Latest news with #SClass
Top Gear
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Lucid Air Interior Layout & Technology
Interior What is it like on the inside? As you would expect, the inside of the Lucid Air is very voluminous and comfortable, well-appointed with premium materials and options to slather it in even more premium-ness like real Santa Cruz leather. Ripped straight out of the Santa Cruz mines, we recklessly assume. The interior's big draw for us – besides its natty door release triggers and vigorous massage functions – is its sense of quiet. The Air may be uncommonly good to drive for something so portly, but that original target of whipping the S-Class into shape ensures the overriding feeling is one of calm. The Air is unfailingly whisper-quiet, even at a keen motorway cruise. Advertisement - Page continues below The 34in glass cockpit display is the centrepieces inside; a floating screen which incorporates the driver info and the infotainment screens, along with some ancillary controls. This is paired with a center console display that's home to the majority of car functions – drive modes, brake regen strength, and so on. We have to say 'so on' here, not out of laziness, but because this particular screen houses too many functions to name. This is the crux of the Lucid's faults: while the Air is not without physical inputs, they are few and far between. And what remains takes some getting used to. All other functions are housed in several menus that demand the driver pay attention to. And we're talking full-on, head-looking-down focus. Not good. Surely these are things you do once, right? You'd think so. Even with a saved settings profile, we found ourselves far too often fiddling with the screen to set or reset some parameter we'd adjusted the day before, from fine-tuning controls to drive characteristics. There's simply so much the Lucid forces you to mess with: it's one of the most distracting interfaces we've seen outside of a Mercedes dealership. Advertisement - Page continues below That was quite a rant. Think of it as a public service announcement. Quickly, here are some other features of note: DreamDrive, it's Lucid's suite of drive assists that includes 360-degree camera cross traffic alert, automatic emergency braking and so on (there's that phrase again). DreamDrive Pro ups the feature pack with future-proofed ADAS hardware that can be updated when proper hands-free programming can be implemented. It also includes more sensors and cameras, facilitating better traffic jam assist and speed control through bends when cruising. What's it like in the back? The rear quarters are generous in size, but although rear legroom sits somewhere between a Tesla Model S and Mercedes S-Class, taller folk might struggle tucking their feet beneath the front seats. Luggage space is strong, split between 458 litres in the rear (with the whole rear clam revealing it rather elegantly) and 280 litres up front. The latter is almost twice what you'll find under the bonnet of a Porsche Cayman, though the space is much flatter and shallower here. Big stuff's going in the back.
Auto Blog
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
2027 Mercedes-Benz VLE Is Already Showing Off What It Can Do In Public
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Merc VLE Appears To Be Imminent Exactly a week ago, Mercedes-Benz teased a new minivan called the VLE, providing a few shots of a pre-production development vehicle covered in blue camouflage. Our spies have now seen that same camouflage on another VLE van, but on this one, a few minor cosmetic changes suggest there can't be much testing left to do for the upcoming luxury minivan. In the teaser images from last week, there was a very simple daytime running light graphic in the headlights, the wheels were a somewhat generic double-spoke design that could have been from almost any existing product, and the taillights were pre-production placeholders. These spy shots show a vehicle with stylish differences in each of those areas. Mercedes VLE Prepares To Join A New Generation Like the other upcoming Mercedes models we've spotted undergoing testing of late, from the electric CLA to the facelifted S-Class, the lights feature a Three-pointed Star motif at the front and the rear. At the front, they're among the DRLs, while at the back… well, we can't say exactly how often the symbol will appear, but it will likely be a repeating image in the vertical bars framing the tailgate. It's also worth noting that the tailgate integrates a small lip spoiler over it, which is less about downforce and more about cleaning the turbulent air in the van's wake. More evidence of the ambition for aerodynamic efficiency can be found in the wheels and their directional spokes, but that's not the only neat trick found within the arches. The VLE Should Be Easy To Drive As the spy photos clearly show, one of the daily struggles facing the van driver in the busy and narrow European city is that of making sharp turns, but with a rather aggressive take on low-speed rear-wheel steering, this VLE electric van seems well-equipped to meet the challenge. It should also be easy to live with from a range perspective, as Mercedes claims that two test vehicles traveled 683 miles between Stuttgart and Rome and only needed two 15-minute charging stops along the way. That will be put to the test when the VLE debuts sometime next year, and given how many aerodynamic efficiency and range records Mercedes has claimed, we expect big things. About the Author Sebastian Cenizo View Profile
