Movers and Losers: July 2011

Despite some pessimistic reporting earlier last month, July turned out to be a good recovery month for the auto industry. More than 1 million new vehicles were sold, and sales were up 4.7% from a year ago. Despite the rosy sales figures, the average time it took a model to sell increased slightly in July to 58.8 days from June's 58 days.

This month’s Movers and Losers list shows that many of the fastest-selling vehicles once again come from Hyundai. The 2012 Hyundai Elantra remained one of the fastest-selling volume vehicles in July, taking just six days to sell. You could say everything at Hyundai is a fast-seller: The 2012 Sonata and Tucson also took six days to sell. The new 2012 Hyundai Accent sedan (10 days) and hatchback (seven days) also sold like hotcakes. Overall, the Tucson, Accent, Sonata and Elantra represent roughly 80% of Hyundai’s sales for the month.

This month’s Losers list includes the addition of two hybrids — the 2011 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid (159 days) and 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid (150 days). The Toyota Yaris sedan (165 days) also merged on to the slow lane, though that model is due to be replaced.

Ch-Ch-Changes: Mercedes-Benz 2012 Lineup

For the 2012 model year, Mercedes-Benz has upgraded most of the powertrains in its lineup with more fuel-efficient transmission and engines, including a new four-cylinder and start/stop technology on some models.

Many models also get a new audio head unit, which has a 5.8-inch display, Bluetooth audio streaming, phonebook download functions, album cover art display and a USB port. We’ll denote which models get the new audio system with *new radio unit. There’s also a new 7-inch touch-screen navigation system available on most models, which includes real-time weather updates, three-dimensional city models and a 10-gigabyte music player.

Continue reading below for more details:

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Video

At first glance the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe can look bloated from the rear, but the car is actually trimmer in person, according to Cars.com editor Kelsey Mays. There hasn’t been a C-Class coupe on the market for more than six years. Watch the video to see whether the return of the body style was worth the wait.

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe: Up Close

Early photos had me worried the C-Class two-door would look bulbous past the B-pillars, with bloated shoulders and too much empty sheet metal above the rear fenders. The coupe looks trimmer in person, though it isn’t as lean as the sedan. Up front, the nose work — which is similar to that of the 2012 C-Class sedan — is most apparent in the headlights, which lose last year’s eyelids for a more scalloped look.

More 2011 New York Auto Show Coverage

Cabin materials appear a decided step up from the 2011 C-Class. The consolidated buttons about the center stack and steering wheel make for a cleaner, less scattershot look. The climate controls still use the old C’s flimsy dials, however, and I’ll have to spend more time in the coupe’s one-piece bucket seats. At first sit, these didn’t feel particularly comfortable.

2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe: First Look

• Competes with: BMW M3, Audi S5  
• Looks like: The C-Class coupe, but with more edge  
• Drivetrain: 451-hp or 481-hp, 6.3-liter V-8 engine with a seven-speed automatic transmission 
• Hits dealerships: September 2011

After Mercedes-Benz announced a C-Class coupe at the 2011 Geneva International Motor Show, an AMG variant seems only logical, especially when most of the equipment is borrowed from the C63 AMG sedan.

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG coupe is distinguished from its average C-Class brethren by its high-powered engines, high-performance brakes and suspension, and appearance upgrades.

The C63 is powered by a standard 451-horsepower, 6.3-liter V-8 engine mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control. Unlike a regular automatic transmission, this one employs a wet start-up clutch that produces more efficient shifting, according to Mercedes. When equipped with the optional AMG Development Package, the coupe makes 481 hp. Mercedes says that with either powertrain, the C63 AMG coupe will be the fastest coupe in the class, with a zero-to-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds, (4.3 seconds with the Development Package). Top speed is 155 mph (174 mph with the Development Package).

Mercedes-Benz mbrace Plus: Worth the cost?

Kevin Link, marketing head at Hughes Telematics, punched a button in the overhead console of a Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon. He was in the driver’s seat; I sat shotgun. It was around 11 a.m. on the second media day at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show, and a few journalists still trolled the Mercedes display outside our car.
 
