German Car Zone

Over the years Mercedes models have been gaining so much weight engineers have been forced to increase engine output to the point where it’s eclipsing the levels of supercars just to keep up with the competition in the performance stakes. A prime example of this is the SL, a two-seater coupe-convertible that weighs more than two tons in some guises and develops up to 604hp.

Throw in a monster twin-turbo V12 engine and the car will rocket in a straight line but get to the twisty stuff and it will be left eating the dust of its lighter and better handling competition. Then there’s the increased wear and tear on the tires, suspension, brakes and transmission, plus the constant trips to the fuel station.

This is a problem Daimler execs are well aware of. In a recent interview with Automotive News Europe, Mercedes’ director of vehicle concepts and ergonomics, Gunther Ellenrieder, explained the weight problem is something engineers are focusing on for Mercedes’ future models. Already they’ve developed cylinder blocks and chassis components made from light weight aluminum and in the future we’ll see more weight reductions made to the car’s body, Ellenrieder revealed.

Further potential for weight loss will be with developing new exhaust systems. “I do not believe that an exhaust system of the future must look in such a way, like it looks today,” stressed Ellenrieder.


Source: Motor Authority » Mercedes-Benz engineers focusing on weight reduction

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Nice to hear.

Fantastic news. The main issues with MB's sportier models vs bimmers is weight.

about the best MB news after the quality focus news of lately

Best news about your beloved star brought to you by BMW stalwart, how ironic is that?

Great news, but I think it has been blown out of proportion to some degree. A car like a a SL is so packed with everything to the point where I don't see anything else with as much "stuff" that weighs less. Mercedes' being so much heavier than the competition surely isn't the norm across the board and it most certainly hasn't been the case in the past. Certain Mercedes yes, but not all. I hardly believe that Mercedes' obsession with hp had anything to be with weight. It was a save-face tactic during their quality problems and last but not least a part of the hp pissing contest going on among German carmakers.

Still though this is great news considering where Mercedes' hp numbers are likely to go with the next generation of engines.

M

Well, not sure how exactly they will do it. But, whatever they do to improve the cars is fine with me.

Lightweight construction isn't an engineering issue, but a financial issue: every company is able to develop & produce lightweight parts - using aluminum, magnesium, plastics composites, carbon fiber etc ...

But all these things are still very expensive ... increasing R&D + production costs, decreasing profit margins.

I'm sure all engineers will want to develop all alu / mag body frames, chassis, engines etc with carbon fibre body panels etc - but the project budget is limited, so compromises have to be made.

I'm glad to see MB are joining the game ... but will the investors be happy as well?

Look what EfficientDynamics is doing to BMW profits lately (along with high raw material & energy prices + Dollar vs Euro conversion rates) ...

Lightweight construction ain't cheap!

Even if they get lighter they will still be very heavy cars. BMW are already using lightweight materials but still they are heavy cars.

Am I the only one who finds this article a bit "questionable", especially the first paragraph?


"Over the years Mercedes models have been gaining so much weight engineers have been forced to increase engine output to the point where it’s eclipsing the levels of supercars just to keep up with the competition in the performance stakes."

Wow! Whoever wrote this must have inside knowledge of what's going on at Mercedes. *Sarcasm intended*

Weight and power increases are a natural progression as technology advances, especially in automobiles. Part of it is also due to the fact that these are generally luxury cars which have more features than a standard car. Features add weight. Luxury cars should also be powerful in the eyes of many, hence the horsepower increases.


"A prime example of this is the SL, a two-seater coupe-convertible that weighs more than two tons in some guises and develops up to 604hp."

So what this guy is trying to say is that the SL is so fat and overweight that it needs a 612-horsepower (SL65 AMG) to move it around? Gotcha!

I feel sorry for the suckers who bought an SL550 or worse, the completely underpowered SL350!!!

Huh?



Weight reduction is always good, but this article sounds like it was written by a smart ass. Seriously.

Mercedes already practices a weight-reduction strategy wherever possible. This takes the form in lighter, yet durable materials for engine, drivetrain and body construction. The trunk lid on our E320 for example is completely made out of plastic, which is lighter than if it were made out of steel or aluminum. Things like that help, not much but they help nonetheless.

At any rate I am all for it, this weight reduction process. It'll also be better for the environment as cars will use less fuel and emit less pollutants.