My, my, how the naysayers have fallen. It's time to eat some crow. That's because while it seemed like the Germans were pretty anti-hybrids for a while there, they have about faced rather quick.
Though we've seen and heard about a lot of halo car projects among the three Germans, there's no real volume product that's a plug-in hybrid. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class **MAY** be that vehicle for the three-pointed star.
Seen here in spy photos, the C-Class hybrid is expected to be badged as a C350. Although it's been said to be equipped with a turbo four-cylinder from the C250, the vehicle will be assisted via an electric motor that will make total output similar to the gasoline-powered C350. Sounds pretty cool, huh?
Considering it's just about completely naked, it should debut on the auto show circuit relatively quick. We expect it to have a coming out party at the 2014 Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
**To see the FULL series of spy photos, click "Read Article" below!
**Interested in ANOTHER volume plug-in hybrid from a German automaker? Check out my first drive of the BMW X5 eDrive from this year!
...Apparently, the pre-production prototype was caught as it was unloaded from a truck near the Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Stuttgart, where a Research and Development center is also based.
Despite the fact that it will sport the unconfirmed C 350 Plug-in Hybrid moniker, the model will only have a two-liter internal combustion engine with four cylinders and a turbocharger, with an extra electric motor to be paired with an oversized lithium-ion battery...
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