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Rev up the luxury: These pro tips will make your car smell like a 5-star hotel
Our sense of smell has an outsized power to shape our memories. Just ask Marcel Proust, legions of neurologists ... or me. I'll never forget my first experience sitting inside a Mercedes S-Class. I found myself enveloped in an aroma that I can only describe as "luxurious." It wasn't "new car smell" but an elegant, discrete perfume that seriously enhanced the time spent in that car. It reminded me of staying in a nice hotel or getting dressed up and going to dinner at a fancy restaurant. I've long forgotten the name of that scent, but I'll never forget the class it exuded the moment I plunked myself down. While I won't be driving a Mercedes S-Class again anytime soon, in my decade as a car expert, I've learned a few tricks — namely that you can make any car feel a little bit more luxurious and a whole lot more spa-fresh. With a little bit of upkeep and a few tried and true tools, your car may not be a Mercedes on the outside, but it'll come a whole lot closer to feeling like one on the inside. I know, I know, what fun is that? Actually, cleaning? I hate to say it, but no amount of scent is going to mask the rotting French fries you have under the seat. Luckily, it doesn't take much to clean out a vehicle. A regular once-over with a car vacuum will keep the buildup of pet hair and stale Cheerios to a minimum. And an over-the-seat garbage can like this one will keep wrappers (and stinky scents) from accumulating. Unless you never plan to eat at a drive-thru or jump in the car after a day at the beach, you're going to need something to combat odors. You don't just want to mask nasty scents, you want to eliminate and neutralize them. That means updating your filters and keeping some odor absorbers on hand. Forget those little fragrance trees hanging from your rearview mirror. They emit a chemical smell and, honestly, their scents are way too strong. There are many better options out there that smell better, last longer and won't hinder your view of the road. Looking for a scent solution that is long-lasting, customizable, and will make your car feel a bit more like a spa? A diffuser is what you want. These devices release a scented essential oil into the air, much like a perfume. Available in both a powered version that releases aromas into the air in predetermined intervals or a passive vent clip that utilizes your vehicle's HVAC to fragrance the air. Just like you use fragrance sprays for your home, you can use them in the car. It is important to note that, no matter how big of a ride you pilot, your vehicle is much more compact than your home, so a little fragrance goes a long way.
Auto Blog
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
2026 Mercedes-AMG S 63 Will Take The Super Limo To New Heights
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. AMG's S-Class Is Getting A Subtle Refresh Last week, our spies snapped the smallest new AMG product in Europe, and now they've caught the biggest. The W223 S-Class that forms the basis of the S63 has been around since 2020, so it's time for a slight refresh, and new spy shots reveal that the front and rear lighting units will gain new looks. Like other new Mercs, a three-pointed star motif will find its way to the front and rear daytime running light graphics, and the Panamerican grille is likely to get tweaked vanes. At the rear, it appears that the taillight clusters may be slimmed down slightly, but it's difficult to be sure with the camouflage obscuring most of the changes. Regardless, a set of four exhaust tips and the gold-painted brake calipers (denoting carbon-ceramics) confirm that this is the hottest S-Class out there. 0:02 / 0:09 When will Toyota build an EV with its simulated manual transmission? Watch More No Need For More Power, Say Sources The current S63 E Performance that tops the S-Class range produces 791 horsepower and 1,055 lb-ft of torque from a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 paired with a 150 kW permanently synchronous electric motor on the rear axle. This allows the speediest Sonderklasse to hit 60 mph from rest in a claimed 3.3 seconds, and our spies say these figures will be carried over to the facelifted model. We doubt any S63 buyers complained that their car was too slow, but it's also not unimaginable that AMG would extract a little more to bring the car over the 800-bhp mark. More likely, however, is that the tiny 10.4 kWh battery (delivering just 16 miles of range) will be revised to make this a more competitive plug-in hybrid. Another significant change is the addition of a tiny camera to each fender where the 'V8 Biturbo' badge would normally reside, likely part of an expanded advanced driver assist suite. A New Hyperscreen Is Coming Our spies claim that the S63 will get a revised Hyperscreen dash display (the current car still uses a separate driver display and a vertically oriented center touchscreen), and they say buyers can look forward to the return of physical buttons on the steering wheel, which should be much more enjoyable to use (and more resistant to smudge marks) than the touch capacitive panels on the current model. The changes should mean a slightly different dash design, and we can probably expect a couple of new colors and leather options. The new S63 is likely to arrive for the 2026 model year, so a full reveal should happen before the end of 2025. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. About the Author Sebastian Cenizo View Profile
