2018 Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster

A desolate desert highway is an unlikely locale for a brash open-air sports car, but our pre-production 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT C cuts through the barren open spaces outside of Las Vegas with a singular purpose.

Piloted by AMG boss Tobias Moers, the prototype is undergoing testing before the final green light for production, enabling Moers to ensure the track-ready ride drives and feels exactly as it should.

From the crackle of the V-8 to how the chassis adheres to pavement, the GT C seems completely in sync with the tarmac below, grasping surefootedly as it negotiates the road’s rollercoaster-like undulations and tight corners. The responsiveness is no surprise, as the coupe was originally engineered with roadster duty in mind.

The Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster is the more aggressively tuned spinoff of the GT Roadster, and it borrows elements from the top of the GT lineup, the GT R coupe. Though not as powerful as the GT R, the GT C extracts a considerable 550 hp and 502 ft lbs of torque from the twin-turbocharged 4-liter V-8, and can scoot to 100 kmh (60 mph) from a standstill in 3.7 seconds, eventually reaching a terminal velocity of 315 kmh (196 mph). In contrast, the 469 hp GT Roadster lacks some of the exotic hardware shared with the GT R, like rear-wheel steering; an electronic rear differential, which transfers power to the road more efficiently; and active airflow management, which uses louvers in the front grille to optimize engine cooling and aerodynamics. The GT C also strikes a meaner stance with its wider track and more aggressive bodywork, lending it a hunkered-down presence that makes it look just as fast as it is.

As our ride comes to an end and the cars are prepped for further testing with Mercedes-AMG engineers, Moers remarks that the steering is not tuned to his liking, suggesting that there is still work to be done before the GT and GT C Roadsters reach showrooms in fall of 2017. It’s a small but telling window into the amounts of minutia needed to make a thoroughbred feel just so and the discerning sense it takes to enable even the mightiest of manufacturers to compete on the world stage.

EV Charge Ports: The Quest For The Ultimate Location

Like all of GM's plug in vehicles, the charge port on the upcoming Chevy Bolt is located on the front left side of the vehicle. Did GM get this right?

Over the past six years I've interviewed and had discussions with electric vehicle product managers from just about every company selling EVs today, and a few that will be selling EVs in the near future. One of the more interesting topics I've found has been the subject of where they've decided to locate the charge port, and how they came to that decision.

For example, last month at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, I sat down with Daimler's manager of electric motors and power electronics, Franz Neitfeld to discuss Daimler's current plug in Hybrid offerings, and where they are going in the future. When I brought up the topic of the unusual charge port location that Mercedes is using on all of their PHEVs, he told me they gave this much consideration, and after doing so they decided the right corner of the rear bumper was the ideal location. He went on to explain that the majority of the cars they sell are to left hand drive markets, and when a driver of a left hand drive car pulls into the garage they usually leave more room to the right side of the vehicle, so as to make sure they don't hit anything on that side as they pull in. So they concluded the placement of the EVSE would be best on the right side wall of the garage, where the customer can easily plug in. Also, by placing the charge port there, the customer would be able to walk back around the car and into the house without the cable being in their way. I think the assumption that most Mercedes owners have a private garage for their cars, since it is a premium brand, played a role in this decision making. 

The entire line of Mercedes PHEVs have the charge port located on the right corner of the rear bumper

That's the first time I've heard anyone give me that reasoning for their charge port location. Clearly, there really is no consensus among the OEMs as to where the best place is, with just about everyone finding their own unique place, with their own unique reasoning for why they placed it there. This can't be the best practice. There has to be a location which suits the majority of the people who drive EVs better than the other locations, right? 

