Mercedes-Benz accidentally spoiled the reveal of its small performance sedan, the new CLA 45 S, by uploading a photo of it early May to its online vehicle configurator. The image was first found by German publication Auto Bild, who discovered it while browsing the CLA 35 on Mercedes-Benz’ car configurator. When AMG Night Package was selected, there was a glitch in the system that showed a grey CLA-Class with red wheel calipers and an CLA 45 S badge instead of the yellow car that was in the body of the configurator. There’s no doubt about the vehicle being the CLA 45 S: larger wheels and quad exhausts round out the differences between the CLA 35 and the hot version. The image on the site has since been removed. In a conversation with Tobias Moers of AMG, Autoblog discovered the AMG CLA 45 S could make up to 420 horsepower, which is a lot for a small turbo-four to make, but with modern technology, we’re sure AMG has designed the danger out of it. The CLA 45 S will also feature a different transmission to handle all that power, with eight speeds instead of the seven used by the 35, which will only have around 387 horsepower. The 45-series vehicles are also expected to have a slightly different four-wheel-drive system with a drift mode. Now that the model has been leaked, it’s possible Mercedes-AMG will fully reveal the vehicle sooner than anticipated. The European-only hatchback will likely be revealed first, followed by the sedan for the rest of the
Origin: Mercedes-AMG leaked its own 2020 CLA 45 S via its online configurator
2020
2020 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series spotted testing
Mercedes-AMG’s fastest accelerating car yet, the GT Black Series, has begun road testing ahead of its unveiling next year. Pictures taken by Autocar reader Pedro Lopez show the Black Series will bear a close resemblance to the recently launched AMG GT R Pro, sporting the same prominent rear spoiler and low, wide stance, but will go without that model’s track-oriented winglets and splitters. The future range-topping coupé will be beaten only by the limited-run AMG One hypercar when it arrives in mid-2020, AMG boss Tobias Moers confirmed to Autocar at the New York motor show. Moers said: “It will be the fastest AMG yet, bar the One. Not in terms of top speed, but lap times. “Driveability is most important but, with balance, it gets good lap times too.” First confirmed by Moers back in 2016, the Black Series is mooted to receive AMG’s turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine in a state of tune offering at least 630bhp. This is the figure offered by the current most powerful AMG model with that unit, the GT 4-door Coupé. Any growth on that would ensure the Black Series dwarfs the peak output offered by the current GT champions, the 577bhp GT R and GT R Pro (pictured). It would also edge it towards one of the category’s most radical supercars, the 690bhp Porsche 911 GT2 RS. According to Moers, the Black Series will be “great competition with our close neighbour.” The GT Black Series’ extra grunt will be accompanied by a more focused chassis and aerodynamic set-up, which may go even further than the track-focused GT R Pro launched at last year’s Los Angeles motor show. That car was designed with uprated suspension and aero upgrades, but received no extra power over the regular GT R. Such a set-up should ensure the GT Black Series tips the scales at around 1575kg, in line or slightly less than the GT R Pro. The 2020 arrival of the GT Black Series will mark a return for AMG’s most extreme moniker after a seven-year hiatus. The last Black Series model was based on the SLS and entered production in
Origin: 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series spotted testing
Nissan drops the droptop 370Z for 2020
2019 Nissan 370Z RoadsterHandout / Nissan Nissan has decided that the convertible version of the 370Z will not live on past 2019, ending a 10-year production run for the drop top. According to a statement from Nissan spokesman Kyle Torrens to Motor Authority, the brand will not offer the Roadster variant for the current-generation Z beginning with the model year 2020. The 370Z convertible joined us in 2009 as a 2010 model year, but since then it never really sold well. The humpback styling turned buyers away from the sleek coupe with its liftback trunk, and the design lineage has always led itself to a coupe (or targa). The news leaves us with only the coupe body style available, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The 370Z still remains one of Nissan’s best ever sports cars, even though it can almost be considered a classic at this point. Nissan also recently released a special edition package for the 50th anniversary of the Z that features BRE racing inspired decals, but no powertrain upgrades. The 370Z is in murky waters, with its fate currently undecided by the execs at Nissan. The GT-R is also under the gun, but chief product specialist Hiroshi Tamura has said that both models are very important to the brand, and would have their futures determined by the customers. The next generation of either vehicle has not been confirmed yet, and the climate for sports cars is becoming an increasingly difficult
Origin: Nissan drops the droptop 370Z for 2020
Car Review: 2020 Mercedes-Benz A 250 Hatchback
