Mercedes Service, Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Mercedes tests upcoming S65 AMG at the Ring - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

A two-and-a-half-ton luxury sedan wouldn't exactly be our first choice for a romp around the Nürburgring. But then Mercedes-AMG has a way of exceeding expectations. To get the new S-Class to run to sixty in 3.9 seconds, Benz's performance studio fitted the S63 with a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 that sends 577 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels. But the boys in Affalterbach aren't done just yet. Before the fat lady that is the S-Class sings its swan song, AMG will follow up with the yet more powerful S65.

Expected to debut towards the end of the year in LA, the new S65 AMG is expected to pack even more muscle than the outgoing model's already-astonishing 621 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque, channeled from its 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 to all four wheels instead of its predecessor's two. Considering that the S63 dropped half a second off its 0-60 time from one generation to the next, we could be looking at a run as quick as 3.6 seconds for the new S65. And as you can see from this spy video shot at the Nürburgring, for all its heft, the new king of the performance sedans will do more than just go in a straight line.

News Source: TouriClips via YouTube
Autoblog
by Noah Joseph

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Mercedes Service, Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Jaguar XFR-S pitted against Mercedes E63 AMG - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

 

It was Steve Sutcliffe at Autocar who got the tough job of comparing the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG to the limited edition Jaguar XFR-S on the track and sheep-strewn British B-roads. In UK spec both Mephistophelean sedans wrangle the same 542 horsepower, but step out of the corral and things look to weigh heavily in the Mercedes' favor: it has more torque, it's lighter, it's quicker from 0-to-60 and it's less expensive.

But that's on paper. Sutcliffe was given the job to see what effect all those letters and numbers had on the real-world driving experience. One of them is "an absolute hoot at the track" with great steering and weight management, one is "magnificent." To find out which is which, watch the video below.

News Source: Autocar via YouTube

Image Credit: Gallery images copyright 2013 Jeremy Korzeniewski / Matt Davis / AOL

Autoblog
by Jonathon Ramsey

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Range Rover Service, Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Land Rover announces Range Rover hybrids - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Big as they are with all their differentials and transfer cases, SUVs are arguably better suited towards hybrid propulsion than most vehicles. But one of the biggest names in the business has yet to go down that route. That is, until now.

Land Rover has announced that it'll be launching its first hybrid at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, where it will unveil not one but two production models powered by the same gasoline-electric powertrain. The system pairs a 47-horsepower electric motor with a 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel to churn out a combined 335 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels.

The added lithium-ion battery, inverter and electric motor – which is integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission – add 265 lbs to the curb weight, but help the Range Rover Hybrid reach 62 miles per hour from a standstill in 6.9 seconds and the Range Rover Sport Hybrid in 6.7, cruising to a top speed of 135 and 145 miles per hour, respectively. Both models are set to hit overseas markets early next year, but we're still waiting for word on US availability.

While Land Rover prepares the pair for its Frankfurt debut, it is sending three of them on a transcontinental road trip along the "Silk Trail" from the factory in Solihull, England, to its parent company Tata's headquarters in Mumbai, India. The trip kicks off tomorrow and is expected to take until October 15 after crossing 10,000 miles through 12 different countries.

source: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/08/21/land-rover-announces-range-rover-hybrids/

by Noah Joseph

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Audi Service, Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Audi readying 650-hp Sport Quattro Concept - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Remember Audi's perfectly lovely Quattro Concept from the 2010 Paris Motor Show? Of course you do. The latter-day Ur-Quattro is laser-etched in our brains as well – and not just because Audi was kind enough to offer our man Michael Harley a mountain drive of its seven-figure showcar. At the time, Audi hinted that the coupe might have a showroom future, but the gossip pipeline has long since gone dry, leading us to believe that the car's production hopes had soured.

That 2010 concept was powered by a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine yielding 380 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque, a relatively modest but appropriate engine configuration in light of the Ur-Quattro's five-banger. Given the Quattro Concept's size and specs, it wasn't clear exactly where such a vehicle might fit into the company's lineup, though, as it already already offers the successful A5/S5/RS5 lineup.

Apparently, Audi might have a solution to that conundrum. A new report from Germany's AutoZeitung suggest that the automaker is posed to reveal a production version of the concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September – on the Ur-Quattro's 30th anniversary, no less. Word is that Audi is taking the Quattro Concept upmarket in a big way, with a tuned version of the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 from the RS7 churning up in the neighborhood of 650 horsepower. Naturally, all-wheel drive will get all that power to the ground, and new bodywork is expected as well. In addition to the powertrain switch-up, there is talk of extensive use of lightweight materials, including magnesium, carbon fiber and aluminum, with a target weight of under 2,900 pounds. Magnetic ride control suspension and carbon-ceramic brakes are also expected to find their way onto the model

News Source: AutoZeitung via CarBuzz
Image Credit: Copyright 2013 Drew Phillips / AOL
AutoblogBy Chris Paukert

BMW Service, Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - History and Review of the BMW 4 Series - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

 

 Crazy about BMW? Then these three videos are right up your alley, with the new 2014 4-Series coupe’s design highlighted in the first video, and a multitude of M3s in the second and third ones.

Designers for the new 4 Series appear extremely proud over their newest creation, and we don’t blame them. They say the 4 Series Coupe is a completely new interpretation on everything BMW stands for: power, sportiness, and pure aesthetics. The video highlights the car’s proportions as well as its muscular and “sensual” sheet metal. Designers also discuss the front end, where they worked hard to get the dual kidney grille to flow nicely into the headlights. Inside, the 4 Series is still very much driver-oriented, but with more refined materials.

