Iconoclastic, take-no-prisoners cop John McClane, for the first time, finds himself on foreign soil after traveling to Moscow to help his wayward son Jack. With the Russian underworld in pursuit, and battling a countdown to war, the two McClanes discover their opposing methods make them unstoppable heroes. The new film "A Good Day to Die Hard" will be in cinemas worldwide from 14 February 2013. Mercedes-Benz has a strong presence in the film in the form of numerous vehicles and will be supporting the premiere screenings in London and Berlin. The provision of an exclusive shuttle fleet for the film's actors and VIP guests is, of course, all part of the service. "We are very pleased that we were able to support the new film in the exciting "Die Hard" series with a large number of our vehicles. From the C-Class to the Zetros, the Mercedes-Benz model fleet could not be better suited to this action film with its spectacular stunts in the streets of Moscow. An exciting film with many emotionally appealing vehicles," says Anders Sundt Jensen, Head of Brand Communication Mercedes-Benz Cars. "Mercedes-Benz vehicles stand for safety, performance and distinctive design. And they are at home in all major European cities. This suits them perfectly and completely authentically to the screenplay. For example, the G-Class, Sprinter, Unimog and Zetros are the ideal "hero cars" for the hard-as-nails requirements of John and Jack McClane", continues Jensen.
The film and the roles played by the Mercedes-Benz vehicles
“A Good Day to Die Hard” the latest movie in the famous “Die Hard” franchise with the star studded cast of Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney and Sebastian Koch is coming soon to theaters worldwide. Also starring in the film is a whole fleet of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, a total of 14 different models. Many of them appear in breathtakingly spectacular car-chases through Moscow. Four indestructible Mercedes-Benz models play a key role in the battle for survival to save the world: the G-Class, the Unimog, the Sprinter and the Zetros.
In addition to the hero-cars, several other Mercedes-Benz vehicles will be seen in the film. Among them are the C-Class, Vito, E-Class Saloon as well as the new G 63 AMG, a GL-Class and a Maybach 57.
Further information about the film and the vehicles featured in the action may be found at www.mercedes-benz.com. There's also a chance to play the game “A Good Day to Drive Hard”.
The most innovative components of the new 4MATIC include the power take-off to the rear axle which is integrated in the 7G-DCT automated dual clutch transmission and the rear-axle gear with integrated, electrohydraulically controlled multi-disc clutch. This set-up enables fully variable distribution of the drive torque between front and rear axle. Additional benefits of this design are a lower system weight than is available from the competition and high efficiency. The 4MATIC all-wheel drive is a completely new development tailored to the requirements of the new front-wheel drive architecture. The engineers at Mercedes-Benz have ventured into uncharted territory here, as the design of the previous model series ruled out the introduction of an all-wheel drive system based on a front-wheel drive architecture with transversely mounted front engines. On these previous models the differential was located in front of the engine in the direction of travel, thus thwarting any options of diverting drive power to the rear axle. In addition, the body design with sandwich floor prevented the integration of a cardan shaft to the rear axle.
For the new front-wheel drive vehicles, adequate installation space for an all-wheel drive powertrain was provided right from the initial stages of the planning process. In addition, the development engineers designed the powertrain such that the differential axle is situated behind the engine, thus enabling power to be branched off to the rear axle. The future all-wheel drive line-up from Mercedes-Benz will be heralded in the coming year by the new CLA and the particularly agile and powerful CLA 45 AMG. While the basic mechanical configuration is identical on all versions, the AMG models feature a modified power output to the rear axle.
Integrated power take-off unit (PTU) channels power to the rear axle
The new 4MATIC is being combined with the 7G-DCT seven-speed automated dual clutch transmission which was premiered in the B-Class. The power flux to the rear powertrain is provided by a compact power take-off unit (PTU) which is fully integrated in the main transmission and is supplied with lubricant from the latter's oil circuit. This configuration gives rise to substantial weight advantages in comparison to rival systems which branch off power by means of an add-on component with its own oil circuit. Together with the friction-minimised tapered roller bearings, the PTU achieves an excellent level of efficiency.