OVERVIEW Wonderful infotainment system that happens to be attached to a nice hatchback PROSSharp looks, dazzling tech, low price for a Mercedes CONSTransmission isnt the smoothest in traffic, seats on the small side VALUE FOR MONEYFair WHAT TO CHANGE?Not much HOW TO SPEC IT?As equipped, complete with that red paint The most exciting part of the new Mercedes-Benz A250 is the dashboard. Yes it’s an an all-new model, yes it’s a car that we’ll have and the Americans won’t, and yes it is now the most affordable Mercedes in the lineup. Ten years ago, the idea that we would spend the majority of a car review talking about a dashboard would be laughable but more and more buyers prioritize infotainment features over mechanical hardware and who are we not to deliver what people want? To be fair, it’s one hell of a dashboard. The centrepiece of the operation is the Mercedes-Benz User eXperience, abbreviated as MBUX. It is a consummate cloud-based infotainment system that can do everything from adjust the interior temperature to tell you the weight of a Caribou. Information readouts occupy twin 10.25 displays, one in front of the steering wheel and one over the centre console. The left screen contains things like the speedometer and tachometer with space between the two to show anything from fuel economy to song information while the right screen is multi-purpose and can display pretty much anything. The displays are so close together that they appear as one long continuous screen stretching across the dashboard. A 7 screen is standard but doesn’t include all the features that make the MBUX system so magical. Upgrading to the 10.25 screen and the MBUX system costs a full $2,950 but it’s bundled in a Premium Package that also includes blind spot assist, rear cross traffic alert, wireless phone charging, and 64-colour interior lighting. The display itself is dazzling. The menus and designs look modern and the look of the screens is deeply customizable. You can turn them yellow and angry, full of engine readouts for when you want to feel like a racecar driver. You can also select a relaxing minimalist layout that emphasizes the music you’re playing. The interior mood lighting has 64 different colours that you can change at will and together, this makes the A250 a car that can suit many different moods. One are that I feel sets the A250 and its MBUX system far above the rest is that there are four different ways you can control it. Let’s start on the steering wheel. With your hands at nine and three on the wheel, your thumbs are close to two mirrored sets of controls. The left controls control the left screen and vice versa for the right. Two of the buttons are conventional; a home button and a back button. The third is an interesting touch-sensitive button. It works like the centre button of a Blackberry. You can scroll or swipe across it with your finger or press down and use it like a regular button. It makes wiping through menus a breeze and you don’t have to take your hands off the wheel to use it. The second is track pad on the centre console that’s similar to what you’d find on a Lexus. Placing your wrist on the handy perch, the touch pad allows you to scroll and click through the menus. One handy benefit is that it vibrates to give haptic feedback when you have selected something on the screen. This is the control method I used the least as I found it difficult to do while driving and less intuitive than the touch screen. Oh yes, after years of rebelling against finger smudges, Mercedes has finally given in and given the smartphone crowd what they wanted all along: a proper touch screen. The menus are well laid out, concise and easy to use. Reaction time of the system is best in the business. If you are handy with a tablet or smart phone, the MBUX touch screen won’t be a stretch. But the most impressive mode of all to interface with the MBUX system is voice command. Simply say Mercedes or Hey Mercedes and a Siri-like assistant will ask how it can help. The system is so eager and perceptive that sometimes (like when recording a video review inside the car) that it will pick up Mercedes from your speech mid-sentence. You can give it the simple voice commands that pretty much every voice system can utilize like navigate me to 123 Cool St or call mom. But it can also respond to less straightforward and more complicated commands. For example you can ask it what is the age of the prime minister of the country of birth of Justin Bieber and it will calmly tell you that Justin Bieber was born in Canada, Canada’s prime minister is Justin Trudeau, and Justin Trudeau is 47 years old. And while that’s novel, you can also ask it for more practical things. For example if you simply say I’m hungry for soup it will display a list of restaurants near you that sell soup. You can also ask it to find you Italian restaurants that are not pizza restaurants or restaurants that are rated four stars
Origin: Car Review: 2020 Mercedes-Benz A 250 Hatchback
New 2020 Mercedes-Benz C-Class hits the Nurburgring
