Daimler has been hit hard by the weakening global demand for luxury automobiles, as evidenced by the German automaker’s larger than expected 2009 losses and the company’s decision to cut its dividend for the first time in 14 years. Automotive News reports that Daimler is looking to raise money to rebuild its business in developed regions by selling its 25.6 million shares of Tata Motors stock. The move would reportedly net the German automaker an estimated $429 million, four to seven percent below market value. Shares of Tata Motors stock are up 19 percent since February 26, so Daimler stands to earn some serious coin from the share sell off.
AN quotes Juergen Pieper at Metzler Equities as saying “we certainly now have as a priority turning around the mature markets and then China. This is certainly now a higher priority for Daimler than India.” And while Daimler is selling, it appears that Tata isn’t buying, stating that its collection of companies isn’t interested in purchasing the shares. Daimler is looking to sell the stocks on the open market in block deals, which moves large amounts of stock at once.
Daimler’s break from Tata will be likely be a clean one considering the two companies reportedly don’t have any joint ventures or collaborative projects in the pipeline. Analysts reportedly don’t foresee Daimler’s sale of Tata shares affecting the Indian automaker’s stock price.
The BGR has published some pictures of the upcoming HTC HD2 from T-Mobile being unboxed. The handset is still expected to arrive in less than 2 weeks now.
See another picture after the break, which confirms the 1GB ROM and 16 GB MicroSD card loaded with the two Transformer movies.
First the Oscars and now this! The envelope please! The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released a bevy of scores for the Infiniti M, Lexus HS 250h and Toyota 4Runner and it was nothing but “Good” all around. The Infiniti and Toyota were tested for frontal offset and side impacts, with their “Good” score maintaining the scores of their predecessors. The Lexus scored a first-time Good” in the frontal offset test. You can get all the details on the most recent round of crash-testing here and scan the IIHS archives to see how the competition stacks up.
Tangram is an ancient game that originated in China 3000 years ago and came to Europe in the 18th century.
The Tangram is a square divided into 7 pieces: 2 large triangles, 1 medium triangle, 2 small triangles, 1 square and 1 parallelogram. The rules are simple, arrange all seven geometric pieces to match the presented puzzle silhouette. The forms represent letters, animals, humans, geometric figures, and many other interesting shapes.
Like all great puzzle games the rules are simple, but it is much harder than it sounds.
The runaway Toyota Prius incident that took place yesterday seems to be getting a lot of press. After the incident took place, Toyota said that it has “dispatched a field technical specialist to San Diego to investigate the report and offer assistance.”
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said two investigators from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration were also sent to join a team from the California Highway Patrol “to be part of the investigation.”
Toyota said that its inspectors are working hard to find out what cause the 2008 Prius to hit an uncontrollable speed of over 90 mph that was drive by owner James Sikes.
Separately, Toyota said it is still working on a fix for thousands of recalled Prius vehicles. It denied a report by the Wall Street Journal that a new recall for the 2004-2009 Prius will be issued.
“There is no new recall being planned for the Prius to address this issue,” Toyota said in a statement. “To be clear, the 2004-2009 Prius was part of Toyota’s November 2, 2009 announcement of a voluntary safety recall campaign to address floor mat entrapment in certain Toyota and Lexus vehicles.”
Sad news: George Monbiot, the high priest of the AGW cult, is feeling frustrated and depressed. He is oppressed by the realisation that, as the politicians phrase it, he is not getting his message across. And this blog, at least in a small way, bears some part of the responsibility. From his pontifical throne in the Vatican of global warming – The Guardian – he has issued an anathema. Quoting from a recent anti-AGW scam posting by me, he observes: “The attack on climate scientists is now widening to an all-out war on science.”
Don’t get carried away, George. It is only an all-out war on bogus science, such as the global warming superstition you champion. The good guys can carry on inventing antibiotics and curing diseases with our whole-hearted support. It is the con men who have taken Al Gore’s shilling that we distrust and despise. Monbiot even has some insight into this. Of the perception of scientists as sinister schemers he concedes: “Sometimes this isn’t far from the truth.”
He cites those scientists who have weaponised anthrax, or isolated terminator genes for biotech companies to prevent farmers from saving seed, or written misleading endorsements of drugs for pharmaceutical companies. He even denounces the practices of scientific journals “whose monopolistic practices make the supermarkets look like angels”. I wonder if he has had a word with Phil Jones about that.