We don't envy BMW's M4 engineers. The new 2014 BMW 4 Series coupe will debut this summer with the lowest center of gravity of any current BMW. Combine that with its significantly wider track and slight weight loss and you've got what we expect to be a quick, capable, and good-looking two-door that may just come close to the outgoing M3 in objective test measures. For $1800 more than the 3 Series Coupe it replaces, the 2014 4 Series is more efficient, arguably more attractive, and offers a wider array of options than we've ever seen on a 3 Series two-door.

Not much has changed under the hood of the newly renamed 4 Series coupe. The 2014 BMW 428i -- available in rear- and all-wheel drive -- is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 that makes 240 hp at 5000-6500 rpm and 255 lb-ft between 1250-4800 rpm. With summer performance tires and an eight-speed automatic, BMW estimates a 0-60 mph run will take 5.7 seconds -- just 0.2 seconds off the pace of the automaker's estimated time for a 2012 335i with a six-speed manual. Unfortunately, the manual 428i isn't available with BMW's all-wheel-drive system, which can reduce over steer or under steer, depending on the driving situation. The 2014 435i is powered by the same turbocharged 3.0-liter I-6 in the 335i sedan, with 300 hp between 5800-6000 rpm and 300 lb-ft of torque between 1200-5000 rpm. Go with the manual transmission and you'll reach 60 mph in 5.3 seconds, or an estimated 5.0 seconds with the eight-speed automatic. Considering we've tested an automatic-transmission 2012 BMW 335i sprinting to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, expect an easy sub-5.0-second time for the 2014 435i as well. Don't expect 420i or diesel 4 Series variants in the U.S., however

Of course, there's much more to the 2014 BMW 4 Series coupe than straight-line acceleration. For a coupe to last an entire generation, it needs to look good. The current 3 Series sedan design lends itself well to a two-door coupe look, and we're happy to see most of the 4 Series concept's styling details have remained on the production car. The so-called Air Breather vents just behind the front wheels have stayed put, as has the sharply defined character line that stretches from the top of the front wheel wells to the L-shaped taillights. More so than on the outgoing 3 Series coupe, the 2014 4 Series' roofline more seamlessly blends with the top of the trunk lid for a streamlined look. Park a 2014 4 Series next to a 2013 3 Series two-door and you'll probably notice how much wider it appears. The 4 Series is 1.7 inches wider, with the rear track stretched 3.1 inches. The car's wheelbase is two inches longer than before, but its height is 0.6 inches lower. Sadly, it doesn't appear the 4 Series concept's cool LED accents that pointed toward the dual-kidney grille have made it to the production car, but the calligraphy-inspired LED taillight details are present.

Thanks to lighter-weight materials, BMW says the 4 Series coupe is between 44-99 pounds lighter than its predecessor. Even so, BMW offers more than enough technologically advanced options to weigh down the car's price. A color head-up display can show the car's speed, speed limit info, and even passing restrictions. The display also adjust automatically to light conditions, and that's far from the only automatic tech offered on the 4 Series. An Active Driving Assistant can slow the car down to avoid or minimize an impact with a pedestrian, thanks to a camera mounted in the rear-view mirror. Full LED headlights are available, and an automatic parking system can take care of the steering when attempting to parallel park. iDrive has been updated, too, with an available touchpad with which users can write out addresses or contact names -- we look forward to seeing just how practical this system really is. Then again, the 2014 BMW 4 Series isn't about practicality. It's about 50:50 weight distribution, a more aerodynamically efficient body, and greater fuel efficiency fuel efficiency with good looks. Will 3 Series coupe buyers balk at the higher prices? Not likely. We can't wait to get behind the wheel of the 4 Series, before the lineup expands to cover Gran Coupe and convertible variants.

Source: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupes/1306_2014_bmw_4_series/

http://wot.motortrend.com/2014-bmw-4-series-design-m3-evolution-in-new-videos-380235.html#axzz2cboSHp15

By Zach Gale
By Karla Sanchez

Jaguar Service, Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - History and Review of the Jaguar XK - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

For Jaguar enthusiasts, the pairing of the letters ‘X’ and ‘K’ has long heralded excitement. Although the mainstay of the British sporting marque’s business is rooted in saloons, it's sports cars and coupés that have put Jags on people’s most-wanted lists for decades. And today is no different: the XK remains one of the most beautiful, desirable and dynamically impressive sports coupes available anywhere in the world.

More than 60 years ago, Jaguar redefined sports cars with the 1948 XK, clothing a big engine and big performance in bodywork that was svelte to the point of sensuality. The firm has been offering much the same XK formula ever since, if with the occasional change of emphasis. The original XK was succeeded by the legendary E-type, known as the XKE in America. Jaguar’s most famous car, it was a sensational looker and a monolithic landmark in the development of the sports car - the first production car that Autocar ever tested to exceed 150mph.

Gradually, through the XJS and XK8, the XK concept has evolved away from being an out-and-out sports car and more towards being a refined grand tourer. The XK now has to fill dual roles as a cosseting grand tourer at one end of the model range, and a full-blown hardcore sports car on the other – that role admirably taken by the unhinged XKR-S model, the most powerful car in the company’s long history.

The launch 4.2-litre V8 XK, though, is no more, replaced in 2009 by a more up-to-date 5.0-litre V8 running in normally aspirated guise in the base XK and supercharged form in the XKR and 2011 XKR-S.

Even before the current XK arrived on our roads back in 2006 it attracted controversy as a design. We shouldn’t be surprised: a cornerstone of a Jaguar’s appeal has always been its sensuous styling, and image is more important than ever in these design-savvy times.

The XK has presence. From some angles it is strikingly handsome, but it isn’t quite the gorgeous vision in aluminium that Jaguar’s marketing suits would have us believe.

