Mercedes Touts Wide Product Range in L.A.

LOS ANGELES – Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Dietmar Exler touts a wide array of new products at the Los Angeles auto show, from the opulent Maybach Cabriolet based on the big, open-top S-Class with a 621-hp V-12, to tiny electric cars. And then he wraps up talking about bruising AMG models, including the 600-hp E63 S E-Class sedan.

Even so, he credits SUVs for much of Mercedes’ record third quarter, with year-to-date worldwide sales up 11.7%.

Introducing the lavish Maybach cabriolet, he says the brand stands for unparalleled combination of exclusivity, hand craftsmanship and industry-leading (machine) intelligence. Only 300 will be sold worldwide, and 75 in the U.S.

But while the Maybach sedan is focused on an unmatched experience from the rear seat, the new cabriolet is all about rewarding the driver, he says.

The 6.0L V-12 delivers a massive 738 lb.-ft. (1,000 Nm) of torque he points out, has 20-in. wheels and its modified front-end features LED headlamps with Swarovski crystals.

The interior features extensive wood trim and designo leathers created specifically for this model, and each Maybach Cabriolet comes with a custom set of luggage that matches the vehicle’s interior.

But Exler then switches gears and points out Mercedes will offer no fewere than 10 plug-in hybrid-electric cars worldwide, including electrified versions of the C-Class and S-Class on display at the show.

Many more electric alternatives are in the works, he says. The recently introduced EQ brand is a central part of Mercedes’ plan for electric vehicles to make up between 15% and 20% of global sales by 2025. “Not only will we facilitate this through the EQ models we plan to launch before the end of the decade, but our small cars will also play a big role in this strategy,” he says.

Despite slow sales of the Smart brand, Exler expresses confidence it will play a major role in Mercedes’ green future.

The first electric Smart Fortwo was launched in 2007 and has not done well. But Exler says the latest-generation model has a driving range of more than 80 miles (129 km), “which is more than enough in urban areas for which the Smart is tailor made. And we’ve cut down charging time by as much as 50%.”

The all-new Smart Fortwo EV will start arriving at U.S. dealers in early 2017, he says.

However, Mercedes executives make it clear that work in environmentally friendly vehicles hasn’t dampened their passion for performance.

Tobias Moers, chairman-Mercedes-AMG, is bullish on the business unit’s prospects, especially because it is growing quickly in the U.S. “Thanks to the increasing number of AMG fans, we are well on track and we keep pushing the pedal,” Moers says.

And the perfect AMG car for the U.S. is the new Mercedes-AMG E63, he says. Powered by a 4.0L twin-turbo V-8 making more than 600 hp, it is the most powerful E-Class ever, capable of going 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in just 3.2 seconds. Even so, Moers says it is “the most efficient V-8 E-Class we’ve ever built.”

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