Mercedes Celebrates Unimog’s 60th Birthday with New Design Study

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the presentation of the Unimog, the Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks (MBS) unit, which is responsible for the Unimog, Econic and Zetros range of models, created a special design concept that attempts to link the past and present together with the future.
Using the current Unimog U 5000’s chassis as a base, the German brand’s designers came up with a futuristic-looking yet distinctly retro-feeling styling for the body of their off-road workhouse. The concept vehicle features an open top design as a nod to the first Mercedes-Benz Unimog model that rolled off the assembly line on June 3, 1951.
“At Mercedes Benz Special Trucks we decided to construct a design concept because we are of the opinion that such a vehicle will act as a bridge between the progressive strength of self-renewal that has distinguished the Unimog programme for 60 years and the future design of the coming generations of products,” said Yaris Pürsün, Director of the Mercedes-Benz Plant at Wörth and Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks.
While there are no plans to produce the Unimog study, the German company said the concept’s expressive "face" corresponds to the future form language of Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle design.
The Unimog Cabrio Concept was officially revealed during a special ceremony in the Customer Centre at the Mercedes-Benz Plant in Wörth, Germany, on June 3, 2011.

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BMW Reveals 2012 1-Series M Sport Package

BMW is wasting no time in pushing the marketing envelope on its brand-new “My, what big eyes you have” 2012 1-Series as the Bavarian automaker has already released an online configurator on its German website only two days after the hatchback model’s debut.
Aside from allowing potential buyers and time-wasters alike to configure the 2012 1-Series hatchback, the dedicated webpage also serves us our first taste of the M Sport Package. The option group includes a new aero kit comprising of M parts such as the front and rear bumpers, a sports-oriented chassis set-up, and bespoke alloy wheel designs.
The interior also receives the M treatment with sport seats and door panels dressed in special upholsteries, aluminum trim on the dashboard and door-sills plus a sports steering wheel, handbrake and gear levers, and pedals.

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Mercedes-Benz Escaping Dreaded Gas Guzzler Tax

Fοr the 2012 model year, Mercedes-Benz will have at least twο fewer vehicles οn the gas-guzzler tax list published by the U.S. Department οf Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. This will cοntinue a pοsitive trend for the company. Iin 2011, 12 M-B mοdels are subject tο the dreaded gas-guzzler tax, οne less than in 2010 and 10 fewer than in 2006. Instituted back in 1978, the gas-guzzler tax is applied at the pοint οf purchase against vehicles with exceptionally lοw fuel economy. The οne-time fee ranges frοm $1,200 tο $7,700.

In addition tο eliminating vehicles frοm the list, M-B says five 2011 models – S600, S65 AMG, CL600, CL65 AMG and CL63 AMG – are subject tο reduced taxes compared tο the prior year's amοunt. Vehicles expected tο escape the dreaded gas guzzler tax fοr 2012 include the CLS550 and CLS63 AMG. Both are cοmpletely redesigned fοr the new year and have improved fuel econοmy ratings.

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All-New 2012 BMW 1-Series: Official Specs And Details

With imagery of the brand new 1-Series hatchback making the internet rounds since Friday, it was only a matter of time before BMW came out with an official release and a full set of photos. The Bavarian firm’s entry-level model sports has grown in size and sports fresher –albeit, somewhat more controversial- looks, while also introducing a new generation of 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engines with up to 170HP.
For its debut, BMW chose to show the five-door hatchback model, but the range will eventually grow to include a three-door hatchback followed by the coupe, cabriolet and if the grapevine holds true, a longer and more spacious Gran Turismo version in the likes of the 3-Series GT we recently showed you in these spy shots.
The second iteration of the 1-Series codenamed F20 is built on the same platform architecture as the upcoming F30 3-Serie. The five-door hatch is 85 mm (3.3-in.) longer than its predecessor, at 4,324 mm (170.2-in.), while the wheelbase has widened by 30 mm to 2,690 mm (105.9-in). Furthermore, its overall width has increased by 17 mm to 1,765 mm (69.5-in) due to an increase in track of 51 mm at the front and 72 mm at the rear, whereas its height remains unchanged at 1,421 mm (55.9-in.). BMW says the rear passengers have 21mm more legroom, and the luggage compartment has expanded by 30 liters to 360 liters (12.7 cubic feet).
Crafted under the watch of BMW’s Chief designer Adrian van Hooydonk, the styling of the new 1er is an evolution of the outgoing model with sharper and more prominent creases and a dramatic front-end design with abnormally large headlamps stretching all the way to the wheel arches.
It’s a similar story inside as the styling is more evolutionary than revolutionary. Aside from the larger center console with fresh switchgear and the new steering wheel design, BMW claims it boasts higher-grade materials and more attention to detail. As an option, the company offers its latest iDrive system that includes a retractable screen on top of the dashboard.
The big news lies under the hood as BMW finally introduced its long awaited, smaller displacement, turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine. The 1.6-liter unit with TwinPower Turbo and direct injection technology will be available at first in two states of tune delivering 136-horses and 220Nm (162.3 lb-ft) in the 116i and 170-horses and 250Nm (184.4 lb-ft) in the 118i.
For diesel fans, the junior rear-wheel drive BMW offers a redesigned 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder delivering 116HP in the 116d, 143HP in the 118d and 184HP in the 120d. BMW said it will also launch a 116d EfficientDynamics Edition, with a 116HP 1.6 litre diesel engine and additional fuel-saving technologies that will keep CO2 emissions over the EU testing cycle down to just 99 g/km.