The XK remains a conservative design, even after facelifts in 2009 and 2011. Its classical coupé proportions mix with strong Jaguar hallmarks such as the ovoid intake ‘mouth’. But perhaps the biggest change is that the fuselage shape of the XK8’s lower body has been traded for a Coke-bottle form that heightens the XK’s muscularity, as do shorter overhangs and a wider track.

It is the larger details that split opinions most: the bluff nose, the slightly shapeless headlamps and the round tail lights provoking most debate. Some believe the overall design should have been more adventurous.

The same cannot be said of the XKR-S model, which is about as in-your-face as a sports design can be. XKR-Ss get heavily sculpted front-ends for increased cooling and greater distinction. It’s a design that’s very un-Jaguar, but diversification away from what one believes a traditional Jaguar should be is a constant aim for design chief Ian Callum and his team. 

Many will gaze at the XK’s bodywork without realising that the metal itself is what sets this new Jaguar apart. Like the XJ, it uses Jaguar’s epoxy-bonded and riveted aluminium monocoque construction. Not only does this make the XK 30 per cent stiffer than the old XK8, it is also around 100kg lighter.

Jaguar has constructed the XK’s interior from fine-quality materials for the most part and furnished with a choice of wood or titanium decor that really broadens its appeal. Only some humdrum plastic cheapens the effect.

The upright dashboard of the XK8 has been replaced by a gently sloping fascia, and it is the better for it. Taller drivers can now get comfortable behind the wheel: there’s a good range of wheel and pedal adjustment, and acceptable head and legroom. It feels spacious enough, but remains cocooning, like a good GT should.

Cocooned to the point of entrapment is how you’ll feel in the rear – assuming you can get in at all. Even kids will moan, and justifiably. Jaguar defends this with research indicating that’s its customers are happy, but that surely doesn’t excuse the mediocre 330-litre boot, even if the hatchback makes loading it easy. These things impact seriously on the XK's touring ability.

The XK’s interior is certainly the most hi-tech yet for a Jaguar coupé or cabriolet. In 2009, it improved further with a revised centre console, which houses the rotary gear selector from the XF. It’s a nice system that feels tactile and looks classy.

Jaguar's new 5.0-litre V8 that sits at the heart of all XKs is a revelation. It’s smooth and eager to rev, and it emits a glorious burble that switches to a snarl at the top of the rev range. Going down the ’box in manual mode, the exhaust even pops and crackles. Brilliant.

In-gear acceleration is sharp. The normally aspirated XK takes 2.5secs to get from 50mph to 70mph. But the linear nature of the power delivery never makes it feel that quick – the old supercharged 4.2-litre V8 XK suddenly unleashed a great gob of acceleration, while the new naturally aspirated XK piles on the speed with less drama.

Opt for the XKR and the supercharged V8 turns what is an extremely good GT into both an excellent and extremely fast one. The engine means that it shoots from 0-60mph in just 4.6sec, but the killer blow is that the XKR fires from 50-70mph in 1.9sec.

If this doesn’t look so impressive on paper, on the road it’s the difference between picking off one overtaking victim and a whole swarm of them. More impressive still is the sheer relentlessness of the acceleration. Maximum torque of 461lb ft is on tap from 2500rpm to 5500rpm, making it hugely tractable. Like the same-engined XF saloon, the XKR is benign and unimposing when you want it to be and demonically quick when you plant your right foot.

The standard XKR is hardly lacking propulsion, but the XKR-S is noticeably quicker again and freer revving at the top end. Partly this is because the S feels like it has a more aggressive throttle map – despite Jaguar's claims to have softened it across all XKs for the 2012 model year. Either way, this is a car where you find yourself backing out of the throttle halfway down a straight in an effort to keep speeds broadly moral

The XK's steering, with speed-sensitive power assistance, is finger-light a low speed, the general refinement excellent, and the ride – for the most part – very accommodating. That said, the 20-inch wheels many Jaguar buyers will go for produce a stiff-legged reaction to potholes that the intermediate 19-inch rims largely avoid.

But the soothing nature of the XK is what characterises it. Even at a high-speed cruise it remains admirably quiet, and only an exaggerated roar on rough surfaces and some question marks over high-speed stability in crosswinds disturb the calm. Rolling refinement really is this car's USP

Pick up the pace and the XK subtly responds. It’s not a car to pummel the road into submission in order to maintain body control. Instead, the low-speed suppleness persists, even on the generally firmer and more sporting models.

The standard XK proceeds as you hoped it might: gracefully and with a pleasingly feline athleticism over challenging roads. The sensation is less raw and less aggressive than you’ll feel aboard many of the XK’s rivals, but that far from restricts its pace.

The slightly vague ‘sneeze factor’ remains in the light steering around the straight ahead, but resistance builds consistently once you’ve turned through that phase and the wheel’s general weighting and precision are good on lock.

But on a hard drive you’ll wish the rack communicated a little more and that a few layers of numbing assistance would peel away so you felt more connected. This is a car that enjoys rapid but measured progress, rather than being grabbed by the scruff of the neck and driven hard.

The downside in the R is that outright comfort takes a backwards step. Its ride is supremely composed but you detect a little more thump in the cabin over potholes and expansion joints. It’s probably a price worth paying for the extra agility, if sporting thrills are your be-all and end-all.

The dynamic changes of the S bring an improved steering response (more weight and less hesitation), making it easier and more satisfying to commit to a corner. The convertible XKR-S maintains a good balance between slightly bonkers performance and touring ability. Despite the outlandish exterior, it still possesses some traditional Jaguar refinement. Overall, the step-up in precision, composure and involvement over the standard R is probably in the region of 20 per cent.

source: http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/jaguar/xk/ride

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Jaguar Service, Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - BMW 328 Hommage - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Jaguar desperately needs a BMW 3-series fighter priced between $30,000 and $40,000. While we continue to wait for that rumored announcement, Jaguar is using the très chic Paris auto show to unveil an eleventy-billion-dollar, two-seat, twin-turbine, quad-electric-motor-powered 205-mph slingshot that should be in production in about, oh, never. Cue theStar Wars theme. Did we mention that there was British government agency money involved in this project?