Moments later, the E-Class patched through a perky operator. She asked Link what he’d like. He wanted coffee. She sent directions to the nearest Starbucks to the car’s navigation system. Anything else?
 
I pitched a curveball: Say, what’s Google stock running at right now? Could we buy some shares?
 
A moment of silence.
 
She piped up: “As of 10:54, I have the price of Google at $613.39, which is down $3.06 today.”
 
“Would you like to buy any?” Link said, grinning. Not right now, I replied.
 
So it goes with Mercedes’ mbrace Plus.

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe: First Look

• Competes with: Infiniti G37, BMW 3 Series, Audi A5
• Looks like: A Mercedes-Benz Accord
• Drivetrain: 201-hp, turbo four-cylinder or 302 hp, V-6; seven-speed automatic transmission
• Hits dealerships: September 2011

Mercedes redesigned the C-Class sedan — one of its best-sellers — in 2007, but it didn’t follow up the sedan with a coupe variant until today. Five years is a long time to wait, especially when the coupe doesn’t really set our hearts aflutter this Valentine’s Day.

While styling is always subjective, we can’t help but see the Honda Accord coupe every time we pull up a new image of the 2012 C-Class two-door. There’s nothing wrong with the Accord coupe, but to confuse it with a car that will likely cost twice as much is unfortunate. You want the C-Class coupe to stand apart.

The interior looks similar to the revised C-Class sedans, but the coupe only seats four. There’s an integrated 5.8-inch display screen, and if you get the optional navigation system, it’s powered by Google for maps and routes.
 
Power comes from either a base 201-horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder in the C250 or a 302-hp V-6. Both are teamed with a seven-speed automatic transmission, which aids in fuel economy. The C250 is estimated to return 30 mpg highway and 24 mpg city/highway combined, while the C350 will get 22 mpg combined, according to Mercedes. Full fuel-economy figures were not given.

We’ll have more information on mileage, pricing and options as its September on-sale date approaches. For now, check out more pictures below, and let us know in the comment section if you think the new C-Class coupe is worth waiting for.

Saw it during the Super Bowl? Read the Car Review

Super Bowl XLV had more car commercials than recent Super Bowls. That’s partly due to GM getting back into the big game; the automaker hasn’t aired a Super Bowl ad since 2008.

With commercials highlighting the best that Chrysler, GM, Hyundai, Kia, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Suzuki have to offer, you may have seen cars and car names that are new to you, but they’re not to us. In fact, we’ve tested and reviewed many of the featured cars.

Below are links to our reviews of some of the cars that automakers thought were worth $100,000 per second of airtime.

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Up Close

What seem like only minor changes in pictures actually look substantial when you see the refreshed 2012 C-Class in person. The front end, in particular, takes after the current E-Class, with horizontal LED running lights and resculpted headlights. The eyelash highlight from the 2011 is gone from the new C-Class. The most noticeable changes around back are the new taillight assemblies, which do a great job of integrating LED lighting in a continuous band. It looks better than the old, incandescent type, and especially look better than the clusters of separate LEDs you see on some cars.

Read full details and see more photos of the 2012 Mercedes C-Class

The biggest and most needed changes are on the interior, where the quality has gotten a boost.

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class at 2011 Detroit Auto Show

• Competes with: BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Infiniti G37, Volvo S60
• Looks like: The last C-Class with a slightly nicer interior
• Drivetrain: 201-hp, turbocharged four-cylinder; 228-hp and 302 hp-V-6 engines
• Hits dealerships: Summer 2011

The 2012 C-Class doesn’t look much different on the outside, but we can hope the changes made to the inside are more noticeable. Mercedes promises that the 2012 model will feature an entirely new dashboard with higher-end materials and other improved surfaces throughout the cabin. There’s also a new steering wheel borrowed from the redesigned CLS-Class and a new multimedia system.

These additions are welcomed, since our last drive in a C-Class detailed just how far behind it was in the segment in terms of a top-notch interior.

That may be the most important improvement to car shoppers when they sit in one at the Detroit auto show next month, but much more has changed. The exterior gets slightly different front and rear treatments, including new headlights and taillights, and elements like an aluminum hood to make the car lighter are standard across the line.