CategoriesMercedes G-Code News

Mercedes G-Code Concept

Concept cars are nothing new, as they provide as blank a canvas as any automotive designer can expect to work with. Next to no considerations for engineering in powertrains, no consumer surveys to consider, just the chance to draw, style, and create a car to be admired, inspired by and, potentially, produced, in some altered form perhaps, in the future.

Mercedes Benz has a studio in Beijing, China. It’s hardly out of the ordinary given how massive the Chinese market is, and any manufacturer with business sense will realise how important China is to a company’s bottom line. What might surprise is just what the new Product Engineering Centre has come up with; the G-Code is a beautiful, sleek, yet very compact urban-oriented SUV aimed squarely at the big, congested cities of Asia. At some 161 inches long, it’s shorter than even a VW Golf, though its 74-inch width makes it a bit wider. Of more interest is that it is considerably smaller than Mercedes’ GLA mini-SUV, a surefire sign to suggest it plans on tackling the products of other companies following the trend of moving away from the monstrous juggernauts of today. Think Mini Countryman and you’re getting the picture.

Don’t pay much mind to the 21-inch wheels, as ridiculously big wheels are a concept car’s signature. They do suit the G-Code, however, lending it an incredibly muscular stance with those bulging arches and the very wide track. Three years after the concept car’s unveiling, it still looks fresh and contemporary, so much so your writer had to double check it wasn’t simply announced for 2018. A 2+2 seating arrangement is pretty typical but it does lend itself to being a reasonably practical city runabout, should production come to fruition. There aren’t any wing mirrors either, instead two cameras on retractable arms in the A-pillars hide away to accentuate the sleek look highlighted further by the lack of any B-pillars.

Hybrid technology features heavily on the concept, and the powerplant is claimed to be a development of the hydrogen-electric system that will be used in the B-Class. To showcase the tech, behind the classic three-pointed star grille is an LED lightshow that announces proudly what mode the G-Code is in. A pulsing blue indicates the car is parked or in all-electric mode, in Hybrid eco mode they are purple, and in Hybrid sport mode the LEDs are red. It’s doubtful this particular feature will make it to production, in any future Mercedes product, but then again concept cars are not necessarily about realistic expectations. It does however highlight the focus Mercedes, and the industry in general, has on reducing emissions and fuel consumption and the continued drive towards greater hybridisation and alternative fuels.

Possibly the most interesting thing to note is the “multi-voltaic” paint, which effectively makes the G-Code a big solar panel. The paint can absorb energy from sunlight and replenish the power supply, and a special coating that can allegedly be charged electrostatically by wind when the car is stationary. While we aren’t quite there yet with such futuristic tech, it’s nice to know designers and engineers alike are still thinking of unique and clever ways to efficiently and effectively power vehicles in the future.

 


Written by Alex Burchell

CategoriesMercedes G-Class News W464

2019 Mercedes G-class: Reinventing an Icon

How do you replace a classic? Moreover, how do you improve it? It’s a question that’s been asked in many boardrooms over the decades and with varied success, though a list of triumphs would probably be dwarfed by the list of disappointments concerning myriad motoring greats. The Jaguar E-Type is a bonafide star, as is the long-awaited and brilliant F-Type but in reality the actual replacement was the underwhelming XJ-S which couldn’t fill such big shoes. The BMW E30 M3 is as desirable today as it was 30 years ago as a homologation special, and while the E36 M3 was no bad thing in Europe the US model was weak as water. The Lamborghini Murcielago, a rabid, ruthless monster with real Sant’Agata V12 heritage may have been usurped by the technologically superior and faster Aventador, but arguably it was at the expense of the overall result being somewhat sanitized. It’s a fine line to walk, and you can only get it right or wrong.So, what to think of Mercedes Benz and its 2019-model W464 G-Class, a model now being built up with hype, expectation, and no doubt some criticism regarding its replacement of the aging but universally adored 1990s-vintage 463. This is a vehicle that can trace its history as far back as the first 1979 models that rolled out of Graz, Austria, where production of the W464 will continue. There’s a lot of love for the Geländewagen, in much the same way there was a rush of passion and pride for the Land Rover Defender when the end of its production was announced. Mercedes has to deal with the same pressures as any other manufacturer releasing a new model, like higher safety and environmental standards, greater expectations on quality and performance, and all while trying to keep the purists happy, the new customers happy, the bean-counters happy, and the critics happy. Not necessarily in that order.Time waits for no man, nor no car, and the 21st Century has finally caught up with the G-Class. That said, there’s more than just a nod to the past; you don’t need to look twice to realise it’s a G-Wagen, but a second glance might identify that it is bigger, and while it’s no race car, we’ve been assured it is also more aerodynamic. Slightly. If the same-same exterior struck you as being a little boring, then you need only look at a few of the official interior shots to see there’s a drive to embrace the future and it is certainly something of a departure from the G-Class of old. A digital dash, straight from the S-Class, brings the G up to date with just one tick in the options list. It’s clear that quality is a greater focus than on the previous model, something even purists can probably be pleased about for it has not come at the expense of some traditional quirks. Going digital replaces many buttons, and the look is certainly much more elegant than the rudimentary and workman-like roots of the original G-Wagen.