The C-X75 is at heart a research project designed to fuse aerospace and automotive technologies. The car was developed over a nine-month span and paid for by Jag, while the powertrain springs from a joint project with the British government–sponsored Technology Strategy Board. On the most basic level, the car’s complex powertrain is a range-extending hybrid that operates roughly like the Chevrolet Volt's. In the Jag, a 19-kWh, 330-pound cache of lithium-ion batteries provides up to 68 miles of pure-electric AWD propulsion from four 195-hp electric motors. Mounted inboard, each drives a single wheel through a 3:1 gear reduction, and together create a claimed 1180 lb-ft of torque. (Four electric motors? Maybe Jaguar should have called it the XJ440.)

When the battery pack is exhausted, two miniature gas turbines weighing 77 pounds each and making 94 hp at 80,000 rpm provide recharging power and also can boost the electric-motor output when high performance is required. The turbines, made by the English company Bladon Jets and housed in a box behind the two seats with inlet air channeled through ducts around the occupant’s heads, extend the range to 560 miles.

Jag is claiming 0-to-62-mph times of 3.4 seconds for the 3000-pound C-X75, about as quick as a Ferrari 458 Italia, with the quarter-mile accomplished in 10.3 seconds at 156 mph. Under hard acceleration, its runs solely on electricity to 60 mph, then one turbine kicks in to assist up to 120 mph. Beyond that, both turbines assist the C-X75 to its top speed. All of this is theoretical, since nobody has driven this machine at a speed faster than a crawl. The brakes are from the supercharged XFR sedan, though, so the 5-to-0-mph stops are surely furious.

Either way, it’s a stunning, road-sucking, mid-engined machine that looks like a windblown sliver of mercury, yet another attractive opus from the Jaguar design shop run by Ian Callum. Befitting Jaguar, the chassis is an aluminum spaceframe. The outer panels are fiberglass. A moveable airfoil on the underbody Venturi tunnel directs airflow according to the car’s speed, while the turbines’ hot exhaust gasses flow through vectored nozzles to increase downforce. Also, the grille and brake-cooling ducts seal themselves when not needed.

Inside is a nearly all-glass cockpit consisting of high-res LCD touch screens for gauges and information displays and electroluminescent lighting.

source: http://www.caranddriver.com/news/jaguar-c-x75-concept-auto-shows
by Aaron Robinson

http://www.boscheuropean.com

BMW Service, Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - BMW 328 Hommage - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

 

What vehicle holds the highest average speed on the famed Mille Miglia circuit? A BMW 328. Their average speed was 103 miles per hour, and it was set way back in 1940. That car, the BMW 328, is a legend in the automaker's halls, and was named one of the 25 greatest cars of the century. This year marks the 328's 75th birthday, so BMW has prepared a unique concept car to pay tribute to one of its own iconic vehicles.

Dubbed the BMW 328 Hommage, this ultra-lightweight sports car was built to mirror the principles used to create the original 328. The 328 Hommage weighs in at a svelte 1,720 pounds, accomplished through the use of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic. While CFRP wasn't exactly around in the 30's and 40's, BMW engineers of that era kept the 328 light through the use of aluminum and magnesium. Both cars are cut from a similar cloth to achieve a lightweight end result, even if the methods to get there are very different.

Many design elements are shared between both cars. The original 328 was one of the earliest BMW vehicles to show off the now familiar kidney grilles. Those grilles nearly jump off the face of the 328 Hommage. Out back, the wide-set taillamps help close off the wide stance that runs the length of both versions.

BMW casually mentions that the 328 Hommage is powered by a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine. Yet, we have no word on any potential output figures or what type of transmission it might be connected to. Of course,BMW fans might remember that the automaker built a similar concept a few years ago. It was called the Mille Miglia Concept Coupe. Stunning at the time, the 328 Hommage ups the wow factor several notches.

 

source:http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/bmw-328-hommage---11-opt.jpg

by jeff Glucker

 

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Mercedes Service, Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Concept Cars - from vision to series production - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

 

Ever since Carl Benz invented the world’s first motorcar, the Benz Patent-Motorwagen in 1886, the legacy of inventive genius has featured in every Mercedes-Benz model.

Today, much of this innovative technology has become reality thanks to the rigorous testing performed in our research vehicles.

As far back as 1991, the first car of the “F” series, the F 100, introduced revolutionary concepts such as voice control, autonomous intelligent cruise control and distance radar – technology that is now in series production.

When the Mercedes-Benz F 200 Imagination arrived later in 1996, it highlighted a radical step in design, as well as advances in Active Body Control (ABC) for increased stability. Other innovations included doors that opened automatically with a magnetic card (the forerunner of today’s Keyless-Go system), side airbags, window bags (another present-day feature) and the Active Light function that’s also available today.

In 2001, the F 400 Carving significantly improved driving dynamics with the Active Tyre Tilt Control (ATTC) system, adjusting the camber angle of both the front and rear wheels when cornering or during hard braking.

Later models such as the Hybrid F 500 Mind marked an important first step in hybrid drive technology, alongside innovations such as Night View Assist, a system that operates using infrared headlamps for improved visibility at night. Today this concept is a reality in the E- and S-Class models.

The Mercedes-Benz F 600 Hygenius followed in 2006, marking the introduction of an environmentally friendly fuel-cell hybrid drive vehicle. Then in 2007, the F 700 showcased the revolutionary DIESOTTO engine, which combined the advantages of low-emission combustion engines with the consumption benefits of a diesel engine.