Wars come and go, cities are destroyed and rebuilt, monuments are erected, and life goes on. This is the traditional view of war, but right now the world is engaged in the latest battle of a “climate war” that has been going on since the 1970s when the Club of Rome concluded in a report titled, “The real enemy then, is humanity itself”, that the world’s population had to be reduced.
Whereas wars in the modern era have killed millions and communism as practiced in the former Soviet Union and the early decades of Red China under Chairman Mao killed millions more on a scale with which war could not compete, the advocates of population reduction rival the worst despots to have ever walked among us.
With the revelations from leaked emails between the conspirators who kept the global warming fraud going for many years, the so-called “climate scientists” who, in fact, had created phony computer models and engaged in endless studies to “prove” that global warming posed a threat to mankind, the term “Climategate” was coined to describe their collusion.
(This guest post previously appeared at the author’s blog)
The new indicators just keep popping up all over the place. In a great interview with James Montier at Simoleon Sense we discover Montier’s favorite indicator, the ADS Business Conditions Index:
“1. Tell us how you look at cycles. Are there any indicators or measurements you rely on?
James Montier: Personally I’ve never really found it that tricky to know where we are in a cycle. There are a lot of indicators that gauge exactly that sort of thing from the ISM to the ECRI measures. The Philly Fed have a good (by which I mean timely) index called the ADS measure which tracks where we are in real time.”
I had never heard of this indicator so I tracked it down at the Philly Fed’s website to see what it was telling us. Apparently, business conditions have started to contract again after a sharp rebound in 2009 and leveling off in recent months. This one might be worth bookmarking. An explanation of the index methodology follows:
“The Aruoba-Diebold-Scotti business conditions index is designed to track real business conditions at high frequency. Its underlying economic indicators (weekly initial jobless claims; monthly payroll employment, industrial production, personal income less transfer payments, manufacturing and trade sales; and quarterly real GDP) blend high- and low-frequency information and stock and flow data. Both the ADS index and this web page are updated as data on the index’s underlying components are released.
The average value of the ADS index is zero. Progressively bigger positive values indicate progressively better-than-average conditions, whereas progressively more negative values indicate progressively worse-than-average conditions. The ADS index may be used to compare business conditions at different times. A value of -3.0, for example, would indicate business conditions significantly worse than at any time in either the 1990-91 or the 2001 recession, during which the ADS index never dropped below -2.0.”
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Episode #169 of the Autoblog Podcast has arrived, and it’s Chris, Sam, Alex, and Dan again this week. As usual, the Autoblog Garage starts us off, this time with a couple Suzuki Kizashis, a Ford Transit Connect, and the Cadillac SRX. The first topic for discussion are the latest developments in the ongoing Toyota Recall issue. The Cadillac CTS-V Wagon catches our fancy next, and we stay on the wagon tip to talk about the Acura TSX Wagon, which will debut at the New York International Auto Show. Honda’s CR-Z is next, before we go big and talk about the 2011 Ford SuperDuty. Wrapping up on a sporting note, we offer totally uninformed commentary on the Carl Edwards NASCAR wreck before taking a few listener questions and calling this turkey done. Thanks for listening!
Direct fanmail to Podcast at Autoblog dot com, review the show in iTunes, fill out our survey or even leave us a voicemail on our Google Voice line 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763). Until next week, hit up Joystiq and Engadget when podcast loneliness sets in. Thanks for listening!
In the wake of yesterday’s “runaway Prius” in San Diego, Toyota says it’s still working on a fix for the thousands of hybrids included in the 4.36 million vehicles recalled last November. The source of the unintended acceleration on these affected Prius models is the same as the other vehicles involved in the recall: A floor mat that gets jammed up against the throttle. Unfortunately for Toyota, the owner of yesterday’s “runaway Prius” claims the floormat wasn’t his car’s problem.
Regardless, Toyota says that new, smaller pedals and redesigned floor mats are in the works for these vehicles, but modifications haven’t begun because the automaker is still working on a more specific solution. Yeah, we’re a bit confused as well.
Contrary to a report by the Wall Street Journal, a new recall isn’t in the cards for the last-gen Prius and Toyota spokesperson Brian Lyons told TheDetroit News that while he can’t disclose exactly when this floormat fix will happen for affected Prius models or how the correction will be implemented, the changes will take place “sometime this year.” Here’s hoping it’s sooner rather than later.
