump administration. Germany's leading automakers are aiming for talks with the U.S. Department of Commerce to result in a tariff deal in June. The potential new and current investments that the Commerce Department is reviewing from German automakers are worth billions of dollars. BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said that the manufacturer's Spartanburg plant supports 43,000 jobs and contributes over $26 billion yearly. While many European automakers withdrew their 2025 financial forecasts, BMW is backing its March projections alongside Ferrari, which also stood by its 2025 earnings forecast. However, BMW's decision to stick with its 2025 guidance is partially based on the idea that some tariffs will go into reverse from July at the latest. BMW finance chief Walter Mertl said: "We are noticing that things are moving, developing, and being negotiated everywhere. Accordingly, our reading, based on all the networks that we have at our disposal, is that we assume that something will change in July," Just Auto reports. The German automaker's 2025 outlook includes earnings on par with 2024 and an operating margin in the car segment of 5-7%, according to Reuters. The head of Germany's auto lobby, Hildegard Müller, highlighted in an interview with Politico that Germany produces about 840,000 vehicles annually within the U.S. for both the American market and exports, with 140,000 total employees. In addition to BMW's Spartanburg plant, Mercedes-Benz's Tuscaloosa, Alabama factory has been operating since 1997, resulting in approximately four million vehicles produced. Volkswagen's Chattanooga plant, which opened in 2011, built 175,000 cars in 2023. Müller also pointed out that building a U.S. automotive plant, even if you're quick, takes one or two years, and companies are losing money fast. U.S. tariffs are causing manufacturers like BMW to lose $11.3 million daily and impacting about €67 billion ($76 billion) of EU automotive exports, Euronews reports. Automakers like Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz are pushing for a U.S. tariff deal with the selling point that German automakers receive credits based on the number of vehicles Germany produces in America to reduce the two countries' car market trade deficit. However, if the tariffs stay in place, powerful voices in the automotive industry, like Hildegard Müller, noted that these policies can lower the pressure that U.S. car manufacturers face to be innovative, weakening their international competitiveness in the medium term. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Al Etihad
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Al Etihad
BMW, Mercedes, VW in talks with US over possible tariff deal, sources say
28 May 2025 19:41 BERLIN (REUTERS)German carmakers BMW , Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen are in talks with Washington on a possible import tariff deal, hoping to gain some leverage from their US investments and exports to soften the tariff blow, three people familiar with the matter carmakers hope that the talks with the US Department of Commerce could result in a deal in June, one of the people said, but this would be contingent on carmakers pledging substantial investments that would sway the US the proposals being discussed, German carmakers would get credits for cars they export out of the US, which could then be deducted from tariffs, a separate source carmakers have been in the crosshairs of US President Donald Trump, who has put in place tariffs of 25% on car imports into the US, the biggest export market for Volkswagen, BMW and talks were first reported by Mercedes-Benz and BMW declined to comment on any talks with the US government. The carmakers previously said they were holding talks with the US government over the tariff in the carmakers got a boost following the report, with BMW up 3.1%, Volkswagen up 2.2% and Mercedes up 1.8%.Already struggling with a protracted slowdown in German industry and stiff competition from abroad, Germany's carmakers are battling to stem the fallout from Trump's tariff there has been some optimism, with executives at BMW, the biggest auto exporter by volume from the U.S., and Volkswagen subsidiary Audi recently indicating there might be movement on the issue in the coming specifically said it expected tariffs to decrease in July. Mercedes, meanwhile, has responded to the tariff threat with plans to add production of its GLC SUV for North America at its plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
View Interior Photos of the 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLC43 Coupe
read the full review The 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLC43 Coupe's interior follows the same trend as other new AMG models. We hope you like endless swaths of very shiny trim. The GLC43's interior is handsome and upscale, and you can option it up even further with extras such as contrast-stitched leather seating, a Burmester audio system, and a video-and-data-recorder to log your hero moments. The cabin, while not ultraspacious, serves up adult-friendly room front and rear, as well as a decent amount of cargo space behind the second row. The GLC43 is a strong competitor to the Porsche Macan, in both capability and price—which is as high a compliment as we can give to a sporty SUV. Like most other AMG interiors, this one is riddled with shiny carbon-fiber trim and swaths of smudge-prone piano black. The instrument cluster can be configured in various ways. Supersport, seen here, is pretty cool, but it might not be the easiest to read at a glance. If your eyes tell you the torpedo-like shape of the GLC43 Coupe isn't for you, know that this same mechanical package is offered in the conventionally shaped noncoupe GLC SUV body style. Keep going to check out even more pictures of the Mercedes-AMG GLC43 Coupe's cabin. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