In 2008, the F 800 Style paved the way for new design styling with its coupé-like characteristics. It also featured an innovative new multi-drive platform, a new display concept – Cam-Touch-Pad HMI (Human Machine Interface), and the current PRE-SAFE® 360° system which offers extra protection in the event of a rear impact.

2011 saw the arrival of Mercedes-Benz’s most recent research vehicle, the F 125! Introducing emission-free driving to the luxury segment, this flagship vehicle represents a radical reinterpretation of a sports saloon, blending futuristic lightweight materials with experimental operating concepts, innovative drive technology and a breathtaking new design direction.

 

From vision to series production

Research vehicles are independent of any specific model and incorporate multiple innovative technologies. They serve to demonstrate new technologies and trends in a working car so that they can be presented to the public.

Since 1991, the letter "F" has been used to designate a very special group of Mercedes-Benz research vehicles. "F" stands for "Forschung" (German for "research"), and at the same time for "Future". In terms of their design, "F" vehicles from Mercedes-Benz point to the future, set trends and offer pointers for the form which individual mobility will take in the years ahead.

F 100

The F 100 was the first car of the "F" series, presented in 1991. This MPV-style vehicle incorporated a sandwich-construction floor assembly, had no B-pillars, and featured servo-assisted doors – the front ones hinged open forwards at an inclined angle, while the rear doors slid open backwards parallel with the sides of the vehicle. Other particularly striking features were the single central front seat for the driver, the spacious accommodation for six occupants and the three-point seat belts integrated in the seats. The onboard computer was able to prioritise three levels of safety warnings with only the current one appearing on the driver’s display. Further innovative features included voice control, autonomous intelligent cruise control, an automatic emergency call system, solar cells on the roof for auxiliary ventilation and a linear wiper, which swept the windscreen from side to side. Many of these innovations, which were revolutionary in 1991, are a production reality today and serve to confirm the importance a strong commitment to research plays in forming the basis for technological advances and leadership in the field of innovation.

F 200 Imagination

The second research vehicle was the 1996 F 200 Imagination, an avantgarde coupé with a passenger compartment covered by a glass dome. Its most important feature is the future-oriented "drive-by-wire" dynamic handling system which allowed the driver to control all vehicle movement by means of one of the joysticks fitted on the centre console and in the door trim panel. Steering was performed by moving the joystick in the desired direction; pulling forward on the stick accelerated the vehicle and pulling back applied the brakes. Other innovations included the Active Body Control (ABC) active suspension system, video cameras instead of rear-view mirrors, doors which opened automatically in response to the presence of a magnetic card (the forerunner of today’s Keyless-Go system), side airbags, window bags (another present-day feature) and the Active Light function which is also available today.

F 300 Life Jet

In 1997, the three-wheel F 300 Life brought the feel of a motorcycle to the car world. The public were amazed by the Active Tilt Control (ATC) system for the front wheels, which allowed the Life Jet to lean into curves like a motorcycle. The driver and passenger entered the vehicle through conventional doors and sat one behind the other, as on a motorcycle, within the aircraft-like cockpit. The A-Class engine, situated behind the passenger compartment and driving the single rear wheel, provided dynamic acceleration. The computer-controlled headlamp reflector followed the course of the road, ensuring that there are no "black holes" when cornering at night.

F 400 Carving

 

2002 saw the arrival of the F 400 Carving, with its uncompromisingly pure-bred speedster design, featuring an extremely flat, elongated bonnet, a short tail and a weatherproof made-to-measure interior for two passengers. As with the F 300, control systems to enhance driving dynamics were the key focus. The most important of these systems was the Active Tyre Tilt Control (ATTC) system, which adjusted the camber angle of both the front and rear wheels when cornering or during hard braking. This system allowed the outer wheels on bends to tilt sideways to a maximum angle of an astonishing 20 degrees. A revolutionary design of tyres was required, with asymmetric tread pattern to ensure that, rather than running on their inside edge, they ran on a section of particularly high-friction tread rubber which was specifically designed for cornering. The wheels on the inside of the bend, as well as the body of the vehicle, remained in their normal position. As a result, depending on the speed and the radius of the curve, the F 400 set new standards for directional stability, driving safety, speed and dynamism. Other notable features included an electronic steer-by-wire system, and electronic shift-by-wire system, controlled using buttons on the steering wheel.

F 500 Mind

The F 500 Mind marked an important step in Mercedes-Benz future direction concerning hybrid drive technology.

Featuring a powerful, yet economical diesel hybrid system, the F 500 Mind consumed up to 20 percent less fuel (in the New European Driving Cycle) than with a comparable CDI engine. The V8 diesel engine was combined with a powerful electric motor, switched on and off by an electronic controller in response to traffic conditions and driving style – used when moving off, for example, or in stop-and-go traffic where the inherent operating principle of the diesel engine prevents it from running at optimum efficiency. The 300 V lithium-ion battery, located under the passenger compartment, recharged during braking. However, analysis of the results of the testing carried out by the F 500 Mind revealed that longer distance running actually return poorer fuel economy than with a conventional diesel engine. This would lead to the development of the “Dual-mode” hybrid.

The design brief of the F 500 Mind had two principal objectives, provide a significant improvement in interior space and integrate the central pillar as a key structural and safety element instead of full-size B-pillars. The interior, with its contrasting seating zones reflects the fact that this was a research vehicle, the right-hand section serving as the work area for a member of the research team.

The doors opened in two different ways: either conventionally (the doors open forwards) or from the centre (the "butterfly principle"). In the latter mode, the shortened B-pillar moved backwards with the rear door to provide a wide opening for occupant entry and exit.

