We brought you Mercedes-Benz’s future cars yesterday, and today we’re hitting the esses and giving you what to expect from the German automaker in terms of sports cars and roadsters.

SLK-Class: The SLK is due for a redesign next year and will include styling cues from Mercedes’ latest supercar, the SLS AMG, including a more prominent and upright grille, as well as a more rounded rear end. The engine lineup will continue to feature gasoline V-6s and V-8s, but a fuel efficient turbo-diesel V-6 may also be added. The next-generation SLK will likely make its first public appearance at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2011.

SL-Class: Due next year as a 2012 model, our sources indicate that the roadster has been redesigned from the ground up. It will be loosely based on E-Class architecture with a longer wheelbase to better facilitate ingress and egress, and will accommodate more passenger and luggage space.

Unlike Mercedes’ other roadster which may get a thrifty diesel engine, the SL will utilize a gasoline-only lineup. The base SL for the U.S. will likely remain the SL550, but will use the twin-turbo, direct-injected, 4.6-liter V-8 making its way through the Benz lineup. A model using Mercedes’ 3.5-liter V-6 may be added, and the V-12-powered SL600 is likely to stay on. The non-AMG SL models will also get Mercedes’ new nine-speed transmission, which replaces the current seven-speed unit.

The SL63 AMG and SL65 AMG will still be offered. The SL63 gets Mercedes’ other twin-turbo, direct-injected V-8, the 5.5-liter unit that will reportedly produce 565 horsepower in the SL. The SL65 AMG retains the twin-turbo, 6.0-liter V-12 but sees output bumped up to 630 horsepower (rather than 604). Both AMG versions get the seven-speed automatic and may be offered with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission from the SLS.

SLS AMG: Mercedes’ reborn gullwing is an impressive car with a 563-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 coupled to Mercedes’ first dual-clutch transmission with seven-forward ratios. Although 563 horsepower is enough to catapult the super car to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, a more hardcore SLS Black Series is rumored to be on the way. A soft-top convertible is set for sometime next year.

In addition to a convertible and possible Black Series version, the SLS will get an all-electric variant. It will feature all-wheel drive and will be powered by a lithium-ion battery pack coupled to four electric motors for a total of 526 horsepower, with instant torque. According to Mercedes-Benz, it will have a range over 120 miles, depending, of course, on how you drive it. Sales may start as early as 2012.

To prove its all-new V-6 engine is an engineering marvel, Ford decided to test the engine’s range on a new Mustang. Yesterday, at the Bristol International Speedway in Tennessee, the 2011 V-6 Mustang set out to travel 533 miles on a single tank, but didn’t meet its goal. It completely obliterated it, logging 776.5 miles on a single tank.

Back in March, as Ford began to drum up excitement for its new 3.7-liter V-6 Mustang, it set out to perform a seemingly impossible mileage goal. The plan was to circle Bristol International Speedway 1000 times on a single tank of fuel, but the car performed nearly 50 percent better by circling the .533-mile oval 1457 times. While the EPA estimate for a V-6 Mustang coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission is 31 mpg highway, the pony car beat that rating by a long shot, recording an amazing 48.5 mpg. Its 16 gallon tank should’ve run out of fuel after 496 miles.

“The new V-6 engine along with the advanced six-speed transmission in the car is a key element in delivering both fuel economy and performance for Mustang,” said Dave Pericak, chief engineer for the Mustang.

The team of drivers was advised about efficient driving techniques before the challenge. To achieve their goal, they limited the use of air conditioning, kept the RPMs low, and minimized abrupt stops and starts. The task took 17 hours 40 minutes to complete, with a driver  swap every hour. Average speed was roughly 44 mph, helping to minimize wind resistance.

We suspect that with fewer stops and even better technique, the Mustang could possibly reach the 50 mpg mark. What do you think?

Source: Ford

When the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze goes on sale later this year, 75 percent of the Chevrolet brand’s vehicles will offer six-speed transmissions, according to General Motors.

GM states that six-speed automatics are smoother, more responsive, and offer up to 4 percent better fuel economy than traditional four-speed automatics. The 2010 Chevy Malibu, for example, gets 33 mpg highway when equipped with an Ecotec 2.4 liter inline four and six-speed automatic transmission while the popular 2010 Chevy Camaro gets 29 mpg highway with its direct-injection 3.6-liter V-6 mated with either a six-speed automatic or manual transmission. And the Chevrolet Cruze Eco, which will arrive standard with a six-speed manual, delivers a staggering 40 mpg highway while also being able to go from zero to 60 mph in less than 10 seconds.

Notes Mark Gilmore, global engineering director for manual transmissions, “Six-speed transmissions inherently offer increased flexibility over 4- or 5-speed transmissions to fine tune the gear ratios to specific engine characteristics and vehicle performance targets.  In the case of the Cruze Eco, we have developed a unique combination of speed gear ratios and a final drive ratio that provide very good vehicle launch and low-speed performance along with three overdrive speeds (fourth, fifth and sixth) which enable excellent highway fuel economy and passing performance.”

Chevrolet full six-speed transmission fleet includes:

   1. Chevrolet Avalanche Standard six-speed automatic
   2. Chevrolet Camaro Standard six-speed manual, available six-speed automatic
   3. Chevrolet Cruze Standard six-speed manual, available six-speed automatic
   4. Chevrolet Corvette Standard six-speed manual, available six-speed automatic
   5. Chevrolet Equinox Standard six-speed automatic
   6. Chevrolet Express Available six-speed automatic
   7. Chevrolet Malibu Standard six-speed automatic
   8. Chevrolet Silverado Available six-speed automatic
   9. Chevrolet Silverado HD Standard six-speed automatic
  10. Chevrolet Suburban Standard six-speed automatic
  11. Chevrolet Tahoe Standard six-speed automatic
  12. Chevrolet Traverse Standard six-speed automatic

Source: General Motors