The record labels have been trying out all sorts of schemes for a while now to try to get ISPs over to its side in propping up their old business models, and the latest is pretty laughable. BPI at the behest of Universal Music, commissioned a study which suggests that ISPs can make a lot of money by offering music services to their users. No doubt. But that leaves out some rather pertinent details. For example: many ISPs have very much wanted to offer such music services, but have been blocked by the likes of (uh oh…) Universal Music and BPI. Funny how that works.
The problem, of course, is that the ISPs want to offer music services that people would actually use, and the record labels want to handicap the services to the point at which they’re completely lame. So there’s a bit of a stalemate there.
But the bigger issue is (reading between the lines here) what the record labels are really saying to ISPs here is: break net neutrality. That’s because they’re not talking about just any music service. After all, there are lots of music services out there that people can sign up for no matter who their ISP is. But what the labels seems to be suggesting here is that ISPs specify one special music service that locks in customers. That’s why the report highlights that a music service can “reduce churn.” Of course, the only way it does that is if it’s locked to that single ISP — and if your music is limited to you only as long as you’re with that ISP. In other words: locking it down so that it’s lame.
As if to make the point even stronger, though, BPI blatantly tells ISPs to break neutrality:
“It’s increasingly clear that it isn’t smart to be a ‘dumb pipe’. This report shows that the revenue potential of digital music services alone makes sound economic sense for ISPs,” said BPI Chief Executive, Geoff Taylor.
Being a “dumb pipe” of course is a well-known code-word in the internet world for a neutral network. So, really what the labels seem to be suggesting here is that ISPs break network neutrality for the purpose of serving up a preferred music service that locks you into that ISP. Apparently, no one who put together the study contemplated the fact that this might piss people off and make them look for ISPs that don’t lock them in. Thankfully, it appears that some ISPs aren’t biting:
“TalkTalk thanks the BPI for its strategic business advice. Though some may question the value of such insight from an industry which has failed to acknowledge the impact of new technology on its own business models and is pressing the Government to criminalise its biggest customers,” a spokesperson told TorrentFreak.
Exactly. If the record labels were really serious about helping ISPs offer up music services, they wouldn’t be blocking them at every turn. This report is a typical red herring.
Audi has released a video of the new 2011 Audi RS5 showing off the beautiful sound its 4.2L V8 makes. The video also includes some footage of the RS5 hitting up the track with its inspiration, the Ur Quattro.
Refresher: Power for the 2011 Audi RS5 comes from a 4.2L naturally aspirated V8 making 450-hp and a maximum torque of 317 lb-ft. Mated to a standard 7-speed S tronic, the 2011 RS5 goes from 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph (electronically governed).
While it is still one of General Motors core brands, Cadillac will distance itself from the Detroit automaker to avoid the stigma of the parent company’s $50 billion U.S. backed bankruptcy last year.
According to Nick Twork, a Cadillac spokesman, the brand will erase the GM name from its marketing and dealerships, will change its e-mail addresses from @gm.com to @cadillac.com and will exit companywide promotions such as GM’s Red Tag Event. Twork said that the strategy is driven by GM’s restructuring.
“Cadillac, which has really turned itself around with new levels of quality and exemplary products, doesn’t want to be associated with something that will drag it down,” said John Grace, president of marketing consultant BrandTaxi LLC. “With GM’s bankruptcy comes lower credibility in the ability to build quality products.”
Moving Cadillac away from GM and increasing sales of the brand is central to CEO Ed Whitacre’s efforts to revive the Detroit automaker.
By Joshua Kyalimpa KAMPALA, Mar 9 (IPS) Fourteen-year-old Isaac Wadyegere of Bundesi village in Bududa district woke up to a rainy and chilly Monday morning and went to school as usual.
But Mar. 1 was not a usual day in Bududa district in eastern Uganda. When he heard the sound of rocks and soil tumbling down Mountain Elgon on a path to destroy part of his school, Wadyegere, along with other pupils, fled home.
But instead of finding the refuge he hoped for, disaster awaited Wadyegere.
His house and family were destroyed.
"My father, mother, step-mother, and five siblings all died when our house was covered by the landslides," the boy says.