Further down the line, the Bavarian automaker’s freshly launched 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with around 240-horses will most likely make it in the 128i replacing the current 130i that comes with a 3.0-liter straight six pushing out 258HP. BMW has not yet said if it will offer a straight-six engine on the new 1-Series.
A six-speed manual gearbox is standard on all models with BMW’s new 8-speed automatic transmission being offered as an option replacing the current six-speed auto.

Model versions:
BMW 118i: Four-cylinder in-line petrol engine with
BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of twin-scroll turbocharger, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC and Double-VANOS variable valve control,

• Capacity: 1, 598 cc, output: 125 kW/170 hp at 4,800 rpm,
• Maximum torque: 250 Nm at 1,500 – 4,500 rpm,
• Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 7.4 seconds,
• Maximum speed: 225 km/h – 140mph
• Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 5.8 – 5.9 litres/100 kilometres,
• CO2 emissions*: 134 – 137 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.

BMW 116i: Four-cylinder in-line petrol engine with
BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of twin-scroll turbocharger, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC and Double-VANOS variable valve control,

• Capacity: 1,598 cc, output: 100 kW/136 hp at 4, 400 rpm,
• Maximum torque: 220 Nm at 1,350 – 4, 300 rpm,
• Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 8.5 seconds,
• Maximum speed: 210 km/h -130mph,
• Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 5.5 – 5.7 litres/100 kilometres,
• CO2 emissions*: 129 – 132 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.

BMW 120d: Four-cylinder in-line diesel engine with
BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of variable-geometry turbocharger, common-rail magnetic-valve direct injection
(max. injection pressure: 1,800 bar),

• Capacity: 1,955 cc, output: 135 kW/184 hp at 4, 000 rpm,
• Maximum torque: 380 Nm at 1,750 – 2, 750 rpm,
• Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 7.2 seconds,
• Maximum speed: 228 km/h – 142mph,
• Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 4.5 – 4.6 litres/100 kilometres,
• CO2 emissions*: 119 – 122 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.

BMW 118d: Four-cylinder in-line diesel engine with
BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of variable-geometry turbocharger, common-rail, magnetic-valve direct injection (max. injection pressure: 1,600 bar),

• Capacity: 1,955 cc, output: 105 kW/143 hp at 4,000 rpm,
• Max. torque: 320 Nm at 1,750 – 2, 500 rpm,
• Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 8.9 seconds,
• Maximum speed: 212 km/h – 132mph
• Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 4.4 – 4.5 litres/100 kilometres,
• CO2 emissions*: 115 – 118 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.

BMW 116d: Four-cylinder in-line diesel engine with
BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of variable-geometry turbocharger with common-rail, magnetic-valve direct injection (max. injection pressure: 1,600 bar),
Capacity: 1,955 cc, output: 85 kW/116 hp at 4,000 rpm,

• Maximum torque: 260 Nm at 1,750 – 2,500 rpm,
• Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 10.3 seconds,
• Maximum speed: 200 km/h – 124mph
• Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 4.3 – 4.5 litres/100 kilometres,
• CO2 emissions*: 114 – 117 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.

* EU test figures, variations due to differences in the tyres fitted

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