The low system weight of the new 4MATIC is not attributable solely to the PTU. Other weight-stripping measures include a compact rear-axle gear unit, inductively hardened rear-axle side shafts in hollow design and weight-optimised propeller shafts. The system weight of the new 4MATIC is up to 25 percent lighter than the all-wheel-drive versions offered by the competition. These lightweight design measures and the high functional efficiency result in a good level of energy efficiency.
As is always the case with all-wheel drive systems incorporating a transversely mounted drive unit at the front, the power flux requires to be diverted by 90 degrees. On the 4MATIC, this is achieved by quite simple means: the differential gearwheel of the main transmission drives the spur gear of the PTU and a compact bevel gear stage diverts the power flux. The rear axle is driven via an output flange and a cardan shaft.
A vibrationally decoupled intermediate bearing is fitted between the two-part cardan shaft and underbody and a flexible coupling is installed between the shaft and the rear-axle gear unit. An axially moving joint at the front compensates the typical movements of the engine-transmission unit under load and prevents the transfer of such movements to the rear powertrain. By virtue of these measures, all the 4MATIC versions attain a level of NVH comfort on a par with that of the comparable models with front-wheel drive. In order to minimise crash-induced stress for passengers in a head-on or rear-end collision, the cardan shaft is provided with a crash joint. Here again, the 4MATIC models attain a standard of safety on a par with that of the front-wheel drive models.
Completely new development with torque-on-demand rear axle
The electrohydraulically actuated multi-disc clutch integrated in the rear-axle gear unit is responsible for fully variable torque distribution. Operating principle: when the multi-disc clutch is open, the CLA is driven almost exclusively by the front axle. When the clutch is closed, the rear axle comes into play. This means that the drive torque can be shifted in fully variable mode between front and rear axle according to the given situation (torque on demand). The system pressure to activate the rear axle is supplied in milliseconds by the rotor pump which is integrated in the rear-axle gear unit. The pump is activated automatically as soon as only minimal speed differences apply between front and rear axle. Pressure control is performed by a proportioning valve under the steering of the ESP®.
The most diverse parameters are taken into consideration here, such as lateral acceleration, steering angle, yaw rate, accelerator position, ABS control settings or the selected shift programme of the 7G-DCT dual clutch transmission. An additional pressure regulating valve limits the drive torque at the rear axle to 750 Newton metres. Up to 1000 Newton metres are possible on the AMG version.
Intelligent control systems for more enjoyable driving
The 4MATIC is activated according to the basic principle of "as often as necessary as rarely as possible". This means that when the underlying conditions allow the all-wheel drive CLA models run almost exclusively in front-wheel drive mode. As soon as the driving situation requires, additional drive torque is channelled to the rear axle as appropriate. The reverse process takes place just as quickly: as soon as additional drive torque is no longer expedient at the rear axle – e.g. in case of heavy braking manoeuvres with ABS intervention – the rear powertrain is deactivated and torque is reduced to zero. With this strategy, the developers have managed to combine two key requirements defined in the performance specifications: optimum energy efficiency coupled with maximum driving dynamics and driving safety.
In normal circumstances, the drive torque distribution between front and rear axle can be set from 100:0 to 50:50. In certain driving situations, such as when exceeding the µ-jump limit, higher levels of torque may be allocated to the rear axle to avoid unstable operating conditions. Here are some examples of torque distribution (front:rear in percent, approximate values):
- Full-load acceleration at approx. 50 km/h → 60:40
- Dynamic cornering under load → 50:50
- Exceeding the µ-jump limit → 10:90
- Heavy braking with ABS intervention → 100:00
Another basic principle of the 4MATIC system results in a further increase in driving dynamics, guaranteeing greater driving enjoyment without compromising driving safety. In case of understeering or oversteering under load, the drive torque is first of all distributed such as to stabilise the vehicle. This ensures that traction and driving enjoyment are fully maintained in speedy driving on winding stretches of road. Only if these measures fail to have a stabilising effect do the control systems adapted to 4MATIC conditions, such as ESP® or 4ETS, intervene to keep the CLA stable.