Orphaned Wadyegere now stays in a camp set up by the Uganda Red Cross for survivors of the landslides that buried three other villages including; Nametsi, Namakansa and Kubewo villages in the Bududa district.
So far 92 bodies have been dug out of the rubble by the army and rescue workers and over 300 people are still missing. More than 300,000 people will be displaced by the worst disaster in the region according to Joel Aguma, the police commander for eastern Uganda. "We never planned for this and here we are, with so many people to look after, the scale of this disaster is surely beyond our capacity but we are trying our best," Aguma said as the rescue continued.
Government has now declared the scene of the Bududa landslides a mass grave.
Minister of state for disaster preparedness, Musa Ecweru, says government has called off the search for survivors after dysentery broke out and rescuers contracted it. "We realised it will take longer to get all the bodies out and it was increasingly risky for the rescuers," Ecweru says.
Experts warn that the worst is yet to come. A weather outlook report released recently by the Intergovernment Authority on Development’s (IGAD) Climate Prediction and Adaptation Centre (ICPAC) based in Nairobi, stated that the region was expected to have higher rainfall than normal.
The statement was released during the Climate Outlook Forum for the Greater Horn of Africa held in Nairobi, Kenya in February. National, regional and international climate scientists reviewed the state of the global climate system and its implications on the seasonal rainfall over the region.
Experts said regional systems that include sea surface temperatures in the Indian Ocean, which are currently warmer than average, and Atlantic Ocean will have greater influence on the rainfall performance over Uganda
Professor Laban Ogalo, director of ICPAC advises countries in the region to plan accordingly as the changing rainfall pattern may be both a blessing and a curse.
"Rain is a good thing if managed well. The region can benefit from it if it’s used to spur food production for those who get it in plenty so they can supply others who will get less rain," says Ogalo. He said heavy rains in the region could be destructive to infrastructure and may lead to loss life.
Ugandan weather experts are warning of more landslides and floods in the east, central and western parts of the country as heavy rains continue in most parts of the country. River Malaba in Busia district in eastern Uganda, near the Bududa district, has already burst its banks.
Bildard Baguma, deputy secretary general of the Uganda Red Cross, says there is an increasing possibility of flooding from the river if rains continue. Baguma says people in the affected areas will be evacuated from their villages to higher ground where temporary camps are to be set up.
Uganda’s government has asked residents in low-lying and flood-prone areas to move before tragedy hits. The ministry for disaster preparedness has already started registering people in high risk areas for relocation. Over 300,000 affected people in the Mountain Elgon region and the neighbouring lowlands of Butaleja, Budaka and Tororo are expected to be relocated.
Deus Bamanya, a senior meteorologist with the department of metrology, explains that extreme weather conditions in southern Europe weakened the high pressure systems in north Africa, which in turn pushed the rain belt down to Uganda. Heavy rains that could lead to flooding are expected to continue until June.
Prime Minister Apollo Nsibambi has told parliament government is appealing for donor funds to carry out the relocation exercise before further rainfall causes more destruction.
As the country still mourns the death of those in Bududa district, landslides have displaced hundreds in western Uganda. Heavy rainfall resulted in landslides on Mar. 4. Officials from the ministry for disaster preparedness have rushed to Kabale, which borders Rwanda and DR Congo, to assess the extent of the damage.
District authorities say landslides hit Rubaya and Butanda sub-counties destroying houses and blocking the only access road. Rescuer workers spent an entire day clearing the road before they could access the area.
Three people have been confirmed dead after they were swept by fast running waters off Kigarama Bridge in Kabale district. Soldiers have joined Kabale district authorities in verifying reports that some people are still trapped under the collapsed mud walls of their houses.
Mark Choono, the United Nations Children’s Fund’s Uganda emergency coordinator, warns that an outbreak of water borne diseases is also likely.
"We are concentrating on providing safe drinking water, which is the biggest problem in areas affected by landslides and floods. We have begun providing water purifying chemicals to affected people," says Choono.
Already in Bududa 60 people have contracted cholera.
But as the devastation continues some experts say that the destruction of the natural vegetation on the mountains by settlers, who have cleared the areas for cultivation of crops, has made the soil loose, resulting in the landslides.
Dr. Festus Bagoora, an expert on weathering and land formations at the Department of Geography at Makerere University, says past human activity has contributed to the catastrophe.
