Mercedes-Benz Model Showcase @ 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya...

My sincere apologies for this delayed update to my blog as time was needed to amend and file for future appointments and reviews on some spectacular upcoming cars, so stay tuned...

Mercedes-Benz Vehicle Showcase @ 1 Utama Shopping Centre

Lately, the automotive industry has become a very competitive sector. Numerous companies launching new vehicles such as BMW with their recent launch of the 2-Series and 4-Series Gran Coupe along with Audi and their new A3 sedan. With that in mind, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia represented by their authorised dealer Hap Seng Star Sdn Bhd held a showcase of multiple new cars at 1 Utama Shopping Centre from the 3rd to 7th of February.

The All New C-Class Sedan: A Mini S-Class...?

The all new C-Class boasts a completely new design. Some may say it resembles the look of the all-new S-Class hence the nickname "Baby S-Class". Seen in the picture is a C200, Avantgarde equipped with a two litre direct injected and turbocharged engine, the car rockets to 100 km/h in a very respectable 7.3 seconds (A comparable BMW 320i hits 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds). Power is transmitted via a 7G-TRONIC seven speed auto out to the rear wheels. 

Design wise from the rear, it's pretty easy to mistake a C-Class for an S-Class. Mercedes claim that multiple design cues for this car were inspired by the S-Class. From the front, the C-Class has a more sophisticated look with LED daytime running lights and a more sleeker elegant look as compared to the sporty and dynamic appearance of its targeted rival, the BMW 3-Series. The interior of the car is sculpted with elegance. Fit and finish of the car is superb, but it is important to note that the infotainment screen is a bit smaller than I would prefer and navigation powered by Garmin is an optional extra. The gear selector is now column mounted which brings convenience when parking as its easier to reach. 

In conclusion, the new W205 Mercedes-Benz C-Class leaps ahead in terms of cabin design over the previous model. It's exterior design presents a statement of luxury and elegance as compared to its rival, the BMW F30 3-Series which is sculpted to look more dynamic...

The Redesigned Mercedes-Benz E-Class: Luxury & Elegance Beyond Limits...

Mercedes claim that the latest E-Class has undergone the most comprehensive facelift ever carried out on a car. For a company with a long history of making cars, this step displays the massive efforts done to refresh and redesign the new E-Class. Shown in the image is the newly launched E300 AMG BlueTEC HYBRID. The car boasts a 2.1 litre turbodiesel engine pushing 204 horsepower and 369 foot pounds of torque along with an additional electric motor which delivers an additional 24 horsepower and 184 foot pounds of torque. Power goes to the rear wheels through a 7G-TRONIC seven speed automatic transmission achieving a very respectable 7.1 seconds to 100 km/h and speed tops out at 241 km/h. The system delivers a superb fuel economy figure of 4.1 litres per 100 kilometres. 

A massively redesigned exterior and a luxurious interior, the new E-Class is in a class of its own when it comes to technology.... Cutting edge technologies such as Active Parking Assist, Attention Assist which can detect a drivers drowsiness, Collision Prevention Assist are some of the long list of tech included in this car. Exterior design from the front is dominated by the unique LED headlamps and the rather overstated grille on the nose. From the rear, I personally prefer the look of the pre-facelift E-Class, the new one looks slightly bland in the day and a bit too overdone in the night but then again design is subjective and to each their own opinion. The interior oozes of solidity and quality, every material touched feels as good as it gets. The rear legroom is more than adequate and the boot has a 540-litre capacity.

18 Inch 5-Spoke AMG Rims

Overall, the new E-Class impresses, especially in the E300 BlueTEC HYBRID. The drivetrain technology is superb, cabin quality is spot on and space interior space is more than enough. In comparison to its rival the BMW 5-Series, the E-Class like the C-Class is more biased towards luxury and elegance whereas the Bavarian (BMW = Bavarian Motor Works) alternatives are more of a precision drivers tool. Which to choose is truly up to ones taste, luxury and elegance or sheer driving pleasure...

The All New Mercedes-Benz A Class: Youthful & Sporty...

The all-new A-Class is a clean sheet design. Aimed at a younger market, the rather handsome A-Class has a wide range of configurations from front wheel drive to all wheel drive. The car on display is an A250 Sport, boasting a powerful two litre turbocharged engine shoving 211 horsepower to the front wheels via a seven speed dual clutch transmission (DCT). 0 to 100 km/h comes in at a quick 6.6 seconds. The "Sport" chassis upgrade on this car makes it a joy to behold in the bends and corners, body roll is kept to a minimum and driving precision is maximised. However, many reviews by others have noted the stiffness and harshness of the ride due to its sportier suspension. My advice is, should you not require the additional power over the entry level A200 BlueEFFICIENCY, it is recommended that you go for that instead as the drivetrain set up is completely similar with the exception of the power reduction. 