The 4ETS electronic traction system forms part of the ESP® electronic stability programme and brakes the driven wheels individually when they go into spin. This provides for a high level of traction on slippery surfaces, on roads which are icy on one side or in continually changing conditions. In a nutshell: while 4ETS is responsible for maintaining the highest possible traction in all conditions, ESP® serves as the higher-level control instance to ensure optimum driving stability.
Individual: driving modes to suit personal driving styles
As already mentioned, the torque distribution ratio is also dependent on the activated shift programme of the 7G-DCT dual clutch transmission. The ECO programme results in torque distribution of a conservative nature. Less torque is channelled to the rear axle, resulting in gentler handling and supporting an economical driving style at lower revs. In SPORT or MANUAL mode the activation times are shortened and more torque is distributed to the rear axle in the interests of a dynamic, sporty driving style.
On the AMG versions such as feature on the CLA 45 AMG, 4MATIC adaptation takes place in accordance with the 3-stage ESP® system, employing the user-selectable settings ESP ON, ESP SPORT Handling Mode and ESP OFF. This 3-stage stability programme is also applied to adapt the control strategies of the variable 4MATIC system. The new AMG 4MATIC applies more rear-biased torque distribution as a general principle, in order to increase lateral dynamics around the vehicle's vertical axis.
Detailed investigations in the testing phase Alongside exact and realistic simulation using a digital prototype, extensive practical testing remains integral to the development phase of new models and drives. For the new 4MATIC, endurance testing and detailed tuning trials were carried out in all climatic zones and on all possible types of roads and surfaces. The test engineers carried out their work at test sites beyond the Arctic Circle and in desert regions, as well as trials closer to home at the Daimler test sites in Papenburg and Boxberg. Fine tuning of the control systems took place on race tracks such as the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife and demanding alpine passes.
The test programme was backed up with extensive trials under standardised conditions on the all-wheel drive test rigs in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim. The entire powertrain with engine is set up on these large-scale test rigs and subjected to punishing treatment around the clock, following previously recorded and digitised test routes. Driving resistance is simulated here by four electric motors connected to the hubs of the respective wheels. This enables exact comparison of different design variants under standardised conditions without weather influences or changing road conditions, to reveal the best solution.
The test rig runs are also important for the purpose of tuning individual parameters. An example here is provided by the power take-off unit (PTU), which shares a common oil circuit with the main transmission in the interests of minimising component weight and maximising efficiency. As the lubricant supply process cannot be simulated exactly using a computer model, the engineers have come up with an "x-ray trick". They produce the housing in a robust, transparent material and install this "glass PTU" in the powertrain. HD cameras can then be used to provide a perfect view of the oil circuit during the subsequent runs on the test rig and optimisation measures can duly be carried out as necessary.
The above-described large-scale test rig demonstrates Daimler AG's commitment to maximum environment-friendliness and resource conservation with regard to the design and operation of test facilities. The four electric motors function as generators during braking, feeding the recuperated energy back into the power grid – at Mercedes-Benz, recuperation is not limited to the vehicles themselves.
Perfect duo: new 4MATIC and 7G-DCT dual clutch transmission
Drawing on over 50 years of experience in the development and production of automatic transmissions, Mercedes-Benz has ventured into new technical territory with the 7G-DCT dual clutch transmission: the new system is an automated three-shaft manual transmission consisting of two subtransmissions, each with its own clutch. Both actuation of the clutches and gear shifting take place fully automatically and without any interruption in tractive power. This enables a comfortable but nevertheless dynamic mode of driving. Thanks to its seven gears it offers a large gear ratio spread of up to 7.99. This means that a very short transmission ratio is available when moving off on an uphill slope with a high payload, for example, while during cruising the engine speed can be lowered considerably. The transmission's efficiency improves fuel economy by up to 9 percent in comparison to the CVT which has been employed in the A-Class to date, bringing fuel consumption down to a level below that obtained with a manual transmission.