"A combination of factors is causing this, of course the rocks have been weakened due to weathering but people have removed all the natural vegetation on (the) mountains for faming and with the heavy rains landslides are bound to happen," says Bagoora.
He told IPS that he and other experts submitted a study for the National Environment Management Authority warning of areas where landslides are more likely to happen but no action was taken.
He says they had recommended the relocation of people in areas they considered to be more prone to floods and landslides.
By Servaas van den Bosch WINDHOEK, Mar 9 (IPS) African hip-hop prides itself on a more positive portrayal of women, but traditional cultural attitudes towards women still dominate the industry, say Namibian female rappers.
What started in the late Seventies as an expression of disenfranchised African-American youth in the Bronx of New York city, soon took root in Africa’s urban centres. In the townships of South Africa and Namibia, hip-hop morphed into kwaito and afropop and became an expression of post-apartheid identity.
Though the independence struggle and exile that left social networks scattered created a space for Namibian women to break away from convention and take up careers in music, this freedom is fraught with contradictions.
"There are not many places in Africa like Namibia where we can jump around the stage in our mini-skirts without causing an uproar," says Frieda Haindaka from rap duo Gal Level. "But at the same time our biggest challenge is being females in a male dominated industry. We constantly have to prove ourselves. People just want to see two sexy girls on a stage and don’t think we can actually do anything."
Other female artists still feel the pull from a traditional Namibian background.
"Of course we feel inferior to men," affirms singer, Sally.
"I used to be afraid of men. I would go to a show and there’s guy after guy wowing the crowd and I would just feel like: ‘oh my gosh what am I going to do? Maybe I should just turn around and go away.’
"And men are not helpful," she adds. "I walk into a studio and there’s seven guys hanging around with their kwaito attitude and their hip-hop thing going on, and they just stare at you like: ‘Pff…. whacha gonna do lil’ mama?’ It makes me want to curl up in the corner immediately."
Despite the prejudice, some of the country’s female hip- hop artists are doing what they can to make music that sends young women listeners an inspiring and positive message.
"In my lyrics I encourage women to work for their own bubblegum so to speak, and not depend on favours," says two-time Channel O Music Award winner ‘Lady May’ (23), who released her third album last year.
One of her hit singles is called Chokola (high heels) "When you are wearing high heels you feel powerful, you feel sexy, you feel like you can conquer the world. High heels give a woman confidence, but they also require focus and discipline, or you will fall over," she explains.
Sally’s track, ‘dollhouse’, is about a woman who breaks free from an abusive relationship. "Just because you are a man you cannot tell me who I should be," she sings.
But the demands of the industry and the competition for sales in a business where the macho standard is already set provides little space for activism.
"I would love to make songs that really drive the point home, but hey, you also got to make the people dance," Sally tells IPS.
"We only have a handful of female artists that have made it in Namibia and none of them are as successful as their male counterparts," says DJ Chè Ulenga of community radio station Base FM in Katutura township. Ulenga has seen many aspiring girls abandoning their dreams of becoming top selling artists.
Ulenga told IPS pay is meagre in the industry, with managers routinely pocketing 50 percent of the fees, if the women get paid at all.
"Women work on songs or videos that become hits but never get the recognition. Men just don’t take them seriously and refuse to invest in girls even if they sing a great hook or chorus."
"Girls are lied to all the time," says Sally. "[Producers tell you] you will have your own album, you are going to make it, you will be a superstar. But soon enough the producer will be after you and the music stops."
The abuse and exploitation Sally recounts is routine in the male dominated music industry where many young women, hungry for a break with a hotshot producer, don’t ask too many questions.
"When you are a nobody and desperate you are happy to be behind a mic," says Sally.
The Nurburgring is the gold standard for any track not comprised of a banked oval, and it’s a blast to watch dashboard-mounted video of various vehicles taking on the best the Nordschleife has to offer. We typically share with you videos of ZR-1s and GT-Rs, but this time we have something a bit different. Achim Korden and co-pilot Guido Heindl of ringmini.de fame run the ‘Ring in reverse in an old school Mini (1971 Clubman Estate) equipped with a 1.6-liter Honda drivetrain, and they mean business.
Hit the jump to watch the little Mini battle a rain-soaked Nordschleife while starting at the end and making their way to the beginning. It’s an odd experience and further proof that you don’t need to have big power to have big fun.