The design is the most eye-catching feature of this car... Inside and out, its looks would shame other hot hatches like the Volkswagen Golf GTI. From the exterior, the A-Class looks very youthful, its design is a refreshing welcome into the Mercedes-Benz vehicle range. The interior could be a bit better as rear passengers will feel slightly cramped, the looks of the instrument cluster is good and the aircon vents look very stylish. Interior kit count however, is far from stunning. Navigation does not come as standard and for a car in 2015, it is very disappointing to note that automatic air conditioning is not included. 

Overall, this is a great Mercedes... Youthful and at the same time elegantly designed along with build quality that's second to none. The kit count however, is not stunning and ride quality in this A250 Sport could be improved. Similar rivals include the BMW 125i M-Sport and Volkswagen Golf GTI. The performance of the A250 Sport would be in the middle of those other two Germans with the BMW ahead but there's no denying its looks are way ahead than the other hot hatches in its segment. 

The All New Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class: A Baby CLS...?

The four door coupe segment is a becoming more and more competitive as days past. BMW recently updated their 6-Series Gran Coupe and launched the new 4-Series Gran Coupe. Audi has the A5 Sportback along with the A7 to stay competitive in this segment. Mercedes-Benz has recently launched the CLA to partner with the CLS to further cater toward a wider market.The car shown in the image is a CLA200. The car is powered by a modest 1.6 litre turbocharged engine, pushing 156 horsepower to the front wheels via a seven speed dual clutch transmission (DCT) the similar recipe in the A-Class. 0 to 100 km/h comes in at 8.6 seconds, topping off at 230 km/h. 

With design cues borrowed from the new A-Class, the new CLA boasts a very stylish, good looking design but not all form comes with function. The rear legroom could be better, the rear seating area is cramped in itself. The roof height is slightly too low and the ride quality is a bit bumpy as stated by many other owners. The interior again, looks almost similar to the A-Class, build quality is as you expect, superb...




In conclusion, the recently launched CLA,
A-Class & GLA basically boast the same chassis hence the rather similar but very stylish designs. It is interesting to see such a unique design for an entry level Mercedes sedan but as stated, a few things need to be improved such as the ride quality and interior space. In comparison with the BMW 3-Series sedan, the Bavarian has a better ride, much more boot space and interior space along with a faster 0 to 100 km/h time of 7.3 seconds (320i) but there's no doubt that the CLA absolutely trumps the 3-Series in terms of design. 

The Recently Launched Mercedes-Benz GLA: Go Anywhere In Style... 

The new GLA competes with the likes of the Audi Q3 and BMW X1, a compact premium crossover... Based on the same design as the A-Class, The GLA offers more practicality and versatility especially when equipped with the all-wheel drive system, 4MATIC. Pictured is the new GLA250 4MATIC, powered by a 211 horsepower, two litre engine. Power is sent to all four wheels through a seven speed double clutch transmission (DCT). The century sprint is completed in 7.1 seconds which is more than adequate. 

The design of the GLA emphasises on versatility and stylishness, with an increased ride hide and four-wheel drive along with a cool urban look. The interior design is almost similar to the CLA & A-Class but rear legroom is just enough to fit comfortably. 

In a nutshell, the GLA to me, would fit as an everyday car. 4MATIC delivers convenience on rough terrain while the quality of the interior is second to none. Against its rivals such as the BMW X1 and the Audi Q3, the Mercedes-Benz GLA stands out as a very refreshing addition to the segment of compact premium crossovers. It strikes the perfect balance between everyday usability and practicality along with superb quality and engineering we should expect from Mercedes-Benz...

Mercedes-Benz... The Future Of The Automobile...?

With the automotive market growing in competitiveness, it is vital that car manufacturers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz continue to pursue the direction of excellence to stay ahead of the pack. New models and refreshing designs play a major role in the leadership of the industry. Nevertheless, cost is also another major concern as the objective is to sell more cars so that more people are able to enjoy premium German engineering. In the end, long term product quality, engineering efficiency and customer satisfaction are what matters, and with these new selections and additions in to the market it'll be interesting to see what other car manufacturers can come up with.