Mercedes-Benz is well into the development phase of its next-generation C-Class, and prototypes have now been seen testing on the Nurburgring. Seen on the infamous track in typical disguise ahead of an early 2020 debut, the compact exec has been given an evolutionary redevelopment to restore its competitive edge against the new BMW 3 Series. The bulk of the changes are focused more on under the skin advancements than a big external revamp. Key to the changes is a reworked platform, new hybrid drivetrains, a revised chassis and a much more advanced 48V electric architecture. Insiders suggest it will offer new autonomous driving functions, including hands-off driving at speeds of up to 81mph. Mercedes hasn’t departed greatly from the design lineage of the popular fourth-generation C-Class, but closer inspection of the prototypes reveals some detailed changes including a lower front end and a more heavily angled rear window that serves to shorten the length of the bootlid. The new C-Class has also undergone extensive aerodynamic development. Officials suggest it has a Cd of just 0.25, representing best in class for aerodynamic efficiency. These early prototypes of the new C-Class, codenamed W206, also reveal it will be close in size to its predecessor but adopt a slightly longer wheelbase. The model is based on a modified version of the current C-Class’s MRA platform, with new aluminium structural elements to boost rigidity, though sources say it won’t be much lighter. Inside, the new C-Class is set to adopt an interior similar to that used by the new EQ C, with a dual-screen infotainment and instrument panel and conversational gesture control. The next C-Class will launch with electrified drivetrains across the range. All petrol and diesel engines, including four-, six- and eight-cylinder powerplants that will continue in AMG performance models, are set to be combined with a 48V electric system and integrated starter motor. The system recuperates energy under acceleration, allows off-throttle coasting and could also offer a boost function for extra power in short bursts. Additionally, it will receive a number of plug-in hybrid drivelines in both petrol-electric and diesel-electric guises, all planned to offer an electric range of up to 50 miles in combination with a larger-capacity lithium ion battery than the 13.5kWh unit in use in today’s
Origin: New 2020 Mercedes-Benz C-Class hits the Nurburgring
Hyundai’s 2020 Venue to get the N Line upgrade
2020 Hyundai VenueHandout / Hyundai Hyundai brought a few intriguing products to the New York Auto Show last week. There was the handsome redesigned Sonata, as well as the 2020 Venue, a “youthful” compact crossover designed to tempt even more buyers to make the switch to SUVs. And like the Sonata, which is said to be coming in N Line spec, the Venue will also be upfitted with the N Line badge and accompanying upgrades. Aussie website Drive reports this information nugget from an interview with Brian Smith, Hyundai’s North American COO, in an interview last week at the auto show. “This is really going to be a vehicle that I think applies to that as well,” Smith told Drive when asked about a potential Venue N Line. “I think the next one will be Sonata, but you’re going to see more across the lineup. So, while that may not be completely official, it’s a pretty safe indication that the new compact crossover will soon see the visual boosts that comes with that N Line badge. It’s unclear if it’ll also benefit from an increase in power, like alleged bump to 275 horsepower for the Sonata N Line. Regardless, the N Line doesn’t empart as much of a performance spike as those models that get the full N treatment, like the Veloster N, which is faster and all-around more athletic than the normal Veloster. Smith did technically leave the door open for a potential Venue N, however, telling Drive it could be.” The 2020 Venue will arrive on Hyundai lots as its smallest and most affordable SUV — and the automaker now offers seven SUVs — which is sure to make it appealing to North American buyers.
Origin: Hyundai’s 2020 Venue to get the N Line upgrade
First drive: 2020 Jaguar F-Pace SVR
NICE, France — My dear old dad, rest his Scottish soul, was a Jaguar man. Loved them since he was a kid in Britain. Bought several as an adult, raved about them all his life, lost money on several. To him, owning a Jag was a mark of prestige, success, a life well lived. The same affection for the brand somehow passed over his sons entirely, even though all of us are certifiable petrol heads. Perhaps our attention wandered because Jaguar back then was just another luxury marque catering to those old guys and women who spent more time at the country club than the race track. But in 2014, Jaguar Land Rover launched its Special Vehicle Operations unit — a little like BMW’s M division or Mercedes’ AMG arm — in Warwickshire, England, with a team of 200 specialized engineers hell bent on turning regular Jags and Rovers into vehicles that would command everyone’s attention. And, boy, has it worked. The arrival of the 2020 Jaguar F-Pace SVR, only the second production vehicle to come from the facility after the Jaguar F-Type Coupe, is not just an achingly good-looking SUV, it is a compelling and utterly fascinating vehicle to drive, marking new territory for the brand and its long history. To be sure, it looks downright villainous, the way a proper Jag ought to appear in public, with lighter 21- and optional 22-inch wheels, hood vents for the intercooler, side vents for the brakes, big air intakes up front and rear diffusers that work to slice the air, joined by four 95-mm exhaust ports that are not only lighter, they sound properly feral (though they can be quieted too). Stranding on the gas pedal of this $92,000 SUV, however, reveals the true reward of a vehicle that has gone under the SVO scalpel. In an instant, the 5.0-litre V8 beneath the creased hood releases 542 horsepower to all four wheels in the form of 502 lb.