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New GLS 600 is the brand's first fixed roof SUV |
Mercedes-Maybach has just gained a giant SUV powered by a thundering, gas-guzzling V8. By contrast, another Big-In-China division - Denza - has an EV-only future, as does smart.
smart
Daimler's city car specialist brand isn't doing too well, the decision to make smart EV-only looking even more odd now than when that happened in the US market three years ago. Two years on, the brand was gone from America. Now, smart is to be reinvented yet again in all remaining markets. The biggest shift is to focus on China and for the first time, with locally made models.
As Hambach evolves into a plant making an electric MFA 2 architecture model, eventually, smart cars will no longer be made there. This was announced in March 2019 as Daimler and its part-owner Geely told the media that from 2022, a new generation of electric smart models would be built in China. For now though, production of the fortwo continues at the division's manufacturing base in north-eastern France.
Two years ago, smart began referring to the fortwo electric drive and forfour electric drive as the EQ fortwo and EQ forfour. Facelifted versions of both cars were world premieres at the Frankfurt IAA in September 2019. The updates were minor and the first cars were in dealerships from January. The motor's outputs are 60 kW (82 PS) and 160 Nm, while the battery's capacity is 17.6 kWh. Maximum range is 159 km (NEDC).
As for Geely and Daimler's Chinese JV, it is presumed that there will be replacements for the fortwo and fourfour, and there was a clear statement of the intention to expand the brand into the B segment.
The larger smart model is likely to be an electric SUV. As part of the agreement, engineering is being overseen by the Chinese OEM with styling Daimler's responsibility. As these models come online, the Daimler-Renault JV should end, and with it, the manufacture of the forfour at Groupe Renault's Novo Mesto plant in Slovenia.
Daimler will be hoping that smart will somehow begin to recover from the sales collapse which followed the end of petrol-powered cars. Last year had ended well, with 114,616 smart vehicles sold in the EU and EFTA region, up 16% on 2018. All that changed in the first two months as even before COVID-19 tore through the European region in March, April and May, the brand's deliveries fell to only 2,359 (-84%) in EU-EFTA-UK. By contrast, the overall market dropped by only 7%. For May, ACEA reported a 90% crash for smart to 928 cars (May 2019: 9,614) compared to the market's 52% tumble.
Denza
Following the end of the Denza 500 in 2019 after five years of production, May retail sales for Daimler and BYD's only model were 391 in May and 1,622 for the year to date. The Denza X therefore remains a curious vehicle and the brand itself similarly an oddity.
Available only in China, this SUV has seven seats, is 4.89 m long and offers buyers the choice of plug-in hybrid petrol-electric or fully electric power.
While many had expected BYD and Daimler to dissolve their Denza JV, the partners instead revealed a design study for a possible 500 replacement at the Shenzhen motor show in June 2019. This was called Denza Concept X. The X was subsequently presented to the media in production form in October 2019. There were surprisingly few changes for this SUV. That included the loss of the concept's flush door handles and digital cameras in place of exterior mirrors. The bumpers and headlights were also changed.
The PHEV has a 192 PS turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a 150 PS front-mounted motor and a second one over the rear axle which produces a claimed 245 PS. The combined output is 400 PS. This powertrain is shared with the BYD Tang. The X EV is a lot less powerful: it has only 245 PS. The NEDC range is up to 500 km (311 miles). Chinese market deliveries commenced in January. There should be a facelift for all variants in 2023 and a successor in 2026. And while it's possible that other Denza models will join the X, there is no firm news about such a possibility.
Maybach
The first Mercedes-Maybach version of the GLS-Class was revealed at the Guangzhou motor show last November. It is pitched as a challenger for the most expensive Range Rover variants as well as the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Bentley Bentayga.
Compared to the big Benz, there is a more ornate grille, electrically deployed running boards, a four- or five-seat layout and various other changes. For now, only the GLS 600 4MATIC has been announced but it is believed that a V12-powered GLS 680 4MATIC could be added before a mid-life facelift in 2023.
The 5,205 mm long 600 is powered by a version of Daimler's M 177 3,982 cc biturbo V8. The standard wheels are 22-inchers but 23-inch ones are optional. Due to weight and aerodynamics, top speed is only 130 mph. The engine produces 410 kW (558 hp) and 730 Nm of torque. An additional 250 Nm and 16 kW/22 hp are available temporarily via EQ Boost. Power is transmitted by a 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission.
As with other GLS variants, the Mercedes-Maybach is manufactured in the USA. Power outputs for the Federalised engine vary slightly from what was announced by Mercedes-Benz.
A second generation should be launched in 2027 and by that time, the target buyers may be as keen on an EV powertrain as they currently are when it comes to turbo V8 and turbo V12 engines.
The G 650 Landaulet was the first Mercedes-Maybach vehicle. Its engine was a biturbo V12 which produced 1,000 Nm and 463 kW (630 PS). A successor based on the second generation G-Class is rumoured to be in development, the sales launch said to be due to happen next northern hemisphere summer. While the G 650 had two doors, the new model may instead have four-door body and, like the original, a fabric top. Two variants are expected, the biturbo V8 G 600 Landaulet and the V12-powered G 680 Landaulet.
Reports for many other manufacturers' future models are grouped in the OEM product strategy summaries section of just-auto.com.
Future platform intelligence
More detail on past, current and forthcoming models can be found in PLDB, the future vehicles database which is part of GlobalData's Automotive Intelligence Center. That includes smart, Denza and Maybach vehicles not discussed in this report.
This is the third of five features exploring the passenger car brands of Daimler AG. It followed a focus on Mercedes-Benz cars and Mercedes-Benz SUVs. Next comes Mercedes-AMG, with the final instalment to look at Mercedes EQ.
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June 30, 2020 at 02:49PM
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Daimler future models - smart, Maybach and Denza | Automotive Industry Analysis - just-auto.com
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