All of Ford's electric vehicles, whether pure BEV or PHEV, have their charge ports on the front left side of the car

A few years ago Ford announced that they had researched this topic and after an extensive study, they decided the front, left side of the vehicle was indeed the ideal place. At the time, Susan Curry, Ford Electrified Vehicle Technology Integration supervisor said: After benchmarking multiple competitive vehicles, we found there wasn't much consistency in charge port location. We wanted to give customers a location that made the most sense for them and would seem as simple as filling up at the gas station." And Mary Smith, Ford Electrified Vehicle Technology Integration supervisor said, "The left front fender location keeps the charge port in sight, before the customer enters or exits the car, for an easy reminder to unplug or recharge. It creates an intuitive placement for owners that also has aesthetic appeal. "It's worth noting that GM also locates the charge ports of all their plug in offerings on the front left side of the vehicle." 

BMW decided to locate the charge port of the i3 on the rear right side of the vehicle

For the i3, BMW's first all electric vehicle, the charge port was positioned on the rear, right side of the vehicle. I asked BMW product managers about this at the vehicle launch ceremony in 2013 and was told that there were two main reasons for the positioning. First, this location made the most sense because the car will be sold all over the world, and in many European countries curbside charging would require the port to be on the left side of the vehicle. It would be too expensive to have different carbon fiber passenger cells made to accommodate different charge port locations so they needed one location for all i3s made. Secondly, having the charge port in the rear of the vehicle, close to the power electronics, meant weight and cost savings. During the development process, i3 engineers would fight to cut every gram of weight they could, and having a three foot long high voltage cable instead of one that was eight feet long made the decision easy. However the charge ports of BMW plug in hybrids are located on the front left side of the vehicle, as they are on Ford and GM vehicles. 

Nissan & Audi chose the front of the vehicle for their charge ports

Other OEMs like Nissan and Audi decided to go front and center, using the center of the front bumper and grill for their charge ports. Initially I was concerned that even a minor bump on the front end would result in a disabled charge port, requiring the vehicle to be immediately serviced. However that hasn't been much of a problem for the Nissan LEAF, the world's best selling pure electric car, so I guess my concerns were unwarranted.

Tesla uses the left rear of the vehicle for their charge ports

Then there's Tesla. All of Tesla's cars have their charge ports on the rear left side of the vehicle. The Roadster's charge port is right behind the driver's side door, but the Model S & Model X have their charge ports integrated into the rear tail light lens, where it wraps around the side of the car. It's undoubtedly an elegant design, but it is the best place for it? Some Tesla owners say it isn't, and it can make plugging in difficult on many public chargers, especially if they are in a parking lot that prohibits backing into the parking space. 

I realize the answer might be a little different for European drivers as compared to electric vehicle owners in the US, because unlike in Europe, the US has very few curbside public charging stations. Here in the US just about all public EVSEs are located in parking lots, not curbside on public streets. There's also the fact that most countries which were once British colonies still have right hand drive so that would impact one's preference. Still, I'd like to pose this question to everyone who has experience driving and charging an EV, and I'd appreciate it if you took a moment to answer the poll below. Once the polling is complete I plan to send the results to my industry contacts. 

2016 Mercedes-AMG GT

The internet since few days, is deluged with news on the two new iPhones and the iWatch unveiled by Apple, but another beauty shared the same date to be officially unveiled. I am talking about the 2016 Mercedes AMG GT, the replacement for the gullwing SLS AMG, and it has finally arrived. After months of teasing and spying, the wraps are finally off and the first impressions of the flagship sportscar of Mercedes is that it is all that we had expected it to be – stunning! 

The first thing you’ll notice other than the obvious similarity with its predecessor is its name – there is no Benz in the name and the automaker chose to give it a proper Mercedes-AMG designation. Tobias Moers, CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH had previously said: “The new Mercedes-AMG GT proves that we will be positioning AMG as a dynamic sports car brand even more strongly and aggressively than before.” This is the second car to be entirely developed by AMG and will roll out exclusively from AMG’s Affalterbach facility in Germany, but we don’t know whether this new nomenclature will set a new precedent for future cars from the Mercedes-AMG stable.