Business Times
24-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Post-consolidation, Ocean Network Express charts course for greener future in Singapore-centric fleet expansion
[SINGAPORE] Being based in Singapore is an advantage in building a greener fleet, shipping line Ocean Network Express (ONE) CEO Jeremy Nixon said in an interview with The Business Times. ONE is undergoing a major fleet expansion for a lower-carbon future, with about 50 new vessels on order. This includes a fleet of 32 S Class container ships that will be registered in Singapore. These can be modified to use the greener fuels methanol or ammonia, and thus enjoy incentives for cleaner ships, said Nixon. Another eight new ships will run on liquefied natural gas, which is also less pollutive than conventional fuel oil. All these are part of ONE's decarbonisation strategy to slash emissions by 60 per cent by 2030, and reach net zero emissions by 2050. The S Class ships are the first major new fleet since ONE was formed in 2017, in the merger of three Japanese shipping companies – Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Mitsui OSK Lines and K Line – with a total fleet of around 240 vessels. In its early years, the company focused on consolidating the merger, and could not afford expansion until around 2021, said Nixon. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up ONE has been profitable over the past six years. Like the rest of the industry, it did well during the pandemic, turning profits of US$16.8 billion in 2021 and US$15 billion in 2022. For its 2024 financial year ended March 2025, it posted a profit of US$4.2 billion from a revenue of US$19.2 billion. It is the world's sixth-largest shipping company with about 260 vessels and a combined capacity of just over two million TEUs. This expansion should take its fleet to over 300 vessels, adding more than 650,000 TEU in capacity. This would bring ONE closer to its nearest competitor, fifth-ranked Hapag-Lloyd, and keep it just ahead of seventh-ranked Evergreen Marine, even as both rivals are making multi-billion dollar investments in new alternative-fuel ships. Go green (From left) Samuel Soo, regional director Tokyo office, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA); Kenneth Lim, assistant chief executive, industry and transformation, MPA ; Tan Beng Tee, executive director Singapore Maritime Foundation ; Jeremy Nixon, CEO, Ocean Network Express ; Ng Weiting, deputy director, international maritime centre division, MPA; at a recent vessel naming ceremony in Japan. PHOTO: DERRYN WONG, BT After the first few S Class vessels have been in service for five years, they will go back to the shipyard for their scheduled dry dock survey. At that point, they can be retrofitted to use ammonia or methanol. The next 20 to 30 new vessels, however, will be dual-fuel from the start – particularly for methanol. 'That will then allow them to apply for green incentives under the Singapore flag,' said Nixon. Singapore's Green Ship Programme offers concessions on initial registration fees, annual tonnage taxes and port fees for cleaner ships that qualify. Older ships can also qualify for some of these benefits if they are upgraded to use cleaner fuels. Methanol and ammonia are not yet available as commercial ship fuel, but Singapore is laying the groundwork to supply them, with trials and regulatory frameworks. ONE and Singapore are 'like-minded' on decarbonisation, said Nixon, noting that ONE was a founding partner of the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation in Singapore. 'I think there's a real ecosystem here in Singapore to support decarbonisation and encourage it,' he said. 'And it's great to see that the MPA (Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore) is encouraging people to think about decarbonisation, but also giving them some incentive if they do it, if they bring their ships onto the Singapore flag.' Go big, but go smart Scale is 'very, very important' for modern shipping lines, as economies of scale help them stay profitable, said Nixon. Having larger ships that can carry more containers is more efficient and less polluting on a per-container basis, he noted. 'Because if you go with small ship sizes, they're not efficient. Their carbon intensity is not good.' But growing a fleet of large vessels is not the only way to scale. Said Nixon: 'You actually need to have one or two or three consortia partners, where you co-load activity.' ONE is both attaining scale and expanding its network through the Premier Alliance with South Korea's Hyundai Merchant Marine and Taiwan's Yang Ming. All three member lines cooperate and share ship capacity. This allows ONE to have wider geographical coverage and greater shipping frequency. ONE is also using technology to boost efficiency, said Nixon. 'For the last five years now, we've had a strong focus on technology, systems innovation – including AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning.' It uses in-house AI and machine learning tools to improve ship routes, avoid bad weather and even predict container bookings. By avoiding bad weather, ships do not burn as much fuel. Predicting demand, meanwhile, means that ONE can avoid shipping too many empty containers.