-ft. of torque and two very loud alarms — one from the supercharger whine up front, the other from those chrome pipes out back, each oval barking like a rabid dog that crackles and pops on throttle lift. When paying attention, 100 km/h will disappear in 4.3 seconds. Keeping the foot down brings 200 km/h in only a few seconds more, on its way to a top speed of 283 km/h, which seems bonkers for a mid-size SUV that will primarily see more days at the local hockey rink than anything resembling Hockenheimring, the German motorsports complex. But here’s the thing: Driving the F-Pace SVR obscenely fast is entirely enjoyable, never scary and totally thrilling because the SUV remains so smooth and so well composed at crazy speeds. NVH is all but eliminated. There is almost no wind noise. It is Donovan Bailey on a good day, a bolt of adrenaline so full of grace that sprinting off the line and hitting 150 km/h feels serenely effortless. Sure, the roads of South France are not like those of Montreal’s South Shore, but the suspension tuning is so well executed that it makes long drives, especially in these highly comfortable, lozenge-quilted leather sport seats, an event to anticipate. As Ross Restell, the lead engineer, SVO vehicle dynamics, puts it: “What’s the point of having an SUV like this if it beats you up all the time?” Indeed, Restell and his team have hit the sweet spot of comfort and performance. Torque vectoring of the rear wheels, coupled with a standard electronic active rear differential and a constantly variable AWD system that usually powers the rear wheels (but can send up to 50 per cent of torque to the front wheels) keep the F-Pace SVR surprisingly well planted. New dampers and stiffer spring rates keep bounce and lean to a minimum, the overall ride impressively delivering equal parts smoothness and control even in “Dynamic mode,” the sportiest of settings. It’s neither hard nor too soft. A massive recalibrating of F-Pace software also helped each system perform to its maximum ability. Yes, this might sound over the top, but the ride is so good and so smooth in the SVR, it may be the most pleasing ride of any vehicle — car or SUV — I’ve ever had the opportunity to drive. Electric steering has excellent feedback and weight, sorting itself out as the speed gets quicker. Braking power is good but not outstanding, and the pedal didn’t remain as firm as I would have liked after repeated bouts of shredding speed. That’s partly because the 1,995-kilogram SVR does forward momentum so well that we come to expect the same in reversing that momentum, especially since the SVR wears larger and lighter 395-mm brakes over a regular F-Pace. Ceramic brakes, which would cost about the same as sending one kid to university for a year, are not an option, but few will track this SUV anyway, even if the SVR could probably keep pace with a Cayenne Turbo. The cabin, of course, has been handsomely tailored in fine materials and brought up to date with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as 4G WiFi for up to eight devices. It’s too bad it doesn’t get the new steering wheel that
Origin: First drive: 2020 Jaguar F-Pace SVR
2020 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series to be fastest-accelerating AMG yet
The upcoming Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series will be the fastest-accelerating AMG car yet, according to AMG boss Tobias Moers. The future range-topping coupé will be beaten only by the limited-run AMG One hypercar when it arrives in mid-2020, Moers confirmed to Autocar at the New York motor show. First confirmed by Moers back in 2016, the Black Series is now under development and mooted to receive AMG’s turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine in a state of tune offering at least 630bhp. This is the figure offered by the current most powerful AMG model with that unit, the GT 4-door Coupé. Any growth on that would ensure the Black Series dwarfs the peak output offered by the current GT champions, the 577bhp GT R and GT R Pro (pictured). It would also edge it towards one of the category’s most radical supercars, the 690bhp Porsche 911 GT2 RS. The GT Black Series’ extra grunt will be accompanied by a more focused chassis and aerodynamic set-up, which may go even further than the track-focused GT R Pro launched at last year’s Los Angeles motor show. That car was designed with uprated suspension and aero upgrades, but received no extra power over the regular GT R. Such a set-up should ensure the GT Black Series tips the scales at around 1575kg, in line or slightly less than the GT R Pro. The 2020 arrival of the GT Black Series will mark a return for AMG’s most extreme moniker after a seven-year hiatus. The last Black Series model was based on the SLS and entered production in
Origin: 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series to be fastest-accelerating AMG yet
Hyundai promises 2020 Venue will be its smallest, most stylish CUV yet