At a length of 367 millimetres and a weight of 86 kilograms, the 7G-DCT is more compact and lighter than the transmissions in this torque class which have been available on the market to date. The clutches take the form of oil-cooled multi-disc clutches. The specially developed hydraulic fluid is actively cooled, thus ensuring correct functioning of the transmission even under extreme conditions, despite the comparatively low filling level of six litres. Excess engine heat can also be transferred to the transmission, which improves its efficiency.
For the first time on this type of unit, the transmission is supplied with oil by two oil pumps – one mechanical and one electric. The electric pump maintains the oil pressure when the engine is switched off via the start/stop function. This means that the transmission is immediately operational when the engine is restarted and the vehicle can move off again without any delay. In addition, the electric pump is able to support the mechanical pump when peak loads apply, enabling a more compact and efficient design for the mechanical pump.
Another new feature is electrical activation of the hydraulics for the parking lock, which is locked by mechanical means. This "park by wire" function enables the transmission selector lever to be positioned as desired: it is located in the form of a steering column lever on the right behind the steering wheel. In combination with the electric parking brake, additional space has thus been created in the centre console for additional stowage facilities.
Three gearshift programmes are available to the driver:
- ECONOMY: in this mode, the transmission performs gearshifts fully automatically and particularly comfortably. The gears are selected with due regard to a particularly economical style of driving at low revs
- SPORT: the transmission performs gearshifts fully automatically. The shift and response times are shorter, with gearshifts at higher engine speeds
- MANUAL: in this mode, the driver operates the transmission manually via shift paddles behind the steering wheel. The engine speeds at which the gears are shifted can therefore be freely chosen
In ECO or SPORT mode, the driver is still able to intervene manually in the gear-shifting process via the shift paddles. The transmission reverts to the selected automatic mode after the paddles have remained inactive for ten seconds, or after a longer delay when driving downhill or on winding roads.
The Mercedes-AMG GmbH division is in charge of turning Mercedes-Benz standard vehicles into fully equipped athletes. The extension of the current portfolio with new additions is one of the main parts of the AMG Performance 2015 growth strategy that was implemented back in 2010. We hear the German firm headquartered in Affalterbach has some pretty hot stuff hidden in the pipeline and ready to bow in the near future. Find out more in the next paragraphs. The first of the series is the new SLS AMG Black Series, the sixth of its kind since the limited edition series was launched in 2005. The car comes packed with the naturally aspirated V8 with 6,208 cubic centimeters, which now pumps out no less than 630 hp, according to latest information. In fact, the new SLS AMG Black Series is a street-legal replica of the SLS AMG GT3 racing model which will be assembled in more than 100 units compared to the recently launched "45th ANNIVERSARY" collectors' model, available in just 5 units. Expect a widebody kit, numerous aerodynamic profiles and air intakes for effective cooling of the braking system and engine, as well as a minimal package of comfort equipments. Substantial use of aluminium, carbon fibre, magnesium and other light-mass compounds, in addition to stripping off any unnecessary gadgets, will definitely improve the kerb weight and the dynamic performance of the beast. Look for the new SLS AMG Black Series to make its first public appearance next month, at the Los Angeles Motor Show 2012 (30th November to 9th December).
Next on the list is the new A 45 AMG compact sports hatch. Specially for this model, engineers have developed a dynamic 4x4 platform based on the 4MATIC traction system. The new underpinnings are required to enhance ride, stability, handling and safety. New is the 4-cylinder engine under the bonnet as well: no less than 350 hp and over 400 Nm are the anticipated values for the 2.0-litre turbocharged powerplant. The impressive output will be transferred to the four wheels through a double-clutch 7-speed sequential gearbox in a variable front-to-rear ratio depending on the tractive circumstance. The new A 45 AMG will also be fitted with the latest technology that has already debuted on several other models prepared in Affalterbach. We anticipate the world premiere will take place next year, at the Geneva Motor Show 2013. Soon after, in mid-summer, Mercedes-Benz will also showcase their new CLA 45 AMG performance four-door coupe, featuring an identical technical package.