Full-size B-pillars which would normally extend right up to the roof in order to provide the vehicle body with the necessary strength and side-impact protection, were replaced by a central pillar, whose characteristics were calculated using the finite element method. Situated centrally in the rear area, it linked the reinforced floor assembly with the y-shaped roof structure. The central column also housed the air ducts for the rear air conditioning system as well as special indirect lighting elements.

Instead of a steering column, a data line was used to transmit steering commands from the multi-segment steering wheel to two electric motors. These controlled the "electric rack-and-pinion" system by means of toothed belts without compromising the characteristic steering feel. The use of electrically powered rack-and-pinion steering gear meant that the system did not rely on the combustion engine to deliver hydraulic power.

Pressure-sensitive surfaces on the electronic accelerator and brake pedals were used to transmit the driver´s inputs to the engine and braking system in the form of electrical signals. This flat pedal design also enhanced rear passenger comfort by freeing up 120 mm of front footwell space.

In the cockpit, an innovative multivision display formed the heart of the control and display concept, with high-resolution TFT screens and analogue dial-type instruments. The screens formed a virtual display area which can show as much information as the driver requires. A semi-transparent display, which extended right across the instrument cluster, allowed the dial-type instruments and the images on the displays to be optically superimposed or shown separately.

Rear passengers benefit from holographic image projection. The system consists of a projector between the rear seats and a special projection screen. Unlike the more familiar type of holography, this "Holdis Provision Process" does not provide three-dimensional representations of objects, but makes use of this technology to optimise image projection in high ambient light conditions.

A set of 16 white, high-performance light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with a special lens system for daytime lighting is just one of the notable features of the research vehicle´s lighting technology. The rest of the lighting system comprises six powerful xenon projection-beam headlamps for the dipped and main-beam modes as well as two infrared laser headlamps whose light is invisible to oncoming traffic yet illuminates the road for up to 150 metres ahead.

F 600 Hygenius

The Mercedes-Benz F 600 Hygenius pointed the way to the future with its exceptional design, a cold-start-capable, emission-free and economical fuel-cell drive system, flexible seating concept, rear vision system and virtual displays which are particularly easy on the eye.

The F 600 Hygenius was powered by the most effective fuel-cell drive system yet developed. Thanks to the practical experience and know-how of some 150 scientists and engineers, its fuel cells were about 40 percent smaller than previous designs and are able to withstand extreme cold without any performance degradation. It boasted a range of at least 400 kilometres and consumption of hydrogen is equivalent in energy terms to 2.9 litres of diesel per 100 km. The F 600 represents another important milestone on the way to production maturity for fuel-cell technology – a goal which Mercedes-Benz aims to achieve between 2012 and 2015.
Mercedes-Benz can already call on over two million kilometres of practical experience with 100 near-series fuel-cell vehicles.

The hydrogen-powered proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) points the way to a future with a guaranteed energy source. Hydrogen is the most commonly occurring chemical element and can also be generated from renewable resources without any ecological impact. PEM fuel cells convert hydrogen into electricity highly efficiently, the only "exhaust emission" being pure water. In the opinion of the experts, hydrogen is the fuel with the greatest potential for the future.

The F 600 Hygenius also opens up new uses for fuel-cell vehicles: a 110 / 220 V power socket in the tailgate makes it possible for work or party lighting, electric tools, a refrigerator, an electric grill, a TV, computer or any other pieces of electrical equipment to be connected up. Moreover, the 66 kilowatt output of the four fuel-cell stacks (each of which consists of 100 fuel cells) would be sufficient to supply several houses with electricity.

The 4-door F 600 also sets new standards with regard to comfort and interior flexibility. The accommodation provided by the compact body, which is only 4.35 metres long, is characterised by space and key comfort dimensions superior to those of exclusive luxury saloons.

A special feature of the driver´s seat is the two-part backrest cushion which can be adjusted for height, width and inclination by means of electric motors in order to match the shape of the driver´s body perfectly and to provide excellent support at waist level in particular.

A number of unprecedented design solutions make the F 600 a perfect family car. In addition to their fore / aft and lateral adjustment features, the driver and front-passenger seats are equipped with reversible backrests which can be swung forward to create a backward-facing seating position which allows child seats with a standard attachment system to be locked into place.

Video cameras in the exterior mirrors monitor the blind spots while the vehicle is moving and improve safety for alighting passengers when the vehicle is stationary: if another road user is approaching, a warning symbol is displayed in the mirror and the doors are briefly prevented from being opened.

The issues surrounding the way in which people interact with technology are also addressed by the F 600 which serves as an object lesson in the optimisation of the "Human-Machine Interface". The result is an operating concept which is easy, safe and intuitive to use, and which maximises driver information while minimising driver distraction.

In another first for the F 600, the two colour displays in the dashboard address the issue of eye accommodation, the adjustment which the eyes have to make when switching between looking at close-up objects, such as the cockpit instruments, and more distant ones, such as other traffic. The virtual instrument displays are enlarged and are projected to appear at a point 1.40 metres ahead of the driver, thereby reducing strain on the eyes.

F 700

The F 700 concept car defines the idea of effortless superior refinement. This concept for a future luxurious touring saloon shows how outstanding drive quality, environmental friendliness, great performance and exceptionally low fuel consumption can be combined.

A pioneering new engine known as DiesOtto has been introduced into the F 700. This revolutionary 4-cylinder petrol engine has a displacement of just 1,800cc, and yet its controlled auto ignition, direct fuel injection and turbo charging combines the performance of our larger 350 V6 CGI petrol engine found in the CLS-Class with the torque and fuel economy of our 320 CDI V6 diesel unit. It also results in fewer emissions. With controlled auto ignition, hardly any nitrogen oxides (NOx) are produced, and CO2 emissions are just 127g/km. While an average fuel consumption of 53.3 mpg is a figure more commonly seen in compact, diesel powered vehicles than in spacious, luxury petrol-fuelled saloons. The 238 hp of the internal combustion engine is assisted by 20 hp from a hybrid electric motor, which together results in 400 Nm of torque, a 0-62 mph sprint time of 7.5 seconds, and an electronically limited top speed of 125 mph. And in order to combine the individual subsystems into one drive concept, a highly efficient engine management and control system has been implemented.