2020 Hyundai VenueJonathan Yarkony / Driving What is it? Yet another cute little crossover from South Korea, this one they claim will be the smallest and most affordable in its now seven-strong SUV lineup. Why does it matter? Well, putting smallest and most affordable in the same sentence as SUV is always attention-grabbing. Power comes from Hyundai’s tried and tested 1.6L inline-four with dual-port fuel injection. Mated to Hyundai’s IVT (Intelligent Variable Transmission), which marries CVT efficiency with artificial “gear shifts” so it feels like a traditional automatic. Overall, the combination is good for 7.1 L/100 km fuel consumption. Stylistically, the Venue looks like a Kona that was mated to a Mini, cute to some, a little too boxy for others. Inside, the “highly function and expressive” interior, like the Venue’s price tag, is meant to attract all those budget-conscious Millennials that have been forced to shop the used car market for the trendy sport-ute they all covet. Hence, what Hyundai Canada calls its “youthful, fun” colour palette. Shorter overall than Kona by 130 millimetres, the Venue’s wheelbase is only 81-millimetres, so the Venue is surprisingly roomy inside. In fact, passenger volume is only down a paltry 62 litres (just two cubic-feet). Even the cargo capacity is down by just 14 litres, barely enough to fit a purse or laptop. The Venue’s infotainment system features an eight-inch Display Audio touchscreen and rear-view monitor that also incorporates both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Heated seats and a heated steering wheel, meanwhile, lend a feeling of affluence in small packages. When is it coming? End of this year. Should you buy it? Like I said, prefacing the description of any SUV with “most affordable” is always a good way to start a discussion. Perky performance and decent fuel economy just add to the allure. The Venue’s styling might not be to everyone’s liking, but I suspect that the Venue’s low MSRP will more than make up for the somewhat tepid
Origin: Hyundai promises 2020 Venue will be its smallest, most stylish CUV yet
2020 Subaru Outback is more of the same — and then some
2020 Subaru OutbackHandout / Subaru What is it? Like thunder follows lightning, the Subaru Outback follows the Legacy into 2020 thoroughly redesigned with a new look, revised platform and powertrains, and more safety tech under the skin. Why does it matter? The Outback isn’t Subaru’s sales leader — though it’s certainly up there there — but it’s Subaru’s bread-and-butter vehicle. Stereotypes aside, it’s the quintessential Subaru, carrying on into 2020 as the jacked-up Legacy wagon it’s always been. There’s a reason why so many people love these things, and the sixth-generation model takes a proven formula and makes it even better. For 2020, the big news is the Outback is underpinned by Subaru’s modular Global Platform architecture, currently found across the entire lineup, save for the BRZ, WRX and STI. The new platform translates into more interior space, improved handling, and even better collision performance — Subaru says the 2020 Outback absorbs about 40 per cent more energy in a collision. Like the Legacy, the Outback gains two new powertrains for 2020. A new, direct-injected 2.5-litre Boxer four-cylinder engine with automatic start/stop serves as the base, rated at 182 horsepower and 176 lb.-ft. of torque. But again, like the Legacy, the big news here is the return of the turbo — a 2.4L turbo-four replaces the normally aspirated, 3.6L six-cylinder engine, pumping out 260 horsepower and 277 lb.-ft. of torque. Both engines are hooked up to a continuously variable transmission, and turbocharged Outbacks can tow up to 1,590 kilograms — more than enough to haul a BRZ or a Miata to the track. Naturally, the 2020 Outback is all-wheel-drive — come on, did you really expect anything else? — but it can now send power side-to-side via a new active torque-vectoring system cribbed from the WRX and STI. Other features include Subaru’s X-Mode powertrain mapping system now with Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes, a 180-degree camera up front, and two new features added to its EyeSight suite of active safety tech. The first, the DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation System first seen on the 2019 Forester, is essentially a little camera pointed at the driver, monitoring their face for signs of distractions or fatigue. The second is a new lane-centering function built into the existing adaptive cruise control system. Visually, the Outback is precisely what we’d expect — a lifted Legacy wagon with more aggressive styling cues, just under 8.7 inches of ground clearance, and what Subaru calls body cladding reminiscent of a hiking boot. Go figure; the Outback’s always been for the more outdoorsy types. Inside, the Outback boasts improved materials and fit-and-finish, an 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system available across most of the lineup, and more connected services, like the ability to be started remotely through an app. All in all, the 2020 Outback promises to be more of the same, but better. When is it coming? Official pricing hasn’t been announced just yet, but expect the Outback in dealers this fall. Should you buy it? The Outback’s always been something of a black sheep among the usual crop of CUVs. Most out there are amorphous blobs, but the Outback tends to err more towards the wagon end of the spectrum. If that sense of distinction isn’t enough to put the Outback on your shortlist the next time you’re looking for a new CUV, then the new platform and powertrains, more advanced safety tech, vastly improved cabin and trademark Subaru capability surely
Origin: 2020 Subaru Outback is more of the same — and then some
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