Software Logistics has released a small app which does only one thing – pull in tweets with the #MIX10 hash tag.
The app automatically updates every 30 seconds, and does surface quite a bit of info.
Unfortunately the links in the tweets are not live, meaning the app is much less useful than it could be. Hopefully SL can fix this major omission soon.
If however you think you will find this app useful, search for View Mix10 tweets in the US marketplace or select it here.
AMG today unveiled another chapter in its “AMG Performance 2015″ with the newly produced 5.5L V8 biturbo engine that will enter the lineup in summer 2010. The new engine will make its debut in the upcoming S 63 AMG.
AMG says that the new 5.5L V8 biturbo engine makes between 544-hp to 571-hp with a maximum torque of 590 lb-ft to 664 lb-ft. In the new S 63 AMG with the new AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission the 5.5L V8 biturbo engine will help return a fuel-economy of 22 mpg, an improvement of 25 percent when compared to the current S 63 AMG.
Performance wise, the new 5.5L V8 biturbo will allow the new S63 AMG to run from 0-62 mph in just 4.4 seconds with a top speed of 186 mph.
AMG says that the S 63 AMG showcar is a homage to the impressive history of powerful AMG V8 engines.
Check out the high-res image gallery and the massive press release after the jump.
Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG Showcar with 5.5L V8 Biturbo:
Press Release:
“AMG Performance 2015” – new powertrain with the 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine
Powerful and efficient: an eight-cylinder developing up to 420 kW (571 hp): Aim: Best in class – top performance in all respects by virtue of a comprehensively efficient powertrain
Affalterbach – AMG is writing another chapter in its “AMG Performance 2015″ drive system strategy: a completely newly developed AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine with a peak output of up to 420 kW (544 to 571 hp) and maximum torque of up to 900 newton metres will enter the lineup in summer 2010. The new eight-cylinder unit known internally as the M 157 impresses with a wealth of technological highlights such as direct petrol injection with spray-guided combustion and twin turbochargers.
This innovative, autonomously developed eight-cylinder power unit from Affalterbach sets new standards in terms of fuel consumption and exemplary efficiency: the new S 63 AMG, in which the V8 biturbo will have its market debut, consumes only 10.5 litres per 100 kilometres (NEDC combined consumption, provisional figure). This represents a saving of 25 percent compared to the current S63 AMG. An intelligently designed power transfer plays a major part in this: the unique AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission combines dynamism with economy, and includes a new start/stop function in the “Controlled Efficiency” driving mode. The new engine/transmission combination is the epitome of exclusivity, sophistication, high performance and economy.
The S 63 AMG showcar is a homage to the impressive history of powerful AMG V8 engines: visually this high-performance saloon resembles the spectacular 300 SEL 6.8 AMG, the racing car that won a class victory and second place in the overall ranking for AMG at the 24-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) in 1971 – and made the company world-famous overnight.
“AMG Performance 2015″ as the continuation of a success story
Mercedes-AMG is continuing this impressive story with its “AMG Performance 2015″ strategy, and meeting its promise to continuously reduce both the fuel consumption and emissions of new models with the new engine/transmission combination – while reaching new heights with the central brand value of “performance”.
The new AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine will play a major part in the Mercedes-AMG model strategy over the next few years. The unique AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission will also guarantee a thrilling yet economical power transfer in future AMG high-performance cars. The new engine/transmission combination is another milestone in the success story of Mercedes-AMG, which began in 1967. Another highlight in the company’s more than 40-year history it undoubtedly the SLS AMG: this gull-wing model due to be launched on 27 March 2010 is the first automobile to be completely independently developed by Mercedes-AMG. It means that as the performance brand within Mercedes-Benz Cars, AMG is not only fielding a masterpiece but also demonstrating development expertise at the highest level.
Direct petrol injection with spray-guided combustion and twin turbocharging
Whilst the AMG 6.3 litre V8 naturally aspirated engine has a displacement of 6208 cc the new AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo unit makes do with 5461 cc. The use of direct injection technology results in a reduction of exactly 747 cubic centimetres and increases efficiency. For the first time, AMG is also utilising the advantages of direct petrol injection with spray-guided combustion and piezo-electric injectors: thanks to its higher thermodynamic efficiency, this technology makes more efficient use of fuel and leads to lower exhaust emissions. AMG combines this spray-guided combustion with twin turbochargers. Other highlights include a crankcase wholly of aluminium, four-valve technology with adjustable camshafts, an air/water intercooler, generator management and a start/stop function as standard.