The exceptional efficiency of the F 700 is evident at first sight. Drag is reduced courtesy of its exterior lines. Distinguished by soft, flowing forms, the design known as ‘Aqua Dynamic’ translated the flow dynamics of a fish into the style of an exceptional car.

Furthermore, the F 700 provides inspiring ideas for the technological future of Mercedes-Benz – like each of the research cars which preceded it. It can recognise the condition of the road, anticipating and levelling out uneven spots with its active Pre-Scan suspension, substantially improving suspension comfort. And its flexible interior concept interprets comfortable travel in a completely new way, with its reverse seat at the heart of the new seating concept. It breaks up the firmly established, traditional seating arrangements of a saloon and instead permits individual seat and rest positions, both facing the direction of travel and in the opposite direction.

The technology of tomorrow in a car of today.

source: http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/unitedkingdom/mpc/mpc_unitedkingdom_website/en/home_mpc/passengercars/home/passenger_cars_world/innovation_new/concept_cars.html

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Range Rover Service and Repair Redwood City - Review of the 2014 Range Rover Sport - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

 

Military intelligence and jumbo shrimp are the classic oxymorons that keep garden-variety morons like me awake at night. Toss in a third mindbender--"sporty SUV--and the WTF factor does a damn fine job of counteracting jet lag.

We drove headlong into all three in the course of our first drive of the 2014 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, wending through stupendously sunny Welsh countryside and what seemed like acres and acres of sheep, coursing like an open vein of pounds sterling, cutting through active British military training fields with live ammo on our way from one epic meal to the next.

We didn't get to see any sheep wander over a landmine, so keep that Monty Python moment on the bucket list. But we did strafe a lightly used airport runway at 150 mph in the Sport, before running it through a two-foot-deep river of muck. Could you do that in a Cayenne, an X6 or an ML? Possibly. Would you ever consider it? Unlikely.

Put a Land Rover badge on it, and it seems second nature, to be this close to nature. Relatively long story short, the confusingly accurate "sporty SUV" label isn't just stuck on the Range Rover Sport--it's earned.

More Range Rover, more Sport?

Here's the even shorter story on how the Range Rover Sport's grown better: Range Rover. The first-generation car was a steel body on a frame; now it's an aluminum spin-off of last year's brand-new Range Rover, with just a few inches of height and length subtracted to suit it for a differently shaded personality. The same crash diet that shaved 700 pounds from the bigger ute nips about 800 pounds from the Sport. In performance terms, that's like kicking out four adults before hot laps.

In essence the Sport's a slice off the Range Rover, but there's plenty of influence from the smaller Evoque in its profile. It's almost pure Range Rover from the doors forward, save for a slimmer nose and winged headlamps, but the roofline picks up the Evoque's sleekness and its rounded rump. The cockpit? It's all Range Rover, with calm stretches of leather and wood devoid of the busy clusters of buttons that had cramped the Sport's style.

Two drivetrains are on tap this time, and they divide camps neatly, into nicely done and awesomely hot. A new supercharged, 340-horsepower 3.0-liter V-6 engine is the new base engine, delivering a nice 90-degree V-6 snarl and sub-7-second acceleration, in tandem with a sweet paddle-shifted ZF eight-speed automatic. The supercharged V-8 comes from a different planet entirely, one maybe with a timeshare in the American South: it barks out 510 horsepower with NASCAR authority, ripping off 5-second runs to 60 mph.

With either, the Sport's ride/handling worldview tilts firmly to sport. The bigger Range Rover specializes in coddling; the Sport's air dampers and variable-ratio steering quicken up the pace, and with the V-8's Dynamic setting, dial out much of the innate lean and scrub dictated by its height and weight. It's much closer now to the benchmarks set by the uber-utes from Germany.

At the same time, it's an incredibly capable muckraker, with either the base Torsen four-wheel-drive setup, or the more advanced dual-range system, with its active rear locking differential. With more ground clearance than ever, the Sport can extract itself from almost anything the bigger Range Rover can, and its slight size advantage might let it squeeze through where the executive-class Landie might not--say, an abandoned 747, like the one we were guided through carefully, from cargo hold to a first-class arrival through the nose.

A plus-two arrangement

The Sport's cabin has never looked better, and extra room in almost all dimensions solves one of the least happy aspects of the first-generation ute, though the second-row seat isn't quite as supportive as the Range Rover's. These are the sacrifices, folks. If you're an occasional user of a third-row seat, the Sport gives in to convention with a pair of semi-usable jump seats that fold away tidily when not in use. We suggest if you're beyond Highlights for Children, you don't try to clamber in them.

Four variations of the 2014 Range Rover Sport will be offered in the U.S.: the base $63,495 SE, with a 3.0-liter supercharged 340-horsepower V-6; the $68,495 HSE with the same engine but upgraded features; the $79,995 Range Rover Sport Supercharged, with a 510-horsepower 5.0-liter supercharged V-8; and the $93,295 Range Rover Sport Autobiography, with the same engine as the Supercharged model, but with even more equipment and its own distinctive color and trim combination.

All 2014 Range Rover Sport models come nicely equipped, including custom Meridian audio systems (three in total, ranging up to 1,700 watts and 23 speakers); advanced safety systems aided by cameras; an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment interface that frankly could use a couple of Palo Alto software geeks and a quick reskin; and of course, the latest generation of Land Rover's Terrain Response 2 traction management system.