If we mention quality a few times, it’s probably starting to sink in how big a jump the new car is going to be over the old; 39 years might as well be light years in the motoring industry, and the G-Class was certainly starting to show its age with its narrow cabin and the putting together of its interior. More stringent safety standards are part of the reason for the increase in many key dimensions, and so it goes that the W464 ends up being about an inch wider with a 5.9-inch longer wheelbase, but with the welcomed bonus of improvements in hip- and shoulder room, and some six inches more rear legroom. It shows this is not just a workhouse but a luxurious way in which to conquer every mountain, river, autobahn, and city block. The big G isn’t all about show, and workhorse trims will still be made available but even Mercedes has to acknowledge the fact close to half of recent production has been the toy- and horsepower-heavy AMG models. That said, you’re still going to get that trademark rifle-bolt door lock actuation and heavy thunk as you close the doors, and of course there is still a passenger grab handle on the dashboard to help when hauling yourself up into the G. And the famed Schöckl badge on the B-pillar is still there too, a homage to the mountain every G-Class model is tested on as a requirement for production.

As for engines, transmissions and off-road (or on-road) ability, there is still a lot of conjecture about the final details, but you can be sure there will be a range of relatively-sensible diesels to complement the heady petrol V8s that garner most of the attention. That all said, Mercedes seems to have kept largely to the original 1970s script and produced a Gelaendewagen the purists and customers will love. But with these worthwhile and belated improvements, it may still be a G-Wagen, but not quite as we know it.

 


Written by Alex Burchell

CategoriesTechnology

Harman Kadon Onyx Studio Mini, Reviews & Experiences

On the off chance that you have an escalated stop, mull over a short
taking a gander at outing. This especially is shrewd in urban areas with brilliant open transportation decisions.

Today most people get on average 4 to 6 hours of exercise every day, and make sure that everything they put in their mouths is not filled with sugars or preservatives, but they pay no attention to their mental health, no vacations, not even the occasional long weekend. All of this for hopes of one day getting that big promotion.This response is important for our ability to learn from mistakes, but it also gives rise to self-criticism, because it is part of the threat-protection system. In other words, what keeps us safe can go too far, and keep us too safe. In fact, it can trigger self-censoring. Coven try is a city with a thousand years of history that has plenty to offer the visiting tourist. Located in the heart of Warwickshire. One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin. He lay on his armour-like back, and if he lifted his head a little he could see his brown belly, slightly domed and divided by arches into stiff sections.

The bedding was hardly able to cover it and seemed ready to slide off any moment. His many legs, pitifully thin compared with the size of the rest of him, waved about helplessly as he looked.

“When you think ‘I know’ and ‘it is,’ you have the illusion of knowing, the illusion of certainty, and then you’re mindless” Jelly Cristiana
That immediately brought to mind one of my fondest memories, involving my daughter when she was just a toddler of one: taking her with me on the short walk to check the mail. I live in a small enclave of homes in which all the mailboxes are together in a central location, less than a minute’s walk from my front door

Defaulting to Mindfulness: The Third Person Effect

Cray post-ironic plaid, Helvetica keffiyeh tousled Carles banjo before they sold out blog photo booth Marfa semiotics Truffaut. Mustache Schlitz next level blog Williamsburg, deep v typewriter tote bag Banksy +1 literally.
  • Welsh novelist Sarah Waters sums it up eloquently
  • In their classic book, Creativity in Business, based on a popular course they co-taught
  • Novelist and screenwriter Steven Pressfield
  • A possible off-the-wall idea or solution appears like a blip and disappears without us even realizing
The short answer is yes. According to Kross, when you think of yourself as another person, it allows you give yourself more objective, helpful feedback.

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Both of these assumptions, of course, could be entirely false. Self-censoring is firmly rooted in our experiences with mistakes in the past and not the present
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On the off chance that you have an escalated stop, mull over a short
taking a gander at outing. This especially is shrewd in urban areas with brilliant open transportation decisions.

Today most people get on average 4 to 6 hours of exercise every day, and make sure that everything they put in their mouths is not filled with sugars or preservatives, but they pay no attention to their mental health, no vacations, not even the occasional long weekend. All of this for hopes of one day getting that big promotion.This response is important for our ability to learn from mistakes, but it also gives rise to self-criticism, because it is part of the threat-protection system. In other words, what keeps us safe can go too far, and keep us too safe. In fact, it can trigger self-censoring. Coven try is a city with a thousand years of history that has plenty to offer the visiting tourist. Located in the heart of Warwickshire. One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin. He lay on his armour-like back, and if he lifted his head a little he could see his brown belly, slightly domed and divided by arches into stiff sections.

The bedding was hardly able to cover it and seemed ready to slide off any moment. His many legs, pitifully thin compared with the size of the rest of him, waved about helplessly as he looked.

“When you think ‘I know’ and ‘it is,’ you have the illusion of knowing, the illusion of certainty, and then you’re mindless” Jelly Cristiana
That immediately brought to mind one of my fondest memories, involving my daughter when she was just a toddler of one: taking her with me on the short walk to check the mail. I live in a small enclave of homes in which all the mailboxes are together in a central location, less than a minute’s walk from my front door

Defaulting to Mindfulness: The Third Person Effect

Cray post-ironic plaid, Helvetica keffiyeh tousled Carles banjo before they sold out blog photo booth Marfa semiotics Truffaut. Mustache Schlitz next level blog Williamsburg, deep v typewriter tote bag Banksy +1 literally.
  • Welsh novelist Sarah Waters sums it up eloquently
  • In their classic book, Creativity in Business, based on a popular course they co-taught
  • Novelist and screenwriter Steven Pressfield
  • A possible off-the-wall idea or solution appears like a blip and disappears without us even realizing
The short answer is yes. According to Kross, when you think of yourself as another person, it allows you give yourself more objective, helpful feedback.