Every Mercedes-Benz has to earn the right to sport the three-pointed star by completing what is probably the most gruelling and most rigorous winter testing in the automotive industry. The new Mercedes-Benz Citan urban delivery van has successfully completed these tests. Numerous other tests are also testimony to the high quality of the body, interior, drive system and suspension.
Extreme tests at sub-zero temperatures
Sub-zero temperatures down to -40°C, metre-high snow lining both sides of the road, snow often on the road too, coupled with just a few hours of daylight – the winters in northern Sweden are bleak and harsh. The perfect conditions to put the new Mercedes-Benz Citan to the test.
Mercedes-Benz Vans has been testing every new model under extreme conditions near to the Arctic Circle for decades. Sprinter and Vito vans have undergone rigorous winter testing on numerous occasions. Now the new Citan has followed in their footsteps.
Own test centre near the Arctic Circle
In the small town of Arjeplog, Mercedes-Benz has set up its own test centre with workshops, offices and test tracks. It is hermetically sealed to keep out prying eyes. Here and on other test tracks on a nearby lake, on a challenging mountain route, as well as driving on public roads, the new Citan urban delivery van has had to prove its mettle.
Tests focusing on cold start behaviour, the heating and ventilation, the seat heating and windscreen defrosting are par for the course in the Scandinavian winter. But testing in the Artic Circle also looks at how materials respond to extreme temperatures: how do the door seals perform, for instance? At sub-zero temperatures even plastics will go brittle and can break or tear. In certain circumstances, creaking noises may occur where materials overlap.
Such shortcomings are unacceptable for a Mercedes-Benz. If the high-quality hallmark interior of the Mercedes-Benz Citan can withstand this environment, it will take even the harshest Central European winter in its stride. The Citan has passed all the tests. As a genuine Mercedes-Benz it can now stand up masterfully to even the harshest icy-cold temperatures.
Fine-tuned suspension control systems
The Scandinavian test centre with its ice-covered terrain is also the ideal place to test and fine-tune the suspension control systems. ESP® comes as standard on board the Citan, just as it does on any Mercedes-Benz. Yet ESP® is just the overarching term for a wide array of control systems, including subfunctions such as anti-lock braking system, acceleration skid control, drive and braking torque control, engine friction torque control, understeer control, rolling-moment intervention.
Each of these systems needs to interact perfectly in a Mercedes-Benz van under the most difficult conditions and different vehicle loads, and hence the need for exhaustive testing. Measuring devices and a laptop are a constant feature on board the camouflaged test vehicles. But the finesse of the experienced developers is at least just as valuable.
Punishing itinerary at the company's own test facility
The company's own test facility in Arjeplog provides the full range of punishing terrain for testing the new Citan, including roads with a 10, 15 and 20-percent incline. Covered on one side with high-grip heated asphalt, and slick ice on the other. The engineers talk in terms of ยต‑split, the different friction coefficients on the left and right. Even under these conditions, a Citan has to navigate the inclines and descents safely, just like any other Mercedes-Benz van.
Other courses with compacted snow or the long braking area with a high-grip surface on one side for high-speed braking tests push the new urban delivery van to the limit. Mercedes-Benz has precisely specified the maximum steering correction, as well as yaw-rate characteristics – rotation around the vertical axis –, including response over time and peak value. A Citan must respond safely and predictably at all times.
Icemakers prepare courses on frozen lakes
On the nearby frozen lake, local professionals – the icemakers – have prepared precisely defined courses for Mercedes-Benz, including a circuit with a diameter of 500 metres, covered with snow on the outside, roughed-up ice in the middle, slick polished ice towards the inside. Here and on the various handling circuits with their sweeping and tight bends the Citan has to demonstrate grip and handling stability. The brand's hallmark tuning of the suspension and control systems becomes apparent even at low speeds on ice.
Green light for series production
To find out for themselves about the results of this year's winter testing programme, senior management from Mercedes-Benz Vans made the journey to the far north of Sweden, among them Volker Mornhinweg. The Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans was there not only to discuss the test results and the ensuing fine-tuning measures with the development engineers.
Volker Mornhinweg also got involved in some testing himself. Two days spent in icy-cold Arjeplog behind the wheel of the Citan, putting materials and vehicle to the test. And he is impressed: "Our new suspension and our control systems are now perfectly tuned. It's something you notice on the various handling courses and when moving off or braking. I'm also extremely happy with the changes in the interior – both in terms of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning, as well as the robust materials selection. The Citan is now a bona fide Mercedes-Benz after all the tests and work our development engineers have done. And so it's ready for series production."
Apart from the new Citan and future Viano arriving in 2014, the Sprinter is also due to undergo a facelift procedure destined to keep the vehicle attractive up to 2017, when a new generation is set to enter the stage. The front fascia is the part set to change the most after the restyling process, as it gets new headlights optionally available with LED daytime running lights and a beefier radiator grille with the big Star placed in the middle. For the rest of the body, just subtle or no visual improvements are expected. The engine lineup will likely stay the same, but further tweaks in the efficiency department are bound to happen, that will help reduce the CO2 emission and improve fuel economy. At the moment, the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is getting the taste of Scandinavian snow and ice, as the winter development is fully underway. Check out further spy shots after the jump!
In April, Mercedes-Benz will introduce the new GL-Class (X 166) to public and media at the New York Auto Show. The last phase of development undergoes undeterred as a fleet of test prototypes has been recently spotted on the outskirts of Stuttgart. The black camouflage has come off, so more details of the massive SUV are now becoming visible, like the headlights, beefy grille and bumpers and the elegantly designed LED tail lamps. Most probably, given the mud that's accumulated on the wheels and sides of the body, the snagged GLs were returning to the R&D Centre from a series of offroad trials custom-made to evaluate the potential skills of this new SUV generation.