We think the Sport's tugged and stretched its performance wrapper in the right directions.

 

 

source: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1085455_2014-land-rover-range-rover-sport-first-drive/page-2
by Marty Padgett

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Lexus Service and Repair Redwood City - Review of the Lexus CT 200h F-Sport Drive - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

 

It's not every day you get to push a car to its limits on a circuit, so when the chance presents itself it's something to be relished.

Even if that car proudly displays a hybrid badge on the side, as you'll find on the flanks of the 2012 Lexus CT 200h F-Sport.

With the demise of the HS 250h, the CT now holds the fort at Lexus as far as compact dedicated hybrids are concerned, but we've already expressed our fondness for the CT 200h in a previous test, so perhaps that's not such a bad thing.

The basics

In F-Sport trim, now also available on the RX 450h SUV, it certainly looks the part. Though the photos accompanying this story come straight from Lexus, the car we drove was in a fantastic shade of metallic royal blue. With dark gray 17-inch alloy wheels, a subtle body styling kit and lowered suspension on uprated Kayaba shocks, it really builds on the quirky looks of the standard car.

Inside there are more changes, with F-Sport black leather trim, aluminum pedals and kick plates, and an F-Sport motif on the steering wheel.

It all adds up to a car you'd be proud to put on your driveway, but we've experienced enough dilution of the word "Sport" on other vehicles to know that the real proof is in the driving.

Driving

If you're not familiar with the CT 200h, think of it as a Lexus Prius. It uses the same 1.8-liter gasoline-hybrid drivetrain, developing 134 horsepower and allowing around a mile or so of all-electric range.

Driving modes are split between Normal, Eco and Sport. These are fairly self-explanatory, with Eco numbing throttle response to encourage greener driving; Sport tightens the steering and gives a more responsive accelerator pedal; Normal is the medium ground.

Fuel economy on the EPA cycle is rated at 43 mpg city, 40 highway, and 42 combined. That's a little way off the Prius, but still greener than most and a worthwhile compromise for those attracted to the Lexus badge and levels of luxury.

It would be unfair to report on the car's figures after heavy circuit use--in truth, we had other things to concentrate on--but we put the car in Sport mode and took to the track.

On the winding Hill Route of Millbrook Proving Ground in the UK, the CT 200h F-Sport was surprisingly capable.

Although the course is designed to replicate public roads, it's more of an asphalt roller-coaster, with incredibly steep gradients, hairpin turns and even a jump at one point to really test how cars perform. The F-Sport struggled on the hills with only limited power to call upon. Even in the more responsive Sport mode, the CVT transmission allowed the engine to moo away noisily whenever we accelerated hard. It's mildly frustrating on a circuit, but it's also something you may notice in road driving, when joining a freeway for example.

 source: http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1077991_2013-lexus-hybrids-ultimate-guide
by Antony Ingram

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Luxury Cars Service, Repair and Auto Consignment Sales Repair Redwood City - - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

A quality auto repair shop is often a good source of used cars especially ones on consignment, but it is different from an independent used-car lot in several important ways. An auto repair shop is more easily held accountable for its sales practices because it wants to maintain its high integrity of service and repair, answering ultimately to the customer.

 

We now have a great selection of consignment cars BMW, Range Rover and Mercedes

 

http://www.boscheurpoean.com

Audi Service and Repair Redwood City - Driven: 2012 Audi RS3 Sportback - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

 

During a quick trip to the UK recently, I was able to drive Audi's newest model in the RS lineup – the RS3 Sportback. It is one of the candidates for the 2012 World Performance Car of the Year.

As its name suggests it is the fastest model in the A3 model range. It's powered by a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine producing 340 horsepower and 332 ft lbs of torque. Power is transferred to the ground by all four wheels using Audi's Quattro system and a 7-speed S-tronic direct-shift transmission.

As a former owner of an Ur-Quattro, the original AWD beast, I immediately felt at home in the RS3 Sportback – it offers a similar raucous experience with a throaty burping turbo sound at full throttle. Of course the car is much more sophisticated and refined, as it should be thirty years after the original Ur-Quattro hit the market.

 

I found the RS3 was perfectly tractable driving at slow speeds around narrow country lanes in the Cotswolds but once I could open it up on wider roads the performance was exhilarating. Push the S button on the dash and the engine noise increases, in a nice way, the steering becomes a little more responsive and the suspension firms up. Honestly, apart from the increase in engine noise, I did not notice much difference in the car's performance at least at street-legal speeds. However, shift the transmission lever into Sport mode and the RS3 is markedly different as it shifts much faster and seventh gear is not even available for use.

 

Even in car-crazy Britain the RS3 Sportback attracted attention. Perhaps it was the bright red paint scheme and the red-rimmed 19-inch alloy wheels. The car looks aggressive, despite being essentially a small hatchback. An owner of a BMW Z4 who drove it around the block, so to speak, found it much more exciting than his Bimmer and also commented on how much nicer the interior was appointed. It was small touches, such as the large thick leather trimmed steering wheel and the precisely made chrome surrounds on the air vents, that caught his attention.

Non-enthusiasts might complain about the hard seats and the somewhat stiff ride but overall these are an important part of the car's character. On smooth roads and along winding country lanes I had no complaints about the ride or handling. I'd like to have driven the car in slippery conditions as that's when Audi's Quattro system excels abut alas, believe it or not, it hardly rained while I was in the UK so I never drove on any wet surfaces.

Complaints — none really other than the fact it is not offered for sale in the UK with a manual transmission. Okay, the S-tronic transmission gets the job down really well, but I, along with many others especially in the UK, still miss the delight in using one's left foot for a clutch and manually shifting through the cogs.

source: http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/driven-2012-audi-rs3-sportback-26701
by John Rettie

http://www.boscheuropean.com