Friday, May 10, 2013
Headline News: New E-Class Cabrio tilts its cap – automatically
Mercedes-Benz has created a car that automatically raises its ‘cap' to the driver and passengers.
Three years ago the company revealed its innovative Aircap system in the then-new E-Class Cabriolet. It consisted of a slender mesh spoiler on top of the windscreen header rail to channel air over the cabin when the car was being driven with its canvas roof down.
In conjunction with another mesh screen between the rear headrests, it allowed four occupants to travel unruffled, even at motorway speeds. But the screens had to be raised or lowered by the driver via a button.
However, in the updated E-Class Cabrio which goes on sale next month, both are now fully automatic.
The Aircap pops up as soon as the car reaches 25mph and lowers again when the speed drops below 10mph. It takes its readings from a sensor in the speedometer, linked to the car's electronic circuits.
The rear mesh rises as soon as someone buckles up in one of the back seats. At the same time the rear headrests and roll-over hoops are lifted to a mid-position for greater comfort and protection.
To prevent the Aircap going up and down like a fiddler's elbow in stop-start traffic, the system has to be first activated by the driver, but after that it functions without any intervention until disabled again.
Th new system is standard in the revised E-Class cabrio, which will initially be available with a choice of two 2.1-litre turbodiesel engines, a 3.0-litre V6 diesel and a new 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine.
A new 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol engine, replacing the 4.7-litre V8 in the outgoing model, will be added in October.
There will be SE and AMG Sport versions for most of the range and a unique AMG Sport Plus trim level with the twin-turbo engine. They provide up to £3,700 worth of extra equipment for price increases which vary from £2,095 to £2,435.
DATED: 10.05.13
FEED: HA