The Mercedes AMG GT will arrive in two trims, the GT and the GT S, both powered by the new 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 with dry-sump lubrication, dubbed the M178. Both trims have their engines mated to seven-speed dual clutch transmissions that deliver power to the rear wheels. The standard GT boasts a healthy 456 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. The performance figures released by the company claims that it can sprint to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds and carry on to an electronically limited top speed of 189 mph. On the other hand, the GT S makes 503 hp and 479 pound-feet to reach 60 in an estimated 3.7 seconds all the way to a limit of 310 kmh (193 mph).

On the inside, the cabin carries an aviation-theme. The drivers can play with the powertrain’s various modes and settings via the AMG Drive Unit controls on the center console. Mercedes calls it the Drive Unit and it’s supposed to be reminiscent of the V8’s cylinder layout but the design is quite busy and not very good to look at. The pricing is yet to be announced but what we know till now is that the 2016 AMG GT S will be launched in the US in the spring of 2015, and the standard GT will arrive a year later.

With the overall engine size reduced from the previous SLS AMG, the car is better balanced- a 47:53 weight distribution from front to rear. The trick drivetrain is wrapped up in an aluminum space frame chassis with a double-wishbone suspension at all four wheels, boasting of aluminum-forged parts. As for the styling, the gullwing doors have been replaced by normal ones but the overall design is still very crisp and draws its inspiration from the original 300SL. Up front, the big Mercedes star nestled in an oval grille with two massive air intakes at the lower corners are the most prominent elements. The back looks wide thanks to the long, slim taillights poking out to the hefty rear fenders. There’s an electronically controlled rear spoiler which remains well hidden till it’s not deployed.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe

Every bit of regret that you may have over Mercedes-Benz’s CL-Class being replaced with a new model should instantly vanish at the sight of the new S-Class Coupe. This is a successor that’s fully worthy of its position, exuding elegance and style from its every pore.

Its intimidating front fascia boasts elongated headlights, a prominent grille, and large air intakes. Covering the 21-ich wheels are beautifully accentuated arches that complement the car’s overall proportions. You can’t help but admire its sleek design and clean lines and all those beautiful details, like the pillarless side windows and the elongated roofline.

For the interior, the German automaker kept the same elegant design language, using calfskin for the instrument panel and the seats, and adding a few aluminum touches at the end. Technology-wise, the new S-Class Coupe does not disappoint. Among its many excellent features there is the Intelligent Drive system which makes use of forward-oriented cameras that send commands to the Magic Body Control suspension after scanning surface driving conditions.

2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT Roadster

It’s true that you will have to give up the roof-hinged doors if you choose the drop-top version of the car, but those hot Californian days make the compromise fully worth it. The 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT Roadster (not exactly the shortest name possible), is truly impressive, with excellent looks, more power, and a super techy (never tacky!) interior.

The car gets its juice from a 6.3-liter V8 capable of 583 hp. The power unit is connected to a 7-speed DCT, which is a match made in heaven, as the performance figures successfully prove: a 0-60 time of just 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 197 mph. Of course, responsible for that is also the supercar’s curb weight, which is 3,661 lbs.

Those who have driven the beautiful two-seater have described the experience as thrilling and incredibly satisfying. Even though the long nose of the car and its low stance can make it a bit tricky to estimate how close you are to objects in front of you, it doesn’t take very long to get the hang of it. Going over bumps doesn’t result in the car scratching its chin over the pavement, and it doesn’t affect your comfort even after long drives – that’s how good the suspensions are.

Speaking about long drives, the new SLS AMG GT Roadster boasts a really impressive range. Its fuel tank is comparable to that of a SUV, being capable of holding as many as 26.2 gallons of fuel! Fitting such a large tank into such a petite vehicle looks very much like magic to us.

On the inside, things get even more enchanting, as the luxury automaker has spared no efforts and expenses to create something truly spectacular. Leather and carbon fiber dominate the picture, but all that obviously comes with a price. The standard version is pretty cool, however if you’ve got a little extra cash, splurging on a sophisticated two-tone leather upholstery with quilted stitch pattern trims is what we would call a very good idea.