This high-tech package leads to a high output and torque yield, together with fuel consumption figures that are unrivalled in the competitive lineup. The AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine develops a peak output of 400 kW (544 hp) and maximum torque of 800 newton metres. In conjunction with the AMG Performance package these figures are increased to 420 kW (571 hp) and 900 newton metres. A look at the performance diagrams shows that no other engine in this output class achieves the figures delivered by the new AMG biturbo. The major difference between the two performance classes is an increase in the maximum charge pressure from 1.0 to 1.3 bar.
Quantum leap: fuel consumption reduced by 25 percent
With a provisional NEDC fuel consumption of 10.5 litres per 100 kilometres, the new S 63 AMG is 3.9 litres more economical than the preceding model powered by the naturally aspirated AMG 6.3-litre V8 – despite an increase in output by 14 kW (19 hp) resp. 34 kW (46 hp) and in torque by 170 and 270 newton metres. Engine specialists consider this achieved fuel saving of more than 25 percent to be nothing less than a quantum leap. CO2 emissions have likewise been significantly reduced: at 246 grams per kilometre, the figure is 28.5 percent lower than for the previous model.
With figures like these, the new S 63 AMG is not only considerably better than all its competitors, but also more fuel-efficient than much less powerful cars in this segment. Taking into account its enormous performance and torque figures the new AMG 5.5 litre V8 biturbo engine is in parts twice as efficient as many mid-segment or compact-class diesel engines.
At the same time the S 63 AMG delivers superior performance at sports car level: the high-performance saloon accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, and has an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. The 100 km/h mark is reached in just 4.4 seconds with the AMG Performance package, with the top speed increased to an electronically limited 300 km/h.
Engine production – tradition of hand-built excellence
Like all other AMG engines, the new eight-cylinder biturbo is assembled by hand in the AMG engine shop taken into commission in 2002. A single, highly-qualified technician assembles the M 157 according to the “one man, one engine” philosophy, maintaining the very strictest quality standards. This painstaking care is attested to by his signature on the characteristic AMG engine plate.
AMG CEO Volker Mornhinweg: “Efficiency plus performance”
“With the new AMG V8 biturbo engine and the AMG SPEEDSHFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission, we are confronting the challenges of the future and focussing on fuel consumption and exhaust emissions even more intensively than before. Our new high-performance engine shows that AMG occupies a leading position in terms of both efficiency and our brand commitment to “performance,” says Volker Mornhinweg, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.
“The new AMG V8 biturbo engine is yet another milestone in our impressive V8 history. For the first time we have combined spray-guided direct petrol injection with turbocharging. With this high-tech package we are “best in class” with respect to fuel consumption, output and torque,” says Friedrich Eichler, Head of Engine and Powertrain Development at Mercedes-AMG.
Key figures at a glance:*
AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine
Displacement
5461 cc
Bore x stroke
98.0 x 90.5 mm
Compression ratio
10.0:1
Output
400 kW (544 hp) at 5500 rpm
420 kW (571 hp) at 5500 rpm**
Max. torque
800 Nm at 2000-4500 rpm
900 Nm at 2500-3750 rpm**
at 2500-3750 rpm*
Engine weight (dry)
204 kg
Power/weight ratio
0.41 kg/hp
0.39 kg/hp**
* provisional figures; ** with AMG Performance package
Exciting power delivery, characteristic sound
These on-paper figures raise high expectations which the 400 kW (544 hp) AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo certainly meets. The flat torque curve ensures enormous pulling power in all speed ranges: 670 newton metres are already available at 1500 rpm, and the maximum torque of 800 newton metres is delivered just 500 rpm later, remaining constant to 4500 rpm. Even more effortless performance is ensured by the engine variant with the AMG Performance package, which has a peak output of 420 kW (571 hp). In this case the eight-cylinder delivers 875 newton metres of torque at just 2000 rpm, with a constant 900 newton metres available between 2500 and 3750 rpm.
