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VW ID.X concept teases an electric hot hatch

Volkswagen has given us our best look yet at what an electric successor to the Golf R might be like.

CEO Ralph Brandstaetter on Wednesday posted photos of an ID.X concept car to his personal LinkedIn page, together with some key specs.

The ID.X concept is based on the ID.3 compact electric hatchback sold overseas. It was developed by VW engineers as an exploratory project, and could potentially be given the production green light. Brandstaetter said in his post that even if production doesn’t happen, “many ideas” could be adopted for other products.

The ID.X features an 82-kilowatt-hour battery and dual-motor all-wheel-drive system. Peak output is 328 hp, which is 13 hp more than the latest Golf R and 26 hp more than the most potent ID electric vehicle to date, in this case the ID.4 AWD Pro.

Volkswagen ID X concept

Alright, so it’s slightly more powerful than the Golf R, but what about the weight of the battery? To get around this, the engineers managed to strip out 441 pounds compared to the stock ID.3. Brandstaetter didn’t mention how this was achieved, but one measure is likely to have been the use of lighter materials in the cabin. You’ll also notice the cabin features sports seats lined in Alcantara.

According to Brandstaetter, the concept will cover the 0-62 mph dash in just 5.3 seconds. There’s even a drift mode similar to what you find in the Golf R.

Might we see production? Given VW’s success with hot hatches, the automaker would be silly to ignore the potential. Perhaps that’s why it teased an electric Golf R concept a year ago.

There are other automakers willing to enter this space. Geely’s new premium EV brand Zeekr unveiled a 536-hp hot hatch in April, and Mini has confirmed it is developing electric John Cooper Works models. We’re sure VW won’t want to miss out.

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May 20, 2021
Mercedes-Benz AMG shows off lighter, stiffer body of next SL-Class

Mercedes-Benz will unveil a new generation of the legendary SL-Class later this year, and on Wednesday the automaker showed off the car’s body shell.

The new SL is the seventh member of a lineage that dates back to the original 300SL gullwing race car of 1952, and the first to be developed by the Mercedes-Benz AMG performance skunkworks.

AMG has developed the car alongside a new generation of its own GT sports car, with the SL set to replace the current GT Roadster, hence the reason it’s being classified as an AMG product this time around. As a result, expect the new SL to be more performance-focused than past generations.

Both the new SL and next-generation GT are clean-sheet designs, based on an AMG-developed rear-wheel-drive platform for sports cars dubbed MSA (Modular Sports Architecture). The platform features space-frame construction relying on a mix of aluminum, magnesium and composites for the body shell, with thicker cast aluminum components used for nodal points where forces will be stronger.

2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG SL Roadster spy shots – Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

Compared to the outgoing SL, Mercedes boasts increased torsional stiffness of 18% and a lower center of gravity. Transverse and longitudinal rigidity are also up 50% and 40%, respectively, over the current GT Roadster. The weight of the body shell minus the doors, hood and trunk lid is 595 pounds.

The new specs are particularly impressive given the additional packaging requirements of the new SL over its predecessor, as well as the GT Roadster it’s set to replace. Not only did the engineers have to accommodate 2+2 seating and space for the automated folding soft-top, but also new drive concepts including all-wheel drive and electrified powertrains.

One of the powertrains is expected to be an 800-plus-hp plug-in hybrid setup in an SL73 model. However at launch we’re likely to see mild-hybrid SL53 and SL63 models only.

Production of the new SL will take place at Mercedes’ plant in Bremen, Germany, where the current generation is built. Look for the car to arrive at showrooms by next spring, most likely as a 2022 model.

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May 19, 2021
2022 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class brings the V-12

When the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S-Class debuted it was missing one piece of utter excess: a V-12 engine.

On Monday the German automaker confirmed it would indulge excess in the form of the 2022 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S680. It’s the Maybach S-Class with 12 cylinders and twin turbos, and it arrives in U.S. dealers in the first half of 2022.

2022 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S680

What sets the new Maybach 680 apart from the lesser 580 is its four additional cylinders. The twin-turbo 6.0-liter V-12 engine produces 621 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque, which is 125 hp and 222 lb-ft more than the twin-turbo V-8 model. The extra power will accelerate the Maybach and its owners in comfort from 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds vs the V-8 model’s 4.7-second jaunt. Top speed is limited to 130 mph. A 9-speed automatic transmission sends power to all four wheels for the first-time in a V-12-powered Maybach with 31% of the power going to the front wheels and 69% to the rear.

Like the V-8-powered models, the V-12 Maybach features four-wheel steering. The rear axle can turn the wheels up to 4.5 or 10 degrees depending on whether the wheels are staggered.

2022 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S680

Determining whether a Maybach has a V-12 or V-8 under its hood will be difficult as the only discernible difference will be a small V-12 badge on the front fenders and the exhaust note.

V-12-powered Maybach S-Class sedans will feature the same long wheelbase as the V-8 models. The grille gets the Maybach treatment with vertical slats that look like what one would find on a pinstripe suit. A two-tone paint finish can be ordered.

2022 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S680

2022 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S680

2022 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S680

2022 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S680

Inside the Maybach S-Class offers up a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster augmented by a 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The interior is lined in real wood, nappa leather, and metal.

The reclining rear seats feature a heated cushion on the headrests and a massage function comes standard. Silver-plated champagne flutes and a refrigerated compartment are optional.

Mercedes-Benz is quiet on pricing for now, but the Maybach S680 will undoubtedly cost more than the 580 model, which is priced from $185,950.

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May 17, 2021