During April this year, Mercedes-Benz is set to launch the all new CLS Shooting Brake, a niche allrounder which announces to combine the elegant design of a coupe with the solid design of a wagon car into one very attractive, stylish and well balanced model. The decision to greenlight the new addition to Merc's portfolio was made after the Concept Shooting Break was officially showcased in 2010 as a preview for the second generation CLS. Baring the X 218 internal codename, the 'shooting brake' will moderately resemble the concept car, meaning no freakish or extreme styling details. The powertrain and all the other bits and pieces come from the 4-door coupe. There's no word on a possible CLS 63 AMG SB variant with up to 557 hp, but the standard "500" version with a total output of 408 hp should be just fine until a final decision is taken. After the jump, besides the usual spy shots, you will also find a spy video featuring the new CLS Shooting Brake while being tried and tested on what seems to be an off-road course. Which tells us one important aspect: the new model could also be equipped with the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive platform, just like its 4-door coupe sibling.
Mercedes-Benz wants to offer a complete and challenging range of compact-sized models, so alongside the standard A-Class/B-Class and their niche derivates (future CLC and GLC), the Stuttgart-based constructor is set to launch a lineup of hot AMG versions for the compact class.
The forthcoming, Affalterbach-prepped vehicles will showcase a dynamic powertrain based on supercharged 4-cylinder gasoline engine with 320-350 hp and a newly developed all-wheel-drive traction system intended for top sports performance. While there were numerous reports in the past regarding the addition of a B 25 AMG potent MPV, it now appears the prototypes that appeared so far are solely modified B-Class cars fitted with the new 4x4 platform and thus used for testing the new underpinning configuration. Anyway, if the B 25 AMG is not coming at all whatsoever, interested clients will be able to choose between the spicy A 25 AMG and CLC 25 AMG, which are scheduled for release either late this year or early in 2013.
The upcoming SLS AMG Black Series is currently undergoing some winter testing programme in Northern Scandinavia, near the Arctic Circle. The furious gullwing is tipped to arrive in the second part of this year and display an outstanding technical package. Practically, this insane sports car will be hardcore in every term - from the modified suspension and dampers, the lowered ride height, the low profile tyres up to the potent V8 engine and the aggressive looks. Talking about power, engineers have decided to stick to the old, but faithful naturally aspirated unit, which they thoroughly modified to deliver a peak output of 650 hp and a maximum torque of at least 700 Nm. Top speed should reach around 325-330 km/h, whereas 0-100 km/h acceleration could take less than 4 seconds. Most probably, the waiting list for the extravagant SLS AMG Black Series will be rather long, despite the estimated price tag of €260,000.
The new CLC-Class is one of the most eagerly awaited premieres from Mercedes-Benz this year. Part of the new compact lineup of the German carmaker, the 4-door coupe can be easily considered the little brother of the popular CLS. The new model from Stuttgart uses the same successful recipe: an elegant body boasting a heavily arched roofline for creating the desired coupe-like effect. Overall length is estimated at approximately 4.5 meters which is quite a lot for a compact-sized limousine. The CLC prototypes are still in a premature phase of development, so the front fascia and the rear end are currently unfinished and thus remain hidden under the thick black cladding. We suppose the exterior styling will be more organic and unitary, with some key progressive influences for an added stance. Early reports indicate the C 117 generation will make its official debut in April, at the New York International Auto Show - we shall wait and see. In the mean time, check out more spy shots captured in Scandinavia after the break!
During spring this year, Mercedes-Benz will introduce the new A-Class which marks a complete shift from the past model. Underpinned by the new Mercedes Frontwheel Architecture (MFA) platform and boasting frugal powerplants and an unbeatable safety and technology package, the compact-sized car is set to attract new and younger customers towards the Stuttgart-based manufacturer. Latest spy shots come from Northern Scandinavia, where Mercedes-Benz tests all the future models under winter conditions.
The dynamic, yet classy silhouette proposed by the Concept A-Class show prototype will somehow make it unaffected onto the series model. Youthful and strong lines are the ones that characterize the spirit of the entire vehicle: the bold headlights with LED Intelligent Light System (as an option) and the angled grille with the big star sitting in the middle are like business cards for the new A-Class.
Inside, there's hardly any difference compared to the B-Class, at least from what we can see at the moment. The cladding on the dashboard prevents inappropriate views from getting a glimpse of the essential details. Although the chief of interior design at Mercedes-Benz suggested the W 176 would no longer feature the three-pointed star on the steering wheel, the image captured in the cabin of the prototype seems to contradict him: the 3-spoke steering wheel is borrowed from its MPV brother, as well as other components. Given the roof line and the general hatchback shape, don't expect too much leg and head room for the rear seats, but we guess two occupants sitting on them could travel quite comfortably. Measuring less than 4.5 meters in length means the luggage space in the trunk is rather restrictive, but the new A-Class is more of a lifestyle-oriented car than a practical one.
The low-end BlueEFFICIENCY units in the Mercedes-Benz engine bank will put the new A-Class into motion. For the beginning, there will be a number of four different versions as in the case of the new B-Class - the A 180 and A 200 with 122 hp and 156 hp; the A 180 CDi and A 200 CDI with 109 hp and 136 hp, respectively. Combined with the new 6-speed manual gearbox or the enhanced 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission, the powerplants score impressive values for CO2 emissions and combined fuel consumption: between 114 and 137 g/km and between 4.4 and 5.9 l/100 km. Rumors say Mercedes-Benz will also release more powerful A-Class versions in the first year after the official premiere: the A 250 and A 250 CDI displaying 204 hp and the high-end A 25 AMG sporting a 4x4 platform and no less than 320 hp.
