Continental Fuel Injection Nozzle. P/n 632748-14c. Nos on 2040-parts.com

New Mercedes S-Class Plug-in Hybrid to debut at Frankfurt Motor Show

The new Mercedes S-Class (pictured) will arrive with a plug-in hybrid version in September We’ve known Mercedes were planning a plug-in hybrid version of the new S-Class as far back as 2009, and it now appears it will debut – as a 2014 model – at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. When Mercedes revealed the Vision S500 Plug-in Hybrid Concept at Frankfurt in 2009, they had fitted it with a V6 petrol engine mated to a 44kw motor and a bank of lithium-ion batteries, and promised the hybrid S-Class would do 90mpg, have emissions of under 75g/km and manage 18 miles in EV mode. That means the hybrid S-Class would have performance comparable to the V8 petrol-engined S500 but attract no BIK or VED in the UK.

British Grand Prix (2012) RESULT

With Alonso on pole, two Red Bulls and Michael Schumacher’s Mercedes jus behind and rain likely, Silverstone 2012 could be interesting. Qualifying for the 2012 British Grand Prix was a shambles with more rain than the average July sees all month. But through it all there were some great drives, not least of which was Alonso putting his Ferrari on pole, Webber taking second in his adopted home Grand Prix and the King of the rain – Michael Schumacher – in third.

Like it or not, autonomous cars are here -- almost

One of the odder things about living in "the future" is that things develop so gradually, hardly any of the really amazing things we're exposed to every day seem amazing or futuristic. If the iPhone had just appeared from nowhere in 2007, there would have been riots, demonstrations and legislation. But since we had a Blackberry first, and dedicated cellphones before that, the iPhone and its progeny were never quite shocking.