It is not only the unrivalled torque delivery of this turbocharged eight-cylinder that makes the heart beat faster, as the agile responsiveness with no irritating charger delay leads to an effortlessness and dynamism previously unknown in this output class. All perfectly matched by the characteristic, sonorous engine note. Moreover, this AMG high-performance engine naturally meets all the requirements with respect to smooth, quiet running and the comfort on long journeys that is to be expected of a Mercedes.
MCT 7-speed sports transmission with Controlled Efficiency mode and start/stop function
Power is transferred by the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission used exclusively by AMG, which is already familiar from the SL 63 AMG and E 63 AMG and combines high emotional appeal with outstanding driving dyna-mics and a high level of efficiency. The wet start-up clutch replaces a conventional torque converter, and helps to save fuel. The exemplary fuel economy is also in large measure due to the standard start/stop function. This system is active in the transmission’s Controlled Efficiency (“C”) mode, and switches the eight-cylinder engine off when the car comes to a stop. In “C” mode the sports saloon always starts off in second gear, and the transmission shifts to the next, higher gears at a decidedly early stage. With its high torque at low engine speeds, the V8 engine encourages a smooth, effortless driving style.
The eight-cylinder biturbo engine also features the generator management system familiar from the E 63 AMG: whenever the engine is on the overrun or when braking, kinetic energy is used to charge the battery rather than being wasted as heat in the usual way. In all other operating modes a combination of onboard network and generator management enables the generator to be kept at a low voltage. This reduces the load on the engine and makes for fuel savings of around 0.15 litres per 100 kilometres according to the NEDC standard, and up to 0.2 l/100 km in city traffic with its frequent overrun and braking phases.
Long tradition of powerful AMG V8 engines
Powerful eight-cylinder engines are an integral part of AMG’s history. 2005 saw the debut of the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine known as the M 156. Depending on the model, this naturally aspirated, high-revving unit develops up to 386 kW (525 hp) and 630 newton metres. Reserved exclusively for the new SLS AMG, the M 159 with the same displacement of 6.3 litres has a peak torque of 420 kW (571 hp) and maximum torque of 650 newton metres. Another milestone in the history of AMG engines was the supercharged AMG 5.5-litre V8 engine introduced in 2001: the M 113 K developed up to 428 kW (582 hp) and 800 newton metres of torque. Even more power was forthcoming from the supercharged AMG 5.5-litre V8 engine of the SLR McLaren dating from 2003 – the M 155 generated up to 478 kW (650 hp) and 820 newton metres.
The supercharged AMG 5.5-litre V8, the AMG 6.3-litre V8 and the AMG 6.0-litre V12 biturbo were all able to win the Best Performance Engine category in the International Engine of the Year Awards.
The first AMG four-valve V8 accelerates “The Hammer” to 303 km/h
Another important engine in the AMG story was the M 117, its first eight-cylinder unit with four-valve technology. With a displacement of 5.6 litres, 265 kW (360 hp) and 510 newton metres of torque, this V8 accelerated the 300 CE 5.6 AMG to a top speed of 303 km/h in 1987. This made the coupé the fastest German car in series production, and American fans reverently christened it “The Hammer”.
The S 63 AMG showcar harks back to the historic success in 1971
A historic success was achieved by the 300 SEL 6.8 AMG in 1971: powered by an AMG V8 engine with a displacement of 6.8 litres and developing 315 kW (428 hp), this signal red racing saloon crossed the finishing line in second place during its very first outing at the 24-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), securing victory in its class.
The spectacular S 63 showcar is homage to this triumph, which made AMG world-famous overnight although the company had only been founded in 1967: decorated with sponsoring stickers identical to those on its historic predecessor, this powerful S-Class made by Mercedes-AMG is a sensation. The imposing tyres in size 275/35 R 20 and 325/30 R 20 at the front and rear are just as eye-catching as the 4.5-centimetre wider front wings on each side. The discerning car-lover will even discover exotic wood trim in the style of the original car in the interior. The showcar is powered by the new AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine and the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission.
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AMG says that the new 5.5L V8 biturbo engine makes between 544-hp to 571-hp with a maximum torque of 590 lb-ft to 664 lb-ft. In the new S 63 AMG with the new AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission the 5.5L V8 biturbo engine will help return a fuel-economy of 22 mpg, an improvement of 25 percent when compared to the current S 63 AMG.