Continuing the wave of new models is the revised E 63 AMG lineup. For the first time in the history of the E-Class, the subsequent sports model will be standardly equipped with a completely new all-wheel-drive system, which aims to deliver more driving sensation, better predictability and extra security. This major shift from the rear-driven platform to the 4x4 traction is a must as the output of the 5.5-litre V8 with biturbocharging will be increased from 525 to 557 hp. Moreover, the sporty character will also be highlighted thanks to the new visual identity, which brings along an all new Star grille with distinctive twin-blade design. The new-generation Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG models (W 212) will celebrate their debut next year, during spring, at the New York Motor Show in April.
The future 2015 Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG (W 205) is next on our list. Even though details are scarce at the moment and the test prototypes have just hit streets some days ago, a few hints have surfaced from somewhere inside the factory. It looks that Mercedes-AMG is already developing a brand new 4.0-litre 8-cylinder unit to power the next generation of its C 63 AMG. Featuring state-of-the-art technologies for reduced fuel consumption and low CO2 emission figures, the direct-injection, turbocharged, gasoline powerplant could easily crank out at least 470 hp and more than 650 Nm. Moreso, given the latest trend, the future C 63 AMG might also use 4x4 instead rear-wheel-drive. Last, but not least: although yet to be confirmed, the designation of the new model could change to C 55 AMG. Official reveal is scheduled for late 2014.
Last, but not least, the sub-SLS supercar saga sees a new chapter, as new information confirms the 2015 SLC AMG will eventually be built. Mercedes-Benz have reconsidered plans amid the challenging market situation and found the introduction of a more accessible, mid-sized supermodel as a positive sign for a strong growth of the AMG division, which would add up to the financial performance of the entire company. Most probably, the new SLC AMG will arrive by 2015 and sport a more dynamic, yet conventional design. No more gullwing doors, an aluminium spaceframe for ensuring a lightweight body, several new assistance systems and a new engine with around 400 hp of peak output are the arguments the "Porsche 911 killer" has in order to beat the legendary rival from Zuffenhausen.
The new A-Class is currently rolling into collectors' display cabinets in three different scales – 1:18, 1:43 and 1:87. These hand-assembled miniatures, produced in partnership with model car specialists Norev, Schuco and Herpa using the original CAD data, are authentic down to the very last detail and feature the same original paint colours as their equivalents on the road. Norev assembles the A-Class from more than 100 individual parts in 1:18 scale. This zinc die-cast model is around 24 centimetres in length. Its doors, bonnet and tailgate can all be opened, and the interiors and boot floor are flocked. The extensive details include the AMG sports package, Intelligent Light System headlamps, sports seats with integrated headrests, privacy glass and AMG light-alloy wheels in a 5-twin-spoke design. The model car is available in jupiter red, designo magno mountain grey and cirrus white. A glove for handling is enclosed. The A 250 Sport version of the model car has the same scale and same level of detail, right down to the diamond radiator grille, and comes in polar silver.
One model car size smaller is the A-Class by Schuco. Its 1:43 scale produces a length of 9.8 centimetres. The zinc die-cast model is made of more than 50 individual parts and comes in cirrus white, cosmos black or south seas blue. Details include a panoramic roof, ILS headlamps, sports seats and aluminium rims in the 5-twin-spoke design. The Schuco model is supplied in a presentation box on an engraved base.
The A-Class by Herpa in scale 1:87 is available in jupiter red, night black and monolith grey. This plastic model car measures around 5.5 centimetres and consists of more than 25 component parts, which again feature the aluminium wheel rims in the 5-twin-spoke design. A presentation box and engraved base are also included with this collector's piece.
The 'CAR and DRIVER: Tested' show takes a look at the evolution of the Mercedes-Benz AMG Black Series in the United States with the 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series and the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series to see which one holds the most true to its high-performance root. Question is: which one these behemoths would you choose? Watching the video could help you. Enjoy!:)
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